KROGERCONTRACTKROGERCONTRACTCONTRACT
UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS UNION LOCAL 1059
YOUR COWORKERS ON THE UNION NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE
UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMEND RATIFICATION OF THIS 2-YEAR & 10-MONTH CONTRACT.
WAGES & COMPENSATION
Individual wage sheets will be available at the contract vote in your home store
to show how this wage package aects you specically
•
•
• New wage progression structure reduces the number of wage progression steps to reach top rate.
• Members in wage progressions can potentially get two raises in one year by averaging 34 hr/wk to increase from
Step 1 wages to Step 2 wages or averaging 36 hrs/wk to increase from Step 2 wages to Step 3 wages at the beginning
of each year (starts 1/1/24) with annual wage increases at each step in September of each year.
• New wage rate protections allow anyone who achieves Step 2 rate or is in the Red Circle rate to remain at the same
wage rate regardless of hours worked.
• Pharmacy
• Technician Levels 1-3 transition into the new, higher Standard Technician pay scale. Technician Level test will
be discontinued going forward.
• Certied Technicians transition into the new, higher Certied Technician pay scale.
• New, higher Senior Certied Technician pay scale created for techs who receive training for specialized patient
care (example: immunization, wellness screenings).
• Lead Pharmacy Techs transition to new, higher Certied Lead Pharmacy Technician pay scale. Leads have 180
days to reach Senior Certied Technician certication.
Lead Premium Increases
• Pickup Leads: $2.00/hr
• Head Receiving Clerk: $1.00/hr
• File Clerk: $1.00/hr
• Specialty Leads: $1.00/hr
• Lead Fuel Clerks: $1.00/hr
• Lead Liquor Clerks: $1.00/hr
• Floral Leads (over $6,000 weekly sales): $1.00/hr
• Floral Leads ($2,250-$6,000 weekly sales): 50¢/hr
• Created Manager on Duty:
$1.00/hr for hours designated Manager on Duty
• Lead Pharmacy Tech: New payrate
• Lead Coee Shop: New payrate
Ratication Bonuses
• Department Heads: $2,500
• Assistant Department Heads: $2,500
• Home & Apparel Managers: $2,500
• Asst Home & Apparel Managers: $2,500
• Journeymen: $2,500
• Chefs with wage rate $20.65: $2,500
• Premium positions with base rate $17.10, $18.00
or $19.72: $2,500 (includes Rx Techs)
• Members with base rate $17.10, $18.00
or $19.72: $2,500
• Service Directors hired before 11/20/2005: $2,500
• Service Directors hired 11/20/2005-11/18/2018 with
wage rate $18.60: $2,500
• Full-time Courtesy Clerks with
wage rate of $12.50: $300
(Must be at top rate at time of ratication. Must be active employee, includes on approved leave.)
• Front-loaded raises, securing wage increases of at least $1.00/hr for 85% of the Kroger membership starting the
week of October 23, 2022.
• Over 1,300 members now receiving an additional 35¢ in wage increases.
• Full-Time Top-Rate Courtesy Clerk bonuses increase to $300 paid out two weeks after ratication of contract.
• Maintained $2,500 bonuses going to over 30% of Kroger membership two weeks after ratication.
HIGHLIGHTS
HEALTH & WELFARE INSURANCE
• PROTECTED current plan eligibility, deductibles, spousal surcharges, copays (doctor’s oce visit, emergency room,
urgent care, specialist visit), prescription coverage, dental coverage, vision coverage, life insurance, accidental
death/dismemberment insurance, and short term disability from your current plan benets.
• Changes to medical out-of-pocket max in 2024 and 2025. The out-of-pocket max is not the same as your
deductible. The out-of-pocket max is the maximum amount of medical costs you could be responsible for paying
in a year—including anything you pay toward your deductible, copays & co-insurance—after which, the insurance
pays 100% of costs.
• Plan A out-of-pocket max increases $500 for employee coverage / $1,000 for family coverage in 2024 and 2025.
• Plan B out-of-pocket max increases $250 for employee coverage / $500 for family coverage in 2024 and 2025.
• In 2024, the prescription out-of-pocket max (the maximum amount of prescription costs you could be responsible
for paying in a year) decreases by $3,700 for employee coverage / $7,400 for family coverage.
• Changes to weekly insurance premiums:
2023 PLAN A PLAN B ANCILLARY
EMPLOYEE +$1.00 +$1.00
No Increase
EMPLOYEE+CHILD(REN) +$2.00 +$2.00
EMPLOYEE+SPOUSE +$2.00 +$2.00
FAMILY +$3.00 +$3.00
2024 PLAN A PLAN B ANCILLARY
EMPLOYEE +$1.00 +$1.00
No Increase
EMPLOYEE+CHILD(REN) +$2.00 +$2.00
EMPLOYEE+SPOUSE +$2.00 +$2.00
FAMILY +$3.00 +$3.00
2025 PLAN A PLAN B ANCILLARY
EMPLOYEE +$1.00 +$1.00
+$1.00
EMPLOYEE+CHILD(REN) +$2.00 +$2.00
EMPLOYEE+SPOUSE +$2.00 +$2.00
FAMILY +$3.00 +$3.00
• Starting in 2024, Centers of Excellence (facilities delivering high quality specialized care) will be covered at 95% of cost
after the deductible. Travel costs for yourself and one (1) guest are covered at 100% (no deductible) for treatment at a
Center of Excellence.
• Starting in 2024, LiveHealth Online 24-hour access to doctors (accessible at livehealthonline.com or via a smartphone
app) covered for $10 copay (less than the cost of a doctor’s oce visit).
• All employees whose spouse also works at Kroger and is represented by UFCW Local 1059 may cover their spouse
without a spousal fee.
• Specialty Alternative Funding Drug Program provides employees taking these types of medications an opportunity to
reduce or eliminate cost of Specialty Drugs prescription costs (up to $175.00 per month per prescription) on a yearly basis
CHANGING POSITIONS
• Lead Coee Shop transitions from a premium position into its own pay scale.
• Employees in the Head Cheese Shop position have their wages protected as long as they are in the position.
Employees placed in vacated positions will receive $1.00 lead premium over top rate.
• Employees in the Service Director position have their wages protected as long as they are in the position. The
position will not be replaced when vacated.
• PROTECTED pension benets for employees in the UFCW Consolidated Pension Fund. Employees in the UFCW
Consolidated Pension fund include all employees except those hired into the Meat Department before 9/25/2000
who continue to work in the Meat Department.
• PROTECTED pension benets for employees in the UFCW Variable Annuity Pension Plan (formerly the UFCW
Industry Pension Fund). Employees in the UFCW Variable Annuity Pension Plan include all employees hired into
the Meat Department before 9/25/2000 who continue to work in the Meat Department.
• Pre-Medicare Retiree Health Insurance
• The Employer will oer free assistance to new retirees to help them explore their options for pre-Medicare Retiree
Insurance or health insurance through the ACA Marketplace.
• Current retirees would continue to have access to retiree health insurance until they become eligible for Medicare
(current practice). However, they may choose to take a lump sum payment (amount based on years of eligibility
remaining) and forfeit retiree insurance coverage before 12/31/2024.
RETIREMENT
CURRENT PRE-MEDICARE RETIREE INSURANCE SYSTEM
ELIGIBILITY
Retirees between the ages of 55 and 65 with at least 20 years of service at
Kroger are eligible for retiree health insurance. Retiree health insurance
ends when retirees are eligible for Medicare coverage. Retirees must start
drawing their pension to be eligible for retiree health insurance.
COVERAGE
Retirees may choose employee coverage or employee + spouse
coverage, depending on whether they were eligible for spousal coverage
upon retirement. Retiree insurance spousal coverage ends when spouse
is eligible for Medicare coverage or when the retiree turns is eligible for
Medicare coverage (whichever occurs rst).
INSURANCE PLAN Retirees have access to Plan B.
COST
The cost of retiree insurance depends upon the retiree’s years of service
at Kroger. Those years of service determine the percentage of the
rate the employee pays (2022 monthly premiums range $88-$176 for
employee coverage / $171-$342 for employee + spouse coverage).
PROPOSED PRE-MEDICARE RETIREE INSURANCE SYSTEM
ELIGIBILITY
New retirees between the ages of 55 and 65 with at least 20 years of service
at Kroger are eligible for retiree health insurance until 12/31/2029. Eligible
employees retiring before 12/31/2024 can choose not to take retiree
health insurance and receive $15,000. Retiree health insurance for new
retirees ends on 12/31/2029 or when they are eligible for Medicare
coverage (whichever occurs rst). Retirees must start drawing their
pension to be eligible for retiree health insurance.
COVERAGE
New retirees may choose employee coverage or employee + spouse
coverage, depending on whether they were eligible for spousal
coverage upon retirement. Retiree insurance spousal coverage ends
when spouse is eligible for Medicare coverage or when the retiree is
eligible for Medicare coverage or on 12/31/2029 (whichever occurs
rst).
INSURANCE PLAN Retirees have access to Plan B.
COST
Kroger Retiree Insurance: The cost of retiree insurance depends upon
the employee’s years of service at Kroger. Those years of service
determine the percentage of the rate the employee pays.
ACA Marketplace Insurance: New retirees after 12/31/2029 would
have access to comparable plans via the ACA Marketplace that are
often similar in cost to retiree health insurance. Get an estimate
by entering your information at k.org/interactive/subsidy-calculator/
• Bereavement Leave. Changes to Bereavement Leave would no longer require the days of leave to be consecutive.
Instead, Bereavement Leave days could be taken within 90 days of the death in the family.
• Joint Labor Management Committee. Creates a committee composed of six (6) Union Sta/Members and six (6)
Kroger Managers/Corporate Sta, which would meet on a quarterly basis to investigate, study, and discuss Labor-
Management issues.
• Alternate Stewards. Changes would make Alternate Stewards full Stewards. This designation allows them
additional training and continuing education in their steward duties and responsibilities.
• Bargaining Unit Work. Changes in this section would allow:
• Vendors to stock and care for plants, trees, and wreaths sold outside the store. All sales would be credited to
store sales and oral department sales for purposes of determining Department Head & Lead Floral Clerk rates.
• Vendors who currently deliver fruit they have cut outside of the store would now be able to cut that same fruit
within the store. This will achieve a fresher product with no loss to the store because the product cost will be
scan-based. All sales would be credited to store sales for purposes of determining Department Head rates.
• Vendors can assist bargaining unit members during the four (4) weeks before and four (4) weeks after a grand
opening/re-opening. Additional Hours/Overtime Sheets would also be available to members in the store who
wish to have additional work.
• Third-party services to ll additional hours in Pickup when those additional hours are caused by extenuating
circumstances (severe weather, extreme call-os). However, those additional hours in Pickup caused by
extenuating circumstances must rst be oered to bargaining unit members and, only if additional hours
remain unlled, can such third-party services be used.
• Grievance Procedure. Grievances arising from accused theft, harassment, workplace violence, or MAX cases
(system-generated irregularities that lead to the discovery of theft) will now be elevated straight to Step 2 of the
grievance procedure (Kroger District HR) to help speed up the grievance process.
• Additional Hours/Overtime. An Additional Hours/Overtime Sheet will be available at the service desk for
employees who want to be contacted when additional hours or overtime becomes available. Hours are oered to
those on the Additional Hours/Overtime Sheet according to current rules.
• Employees hired after ratication would be paid daily overtime after 8½ hours/day. No employees currently working
are aected by this change, only those hired after the ratication of a new contract.
CONTRACT LANGUAGE
