Colorado Grocery Workers Launch Strategic Strike: Safeway, Albertsons Walkouts Begin in Pueblo, Fountain, and Estes Park

Colorado grocery workers are taking a stand for better working conditions as employees at select Safeway and Albertsons locations launched their first major strike since 1996. Starting Sunday morning, workers in Pueblo, Fountain, Estes Park, and a Denver distribution center are initiating what union leaders describe as a strategic, phased walkout that could eventually expand across the state.

The labor action, organized by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, comes after nine months of unsuccessful contract negotiations with the grocery chains. Unlike February's widespread King Soopers strike, this walkout is starting on a smaller scale to minimize disruption to Colorado communities while highlighting workers' concerns.

Impact on Colorado Communities

The strike could soon affect Colorado families across the Front Range and mountain communities, with potential expansion to stores in:

• Metro Denver, Boulder, and Castle Rock
• Mountain communities including Vail, Steamboat Springs, and Idaho Springs
• Additional locations in Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Greeley, and Longmont

"It's too bad that things have come to this point with Safeway/Albertsons, but the ongoing unfair labor practices, including bad-faith bargaining, as well as surveilling and threatening workers, have given us no choice but to strike," said Monique Trujillo, a Safeway worker in Fountain.

Key Worker Demands

Colorado grocery workers are fighting for:

• Improved staffing levels to better serve local communities
• Livable wages for Colorado's high cost of living
• Protection of health and pension benefits for long-term security

According to UFCW Local 7, which represents 23,000 members across Colorado and Wyoming, additional strike authorization votes are scheduled for next week in several Colorado cities, suggesting possible expansion of the walkout.

Historical Context

This marks a significant moment for Colorado's labor movement, being the first time since 1996 that Safeway workers have voted to strike over unfair labor practices. The last major grocery strike in Colorado occurred earlier this year, when approximately 10,000 King Soopers and City Market workers walked off the job for 12 days in February.

For Colorado shoppers, union leaders say the gradual rollout is designed to allow communities time to prepare for potential disruptions while giving the companies an opportunity to address workers' concerns before the strike expands to additional locations.

This article contains AI-generated content and reflects opinion only. Readers are encouraged to verify all information independently before drawing conclusions or making decisions.