DENVER (KDVR) – A class action lawsuit was recently filed by local union workers against the Kroger Company and Albertsons, owners of King Soopers and Safeway, respectively.

The lawsuit is in response to certain unlawful no-poach agreements the supermarkets allegedly entered into during a 2022 strike against King Soopers and City Market by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union in Denver.

A spokesperson for the Kroger Company released a statement on the lawsuit, denying that no anti-poaching agreements had been reached between the two companies.

The spokesperson also said data shows that only between 1 and 2.5% of Kroger employees come from or move to Albertsons stores.

The accusations

According to the union, about 8,000 workers walked out at nearly 80 King Soopers stores during the 2022 strike.

A 2024 lawsuit filed by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser alleged that during this strike, King Soopers owner Kroger entered into an agreement with Albertsons, which owns Safeway, not to hire King Soopers workers .

Safeway also reportedly agreed not to solicit pharmacy customers from King Soopers.

The agreement was reportedly discussed in an email between company executives prior to the strike.

The class action lawsuit seeks lost wages “and other economic gains for workers” that could have been secured if the agreements did not exist.