King Soopers Strike... Again

[FoxtArt]

You are right. Too many tabs. Thank you.

[rondog]

Um, $30/hr at Costco? Hmmm......

[eddiememphis]

https://coloradosun.com/2025/02/03/k...ting-thursday/

After union members approved a strike, UFCW Local 7 said a two-week walkout will "allow everyone to understand our concerns."

King Soopers management had offered their "last, best and final" offer, which added 25 cents to boost pay raises for retail clerks by $1.50 an hour, among other changes. That would increase the average hourly wage to $29.48 for top-rate clerks. The offer expired Jan. 31.

In a statement Monday evening, the company said, "Despite King Soopers urging UFCW Local 7 to give their members a voice by allowing them to vote on the company's Last Best and Final offer the Union has allowed the company?' offer to expire, without providing a single counter wage proposal, and has once again chosen disruption and uncertainty by scheduling a work stoppage."

UFCW Local 7 president Kim Cordova (annual salary $202k) thinks this is the way to gain concessions from the company. It will likely work, although it would be a great sign for right to work advocates if Kroger fired all striking employees.

I don't feel sympathy for striking grocery store workers and will cross their picket line without a second thought.

[FoxtArt]

I don't feel sympathy for striking grocery store workers and will cross their picket line without a second thought.

Much like the dockworkers strike... $39 to $60+ an hour, not a fan of unprofessional/uneducated service jobs extorting key services.

Every time the bottom increases their wages without the middle proportionally doing the same... we edge ever more into income redistribution.

[buffalobo]

"Much like the dockworkers strike... $39 to $60+ an hour, not a fan of unprofessional/uneducated service jobs extorting key services."

Doesn't sound too elitist.

If you're unarmed, you are a victim

[buffalobo]

"Every time the bottom increases their wages without the middle proportionally doing the same... we edge ever more into income redistribution."

Wouldn't the top say the same about the middle?

You think the bottom is getting your raise? Or they shouldn't get one unless you do?

If you're unarmed, you are a victim

[crays]

Um, $30/hr at Costco? Hmmm......

Doesn't sound too far off to me, actually. I worked for Price Club (pre-Costco buy-out) in the early 90's and everyone was paid pretty well at that time. Paid better than other club stores, and highly competitive if not at/above par with well paid grocery chain workers in same/similar roles. I'd have to look for some old pay stubs and do the maths for wage/inflation/COL comparison in real time to see how close though.

[.455_Hunter]

I have over 25 years as a bachelor's degreed engineer and have yet to hit $60/hr. My starting civilian pay in 2002 after four-years active-duty Army was $24/hr, and I thought that was very fair. The Boulder McDonald's is now advertising close to $20/hr. Amazing...

[FoxtArt]

"Every time the bottom increases their wages without the middle proportionally doing the same... we edge ever more into income redistribution."

Wouldn't the top say the same about the middle?

You think the bottom is getting your raise? Or they shouldn't get one unless you do?

If you're unarmed, you are a victim

Nice strawman, of sorts.

If you think the US would be a great place if everyone from McDonalds workers to doctors earn closer to the same wage, while Elon is worth a trillion, well....

What happens when you give massive income increases to the bottom denominator? Do they actually earn more?

Hell no. The services increase proportionally. Restaurants are so high because food costs and labor costs have dramatically increased. Inflation increases proportionally. Ultimately, they make the same value that they did, just with a larger number associated. Meanwhile, the middle earns less value. The top, proportionally, actually earns more. You slowly "disappear" the middle class. This isn't sky is falling, it's statistically been happening for a while (and yes, this only a part of the cause).

It used to be, "quote" American dream, a person could invest in themselves in either education or trade, work hard, and readily get into a career that made 4x, or 8x minimum wage. They could raise a family off a single income and buy a house in their 20's or 30's.

Now, it's increasingly uncommon to make 3x minimum wage no matter the education or trade. There are essentially no single income typical families that can buy a house in their 20s or 30s.

As this trend continues, where it is increasingly uncommon to make 2x, or even 1.5x minimum wage in Colorado, and more of the population transitions into apartments, and you "disappear" the middle class entirely, is that what you want to see? Everyone earn roughly the same wage regardless of effort or intelligence, and then have the ultra-wealthy on top?

[That is what has slowly been happening]

[kidicarus13]

"Every time the bottom increases their wages without the middle proportionally doing the same... we edge ever more into income redistribution."

Wouldn't the top say the same about the middle?

You think the bottom is getting your raise? Or they shouldn't get one unless you do?

If you're unarmed, you are a victim

Expecting more pay for more education, training, experience, etc = elitist ?!

From Wiki...
Wage compression?refers to the?empirical?regularity that wages for low-skilled workers and wages for high-skilled workers tend toward one another. As a result, the prevailing wage for a low-skilled worker exceeds the market-clearing wage, resulting in?unemployment?for low-skilled workers.