Why are the Cub Food workers going on strike? Date, branches, and everything to know about the upcoming protest

Cub Food workers across Minnesota in the United States are going on strike to demand higher wages and combat unfair labor practices. The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 663 members, who work at the retail grocery stores, announced on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, that they plan to carry out the strike during the two days before Easter, which is on Sunday, April 9.

As stated by the union members, about 95% of the workers at 33 branches voted on Tuesday to authorize a strike.

Mike Wilken, a spokesperson for the retailer’s parent company, spoke to the Star Tribune and expressed his disappointment. He said that instead of electing to spend Tuesday taking an authorization vote for the strike, the union members could use that time to meet with the parent company to reach an agreement regarding a new contract.

33 metro Cub stores in the Twin Cities will be impacted by the strike, which will start on Friday at 5:30 am and will continue until 10:30 pm on Saturday. Workers are to picket outside the Cub Food stores during the daytime hours.

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Union workers demand better wages, respect, and benefits from Cub Food

Jill Craig, a spokesperson from the union, said during Wednesday’s news conference where the strike was announced:

“We want to be paid for what we’ve been through the last five years.”

At the conference, members noted how grocery store employees showed up throughout the pandemic back in 2020 despite the toll it took on them. Negotiators from the union said they did not feel respected by the parent company during the contract talks.

The stores are scheduled to reopen on Easter Sunday. The 33 stores where the employees will strike starting on Friday are:

1. Apple Valley
2. Blaine North
3. Blaine West
4. Blaine South
5. Bloomington Lyndale
6. Brooklyn Park South
7. Brooklyn Park North
8. Burnsville South
9. Burnsville Heart of the City
10. Chanhassen
11. Champlin
12. Crystal
13. Coon Rapids South
14. Eagle North
15. Eagle East
16. Eagle West
17. Fridley
18. Lakeville South
19. Lakeville North
20. Lakeville West
21. Maple Grove
22. Monticello
23. Minnehaha
24. New Brighton
25. Northside
26. Plymouth Rockford Road
27. Plymouth Vicksburg Lane North
28. Rosemount
29. Savage
30. St. Anthony
31. Shorewood
32. St. Louis Park
33. Uptown, Minneapolis

The union represents over 3,000 workers across 33 Cub Foods stores in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, owned by their parent company UNFI. The employees have been working in the branches without a contract since March 4.

Cub workers are seeking better wages along with benefits. The union said that the walkout also stemmed from unfair labor practices imposed upon the employees. Moreover, union leaders alleged that the company interfered with protected activities in the union.

Cub Food said in a statement that the company:

“Has proposed historic wage increases and agreed to ongoing union health and pension plans on terms specifically by the union.”

The retailer also added that it has plans for contingency ready for Friday and Saturday, but is willing to keep negotiating. Cub Food stated:

“In the event, there is a strike, we are prepared to implement contingency plans to ensure continued availability of the products and services our guests have come to count on from Cub.”

However, the strike would not affect other cub stores in Minnesota, which are more than 40 in number and are owned and run by franchisees. Union members noted that those stores have already implemented labor contracts.