Stop the Merger
PRESS RELEASE | MARCH 14, 2023
United in Opposition to the Kroger-Albertsons Merger, Coalition of Over 100 Organizations from Across the Country Join Forces & Launch the “Stop the Merger” Website
The Stop the Merger Coalition includes national, state and local organizations from across US
Los Angeles, CA– (March 14, 2023) – Today, a coalition of 100 organizations representing diverse interests from around the country have joined forces in the “Stop the Merger” campaign, a national and state-level effort to oppose the proposed $25-billion merger of grocery store chain giants Kroger and Albertsons. The coalition is announcing the launch of its website (www.NoGroceryMerger.com) which includes facts and research about the proposed merger’s negative impact, stories from community members, workers, and others, as well as tools for organizations and individuals to take action and communicate their opposition to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which has the regulatory oversight responsibility to review proposed mergers such as this.
In October of 2022, Kroger and Albertsons announced they would pursue a $24.6 billion mega-merger, joining together the two largest standalone U.S. grocery chains, and thereby creating a monopoly in many areas across the country. Both these chains have stores and manufacturing facilities in nearly every state, employing over 700,000 workers across their numerous local banners. The mega-merger, currently undergoing FTC review, would drive out competition, increase food prices, create food deserts, and put hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk as well as hurt local farmers and ranchers.
The coalition of over 100 organizations has written numerous letters to the FTC and state Attorneys General, held meetings with federal and state elected officials and regulators, held press conferences and virtual town halls, attended public events on the merger hosted by government officials, and participated in various local community activities opposing the merger. All this activity has helped reveal growing evidence that shows the real motives for the proposed merger: corporate greed at the hands of C-Suite executives and the private equity firms that are significant owners of their stock. The diverse and large number of groups across the nation now include organizations whose focus includes consumer protection, faith, economic justice, anti-poverty, food justice, environmental protection, women’s rights, Black Indigenous People of Color advocates, farmer and farmworker advocates, and many others.
For more information on the negative impact of the mega-merger, please visit: NoGroceryMerger.com. Interested organizations can also join the Stop the Merger Coalition through the form on the site.
The Stop the Merger campaign includes over 100 national, state and local organizations representing diverse interests who share a common goal: to stop the proposed Kroger-Albertsons grocery merger because of its negative impact on our nation’s communities. For more information visit www.NoGroceryMerger.com
The Great Grocery Store Heist | Robert Reich
The ~$25 billion Kroger-Albertsons merger could affect grocery stores relied on by 85 million households. The company could jack up prices even higher and pay workers even less.
This is a disaster in the making.
The FTC has the power to intervene and stop it. They must act.
On Thursday, February 2nd we held a multi-local webinar where updates were provided on the current status and potential impact of the Albertsons-Kroger merger.
If you were unable to join the meeting, you can watch a recording to get answers to your questions and learn how you can be involved in the strategy to stop this devastating mega merger that threatens our jobs and our communities’ access to food.
We need to hear what your concerns are as we fight the merger. Take a moment to fill out a brief survey to let us know what is most important to you and how you are ready to join the fight.
UFCW Local Unions Disappointed by Washington State Supreme Court Ruling to Allow Albertsons Massive $4 Billion Dividend as Part of Proposed Mega Merger
Jointly Issued Press Statement by :
UFCW 3000 of WA & Northern ID
UFCW 400 of MD, DC, VA, WV, KY, OH, & TN
UFCW 7 of CO & WY
UFCW 770 of Southern CA
UFCW 5 of Northern CA
UFCW 324 of Orange County, CA and Southern Los Angeles County
UFCW 367 of South Puget Sound, WA
Teamsters 38 of Snohomish County, WA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1/17/23
Contact:
Bertha Rodriguez, Bertha.Rodriguez@ufcw770.org, (213) 453-6276
Los Angeles,CA (January 17, 2023) – Today, a coalition of local unions representing 100,000 Kroger and Albertsons workers in twelve states and the District of Columbia issued the following statement after a Washington court ruled to terminate a temporary restraining order and allow Albertsons to issue an up to $4 billion payout to shareholders:
“We are disappointed to see a ruling that favors a small number of ultra-wealthy shareholders over the many thousands of essential workers and millions of Americans who will be left to suffer the consequences of the outright financial looting of Albertsons. Despite this setback that allows the $4 billion dividend to be issued, the delay allowed the United States Senate to scrutinize the dividend payment as well as the mega-merger, and alerted the public to the disastrous consequences if the merger were to go through. We applaud Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson and his staff for their efforts fighting to protect our members and the communities we serve. Our unions will not stop working to protect our members and our communities from the harmful impacts of this proposed mega-merger of Kroger and Albertsons. It is now even more important that the Federal Trade Commission take swift and decisive action to block the acquisition.”
Background:
On November 1st, Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a lawsuit in state court seeking to stop the payout and a temporary restraining order was granted through December 9th.
On Tuesday November 29 the US Senate Judiciary Subcommittee held a hearing to scrutinize the proposed Kroger/Albertsons mega merger, along with an alarming, up to $4 billion “special dividend” announced by Albertsons in connection with the merger agreement. In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission urging the agency to intervene, more than two dozen antitrust experts and local unions representing Albertsons’ workers decried the payout as “nothing less than an out-and-out looting of the company” and a brazen attempt to destabilize the company ahead of regulatory review of the merger.
On December 9th, the Superior Court Judge in King County Washington ruled against issuing a preliminary injunction, but delayed the effect of the decision until December 19th to allow time for an appeal by the WA AG to be considered by the State Supreme Court. On December 16th, the WA State Supreme Court issued a ruling granting the State AG’s Injunctive Relief and extended the Temporary Restraining Order on the Albertsons dividend until further order of the court.