A Collective Bargaining Agreement is only as strong as its enforcement. Every wage increase, benefit improvement, scheduling protection, and workplace right contained in the agreement depends on our willingness to ensure the Employer honors the commitments it made at the bargaining table. That is where each member plays a vital role.

Every CBA contains a grievance procedure—a structured process designed to resolve disputes when the contract is violated or interpreted incorrectly. The grievance procedure exists to protect your rights by providing a fair process to challenge violations and require the Employer to comply with the agreement.

The success of that process depends on timely communication and accurate information. If you believe the contract has been violated, notify your Shop Steward or Union Representative as soon as possible. Many contractual deadlines are measured in days, and waiting too long to report an issue can limit the Union's ability to pursue a grievance.

Your Shop Steward and Union Representative are your advocates. They rely on members to report concerns, provide facts, identify witnesses, preserve documents, and communicate what occurred. The more complete the information, the better equipped the Union is to investigate the matter, present the strongest possible case, and hold the Employer accountable for honoring the agreement.

Our commitment to enforcing the contract extends beyond individual grievances. On September 30, Local 1000 is scheduled to present an arbitration challenging the Kroger's decision to outsource bargaining unit work to Snow Fruit, a dispute that goes to the heart of protecting Union jobs and preserving work that belongs to our members. Cases like this demonstrate that enforcing our agreement sometimes requires pursuing matters all the way through arbitration to defend the rights secured through collective bargaining.

Your contract is more than words on paper—it is a promise. Keeping that promise requires engaged members, knowledgeable Shop Stewards, dedicated Union Representatives, and a Union that is prepared to enforce every provision of the agreement.

Thank you for your continued involvement, your vigilance, and your commitment to making Local 1000 stronger. Together, we don't just negotiate these agreements—we also enforce them.

In solidarity,

Ricky Burris

UFCW Local 1000 President