King Soopers, Union In Court On Alleged 'blitzing'

CATHERINE TSAI

DENVER (AP) — Locked in a tense labor dispute, the King Soopers grocery chain asked a federal judge Thursday to block a union from sending representatives into stores to talk to employees while they're working.

The hearing came one day after workers overwhelmingly rejected the chain's latest contract offer.

A King Soopers labor relations manager and two store managers testified that loud groups of union representatives wearing black T-shirts have been disrupting business and trying to talk to employees during work about contract negotiations and other issues.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 contends it has a right to inform members of contract negotiations. Several union representatives testified Thursday that they have talked to employees on the job before with no complaints from King Soopers store managers.

King Soopers countered that the union has a hot line, Web site and other methods of communicating with members.

The union urged U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn to let the National Labor Relations Board handle the dispute.