The workers, who are members of United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1189, voted down the contract Sunday after discussing the proposal in six informational meetings.

“We stand together as workers at Kowalski’s knowing the company can and should do better in crafting a contract that works for us and allows the company to continue being one of the premier operators in Minnesota,” union bargaining committee members said in a statement.

The rejected agreement included abandonment of three multi-employer retirement plans, freeze on wage progressions and the introduction of lower wage workers in several departments of the stores.

Officers of Local 1189 said they will contact company management requesting the reinstatement of the previous agreement, signing a contract extension and meeting dates for negotiations. This will place Kowalski’s Supermarkets on equal footing with Cub, Rainbow, Jerry’s, Lunds/Byerlys, Festival and Coopers as those workers are all working under extensions of their existing contracts.

United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1189 represents 10,000 workers in retail, long-term care along with allied health services, and food processing.

For more information
Get negotiations updates at the Local 1189 website