DENVER — The Safeway strike affecting 45 stores in Colorado entered its 18th day on Thursday, one day before the Fourth of July, a typically busy holiday for grocery stores.
Denver7 found some shoppers at the Thornton Parkway location were willing to cross picket lines. 87-year-old Ron Davis, a former union member, had sympathy for the picketers.
“I feel for them. Today's cost of living is killing us all,” Davis said.
- View a list of the current Safeway locations on strike below
A viewer, who asked not to be named, expressed concern for elderly shoppers in a letter she shared with Denver7. The letter, which she also sent to City of Thornton leaders, detailed her experience with picketers she called “aggressive” at the Thornton Parkway location.
"Let your staff know that's doing the store on the Safeway. Strike that the employees at the Safeway at 92nd in Washington in Thornton Were extremely rude and had bullhorns. And we're telling people not to go in right in front of the doors told me while I was trying to get my medicine that there was nobody in the store to give me my medicine and that I probably didn't need it anyway. Then as I left the store after getting it. There was a guy with a bullhorn just trying his best to parade me
It was horrible I told that my dad was a teamster and I understand picketting but that there's a right.
Way to do it and the wrong way and you're doing it the wrong way.
I'm letting our city manager and council.People know what's going on.Cause that's horrible I can't imagine an elderly person going up.There which there is a lot that goes to that store to have to deal with that"
Denver7 reached out to the UFCW Local 7 union on Thursday for a response, but did not receive one.
In Denver's Montclair neighborhood, many shoppers were opting for King Soopers instead of the Safeway right across the street. Andy Llewellyn said she went to Safeway to pick up a prescription but refused to shop for any other items there.
“It’s dead in the Safeway, just the line for prescriptions,” she said.
The Safeway strike has now gone on for longer than the King Soopers strike in February that coincided with Super Bowl Sunday and Valentine's Day. Safeway's Fourth of July sales numbers are likely taking a hit as a result of the strike.
Negotiations between Safeway and the UFCW Local 7 union stalled last weekend. On Thursday, UFCW Local 7 announced it would return to the bargaining table with Safeway/ Albertsons on Friday at 10 a.m.
In a statement released, Safeway spokesperson Nicole Criner said, “We are hopeful a resolution will be reached soon. We remain willing to return to the bargaining table and reach a responsible agreement that benefits everyone.”
