If you get hired at a Food 4 Less in Southern California, there is a good chance your job is covered by a union contract. The Food 4 Less union setup is a group of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) locals, and the contract they bargain shapes your pay scale, your hours and your health coverage far more than anything you negotiate on your own at the interview.
Food 4 Less union basics
- Union: United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW)
- Locals in the 2024 talks: 8GS, 324, 770, 1167, 1428 and 1442
- Workers covered: more than 6,000 in California
- Employer across the table: Kroger
Which locals represent Food 4 Less workers
The California contract covers Food 4 Less stores in Southern California and their sister stores in Northern California, which run under the Foods Co. name. During the 2024 talks, six locals sat at the table: UFCW 8GS, 324, 770, 1167, 1428 and 1442, according to CBS Los Angeles. Which one you join depends on where your store is. Your store manager or the union steward can tell you on your first day.
This guide is about the California stores. Food 4 Less also has locations around Chicago and in northwest Indiana, and if you are applying there, ask during hiring whether your store is covered and by which local.
What the 2024 Food 4 Less union deal did
In June 2024, more than 6,000 Food 4 Less and Foods Co. workers were close to a strike. A tentative agreement came through in time and the walkout never happened. Kroger, which owns the chain, said its offer included more than $70 million in wage investments plus improvements to health care and retirement benefits.
The union pushed for higher pay and better safety. The exact hourly rates live in the contract itself, which is the document you want to see. A news story gives you the headline. The contract gives you your raise schedule.
What to ask in your first week
Every union contract has its own rules, so don’t assume. These questions get you the answers that matter:
- Which local am I in, and who is the steward at this store?
- When do dues start, and how much are they?
- Is there a probation period before health benefits kick in?
- Where is the wage scale, and how many hours do I need to move up a step?
- How does seniority work for picking shifts and vacation?
Write the answers down. You will want them the first time a schedule or a paycheck looks wrong.
Is a union job worth it?
For most people starting out, yes. A written wage scale means your raises don’t depend on whether a manager likes you, and a steward gives you someone to call if a dispute goes sideways. The trade-offs are real, though. You pay dues, and seniority usually decides who gets the best shifts, so the newest hire often gets nights and weekends at first.
If that sounds like a fair deal, start with our Food 4 Less job application guide. For what the paycheck and perks look like, read our breakdown of Food 4 Less employee benefits.
Food 4 Less Careers is an independent informational website and is not affiliated with Food 4 Less, The Kroger Co., or any of their subsidiaries. For official openings and applications, please visit the official Food 4 Less or Kroger website.