King Soopers on Friday said it has filed a federal lawsuit against UFCW Local 7, accusing the union of “unlawfully forcing” the company to bargain with labor organizations from Washington and California.

“Rather than negotiating in good faith for its Colorado members, the Union has chosen to serve the interests of outside groups with no stake in the well-being of King Soopers associates or the communities they serve,” the company said in a news release.

King Soopers grocery workers in the Denver metro area went on strike starting Thursday. The union said the strike will last two weeks — or longer if no agreement is reached.

In a statement, UFCW Local 7 called the lawsuit “baseless” and added it is confident it will prevail in court.

“This litigation is nothing more than an attempt to distract from King Soopers’ efforts to silence its workforce and prevent workers from reaching an equitable contract that addresses major issues like staffing, safety, and healthcare. Kroger will go to any length to hide its corporate greed in price gouging and shareholder buybacks,” the union said. 

Thousands of King Soopers workers in the Denver metro region had walked out on Thursday morning after negotiations for contracts led to more animosity between company executives and union leaders.

The strike began right before Super Bowl Sunday and with Valentine’s Day just a week away.

In 2024, visits to King Soopers statewide were up 19% above the monthly average for the Friday preceding Super Bowl Sunday, according to cell phone data provided by Placer.ai.

Super Bowl Sunday had visits up 25% from the monthly average.

Valentine’s Day was the busiest overall, according to Placer.ai, as traffic was up nearly 28%.

UFCW Local 7 alleged King Soopers intimidated workers during contract bargaining and kept information from them that would have helped the union put forward proposals. The union filed the complaints with the National Labor Relations Board.

King Soopers said the union’s unfair labor practices claims are “unfounded” and the board made no determinations.

The grocer also filed an unfair labor practice charge against the union in December for not putting forth a wage proposal and “forcing the company to bargain against themselves.”

“We’re committed to a fair contract that delivers real wage increases, affordable healthcare, and pension stability — just like we always have. But we won’t be pressured by illegal actions that hurt our stores, our associates, or the communities that rely on us,” Joe Kelley, president of King Soopers, said in a statement announcing the lawsuit on Friday.