Six thousand Haggen employees across California are poised to lose their jobs when store locations shutter, a union spokeswoman said Monday.
The United Food and Commercial Workers International (UFCW) issued a statement related to the grocery store chain’s announcement about closing 100 stores and departing from California.
It was the latest in bad news for Haggen, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this month.
Union officials said employees were experiencing “untold frustration” with the bankruptcy process and officials are challenging Haggen’s decision to close the stores.
“In fact, there is no evidence that Haggen has conducted a real and organized sales process or taken good-faith steps to pursue buyers to operate these stores,” the union statement read.
Union officials said, however, they are pleased Haggen employees could potentially be hired back by Albertsons under a decision by the Federal Trade Commission.
“We will also do everything in our power to make sure that these stores are sold to responsible employers who respect our hard-working men and women,” the union statement said.
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It wasn’t clear exactly when the Haggen employees could lose their jobs, though the store chain said last week that all Haggen locations were given a 60-day notice of the closures.
Earlier this year, the Washington-based Haggen made a bold and swift move, buying 146 Albertsons and Safeway stores. The chain expanded from 18 stores in Oregon and Washington into new markets in California, Nevada and Arizona before seeing poor sales.
NBC 7 has reached out to a Haggen spokeswoman about the union's statements, but has not immediately heard back.
