Kilmer to Meet with Haggen Employees in Gig Harbor, Announce Bill to Ensure Grocery Store Workers Don’t Face Restrictions Seeking New Jobs
Tacoma, WA – U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) will meet with Haggen grocery store workers in Gig Harbor on Monday at 1:30 p.m. and announce legislation to ensure those impacted by grocery store closings won’t face restrictions seeking new jobs. The meeting follows Kilmer’s successful call on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to issue a ruling to waive a prohibition on Haggen employees getting hired at Albertsons-Safeway stores.
Kilmer will discuss the bill with Haggen employees before visiting the now-closed Haggen store in Gig Harbor. After a merger between Safeway and Albertsons, the Haggen chain bought more than 100 stores along the West Coast that Safeway-Albertsons was forced to sell. Haggen sought to close or sell back 100 of the locations it purchased – including stores in Tacoma, Aberdeen, Gig Harbor, and Port Orchard.
Kilmer has worked to ensure that these workers don’t face restrictions when seeking new jobs since the Haggen closings were announced this fall. In a letter to the Chair of the FTC sent in September, Kilmer called for the agency to issue a waiver on the non-competes contract language that prevented Haggen employees from getting hired at Albertsons-Safeway stores.
WHO: Representative Derek Kilmer
Grocery store workers
WHEN: December 14, 2015 at 1:30 p.m
WHERE: 1:30 – Cutters Point Coffee
4735 Point Fosdick Dr. NW
Gig Harbor, WA 98355
2:15 – Haggen Food and Pharmacy
4831 Point Fosdick Dr. NW
Gig Harbor, WA 98355
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