Kilmer Urges Administration to Ensure Haggen Workers Impacted by Store Closings Won’t Face Restrictions Seeking New Jobs
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) called on President Obama’s administration to ensure Haggen workers impacted by store closings won’t face restrictions seeking new jobs. In a letter to Edith Ramirez, Chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Kilmer called for the FTC to issue a waiver on a rule prohibiting Haggen employees from getting hired at Albertsons-Safeway stores.
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. This week, Haggen sought to close 100 of the locations it purchased – including stores in Tacoma, Aberdeen, Gig Harbor, and Port Orchard. Currently, Haggen employees at the stores slated to close are forbidden from looking for work at Safeways and Albertsons that are still open.
“I write today to urge an expedited review and swift approval of this waiver request consistent with law, regulation, and policy,” said Kilmer in the letter sent today. “The affected workers are professionals who serve their neighbors every day, and they deserve to be treated as such. Approving this request would be a significant step forward in treating this resilient workforce with the appropriate dignity and respect. I appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to your timely response.”
The full text of the letter follows.
September 25, 2015
The Honorable Edith Ramirez
Chairwoman
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Room 438
Washington, D.C. 20508
Dear Chairwoman Ramirez,
I write today requesting your assistance in an urgent matter that has significant impacts to hundreds of families in the District that I represent. As you are aware, the grocery chain industry on the West Coast has seen an upheaval in the past year. The Albertsons-Safeway merger has caused a significant transition of local grocery stores to Haggen’s ownership and the results have been damaging in communities throughout the Puget Sound region. Due to a number of factors, Haggen announced this week that they are planning to close 100 stores, including several in Washington’s 6th Congressional District.
These closures will cause hundreds of full-time employees in my District to lose their jobs and threatens the stability of their families. Despite the imminent closure of these Haggen locations, these employees are currently forbidden to seek new employment at their local Safeway or Albertsons stores due to FTC regulations. Given the circumstances, this is simply unfair to these hard working men and women and their families. It is my understanding that Haggen representatives have requested that the FTC waive this prohibition and provide these impacted employees with additional avenues to gain employment.
I write today to urge an expedited review and swift approval of this waiver request consistent with law, regulation, and policy. The affected workers are professionals who serve their neighbors every day, and they deserve to be treated as such. Approving this request would be a significant step forward in treating this resilient workforce with the appropriate dignity and respect. I appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to your timely response.
Sincerely,
Derek Kilmer
Member of Congress
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