
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, November 17, 1995                   TAG: 9511170036
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-15   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

KROGER OFFER EASES THREAT OF STRIKE

The Kroger Co. has issued a sweetened contract proposal to employees of the supermarket chain's Roanoke County warehouse, defusing for now the threat of a strike.

Jim Sherwood, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 171, said Thursday a threatened strike was unlikely to occur before this weekend's vote on the proposal but that he had not committed union members to staying on the job.

Warehousemen, drivers and mechanics who have been working under a contract that expired in February 1994 will vote Sunday at 1 p.m. at Andrew Lewis Middle School in Salem.

The 300 workers covered by the contract work at Kroger's mid-Atlantic regional distribution center, which supplies 60 Kroger stores in Virginia and nearby states.

"The outcome of that meeting will dictate what action we take," Sherwood said.

Kroger negotiators have twice offered proposals that the union turned down.

"The new proposal contains significant changes and improvements," Fralin said. "It's an outstanding offer which we are confident that the membership will ratify."

The union has described the dispute as being over wages, but neither side would discuss details.

by CNB