As strike continues, King Soopers' union denounces "frivolous" lawsuit by grocery chain seeking restraining order against workers

The union representing striking King Soopers workers in Colorado has denounced a lawsuit filed by the grocery chain that calls the workers' actions "unsafe." The union called the lawsuit "frivolous."

The company is seeking a temporary restraining order to, in its words, "protect workers and customers."

"The safety of our associates, customers, and community members is our top priority," Joe Kelley, division president of King Soopers, said in a statement on Tuesday. He says company representatives "remain open to meeting with the UFCW Local 7."

United Food & Commercial Workers Local 7, the union representing the striking workers, denounced the lawsuit, saying King Soopers was trying to "silence its own workers."

"We were on the strike lines today, we will be on the strike lines tomorrow, and we continue to urge King Soopers to stop these unfair labor practices," UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova said.

The union said King Soopers "would much rather distract the public with lawfare than have an open and honest discussion about the woeful lack of staffing in stores which has led to empty shelves, long lines, and price-gouging for customers and unsafe working conditions for workers."

This latest lawsuit comes just days after the company filed a separate federal lawsuit claiming that the union used "threatening, coercive, and restraining actions, taken for unlawful purposes in violation of the National Labor Relations Act."

The union called that lawsuit "baseless" and that it "will not survive initial scrutiny by a court."

For adjusted hours at King Soopers locations in Colorado, click here. For those wishing not to cross the workers' picket lines, you can see several other grocery stores and local chains here.