Atlanta Kroger drivers plan practice picket as new store breaks ground
FOX 5 Atlanta image
FOREST PARK, Ga. - Drivers at Kroger’s Forest Park fulfillment center are preparing to send a message today: they’re ready to strike if contract talks don’t progress. Members of Teamsters Local 528 plan to hold a practice picket at 10 a.m. outside the facility on Anvil Block Road.
What they're saying:
The union says workers are demanding a fair contract that includes better wages, strong benefits, and enforceable job protections. The practice picket is intended to demonstrate solidarity and signal readiness for further action if negotiations fail.
PREVIOUS STORY: Kroger drivers in Clayton County authorize strike amid stalled contract talks
The other side:
Kroger, in a statement, said it remains committed to "good-faith negotiations."
What's next:
The labor action comes as Kroger simultaneously prepares to expand elsewhere in Georgia.
The company will hold a groundbreaking ceremony tomorrow for a new Kroger Marketplace in Locust Grove. The 123,000-square-foot store will be built at 2689 State Route 155 and is expected to open in fall 2026. It will include a Starbucks, a drive-thru pharmacy, and other amenities.
FOX 5 Atlanta image
Meanwhile, the grocery giant is also closing multiple locations across metro Atlanta.
At least four stores are slated to shut down in the coming weeks and months. The first closure, at Morosgo Way in Atlanta, is scheduled for July 19. Other stores set to close include the Douglas Road location in Alpharetta (August), Memorial Drive in Decatur, and Buford Highway in Brookhaven.
RELATED: Kroger confirms 4 stores closing in metro Atlanta area
The dual developments—worker unrest and shifting retail footprint—highlight the broader changes underway for Kroger across the region.