CFIF Launches Denver Radio Ad Campaign Exposing Kim Cordova’s Vindictive Behavior
Today, the Center for Individual Freedom (“CFIF”) announces the launch of a radio ad campaign across the Denver metro area exposing the truth about United Food and Commercial Workers (“UFCW”) Local 7 president Kim Cordova’s authoritarian crackdown on her own members.
Undertaken by CFIF’s Imperfect Union initiative, the ad aims to bring awareness to Cordova’s intimidation campaign of fines and payroll deductions against her members who continued to work during January’s King Soopers strike.
Last week, Imperfect Union highlighted Cordova’s authoritarian crackdown on Local 7 members, a retaliatory targeting of members who chose to work and support their families. Specifically, Cordova and her UFCW cronies began issuing hefty fines and attempting to confiscate earned wages from hardworking members.
Imperfect Union’s radio ad discusses the massive fines Cordova is imposing upon her members, along with her demands for them to give UFCW Local 7 all of the wages they earned during the strike. Cordova issued those vindictive fines while she continued to earn a generous $200k+ annual salary and UFCW Local 7 had over $14 million in the bank.
Coloradoans deserve to know how Cordova’s vindictive behavior is hurting her own union members, making it harder for them to put food on their tables and provide for their families.
Tune in to your favorite Denver area radio station to hear the ad and visit theImperfectUnion.com to learn more.
What this means for the Average UFCW 7 Member
For UFCW Local 7 members who opted to continue providing for their families during the entire nine-day strike, Cordova demands the following:
- $2,250 in fines ($250 per day)
- All wages earned – which could be up to $1,500
If members try to appeal, their cases will be heard by a tribunal overseen by Cordova and her cronies. That hardly constitutes due process.
Strike against King Soopers Was Not a Win
Contrary to Cordova’s claims, The Denver Gazette raises significant questions about whether she actually delivered the victory for her members that she claimed following her scorched-earth strike against King Soopers earlier this year.
In short: She didn’t.
According to The Denver Gazette, the deal reached after the needless strike was no different in dollar amount than the offer that Cordova refused before going on strike.
Cordova even seems to acknowledge as much, saying, “The company representatives will try to frame their argument that the strike was unnecessary however we disagree,” while offering no persuasive substantive evidence to back up her claim. The reason? Because there isn’t any.
The worst part is that at the end of the day, Cordova actually cost her members money.
Specifically, Cordova’s decision to strike forced UFCW Local 7 members to forego nearly 2 weeks of pay when many of her members were already struggling from the financial pressures brought on by the pandemic and record inflation. By going on strike to only agree to a deal no different in dollar amount to the pre-strike offer, Cordova prevented each of her members from receiving paychecks worth $2,000-$4,000.
Cordova Gets Rich off the Backs of Hardworking Union Members
Moreover, while Cordova sacrificed UFCW members’ pay by leading the needless strike against King Soopers, she had no problem continuing to collect her own six-figure salary.
In 2021 alone, Cordova received a salary of $202,922 – a $12,000 raise compared to 2020. Over the course of her tenure as president of UFCW Local 7, she has raked in more than $2.2 million. Meanwhile, Cordova refused to halt the collection of union dues for struggling Local 7 members, who have now had up to $1,700 taken out of their paychecks since March 2020.
Cordova Loves the Broncos!
In addition to her posh salary, Kim spends her members’ dues on 16 season tickets to the Denver Broncos – a fact confirmed by Cordova to The Denver Gazette.
When pressed as to why she has these tickets, Cordova said, “The union got 16 season tickets when it merged with an amalgamated meat cutters union….”
Cordova has to know she can just cancel the season tickets if she didn’t want them… right? How many games per season does she usually attend?
Kim, instead of attending with high-paid union bosses, how about inviting 16 hardworking rank-and-file UFCW Local 7 members to the Broncos’ season opener in September? We and your members will be watching.
Cordova’s Strike Also Hurt Colorado Families and Communities
Cordova’s decision to strike also hurt Colorado communities by interrupting access to food and other essentials. And by preventing customers from entering entire shopping centers, even unaffiliated local businesses suffered the wrath of Kim Cordova.
Political Future
There were also persistent rumors throughout the strike that Cordova was striking because she planned to run for the State Legislature, Governor or maybe even to take on Marc Perrone, the UFCW Big Man in Washington.
That’s one of the reasons many people believe Kim Cordova attacked Governor Polis during the strike.
Moreover, Cordova spent $270K+ worth of her members’ dues in 2021 to retain a Democrat lobbying firm in Washington.
When asked if she planned to run for office, Cordova predictably, but unconvincingly, denied having those ambitions, saying, “I’m not seeking any other office other than I have a membership that deserves more, and I fight for them.”
Maybe, but Cordova may have another unanticipated political fight in her future: retaining her job as president of Local 7.
Time will tell.