Colorado State Treasurer Dave Young is not just among the list of voices in opposition to a Kroger-Albertsons merger. He’s calling on the Federal Trade Commission to oppose the merger too.

In an Aug. 23 letter, Young said the possible consolidation between two of the nation’s largest grocery store chains deeply concerns him.

“I fully expect the CEOs and Boards of Kroger and Albertsons – both have boards and are publicly traded – to cut costs and return increased shareholder value, as that’s their primary job,” Young said in a news release. “My job and that of the FTC, is to look out for the public good. The risks this merger poses to the public, our workers, and families here in Colorado and across the country, far outweigh the benefit to the shareholders of Kroger and Albertsons.”

The merger has drawn scrutiny from critics who say it will reduce competition while leading to price increases, in addition to worse wages and pensions for workers. The treasurer’s office cited a study from the Economic Policy Institute that determined the merger could lead to a $334 million loss in wages for more than 746,000 employees across 50 cities. Per worker, the loss would be $450.

“Our primary concern is the reduction in wages that would occur as a result of the merger,” Young’s letter said, also raising concerns about layoffs or cut hours because of the merger.

Limiting the number of places a worker could seek other employment also limits their ability to organize and negotiate wages and working conditions, the letter said. Beyond ramifications for the chains’ employees, the merger could create food deserts and burden vulnerable populations, Young’s letter said.

United Food and Commercial Workers, which represents employees at both grocery chains, issued a statement: “the mega-merger, currently undergoing FTC review, would drive out competition, increase food prices, create food deserts, and put hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk as well as hurt local farmers and ranchers.”

Last week, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and six other secretaries also sent a letter to the FTC opposing the merger. The officials echoed concerns about the merger raising prices for consumers and suppliers. Attorney General Phil Weiser announced a multistate investigation into the merger and whether the deal stymies competition so much that it violates antitrust laws.

In response to Griswold’s and Weiser’s stances, Kroger previously provided emailed statements saying: “Kroger joining with Albertsons will mean lower prices and more choices for more customers in more communities, higher wages and more industry-leading benefits for associates, and growing union jobs.”

The companies also argued that “large, non-unionized competitors such as Walmart and Amazon” would be the only entities that do not benefit from the merger.

Representatives of Kroger could not be immediately reached for comment regarding Young’s letter. Kroger announced the potential $24.6 billion merger in October. It remains under FTC review. In Colorado, Cincinnati-based Kroger owns King Soopers and Albertsons owns Safeway.

Denver Gazette reporter Sage Kelley contributed to this report.