NO DEAL REACHED with Macy’s. Macy’s Workers, It’s Time to Stand UP.

OUR UNION BARGAINING TEAM: Azia Domingo, Curtisy Bryant, Emily Hunter, Liisa Luick, Nicole Hardin, Sean Embly, Faye Guenther.

Last night, we did not reach a deal and after 3 bargaining sessions, Macy’s refused to in good faith consider bargaining proposals to address our concerns. We remain ready and willing to bargain at any time when Macy’s is ready to bargain in good faith and can send a decision maker to the Bargaining Table.

Next Steps:

  1. Join the press conference on Friday, November 17 at 9 a.m. at the Southcenter Mall or view it at the Facebook Live.

  2. Sign up for at least 20 hours on your store’s Strike Schedule (see your store’s Picket Captains).

  3. Complete a W9 form and return the completed form to a UFCW 3000 Union Representative or complete a W9 online by visiting Macysunited.com/strike to make sure you will get paid your strike benefit.

In the event we do end up on a ULP strike, our Bargaining Team has planned a “Macy’s Striking Workers Parade” action on Black Friday at the Southcenter location that will be supported by community partners and other UFCW 3000 members.

We Are in This Together to Improve Safety and Increase Worker Pay

We need safer workplaces. We need better security. We need to retain our staff. We need better wages to retain staff. Macy’s CEO gets over $11 million per year, while some of us rely on food banks and can’t afford to see the doctor.

Macys Striking Workers Parade, Black Friday, 9AM, Southcenter Mall

Labcorp - Ready & Left Waiting—Again

Our Bargaining Team: Nancy Pyanowski, Kyle Chrisman, Sam McVay, Lisa Magee, Matt Noll, Shelby Tyner, Deborah Gibby

Once again, our LabCorp Bargaining Team came to the table prepared and ready to negotiate. Once again, Management let us down.

Despite receiving our economic proposals two sessions ago, LabCorp failed to live up to their promise of having counters for us. Instead, we traded non-economic proposals and counters, and continued our ongoing discussions of how to address understaffing and work shipping out, expanding training opportunities, and increasing recruitment and retention.

We urge Management to respond to our wage, benefits, and other economic proposals so that we can move forward and negotiate over all of our priorities at the next session on September 6.


SPEAK UP, STAND TOGETHER—WE NEED YOU TO SIGN OUR WAGE PETITION

The time is now! To win the wage increases and benefits we deserve, we must show Management that we are united and ready to fight together. This starts with each of us signing the wage petition and coming to the CAT meetings to strategize our plan to win. We will be planning upcoming actions and sharing our economic proposals at our CAT meetings. All Union members are welcome to attend!


Online Contract Action Team Meeting!

Sunday, August 20

  • 6:00 - 7:00 PM

Monday, August 21,

  • 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Sign up here get Zoom invitation details here, or find the link here!


Look for text message updates from our Bargaining Team to take action!

Not getting text messages from us? Update your information now!

PCC Contract Action Team Meetings

CONTRACT ACTION TEAM MEETINGS

Tuesday, April 4 from 6:00pm – 7:00pm Issaquah Library

Tuesday, April 4 from 4:00pm – 5:00pm Seattle Library

Wednesday, April 5 from 6:00pm – 7:00pm UFCW 3000 Des Moines Offices

Wednesday, April 5 from 6:00pm - 7:00pm Kenmore Library

Thursday April 6 - Online Zoom Meetings from 9:00am – 10:00am & 6:30pm – 7:30pm

Acme Farms + Kitchen Contract Vote Rescheduled

Acme Farms & Kitchen

VOTE MEETING RESCHEDULED

On Wednesday, February 8 our union bargaining committee reached a tentative agreement for the first Acme Farms & Kitchen Union contract! This tentative agreement is unanimously recommended contract by our Union Bargaining Committee for a “yes” vote at the ratification meeting now RESCHEDULED for Friday, March 3, 2023 at 3:30pm. It includes:

  • Wage Scales for all union jobs with increases

  • based on length of service.

  • Paid holiday benefits.

  • Paid vacation benefits.

  • Protections from unjust termination.

  • Many other benefits to all employees.

In-Person Contract Vote Details:

Rescheduled Vote: Due to the COVID-19 outbreak at the worksite and the Employer’s closure of the warehouse, the contract ratification vote, has been rescheduled for:

Friday March 3, 2023 at 3:30pm

909 Squalicum Way, Unit 104 Bellingham, WA 98225

All eligible current bargaining unit members are eligible to vote. Full details of the contract will be available in a vote summary document and the full version of the tentative agreement.

CANCELED / CANCELADA: Bornstein Seafoods Contract Vote Votación del contrato de Bornstein Seafoods

Dec. 20, 2022

Votación del contrato de Bornstein Seafoods cancelada debido al clima
Bornstein Seafoods Contract Vote Canceled Due to Weather

La votación del contrato de hoy para Bornstein Seafood se CANCELÓ debido al clima. Reprogramaremos la votación lo mas antes posible. Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre nuestro contrato, puede hablar con los miembros del equipo de negociación María Velásquez y Esbeidi Rodríguez o comunicarse con su representante sindical José Veliz al (206) 436-6581.

Acerca de nuestra negociación y contrato:
Continuamos presionando a la Compañía y finalmente pudimos establecer salarios competitivos, mejoras en el seguro de salud, vacaciones y vacaciones. Pudimos ganar los mayores aumentos salariales en la historia de las negociaciones con Bornstein Seafoods. Repasaremos los detalles del acuerdo durante nuestra votación en persona tan pronto como se reprograme.

Today's contract vote for Bornstein Seafood is CANCELED due to the weather. We will reschedule the vote as soon as possible. If you have any questions about our contract, you can speak with bargaining team members Maria Velásquez and Esbeidi Rodríguez or contact your Union Rep Jose Veliz at (206) 436-6581.

About Our Bargain and Contract:
We continued pushing the Company and were finally able to settle on competitive wages, improvement to health insurance, holidays, and vacation time. We were able to win the largest wage increases in the history of negotiations with Bornstein Seafoods. We will be going over the details of the agreement during our in-person vote as soon as it is rescheduled.

Grocery Store Worker Contract Negotiations Update & Vote Notice: Tentative Agreement Reached with Kroger

After months of preparation and workers taking action, marathon bargaining sessions have now led to a Tentative Agreement with Kroger, in addition to the tentative agreement reached with Albertsons/Safeway last week. This historic agreement with Kroger, reached at 9:15 pm today, April 19, is a direct result of our actions and commitment to fighting for essential frontline grocery store workers and serving the communities in which we live, both during and long before COVID.

Our Union Member Bargaining Team reached these Tentative Agreements and recommends a YES VOTE to accept the proposal from the employers.

This contract is a historic deal. No one in this region has seen wage increases like this ever and it will go a long way to address inequities in Fred Meyer stores.
— Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer
I’m very excited about this agreement. It is the best contract in my career. Come to the vote meetings to see the details and vote!
— Amy Dayley, QFC

Essential grocery store workers from UFCW in Colorado, California and now here in our State of Washington are gaining some of the respect, pay and protections we deserve.

Active members are eligible to vote at whichever location is most convenient, during any time when polling is open. Drop by any time during the voting time, review the Tentative Agreement, get your questions answered, and then vote.

These votes are open to all active members of UFCW 3000 Grocery Store Workers in King, Snohomish, Kitsap, Mason, and Thurston Counties at the big chains (Safeway, Albertsons, Fred Meyer and QFC) and independent stores covered by this Tentative Agreement.

VOTE MEETINGS

All vote meetings will be open between the hours of 8:00 AM - 12 Noon, and 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM.

Monday 4/25 LYNNWOOD: Lynnwood Convention Center, Rooms 1DEF, 3711 196th St SW, Lynnwood (8am–12pm & 4pm–8pm)

  • Tuesday 4/26 SEATAC: Hilton Seatac, Emerald Ballroom, 17620 International Blvd, SeaTac (8am–12pm & 4pm–8pm)

  • Wednesday 4/27 BELLEVUE: Meydenbauer Center, Rooms 404-406, 11100 NE 6th St, Bellevue (8am–12pm & 4pm–8pm)

  • Thursday 4/28 BREMERTON: Kitsap Conference Center, Puget Sound Ballrooms C&D, 100 Washington Ave, Bremerton (8am–12pm & 4pm–8pm)

  • Thursday 4/28 OLYMPIA: The Olympia Center Room 208, 222 Columbia St NW, Olympia (8am–12pm & 4pm–8pm)

NOTE: The informational pickets scheduled for Tuesday, 4/26 have been cancelled.

OUR UNION NEGOTIATIONS TEAM:

Ames Reinhold, Metropolitan Market
Amy Dayley Angell, QFC
Aaron Streepy, Attorney
Cliff Powers, Safeway
Caprii Nakihei, Safeway
Cosmo Villini, Safeway
Eric Renner, UFCW 3000
Enrique Romero, Fred Meyer
Suzi Geffre, Fred Meyer
Faye Guenther, UFCW 3000 President
Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer
J’Nee DeLancey, Town & Country
Joanna Clapham, Fred Meyer
Joe Mizrahi, UFCW 3000 Secretary Treasurer
Kevin Flynn, Albertsons
Kyong Barry, Albertsons
Maggie Breshears, Fred Meyer
Naomi Oligario, Safeway
Roger Yanez, QFC
Sam Dancy, QFC
Sam Kantak, Teamsters 38 Secretary Treasurer
Shawn Hayenga, Metropolitan Market
Tammi Brady, Teamsters 38 President
Wil Peterson, Fred Meyer

Get to know your Negotiations Team! >>

Tentative Agreement Reached with Albertsons/Safeway, Negotiations Continue with Kroger to Ensure All Our Grocery Store Workers Get Treated Fairly

After months of preparation and workers taking action, marathon bargaining sessions led to a tentative agreement with Albertsons/Safeway, at 3 AM on April 14. This followed four long days of negotiations last week. Our Team will return to the bargaining table with Kroger on Tuesday, April 19. Members at our Kroger stores should continue to prepare for our Informational Pickets on 4/26 to take action on Kroger so we all gain the respect, protection, and pay we deserve. We will all stand united until we all win.

This historic agreement with Albertsons/Safeway is a direct result of our actions and commitment to fighting for essential frontline grocery store workers and serving the communities in which we live since long before COVID. Essential grocery store workers from UFCW in Colorado, California and now here in our State of Washington are gaining some of the respect, pay and protections we deserve.

This is a Tentative Agreement and is not final until you vote to accept it. We will be scheduling votes for Albertsons/Safeway members the week of April 24 through April 30. Exact dates, times and locations will follow soon.

Full details of the agreement will be provided as soon as possible. Some top line information below:

  • HIGHER WAGES: Exceeds the best wage increases in our union’s history, including hard money at the top of the scale and new money throughout the pay scales.

  • ADDRESSING PAY EQUITY ACROSS DEPARTMENTS: For years we have been working toward fundamentally changing pay scales so that underpaid departments are paid more equitably. This Tentative Agreement has significant wage increases for all perimeter departments such as Deli, Coffee, Bakery, E-Commerce, Floral, GMHBC, and Fuel, with integration onto a higher paid All Purpose Clerk scale.

“This new scale moves us one step closer to having a single pay scale for everyone in the store. An hour of work is an hour of work, regardless of what department you are in, and we deserve to be compensated equally.”

- Kyong Barry, Albertsons

“This is the biggest wage increase we have ever seen. This pay increase will help thousands of workers who are struggling to put food on the table and pay rent. I am glad Safeway acknowledged the needs of our workers and stepped up with the largest pay increase we have ever seen.”

— Naomi Oligario, Safeway

  • PROTECTING OUR HEALTH PLAN: For another three years there will be no increased costs for members for our quality, affordable health care. At the same time we were able to negotiate improvements to health, vision, and dental insurance.

  • KEEPING OUR PENSION SECURE: Our pension continues to be well-funded and secure into the future, including increases in employer contributions to our pension as our wages go up.

  • IMPROVING SAFETY: We won mandates for our Master Safety Committee Meetings so we have pre-scheduled meeting dates where our employer will discuss our safety concerns directly with worker representatives.

  • IMPROVING TRAINING: We raised the employer contribution to our joint union-employer training fund to create better pathways to training and better paying jobs. This will invest millions of dollars into our workforce development.

  • IMPROVING RECRUITMENT & RETENTION: With dramatic pay raises throughout the store, helping address workplace safety, keeping our quality health and pension plans, and an increased investment in training and education, this will help recruit and retain workers in our stores so we can be safely staffed.

TAKING ACTION: ENSURE KROGER WORKERS WIN A FAIR CONTRACT

PREPARE TO ATTEND THE UPCOMING INFORMATIONAL PICKETS ON APRIL 26: SIGN UP TODAY

We know our customers and communities are willing to stand with us in the fight for a fair contract, and informational pickets are an important opportunity to raise our voices, join with our communities, and show Kroger we’re not backing down. There will be morning and afternoon pickets across the region on Tuesday, April 26:

8a-12p:

  • Fred Meyer #122, 100 NW 85th St, Seattle, WA 98117

  • Fred Meyer #215, 25250 Pacific Hwy S, Kent, WA 98032

  • Fred Meyer #681, 2801 Bickford Ave, Snohomish, WA 98290

  • QFC #863, 1009 Monroe Ave, Enumclaw, WA 98022

  • QFC #871, 4800 NE 4th St, Renton, WA 98059

  • QFC #872, 9999 Holman Rd NW, Seattle, WA 98117

2p-6p:

  • Fred Meyer #111, 33702 21st Ave SW, Federal Way, WA 98023

  • Fred Meyer #28, 14300 1st Ave S, Burien, WA 98168

  • QFC #808, 10116 NE 8th St, Bellevue, WA 98004

OUR UNION NEGOTIATIONS TEAM: 

Ames Reinhold, Metropolitan Market
Amy Dayley Angell, QFC
Aaron Streepy, Attorney
Cliff Powers, Safeway
Caprii Nakihei, Safeway
Cosmo Villini, Safeway
Eric Renner. UFCW 3000
Enrique Romero, Fred Meyer
Suzi Geffre, Fred Meyer
Faye Guenther, UFCW 3000 President
Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer
J’Nee DeLancey, Town & Country
Joanna Clapham, Fred Meyer
Joe Mizrahi, UFCW 3000 Secretary Treasurer
Kevin Flynn, Albertsons
Kyong Barry, Albertsons
Maggie Breshears, Fred Meyer
Naomi Oligario, Safeway
Roger Yanez, QFC
Sam Dancy, QFC
Sam Kantak, Teamsters 38 Secretary Treasurer
Shawn Hayenga, Metropolitan Market
Tammi Brady, Teamsters 38 President
Wil Peterson, Fred Meyer

Get to know your Negotiations Team!

Richland Fred Meyer Bargaining Update

Our Richland Bargaining Team met Tuesday, April 12 with Fred Meyer to begin the negotiation process. Our committee drafted and made contract proposals to create our new union contract that includes:

  • Workplace Safety, contract language that would improve training and safety in the store and create avenues to address safety concerns that are not addressed at the store level.

  • Just Cause, making sure that workers cannot be terminated or discipline without a reason.

  • Grievance procedure, to give workers the ability to challenge any unjust discipline or violation of our new contract.

  • Recognition, making it clear that the contract will cover workers at the Richland Fred Meyer.

  • Health and Welfare, ensuring workers will have access to affordable high-quality healthcare.

  • Union Security, to ensure that we have a strong store for years to come.

Unfortunately, Fred Meyer did not make any formal responses to our proposals. Although we hoped and were available to bargain sooner, we look forward to our next bargaining meeting with Fred Meyer on Monday, May 9 and Tuesday, May 10 and anticipate that Management will have responses to our proposals.

The push for a first contract continues! While our team meets and continues to work diligently leading up to next bargaining sessions, we need to stay UNIFIED in our fight for a good first contract.

Attend a Contract Action Team Meeting for updates on what our Team is working on:

Tuesday, April 19 • 9am or 6pm

Friday, April 22 • 12pm or 8pm

UFCW 3000 Tri-Cities Office • 2505 Duportail St, Suite D Richland, WA 99352

 

Your Richland Fred Meyer Bargaining Team: Jeremy Brewer, Eden Hill, Kelly Swallow, Todd Davis, Brandyn Farrell-Parker, Suzanne Geffre, Melissa Lozano, Roxanne Reynolds

Kaiser Pro Tech/Optical and Pharmacy Update from the Alliance of Health Care Unions

AHCU action checklist.png

Alliance presents interests and options to improve benefits, management focuses on costs and wages


In 2020, KP asked more of health care workers than ever before. Throughout the COVID pandemic, we gave high-quality patient care and service in spite of PPE shortages and a lack of planning, systems, and protocols. Now as we are trying to recover from the stress and horror of the pandemic, KP is saying our wages are too high.

The writing is on the wall. First, Kaiser Permanente presented cherry-picked data to allege our wages are too high compared to the community. Then, when we explained to new KP managers that the bedrock of our Labor Management Partnership (LMP) is best care and best jobs, they tried to revise it to best care and average jobs.

While KP hasn’t yet presented us a proposal for the “affordability” solutions they seek, we know what they’ll look like. We sacrificed and risked - and in some cases lost - our lives during the pandemic. We will not settle for average jobs. And we don’t need to—there are many ways to address affordability if we work in partnership.

“This is a remarkably profitable, successful employer, with a workforce trying to emerge from the worst pandemic in memory – and our members have made that success possible,” said Alliance Executive Director Hal Ruddick. “We expect our members’ contributions to KP’s success and our extraordinary dedication over the last 15 months to be recognized with wage and benefit improvements.”

“After the year we’ve been through, management’s posture is hard to believe. It’s time for Alliance members to send a clear message to Kaiser Permanente leadership by taking action on June 28-30,” said UNAC/UHCP President Denise Duncan, RN.

KP-national-alliance-group-photo.jpeg

At the most recent meeting of the national bargaining economic subcommittee on Monday, June 14, Alliance leaders shared three overarching interests on benefits: preserve industry-leading benefits, raise standards for regions or bargaining units with substandard benefits, and expand the benefit package to address new challenges and opportunities. Our bargaining team presented a comprehensive, fact-based, and interest-based overview of options for improving benefits in targeted areas of opportunity, including medical plans, increased tuition reimbursement, retiree medical, help for employees with student debt, assistance with citizenship classes and fees, and other areas.

  • Help with student loans: More and more employers — like Aetna, Google, and Staples — are taking advantage of the COVID relief bill that allows them to provide employees with tax-free assistance paying off their student loan debt. In fact, KP already offers the benefit to a small group of employees.

  • Increased tuition reimbursement: Alliance members’ tuition reimbursement cap has not increased in six years. Improving this benefit will help workers improve our living standards, while also helping KP prepare workers for the jobs of the future in an increasingly competitive environment.

  • Aid upward mobility: Alliance members who use KP programs to upgrade their degrees or certifications frequently find they cannot put their new skills to work inside KP due to experience requirements. This barrier could be addressed with a partnership solution.

KP-member-photo.jpeg

In recent bargaining years, we’ve made progress in making benefits more equitable and consistent across the organization, but gaps remain.

“In spite of the progress we’ve made, KP employees in Washington state still have benefits far below the rest of the enterprise,” said Cathy MacPhail, UFCW Local 21 Negotiator. “It’s great the Alliance is working with us to close the gap on our members’ benefits.”

“Outstanding benefits have been a hallmark of Kaiser Permanente and the labor management partnership, and a proven way to attract and retain skilled employees. This will be more important in the coming years as the shortage of health care workers intensifies,” said Micheal Barnett, president of USW 7600.

Take Action! June Actions:

June National Bargaining Tele-Town Hall - June 24th, 2021

  • Session 1: 9am Pacific Time

  • Session 2: 3pm Pacific Time *Time Change*

  • Session 3: 6pm Pacific Time *Spanish Interpretation Available*

  • Session 4: 8pm Pacific Time

Save the date for future Tele-Town Halls

  • Thursday, July 22, 2021

  • Thursday, August 26, 2021

  • Thursday, September 23, 2021

  • Thursday, October 28, 2021

  1. Participate in the National Bargaining Sticker Days June 28-30

    Contact your Union Rep to get your “United for Best Jobs Best Care” stickers. When you wear them at work starting June 28, 2021, take a picture during non-work time and share your “sticker selfie” on social media with the hashtag #BestJobsBestCare

  2. Sign the National Bargaining Pledge

  3. Register for National Bargaining Tele-Town Halls (see dates below)

PCC - We Demand to Bargain Over Changes in Mask Policy

As many of you know, PCC announced today (Friday 5/14) that they are no longer requiring masks to enter any of their 15 stores if customers are fully vaccinated.

Instead, PCC is moving to a mask policy for only those that are not vaccinated. We believe this needlessly puts essential workers at higher risk of exposure to COVID-19 while working in our stores. In response, today our union issued a demand to bargain with PCC over changes to the mask policy. We are meeting with PCC on 5/18 and will be raising this issue. To do that most effectively, we want to share as many PCC worker voices as possible so management understands how this affects us.

Tell PCC how you feel about these changes:


 

Remember to RSVP to our next Contract Action Team meetings on May 17 & 19!

 

Kroger Bargaining update: We refuse to be intimated by bully tactics

Yesterday, our UFCW 21 bargaining team made cost-saving proposals to Kroger's QFC representatives that we believe would help keep the Capitol Hill and Wedgwood QFC stores stay open.

In a clear attempt to intimidate workers and city governments, Kroger announced it would close these stores at the end of April, the company blamed its decision on increased costs due to the Seattle City Council’s passage of a temporary $4 per hour hazard pay mandate for grocery store workers on the front lines of the pandemic.

“We met with Kroger's QFC representatives today and presented creative cost-saving proposals that we believe would help keep these stores open. We eagerly await Kroger's response and we remain committed to fighting for the pay that essential workers deserve. We refuse to be intimidated by Kroger’s bully tactics” -Our QFC Bargaining Team


Like other large grocery companies, Kroger has profited from the COVID pandemic as consumers shifted to at-home meal preparation. In 2020, Kroger’s profits increased 53% to $2.74 Billion, and the company funneled $1.9 Billion to investors through dividends and stock buybacks.

UFCW 21 members have been taking action to fight back against Kroger’s bullying by continuing to push Hazard Pay ordinances across the state, speaking out in the media, sitting down with the employer to bargain over the store closures and gearing up for the start of Grocery Store Bargaining in 2022.

Join hundreds of community members that are standing up to Kroger and QFC's bullying - Sign the Petition!>>

Or Text “NOBULLY” to 52886


RSVP to upcoming Grocery Store CAT (Contract Action Team) meetings>>


OUR QFC BARGAINING TEAM
Sam Dancy, QFC Westwood Village
Amy Dayley Angell, QFC Ballard
Robin Hillistad, QFC Uptown
Jeff Alexander, QFC Wedgwood
Stefanie Cook, QFC Capitol Hill
Faye Guenther, President UFCW 21
Joe Mizrahi, Secretary Treasurer UFCW 21
Jim McGuinness, Attorney

PCC Bargaining Update: Let's Be Clear About Hazard Pay

As you may have heard, your member bargaining team received a proposal from PCC to extend hazard pay beyond Seattle and Burien.

We believe real hazard pay shouldn’t come with strings attached. Unlike the hazard pay that we won for grocery workers in Seattle and Burien, PCC only proposed paying the $4/hr to workers for 5½ weeks, a small fraction of the time we won in Seattle and Burien.

In exchange, PCC is demanding that we make permanent changes to our rights and job protections:

Your PCC Bargaining team: Atsuko Koseki, Greg Brooks, Keith Allery, Quinn Ráo, Scott Shiflett, Yasab Pfister

Your PCC Bargaining team: Atsuko Koseki, Greg Brooks, Keith Allery, Quinn Ráo, Scott Shiflett, Yasab Pfister

  • Bring back U-SCAN/Self Check without going through the bargaining process

  • Implement new technologies in the stores at PCC's discretion without workers having a voice in the process

  • Push work to lower paid classifications when offering curbside delivery services

  • In addition, PCC has failed to propose quarantine pay for workers that are exposed to COVID.

“The bargaining team is committed to fighting for hazard pay to acknowledge our hard work and sacrifice throughout the pandemic. The last week has seen both workers and customers across PCC demand $4 hazard pay, and denounce attempts made by company leadership to thwart meaningful grocery worker legislation. Now, PCC wants us to agree to long-term concessions in our contract in exchange for reinstating short term ‘hazard pay.’ We insist that hazard pay should not come with strings attached.”

-Quinn Ráo, Ballard Front End, bargaining team member

Your PCC Bargaining Team

Atsuko Koseki, Edmonds Deli

Greg Brooks, Fremont Meat

Keith Allery, Greenlake Village Deli

Quinn Ráo, Ballard Front End

Scott Shiflett, Redmond Meat

Yasab Pfister, Burien Front End

Members Approve New Contract

UFCW 21   -  UFCW 367  -  Teamsters 38

For 1st Time in 15 Years, Grocery Store Workers Pass New Contract Before Expiration:
Includes Better Wages, Protects Health Plan, Shores up Pension, and More 

For the first time in fifteen years, grocery store workers in the Puget Sound area and the big national chains reached a tentative agreement before expiration of their contract. This new contract protects the health plan, shores up pension funding, and improves wages and working conditions. Grocery store workers have been active in pushing for stronger contracts in negotiations, taking actions to pass higher minimum wage and paid sick leave, and protecting their union grocery jobs from expansion efforts of non-union grocers. In addition, these workers have deepened partnerships with scores of community organizations committed to our shared vision for a better Puget Sound region.

The week of vote meetings concluded last night. The new contract, passed by a strong majority of members, includes the following:

  • Increased funding by employers to maintain workers’ high quality low cost health plan.
  • The opportunity to earn higher wages through transfer and promotion rights and 3 years of wage increases for those at the top of the wage scales.
  • Continue to guarantee raises above the current minimum wage on the wage scales to ensure raises for workers coming up the scale.
  •  Substantially increased funding to continue to secure the pension plan for the future.

Another part of our 2016 plan to “Rise Together” is to pass I-1433, the higher statewide Minimum Wage and Paid Sick and Leave law. This initiative campaign will phase in a higher minimum wage to $13.50 over four years and provide up to 7 days of Paid Sick Leave. UFCW 21, 367 and Teamsters 38 are all supporting this effort.

“This contract is a big step forward toward a better life for thousands of workers in our region,” said Ariana Davis, a Safeway worker from Renton. “We have been able to protect our health benefits, secure our retirement, and make many other improvements to pass our new contract before it expires. We hope this sets a new tone for negotiations in future years. As workers who have been taking action since the last negotiation in 2013, we will continue to take action together between now and our next bargain."