More than one year after the expiration of its contract with Locals 5 and 648, Safeway continues to frustrate the collective bargaining process with ridiculous proposals that would face immediate rejection by the membership.

While your bargaining committee will once again work in good faith to make progress toward a settlement on the upcoming days, we intend to make it clear to the company that its delay tactics must end and that a fair and equitable offer must be forthcoming. Absent serious progress on the 8^th, 9^th and 10^th we will schedule a vote of the membership, including potential strike authorization, on whatever offer  the company has on the table.

When negotiations began nearly a year ago, Safeway attempted to excuse its lack of availability to come to the table by citing multiple bargaining obligations with other local unions throughout the country. During the few sessions that took place, valuable time was wasted in a failed attempt to create a single classification system for all clerks that would require employees to work for seven years to reach a top rate lower than the current experienced food clerk rate.

The Local 5 and 648 bargaining committees have made it clear that Safeway’s proposed single classification scheme is unacceptable. The company has concluded negotiations in Denver, Southern California, Seattle, Portland and Sacramento. No further excuses will be tolerated – it’s time that Local 5 and 648 members working at Safeway get the contract that they deserve! Membership meetings will be scheduled November 13^ththrough the 19^th – meetings notices will appear next week.

 

Be sure to check the Local 5 website at www.ufcw5.org for the latest news.