SAFEWAY BARGAINING UPDATE #2

The Local 5 Bargaining Committee and Safeway representatives are currently meeting in contract negotiations. Local 5 will request additional dates in the coming weeks as we prepare to fight and win improvements to your contract.

A contingent of Local 5 staff, including President Nunes, traveled to UFCW Local 21 in Seattle, Washington in preparation with other Western State UFCW Unions whose contracts are expiring shortly. The Local Unions present were Local 21 (Seattle, Washington), Local 7 (Denver, Colorado) Local 770 and 324 (Southern California) Local 367 (Tacoma, Washington) and Teamster Local 38, also of Seattle, Washington. These Western State Unions are over 100,000 members strong.

Safeway submitted some draconian take-away proposals even as their workers have endured through the catastrophic pandemic which is continuing to take its toll on essential grocery workers that are courageously providing the needed food products to America’s families. Those concessionary demands from Safeway are as follows:

  1. Elimination of full-time job opportunity
  1. Temporary Courtesy Clerk step-up to higher classifications eliminating hours and promotional opportunities of GM Clerks and Food Clerks.
  1. Undermining the weekly hours guarantee by working employees less than the contractual minimums.
  1. Elimination of hard copy schedules and replacing with an electronic version.
  1. Posting work schedules a day later than currently required.
  1. Elimination of Meat Cutter on duty.
  1. Meat Clerk step-up to perform Meat Cutter duties for vacations, leave of absences, sick days etc.
  1. Introduction of part-time Meat Cutters.

WHEN WE FIGHT WE WIN

Local 5 is in a favorable position to fight back these unconscionable take-aways and win major wage increases, make improvements on your health plan, keep your retirement plan secure and to establish more full-time jobs for those seeking such work. Your Union will be rolling out a comprehensive campaign to fight and win these rightfully earned improvements after you have sacrificed dearly during the pandemic.

We encourage our members to sign up for regular text bargaining updates by texting UFCW5SW21 to 83071