Franz Outlet Stores - Tentative Agreement Reached—Vote Scheduled!

After months of negotiations, including three Union’s unanimously voting to authorize a strike—UFCW 3000, 367 and Teamsters 38—we have reached a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement with Franz!

Our new contract includes significant increases in our wages as well as over a 20% increase in our pension contributions by the end of the contract. More details will be shared in the coming days as Union Representative Tae Abraham reaches out ahead of the vote.

Everyone will also be provided with a document outlining all the changes as well as a full copy of the proposed contract while voting on Tuesday, May 14.

Franz Contract Ratification Vote

Tuesday, May 14 from 6:00 am – 5:00 pm

Online through “Simply Voting”

We will be voting online via “SimplyVoting” on Tuesday, May 14 from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm. You will be receiving an email from UFCW 3000 via “SimplyVoting” with your unique login information. Your Union Representative will also be making visits to the workplace to provide additional information regarding the vote.

In order to vote, everyone needs to make sure their personal email is up to date in our records. If you did not receive this announcement via email, please visit our website and update your information. If you do not receive an email to vote, then please reach out to Union Representative Tae Abraham (206) 436-6631 to provide an updated email address.

Tomlinson Linen Negotiations Begin!

On April 24 and 29, we sat down with the management team at Tomlinson Linen to kick off contract negotiations.

The first day was mostly productive, with discussions on increasing break times and enhancing vacation benefits. However, while we were able to come to tentative agreements on some points, our initial wage proposal was called “unreasonable” by the company.

We were hopeful for more progress on the second day, but unfortunately, we still found ourselves pretty far apart by the end of the session. The rising cost of living has made it tough for us to make ends meet, and we believe we deserve a higher wage than what's currently on the table.

Our next negotiation session is set for May 9. In the meantime, it's very important that we show our unity and commitment to securing a fair wage increase. Keep wearing your button to show your support!

As your Bargaining Team, we're also finding ways to grow our strength. We are not alone in this struggle! We are proud to announce that we have joined forces with our union siblings at Superior Linen in Tacoma, and Service Linen in Renton who are also in the middle of bargaining their union contracts. Together, we stand united, supporting each other until we win!

Please meet the other bargaining teams pictured above. Godofredo, Maria, Apple, Martha, and Jose!

“We are trying to get better wages and we need everyone to show support, wear your button” -Christina Britton

“We work hard all week, we do good work, we deserve more pay. Support by putting on your button” -Arcelia Benavidez

Show your support by wearing your button and share a picture with our Rep Jose Veliz at 360-409-0615.

El 24 y 29 de abril, nos sentamos con el equipo directivo de Tomlinson Linen para dar inicio a las negociaciones del contrato.

El primer día fue mas o menos productivo, con discusiones sobre aumentar los tiempos de descanso y mejorar los beneficios de vacaciones. Sin embargo, aunque logramos acuerdos tentativos en algunos puntos, nuestra propuesta salarial inicial fue considerada "irrazonable" por la empresa.

Teníamos esperanzas de lograr más avances en el segundo día, pero desafortunadamente, aún nos encontramos bastante distantes al final de la sesión. El costo de vida ha subido tanto que muchas veces nos resulta difícil hasta pagar nuestros biles cada mes.

Nuestra próxima sesión de negociación está programada para el 9 de mayo. Mientras tanto, es muy importante que mostremos nuestra unidad y compromiso para asegurar un aumento salarial justo. ¡Sigan usando su botón para mostrar su apoyo!

Como su equipo negociador, también estamos encontrando formas de aumentar nuestra fuerza. ¡No estamos solos en esta lucha! Estamos orgullosos de anunciar que estamos uniendo fuerzas con nuestros hermanos sindicales en Service Linen, en Renton y Superior Linen en Tacoma, quienes también están en medio de la negociación de su contrato sindical. ¡Juntos, estamos unidos, apoyándonos unos a otros hasta que ganemos! Les presentamos a los otros equipos de negociación, Godofredo, María, Apple, Martha y José.

"Estamos tratando de obtener salarios mejores y necesitamos que todos muestren apoyo, usen su botón " - Christina Britton

"Trabajamos duro toda la semana, hacemos un buen trabajo, merecemos más salario. Apoyen poniéndose su botón" - Arcelia Benavidez

Muestren su apoyo usando su botón y compartan una foto por mensaje de texto con nuestro representante José Veliz al 360-409-0615.

Message from our pension administrators about delays in service for members

UFCW 3000 has addressed the problem with processing new pension applications with Zenith, who administers the Sound Pension Plan Trust. They are addressing the backlog of applications and have apologized for the delays. Thank you to the members who contacted us about critical issue. Zenith has issued a letter apology that we are posting here.

Grocery East Cheney Contract Vote Set!

This Tentative Agreement is fully recommended by the Grocery Store Bargaining team!

After nearly six months of bargaining with Albertson/Safeway and Kroger for a new contract that respects our work, increases our wages, and improves our retirement and healthcare, we are holding a contract vote! This notice serves to inform all members that a critical membership meeting will be held on May 13, 2024, in the Safeway breakroom, 2710 1st St, Cheney, WA 99004.We will be conducting a vote on the fully recommended settlement presented by the Employer Monday, May 13. 

The bargaining committee will present the tentative agreement received from the Employer. Members will have the opportunity to discuss the terms and implications of the offer before voting on the fully recommended settlement.

Contract Vote: May 13 from 9am—12pm and 3pm—6pm 

Any member covered under the Cheney Safeway Meat and Cheney Safeway Grocery Contracts who are in good standing will be able to vote in the Safeway breakroom, 2710 1st St, Cheney, WA 99004, from 9am-12pm or from 3pm-6pm on May 13, 2024. 

For questions, please contact your Union Representative, bargaining committee members, and stewards for updates. If you are unable to connect with your union rep, steward or bargaining committee member you may call the MRC at 1-866-210-3000 for more information. 
All members in the Cheney Safeway Meat and Cheney Safeway Grocery Contracts are encouraged to be present for this important vote.

UFCW 3000 Member Story: Roberta Bollin

Roberta Bollin is dressed in her work uniform with the red vest of a PIC in a cashier stand at Fred Meyer Burlington

Roberta Bollin (Birdie)

Roberta Bollin (Birdie) has been with the Burlington Fred Meyer store since 2002 in different departments all over the store including Grocery, Deli, Apparel, and the last four years as a Front End CCK PIC. Bridie loves working for a company that is represented by a union and being able to help solve problems on every day working conditions, like being able to take breaks, with management without having to fear repercussions. Birdie sees her staff representatives as a resource for her and her coworkers, and isn’t afraid to pickup the phone and talk about issues that are going on in the store. That has helped make sure that the Burlington Fred Meyer is a better place to work for everyone!

Birdie also got involved with UFCW 3000’s Racial Justice Advisory Board (RJAB) having delt with racism on the job all her life. Since going to RJAB meetings, and reporting back to her coworkers, they have wanted to get involved with the RJAB to improve equity on the job and in our union.

Bridie’s leadership shows that union members can stand together to make the job better for everyone when everyone has a voice at work!

WhidbeyHealth Service and Support Bargaining Update

On Thursday, May 2, our Bargaining Team met with Management for our scheduled bargaining session. We were able to provide responses on the remaining non-economic issues as well as put forward a comprehensive initial response to Management’s economic proposals.

We are encouraged that they have proposed to have our shift differentials, weekend premium (including consecutive weekend premium) and certification pay increased to be the same as the Professional and Technical unit. However, their proposal regarding getting everyone in our unit to 100% credit on the wage scales for past work experience would not get everyone to their proper step as quickly as it did in the Professional and Technical unit! As such, we pushed back with a counter proposal that would not have more senior employees waiting until the last year of the contract for this credit.

We have another bargaining session scheduled this month for Thursday, May 23 and are hoping we can come to a Tentative Agreement we can recommend soon. If there are questions, please speak with us, or call Union Representative Celia Ponce-Sanchez at (360) 419 4678.

“Today we made progress on non-economic discussions regarding lead positions, remote work, and the policies surrounding them. ”

Our Bargaining Team: Liz Latiff, Health Unit Coordinator (pictured above); Marilyn Faber, Patient Financial Services

-Marilyn Faber, Patient Financial Services (not pictured)

Spokane Grocery store workers overwhelmingly ratify a new three year contract! 

This is our first union negotiations since we became UFCW 3000 and our combined strength has helped us win a contract with record wages and major contract improvements. In the midst of a proposed grocery mega-merger, we’ve sent a clear message —We have power in our communities, we have a voice in our workplace, and we have a strong new contract that will be the backbone for our future. 

We did this together, by standing strong and showing up for each other and our communities.  

The many improvements in the ratified contract include: 

  • Strongest journey wage increases in any Spokane Grocery Store negotiation! We increased our Journey wages by $4.00 or more.

  • Big retro checks for journey going back to contract expirations January 20, 2024.

  • Won an “All Purpose Clerk” scale with historic pay raises for many departments —for some over 25% wage increase during the course of this contract.

  • More than quadrupling our wage escalators —that means strong wage increases throughout the pay scale when minimum wage goes up and when workers are moving through the apprentice rates. 

  • Healthcare with benefit improvements with NO increases to healthcare premiums or deductibles. Healthcare eligibility will now be based on all compensable hours. 

  • Major improvements to our vacation banks that will ensure that we get vacation based off of hours worked. 

  • Automatic pension funding increases that go up every time wages increase. 

  • Dedicated money to fund training and workforce development to ensure that we get the training we need to do our jobs and prepare for the future of the industry. 

  • Stronger safety language to address top issues we face in our stores. 

“This is the most money I thought I'd ever see coming out of Kroger. The pressure we applied across all our stores was amazing! I am feeling amazed!” -Katrina Keffer, Fred Meyer 

“I am really excited for my co-workers who worked for years in the Deli, my co-workers will get wage increases that they deserve. This will help make sure we can keep people here in the store.” -Jeff Yergens, Safeway 

Puget Sound Meatcutters Apprenticeship Program: Over 100 Years of Union History

Get To Know Our Union’s History: The “Fighting 81st” and the Meatcutters Apprenticeship

The Seattle Meatcutters Apprenticeship was established as a union-sponsored apprenticeship school on May 17, 1946 to increase the skills, abilities, and knowledge of meatcutters, which in turn led to higher wages and benefits for these highly trained workers. Trained and licensed meatcutters make our industry safer and more productive, and meatcutters have long served our communities with pride. UFCW 3000 meatcutters carry on a decades-long history of commitment to bettering the industry and the conditions of all those they work with each day.   

Throughout its long history, this program has grown and changed, expanding the diversity of its apprentices and graduates and continuing to do so through robust recruitment and leadership development. Today, instruction takes place at South Seattle Community College and has expanded into Snohomish County at the Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center in Everett. The program is one of the few meatcutting programs in the entire U.S. where apprentices earn college credits for graduating the course and a Certificate of Completion from our state.  

As we celebrate its legacy, the program also has a bright future in partnership with UFCW 3000, represented Employers, the State of Washington, and the exciting new nonprofit organization WeTrain Washington. As workforce development and education opportunities grow, the trailblazing meatcutter apprenticeship will continue to develop apprentices into journeyperson leaders in their workplaces and their union for decades to come.  

UFCW centennial celebration meatcutters union

Note of thanks: Much of the following history comes from the UFCW Meatcutter Centennial Celebration program (2000). 


1900 – 1920: The Protective Union of Butchers Local 81 

An early Seattle butcher shop on Western Avenue.

In 1900, nine Seattle butchers met to establish the Protective Union of Butchers, Local 81. They immediately applied for a charter from the Amalgamated Meat Cutters & Butcher Workmen of North America, organized on the East Coast in 1897. This charter was delivered and signed on April 2, 1900, making it oldest retail butcher union in North America. 

Their organizing tool was the union consumer: 

"The Butcher's union of this city has discovered the most effective weapon for the use of organized labor. It is for all union people to demand the working card of all other union people when patronizing business houses. Make the butcher show you an up-to-date card or refuse to buy from him." -Seattle Union Record 

In June 1903, the union ordered its members to "wear the union button on the left lapel of your working gown, with the letters 'AMC & BW of NA, AFof L' on the border, and the knife, saw, cleaver, and steel in the center." This seal became the organizing tool of the young local.   

"Seattle union men and women will not have to go far for a market where the men are perfectly willing and anxious to better their own condition and elevate their trade, by keeping up the standard of wages and obeying rules which give more pleasure and time for the wage earner to be at home with his family." -Seattle Union Record 

Seattle Meatcutters on Labory Day 1917 demanding an 8 hour day

1920 – 1960: The “Fighting 81st,” Striking for a 40-Hour Workweek, and a Meat Apprenticeship 

Local 81's earliest offices were in the old Seattle Labor Temple at 6th and University.

The election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt also brought government into active intervention in the retail grocery business. The National Recovery Administration (NRA) initially demanded the development of wage and hour standards in every industry. Local 81 established temporarily an 8-hour working day under this code, eventually overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. Most importantly, the Local approached the Seattle City Council and established a meat inspection program. This inspection program guaranteed that only licensed meat cutters could work in city markets. The code became an effective tool for improving and controlling working conditions. Eventually, this code would be extended to King County.  

In the 1930s the rise of the grocery chains proved to be a challenge for Local 81. The first chain store in Seattle was the U & I. The first Safeway store opened in 1935 at 1st and Pike. This rise of chain stores led to the rise of the Food Dealers Association in Seattle, a group that resisted efforts to improve working conditions. Local 81 had to focus on legislation and political objectives to counter the influence of this new financial interest. 

In 1946, Local 81 made its mark on Washington State Labor history when it became the first Washington local to strike for a 5-day, 40-hour workweek. At a crucial union meeting on March 24, 1946, Local 81 members voted as follows: "40 hours shall constitute a week's work, Monday through Saturday." They immediately initiated strike action, and within a week achieved this objective.  

Also in 1946, Local 81 sponsored a resolution at the State Federation of Labor to make this a standard throughout the state. Thus, the Fighting 81st became the first Amalgamated union to achieve a 5-day workweek, basic pay still rising to $60 per week. Shops were open Monday through Saturday, 9 to 6. They also achieved a second week of paid vacation. 

The 1940s saw the beginning of the union-sponsored meatcutter apprenticeship school. The first class began at Edison School in September 1947. Initially the program struggled for attendance, but in 1949, Local 81, working in concert with the City of Seattle, required all apprentices to attend the school to be licensed. Thus was established a city-sanctioned program of apprenticeship meatcutting for Local 81, which expanded to King County. This was a major victory for raising retail meat industry standards and for providing employers with a skilled workforce. 

By the late 1940s, changes in grocery retailing and improved refrigeration, deli meats, and the self-service case brought more change to Local 81. At this time Local 81 first defined its jurisdiction in its contract as “the cutting and handling of all meat, fish, poultry, and rabbit products,” to protect its members from grocery owners using employees outside the meat department to do their work. 

In 1950, Local 81 membership included deli workers, who at the time were mostly women. In 1950, the Local admitted the first meat wrapper to the union, Vivian Keeler, and developed a contract scale for women workers. They also merged with the fish workers union. 

A new generation took on the role of leadership of the Union in the mid-1950s, and their first big accomplishment lives on to this day through the establishment of a Health & Welfare Trust and Plan with the Retail Dealers in January 1955. 

Early display of self-service meat case.

By the late 1950s, Local 81 had grown to well over 2,000 members. Forty hours constituted a week's work, Monday through Saturday. The Local allowed Sunday and holiday work only in cases of emergency, and then only at double time. Shifts could start at 7:00, 8:00, or 9:00 a.m. A third week of vacation was added for those with 15 years with a company. Wages for journey level meatcutters were $110 per week, and $88 per week for journey level meat wrappers. The Local had strengthened its contracts in the “jobbing houses” (the employers that provided temporary labor to meat markets) and among meat sales drivers. It was the height of post-war power for the Fighting 81st. 

1960 to 2000: Creating a Pension, Protecting Our Workweek, and the Great Grocery Strike of 1989 

Local 81's second home in the new Seattle Labor Temple at 2800 First Avenue.

One of Local 81's most successful negotiations was in the fall of 1959 when it achieved several firsts in negotiations: a pension program at a 10 cents per hour contribution rate, sick leave (beginning on the 4th day), and a third week of vacation after 15 years. Wages rose to $112 per week and $95 per week for wrappers. They achieved this by agreeing to a 3-year contract. They maintained their hours standards of no selling of meat prior to 9:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. and no selling of meat on Sundays or holidays. 

The increasing retail dominance of the chains (Albertson's and QFC both appeared in the late 1950s and early 1960s) created special challenges for Local 81. Increasingly the chain stores introduced new technologies into the meat markets: cry-o-vac (vacuumed sealed) beef being the most evident with the introduction of cutting rooms in their warehouse operations. 

The decade of the 1960s was marked by internal political tensions and strikes both in 1964 and 1967. As the meatcutting business changed across the country, meatcutters were debating what direction Local 81 would take in an era marked by the emergence of an employer bargaining coalition—Allied Employers, Inc.—and the dominance of the new grocery chain stores. A strike in 1964 spurred change in union leadership and new priorities for meat department workers. 

As grocery stores expanded their hours, it became increasingly important for Local 81 to ensure that the Union defended their 40-hour workweek. They achieved this by bargaining language to provide a 40-hour guaranteed workweek and company-wide seniority language. The 1964 contract contained these two critical provisions. The 1967 contract took a third step in developing journeyman-on-duty language that ensured that employers could not try to cut labor costs by hiring only apprentice meatcutters. 

Local 81 also engaged in two critical grievance arbitrations in this decade: Peck (1966) and Gillingham (1970), named for the arbitrators in each case. Both of these decisions strengthened the 40-hour guaranteed workweek for members and provided the foundation for full-time rather than part-time employment, and company rather than store-wide seniority. 

Under the leadership of Konrad Johnson, assisted by Mel Roundhill, Frenk Rutledge, and Sid Casey (a fourth business agent being added in 1970), Local 81 defended and strengthened its contract in these years. It maintained the prohibition on the selling of meat before 9:00 a.m. although it allowed the selling of meat until 9:00 p.m. At the time, no selling of meat was allowed on Sundays or holidays. The Local achieved a fourth week of vacation in 1967 as well as funeral leave. The Local also introduced a non-discrimination clause in their contract. Journeymen meatcutter wages were $3.82/hour, $3.35/hour for journey-level women workers. Not until 1971 did the contract refer to meat wrappers, a practice common in union contracts at the time when the workplace included men and women. 

In its 1971 contract, Local 81 allowed Sunday and holiday work but at the rate of double-time. Pension contributions were 20 cents per hour. Sick leave was allowed on the 3rd day of illness. A crucial cost-of-living formula was also placed in the contract. In 1971, a birthday holiday was added to the contract. (In 1977, one's anniversary date was added as a holiday.) By 1979, journeyman meatcutter wages stood at $9.29/hour and journeyman meat wrappers at $7.72 per hour. Pension contributions had risen to 60 cents per hour. Aided by cost-of-living clauses, wages had doubled between 1967 and 1979. 

The devastating inflation of the late 1970s produced a wave of reactionary anti-unionism in the United States. Local 81's history parallels this attack. The decade of the 1970s saw a see-saw struggle with Allied Employers and a pattern of short, but largely successful strikes. The Fighting 81st maintained strong contracts in both the retail and jobbing houses. There was, however, a steady erosion of membership in the packing houses, as the emergence of more rapid transportation and refrigeration brought increasing economic pressure as employers moved their production to so called “right-to-work" states. A measure of this was the merger of the Amalgamated with the Retail Clerks International Union in June 1979, forming the United Food & Commercial Worker's International Union. Interestingly, Local 81 was the only Amalgamated local to vote against this merger. 

The election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 and the breaking of the air traffic controller strike set the stage for a further attack upon organized labor in the 1980s.  

Local 81 lost over 300 members early in the 1980s in a series of jobbing house de-certifications. In 1983 the employer community settled with the Retail Clerks but launched an attack upon Local 81's contract. Local 81 struck Lucky's stores. Other Allied members locked out Local 81 members and, for the first time, locked out Local 81 members in Kitsap County. 

Local 81 members steadfastly maintained the strike lines. Under the threat of permanent replacement, Lucky members returned to work reluctantly while the picketing continued for a total of 71 days. When a settlement was reached and after much internal strife, the members went back to work, though the sting of the bitter strike lingered for many years. The cost-of-living escalation clause was lost. Sunday and holiday premiums were reduced to time and three quarters. Pension contributions were increased to ninety cents, but less than the retail clerk contribution increase. Specific language was added that allowed fine ground beef into the markets without restrictions. Local 81's medical plan was merged with the retail clerks. 

Esther Baxter President of UFCW Local 81 1985-1987

With all the strike-related expenditures, Local 81's assets were nearly depleted. In its 1984 elections, the Local reduced its full-time officers to three: Esther Baxter (President and the first woman officer of Local 81), Tony Abeyta (Secretary-Treasurer), and Steve Anderson (Recording Secretary). Serious talks commenced about merging Local 81 with Local 1105. The 1986 contract negotiation fortunately avoided another strike, but at the price of introducing a service counter wage classification with a lower wage and benefit standard and also allowing further expansion of the employers’ ability to introduce prepackaged and priced products into the markets. For the first time in its history, the Local settled for lump sum bonuses rather than hard wage increases. 

The 1988 election was another watershed election for Local 81 with the selection of Tony Abeyta as President, Mike Williams as Secretary-Treasurer, and Steve Anderson as Recorder. 

Tony Abeyta, a Safeway meatcutter with little ties to the factions which fragmented the Local in 1983, ran on a platform of ending concessionary bargaining, opposing a merger with the clerks, and promoting internal unity within Local 81's office. One of his first tasks was to return Local 81 to a four-staff office with the addition of an organizer/business agent, Steve Conway. He also set upon the task of building stronger relations with the retail clerks. 

The stage was thus set for perhaps one of Local 81's most successful strikes since 1964: the grocery strike of 1989. The Employer community entered the negotiations with a desire to change the Sunday premiums. UFCW Locals 81, 44 (the meatcutter local from Snohomish County and north to the Canadian border), and 1105 entered the bargaining with a common goal of ending the decade of concessionary bargaining. The Puget Sound locals carefully coordinated their bargaining strategies. In May, Locals 81 and 1105 struck Food Giant, followed by a lockout in other King County Allied stores. This strike/lockout would last 81 days. When the smoke cleared, Sunday premiums remained intact, although Local 81 reduced its premium to time and a half in exchange for increasing pension contributions and hard money wage increases. 

Meatcutters Local 81

Local 81 emerged from this strike with strong reserves and an active membership. Under the leadership of Abeyta, the Local invested its surpluses wisely, an investment strategy which eventually allowed the local to purchase its own office building in Auburn in 1996. In 1992, 1995, and 1998, Local 81 managed to achieve early settlements, the most significant improvements being made in both the pension and health & welfare programs. By 1998, Local 81 had achieved an early retirement program which allowed its membership to retire with full pensions at 55 years of age and thirty years of experience. Unlike many unions which saw a steady erosion of health and welfare coverage, Local 81 continued to achieve improvements, and in fact established a Retirees Health & Welfare Plan in 1998. Wages steadily increased so that by the end of the decade Local 81 had some of the highest wages on the Pacific Coast. This had been achieved with no takeaways in the contract and no expansion of the duties of the service counter workers (an expansion in California had gutted their contracts). Abeyta crowned his administration by establishing a Retirees Club, a Sunshine Fund, and also dispatching Business Agent Steve Conway to the State Legislature to assist the Local and the state labor movement with their many needs, the first member of Local 81 to serve in the Washington State Legislature. After a serious stroke, Abeyta retired in May, 1999, and so Michael Williams took over as President. 

The most worrisome development in the late 1990s was the continued inroads made by prepackaged, pre-priced meats and products. In 1998, Associated Grocers announced the setting up of a centralized meat cutting plant in Tukwila. After several years of protracted negotiations, and under the leadership of newly elected president Michael Williams, Local 81 merged with the packinghouse union representing these employees, UFCW Local 554. 

Local 81 protest Walmart's role at WTO rally.

Local 81 entered its second 100 years with a membership of over 2,000 and its finances remaining solid, but the new century brought more important challenges. The continual expansion of non-union discount grocers like Walmart, K-Mart, and WinCo threatened the family-wage standard of the grocery and meatcutting industry. Increasingly many chains moved toward expanding their use of prepackaged products, but public concern for service and food safety stood as barriers to its expansion.

2000 – 2024: Expanding the Apprenticeship and the Creation of WeTrain Washington 

Over the last century meatcutters had to deal with grocery stores displacing meat markets and with canned, frozen, and prepacked products displacing fresh-cut meat. Now the problems centered around corporate consolidation of union-represented stores into national and international conglomerates, plus the continued expansion of anti-union employers like Walmart and Target. 

During past contract bargains, the Retail Grocery Clerks locals and Meat Department locals at times had differing priorities at the bargaining table that led to one group engaging in a protracted struggle without the aid and solidarity of the other. But that was quickly changing due to the historic consolidation in capital.  

Since the Seattle Meatcutter Apprenticeship Program had always been a regional instruction program to assure a skilled workforce in King County, the executives for these national chains had little incentive to prioritize supporting educating the next generation of meatcutters. Another issue was that the recession of the early 2000s caused budget cuts in government in Washington State, and so enforcement of licensing requirement for meatcutters in King County was barely enforced.  

Local 81 not only continued to support the program but revitalized it in the early 2000s, as a new generation of workers took over the program. 

Paul L. Gerhardt was working at Safeway as a market manager, and became the primary meatcutter apprenticeship instructor in 2000 when the position opened up. Paul quickly set to work to revise and update the curriculum. He added instruction about good customer service, the best way to cook the different cuts, and new inventory computer programs. 

Paul and a new business agent, Tim Phelan, worked to grow enrollment in the program, which at the time had just 20 apprentices. In a few short years, the number of apprentices attending class had grown to 85. 

Paul Gerhardt had always had a passion for teaching, so he pursued his own education and earned his PhD in Management and Organizational Behaviors. In 2006 he left Seattle Meatcutter Apprenticeship Program to become a fulltime professor. He went on to be a professor and the District Program Coordinator for Business, Management and Marketing at Pierce College. 

Throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s, union members in meat departments and in grocery maintained a health and welfare plan that had next to no cost to the workforce. Health and welfare plans were, in many areas of the country, the single greatest benefit that UFCW members in the grocery industry enjoyed. Since the health care trust was shared by both grocery clerks and meat department workers, their collective interests and their common problems were increasingly one and the same. 

Health care was at the center of the 2003–2004 Southern California Grocery Strike. The national grocery chains who were involved—Safeway (Vons in SoCal), Albertsons, and Kroger (Ralph’s in SoCal)—would be the same employers that the unions in the Northwest would be dealing with soon in their negotiations. 

Lasting over 4 months, the 2003 SoCal Strike is still the longest grocery store strike in U.S. history, and it resulted in a health care plan that was very different from what was previously enjoyed by workers. With markets across the US and even Canada, these behemoth corporations were determined to weather a long and effective strike to be able to lower their labor costs by cutting worker health plans. 

In 2004 in the Northwest, there was rock-solid solidarity between Locals 81, 1105, 44, and Teamsters Local 38 (which represented some grocery clerks in Snohomish), and they engaged in a contract campaign that managed to beat back the worst of what SoCal had been forced to accept. But there was a sense that the newly found strength on the employer side had to be countered, and that small industry-specific locals couldn’t take on the boss the same way—not just in grocery and meat, but in the wider U.S. economy. 

This was not exactly a new problem. The Local 81 strike in 1983 had emptied the Union’s bank accounts. It takes money to run a strike, but members aren’t paying dues during it. After the brutal 2003 SoCal Grocery Strike and the resulting shift toward saddling workers with more health care costs, things had to change. 

In 2005, it started with the biggest grocery clerk local, UFCW 1105, and the retail and health care local, UFCW 1001, joining with other locals to create UFCW 21, a new local that would have members in many varied industries. In 2009, UFCW 44 merged with 21, and then in 2011, UFCW 81 merged into Local 21, creating a union local representing meatcutters in most of Western Washington. 

UFCW Local 81 had been stewarding the Seattle Meatcutter Apprenticeship Program since 1946, and now that UFCW 21 and 81 were one local, it became a priority of the merged union, especially for Tim Phelan, a longtime union representative who had worked in the meat business all his life. Faye Guenther, a staff director at Local 21 at the time, started working with Tim to make sure the apprenticeship program was a vital part of the meat industry in King County and that it expanded to other areas of the state. 

The biggest problem with expanding the meatcutter apprenticeship program was funding. Since it started in 1946, the program was run mostly with volunteers from the meat industry who stepped up to serve on the board and meatcutters who made sure that their apprentices went to school. The only paid positions with the program are in-class instructors. Faye and Tim began getting connected with other apprenticeship programs and schools that provide vocational education to get ideas about growing the program. As union leadership changed, Faye stepped into the role of Secretary Treasurer and then president of the Union.  

Most trades that have union-supported apprenticeship programs bargain funding for these programs into their collective bargaining agreements. This became a big goal for UFCW 21’s future negotiations, as the union started the project of creating a larger training center modeled on the Seattle Meatcutters Apprenticeship in 2018. 

WeTrain Washington, as the organization running that training center would come to be called, started researching and applying for vocational education grants to fund and expand the meatcutter apprenticeship program and to establish connections with other programs. In the 2019, meat and grocery contract negotiations included winning funding for the training center, and WeTrain became an independent nonprofit organization in the summer of 2021. 

In between 2019 and 2021, of course, came the COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitated classes being taught online through video conferencing, even as meatcutters continued to work in stores as essential workers. Tim Phelan retired as a union representative at UFCW 21, and soon after started to work part-time with WeTrain, starting up the Snohomish County program with a new instructor, a pre-apprenticeship meatcutting program for people interested in entering the trade, and a fishmonger apprenticeship program to teach workers everything there is to know about retailing seafood. 

Today meat department workers must be as skilled in customer service as they are in production and have the culinary knowledge of their products to serve today’s home cooks. 

Will MultiCare Meet the Market on Wages?

Will MultiCare Meet the Market on Wages?

On Wednesday, May 1, our Union Bargaining Comittee met with Management and finally received a response to the wage proposal we presented on April 11. Prior to making our proposal, we did extensive research to make sure our wages stay competitive with other regional healthcare employers throughout the duration of our new contract. 

MultiCare’s counter, however, leaves our wage rates trailing behind what many of these same regional hospitals are already paying… Offering only 2% across the board raises for most of us.

“Wages have been 2 low, for 2 long, 2 continue moving backwards… But we need 2 move forward!” —Brian Dansereau, Pharmacy Tech

If you feel like we do, and believe that 2% won’t cut it, join these next steps to take action: 

MultiCare Union Family Day is May 4 from 11am—2pm at IBEW Local 76 Hall

Join us for food, games, prizes, and to pick up some Union swag for our May 8 Union Solidarity Day! RSVP: www.mobilize.us/ufcw3000/event/617922/ >>

Union Solidarity Day

Show your solidarity on next Wednesday, May 8 by wearing Union stickers, buttons, shirts, 

and dress in UFCW Blue & Gold! Let’s show Management that we are united and ready to fight for a fair contract!
Stay up to date on our bargain, and the next steps we believe will move MultiCare to agree to a fair contract for all of us! Join our Facebook Group, & use the following link to look out for more ways to take action throughout our negotiations with MultiCare: https://linktr.ee/mc3000

Planned Parenthood Coworkers Party Sunday May 5

Invite with pic of workers in party hats. Text: You're invited: PP Coworkers Party, 1-4pm Sunday 5/5/24. Come meet coworkers, play trivia, share food & drink, learn about/contribute to our 2024/5 priorities at work! At UFCW 23040 Pacific Hwy S

Planned Parenthood Coworkers Party
Food, Fun, & Solidarity!
Sun. May 5, 1-4pm

We have a seat at the table and we need to use our voices that we fought so hard to be heard.
How do we build better workplaces? Through our numbers and our ability to communicate effectively with each other!

Your coworkers enthusiastically invite you to gather this Sunday from 1 pm - 4 pm to eat, drink, have fun, and share ideas about how to build great workplaces with safe staffing to provide superb patient care.

Event Details

Time: 1-4 PM
Date: Sunday, May 5th
Location: UFCW Local 3000 (23040 Pacific Hwy S Suite 101, Des Moines, WA 98198) | View map
Food & drink to share, provided by your coworkers!

Questions? Please call Charlie King at (206) 436-0606 or Christie Harris at (206) 436-6606

Grocery East Tentative Agreement Reached!

Member Bargaining Committee recommends a YES vote! 

After months of strike preparation, store actions, and long negotiation sessions, our member bargaining committee reached a fully recommended tentative agreement with Safeway/Albertsons and Kroger on a new contract. This agreement has dramatic gains for Eastern Washington, Oregon, and historic gains for unionized grocery stores in Idaho.

“This is the most money I thought I'd ever see coming out of Kroger. The pressure we applied across all our stores was amazing! I am feeling amazed!” - Katriana Keffer, Fred Meyer

The agreement includes: 

  • Higher wages that will address pay equity across departments 

  • Rights that will ensure a safer store 

  • Pension improvements

  • ​Investments in workforce development and training

  • And more!

This tentative agreement is not final until we vote on it. Full details of the agreement will be available at the contract vote Thursday, May 2 where members of the bargaining committee will be available to help answer questions and walk us through the agreement. 

Contract Votes for Spokane Albertsons Meat, Spokane Albertsons Grocery, Spokane Safeway Meat, Spokane Safeway Grocery, Spokane Fred Meyer Meat, Spokane Fred Meyer Grocery, Spokane Fred Meyer CCK: Thursday, May 2, 2024 from 9am-12pm and 3pm-7pm at the Spokane DoubleTree Hotel and Conference Center, 322 N Spokane Falls Ct, Spokane WA 99201 - All other grocery contracts will vote at a later date.

“I feel really, really good about what we are finally getting from these employers! We broke through some big barriers in this agreement. The gains to our retirement plan felt like we were finally being listened to -we can actually retire!” -Frankie Roesser Safeway

“It’s not what everybody wants, it’s not the moon but I am really excited for my coworkers who worked for year in the Deli, my coworkers will get wage increases that they deserve. Hopefully this will help make sure we can keep people here in the store.” -Jeff Yergens, Safeway


Providence Sacred Heart Techs Join us to end the strike strong!

Join us to end the Strike strong

Our Unfair Labor Practice strike will end today April 30 at 8:30 pm. Join us anytime for the rest of the day to end the strike strong! Particularly, the last few hours we’d like as many members and their families to walk in solidarity on the lines and cheer on our coworkers on as they return to work.

Below are answers that we received from Providence regarding return to work, and should match the same information you will be receiving from the Hospital. If you have any questions, please ask Union staff on the strike line today or call Union Representative Juanita Quezada, 509-340-7407.

When do we return to work?

Providence Direct Leaders started reaching out to members yesterday and today regarding return to work.  If you are scheduled to work today (Tuesday) and would otherwise be on shift at 8:30 pm, you should plan to work the remainder of your scheduled shift following the end of the strike. You will be paid for work time starting at 8:30 pm.
Examples: If you are scheduled to work at 7:30 pm, you should report to work at 8:30 pm. If your scheduled shift ends at 9:00 pm, you should report to work at 8:30 pm to work the last part of the shift. Any questions, please reach out to your direct leader at Providence.

What about badges, parking, and entering the building?

All badges will be reactivated shortly before the end of the strike. Please let your direct leader know if your badge is not reactivated. The employee garage doors will be open and accessible to everyone. When you arrive, please only enter through the L3 entrance. Members will be asked to wait in the Mother Joseph Room until units are ready. Light treats and beverages will be available.

When will our bargaining team return to negotiations?

The Union has requested bargaining dates from Providence and they have committed to responding to us after the strike ends. We will continue to provide updates on next steps and future bargaining dates.

When will we receive our strike pay benefits?

The Union will be calculating hours on the strike line this week and strike benefit checks will be sent via regular mail to the address listed on your W9 the week of May 6. Updates will be sent out via email and text. Stay tuned!

PCC Labor/Management Committee candidate Online vote!

Online vote: May 8 at 6:00am — May 9 at 6:00pm

The nominees are in and they are counting on you to get involved and decide who will represent PCC workers and our union by voting for the candidates you want to represent you on the Labor/Management Committee (LMC). The purpose of the LMC will be to study and make recommendations to the PCC Board of Trustees or PCC’s Leadership Team regarding:

Per our contract, our union can nominate ten candidates to send to the PCC Governance & Membership Committee (GMC) where they will, by a simple majority vote of the GMC, select the final five workers that will serve on the LMC.

Voting will be conducted via secure online vote to decide the ten nominees that will be recommended to PCC’s GMC. We are excited to announce the candidates that are running for the chance to participate and represent their coworkers!

Meet the nominees ▸

Kelly Campbell, View Ridge PCC, Front End

I’m Kelly, and I am eager to bring my unique blend of leadership, advocacy, and community engagement to the Labor Management Committee. My journey in advocacy began when I made history as the first athlete appointed Board Chair for Special Olympics Washington. This role not only honed my leadership skills but also deepened my commitment to driving positive change and advancing inclusion. With over three decades of experience as a Special Olympics athlete and more than five years serving on the board of directors, I’ve gained invaluable insights into the power of inclusion and community engagement. My involvement extends beyond Washington, as I actively contribute to Special Olympics committees at national and international levels, amplifying the voices of athletes and advocating for diversity and equity. One of my proudest achievements is leading initiatives like the Building Bridges program, which brought Special Olympics to tribal communities for the first time, addressing the unique needs of BIPOC individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I am dedicated to fostering understanding and respect across all communities, tirelessly working to ensure access and opportunities for all. Outside of my advocacy work, I’m a dedicated team player, competing in various sports from softball to swimming. I’ve also had the honor of representing our community on Capitol Hill, advocating for funding to support programs like Special Olympics. In my role at PCC Community Markets for over two decades, I’ve learned the importance of community engagement and collaboration. Now, I’m excited to bring my experience and passion for inclusion to the Labor Management Committee, where I hope to continue driving positive change and advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. Thank you for considering my candidacy. I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the committee’s efforts.

Oscar Cea-Figueroa, Redmond PCC, Deli

Hello, my name is Oscar, and I am quite pleased to have been nominated by my peers to run for a position on the LMC! I am learning of all the benefits this committee will bring, being the first of its kind for our company! I’m very happy to be able to represent my coworkers at a level where we can not only present barriers, issues and concerns but also provide problem solving opportunities and trouble shooting with all the people we need to discuss these matters with. In the last few years, while working for this company, I’ve seen some changes. One of the reasons I came to work for PCC was the co op values. It’s very important to me that I continue to work with an employer who has similar interests. Since our contract negotiations earlier this year, I have been gaining so much understanding of the importance of partnership. Participating in the informational pickets helped me see the bigger picture, standing together is where the power is! There is so much information to read in our world, so much to learn! I really enjoy doing the work in the deli, communicating, and working with my deli team. I’m happy to know that I have the chance to be a part of the committee that will bring change that will benefit all.

William Chiang, Bothell PCC, Deli

I’ve been with PCC for 7 years, came from restaurant background in cooking.  Have been a deli cook, clerk, and cheese clerk.

Emily Dawson, West Seattle PCC, Produce

I'm thrilled to have the chance to join the Labor Management Committee. I'm eager to dive into understanding PCC's financial model and how business decisions are made. My aim is to promote better communication and understanding between workers and non-union management, bridging that gap and fostering a more harmonious relationship between office staff and in-store workers, while focusing on suggesting workplace enhancements that will improve the work environment. Additionally, having talked with many of our coworkers from diverse ethnic backgrounds, I am confident in my ability to represent all concerns within PCC. With your support, I'm excited to make a meaningful impact and enhance our experience here at PCC. Thank you for considering me for this role.

Bert DeCoy, Redmond PCC, Deli

I have been with the co-op for 11 years. The whole time at Redmond, in the deli. Roughly a year of counter (opening, closing, and mid shifts), then the last decade as a cook and hotbar runner. During my time, I have always tried to provide the best experience for our members whether it's through personable and knowledgeable service on counter, answering a many customer questions as i can, or making food whose quality is worth the price tag. I believe firmly in working as a team, in communication, and the need to be open... even if it means having difficult conversations. These were the values handed down to me by those who trained me and I try my best to pass them along to those who have come after. I talk with our members on a daily basis, about the things they love, the things they miss or honestly the things they really don't care for in recent years. I extend this same availability to my coworkers who know I am someone they can come to to express concerns, field questions from customers, or generally expand their knowledge of what we do. One of my greatest strengths is my connection to my team mates, and to the needs of our members. I believe strongly in the need for everyone's shared participation for this co-op to do its best; from members, to employee members, to office staff, if every aspect is collaborating then I think we can maintain that spark that made us special for over 6 decades. Thank you for your time.

Nellie Demeerleer, Ballard PCC, Front End

I have 3 years experience as a disability advocate, and  when I'm passionate about something, like making sure PCC employees, especially those like me, who work on the front lines and represent the company get the respect, safety in there stores, involvement in company decisions, and pay that we deserve, I will speak for those who may not have a voice, and make sure that everyone is represented equally and fairly, no matter their background.

Cina Ebrahimi, View Ridge PCC, Grocery

I believe Cina will be able to represent the workers interest accurately. He has spent a good deal of time and effort over the last year to interface not only with workers at view ridge but across PCC to better understand the needs of PCC Workers as a whole. He participated as a committee member in the recent contract negotiation and is a shop steward for the view ridge store. Cina is familiar with the cooperative model and has experience from work in finance that make him uniquely prepared for a position in the Labor Management Committee.

Nich Fallon, Issaquah PCC, Produce

Prior to working at PCC I managed a small independent grocery store on top of running the produce department. That role exposed me to the different perspectives amongst the management, employee, and customer relationships. It helped me see extra problems but also additional opportunities to solve those problems. I am passionate about finding ways to improve the working and shopping environment better for everyone. I think being on the LMC would be a great outlet for me and that I would be a great contributor to the LMC. I want to see the LMC become a permanent fixture and stepping stone for more labor representation on the PCC board.

Quil Freitas, West Seattle PCC, Clerk

Hi, Quil Freitas here, produce clerk at West Seattle for over two years. I was involved with negotiations and kept as close an eye on the finances as possible. I advocated for a "no" vote against this current contract. I believe information workers have received has not been sufficient. I see the Labor Management Committee as a flawed but continuing effort to win a fair portion of revenues for workers to have living wages.

Miles Gensoli, PCC Fremont, Produce

Miles Gensoli, 47yrs old. My wife Karen and I have been married for 13yrs. We have 2 children Tristan is 12 and Kiara 8. Lived here in the PNW since I was  8 years old when my family migrated from the Philippines. My favorite pass time is spending time with the family and anything outdoors( hiking, camping, gardening, jet skiing). All of my work experience have been in grocery retail. Been a member of UFCW since 1994, 6 years at PCC. I am the Produce Coordinator at the Fremont Location.

Thnley Gyatso, PCC Fremont, Produce

I believe in that I fit for the Pcc Labor Management committee. I want workers treat well and pay well and appreciate their any levels of contributions Pcc recognizes. All works voice most heard.

Marlin Hathaway, Greenlake Village PCC, Beer and Wine

Marlin Hathaway is the Beer Wine Spirits Specialist at PCC Greenlake Village and has worked for PCC for almost 3 years. He is a UFCW3000 Union Shop Steward and a founding member of PCC Workers United. Marlin is a steadfast advocate for living wages for all PCC workers, personally organizing and reaching out to workers in all of PCC’s stores in the struggle for the retention of Hazard Pay, and its expansion for all PCC workers. He was a leader in the campaign for One Wage Scale for all PCC Workers in the region, a base wage of $25 per hour, $30 for Journey, and a 3-year path to Journey. As a member of the Bargaining team this last contract cycle, Marlin fought hard for a base wage of $25 per hour for all PCC workers, a path to Journey in 3 years, and $30 per hour for Journey folks, and was an initiator of the idea of creating the LMC. Marlin has been a restaurant, grocery, and hospitality worker his entire life, from age 15 to 60. He has tenacity and will fight tooth and nail to uphold the needs of our workforce.

Kerry Hudson, Burien PCC, Front End

Hi my name is Kerry, I'm a cashier at Burien. Over the course of 9 years at PCC, I've worked in just about every department. I understand the experience and needs of roles throughout the store. I believe that there are opertunities throughout the co-op to trim the budget without punishing staff, making our co-op better for staff and the community. I think that as we've grown we have lost some of our co-op values and management refuses to see any solution other than cutting labor hours. It's time that we look at the whole picture and act more like a co-op in all facets.

Chloe Jett, Bellevue PCC, Beer and Wine

I come from North Carolina, a state which ranks 49th in the country for worker’s rights. I’ve seen firsthand what can happen when unions aren’t given the necessary power and respect they deserve. As an LMC member, I would see to it that worker’s rights are observed to make PCC an ideal place for labor.

Jackson Jones, Kirkland PCC, Meat Dept.

I have worked at several premium grocery stores and have gained a unique and solid understanding of the strategies that are helpful in navigating the relationship between corporate and worker interests. My experience has allowed me to gain respect for different cultures and how they do things, allowing me to find creative solutions in a variety of ways. I am dedicated to making our work environment safer through my role on the safety committee. My goal in nominating myself for the LMC is to improve employee’s knowledge, which will invite longevity & reduce turnover of the employees as well as foster a direct and open dialogue with leadership team.

Kris Jamison, Kirkland PCC, Deli

I've been with UFCW for over ten years and have always held a sharp interest in contract negotiations and try to stay as involved as possible. Info pickets, zoom meetings, CAT meetings, you name it. And because of my friendly, outgoing nature, people have always naturally gravitated toward me with questions or comments about the Union and the contract. I've been approached several times about becoming a Shop Steward as well. The LMC however appears to be a very unique opportunity, and one that instantly called to me once I read how it will function. So, I'm very excited to play a vital role in shaping the next contract and influence how my work environment is structured. Thank you for your consideration.

Scott Jue , Central District PCC, Receiver

I worked for Central District PCC as the Receiver for the last 4 years. I previously worked for Safeway for 28 years with 8 years as a Safeway Assistant Store Director. I have experience in sales projection, scheduling and order writing, expense control, ad planning, merchandising, inventory and shrink control, hiring, employee evaluations and terminations. I served on the Safeway Diversity Board and was a Safeway Division Safety Supervisor assisting 37 stores in 3 districts. I have a BA from Seattle University in business management and an MBA from the University of Washington. I am also a United States Marine and served with the Washington Army National Guard. I deployed to Iraq (08-09) and conducted combat security operations.  My outside interests include Cross Fit, cooking and spending time with my 2 black labrador dogs. As my store’s Receiver I work and interact with all departments and see the success, problems, opportunities, frustrations that occur daily. I believe I can provide a voice in making PCC a more profitable, adaptable, efficient, diverse and safe workplace. I believe in the 80/20 rule. Spend 80% of the time preventing, anticipating and solving problems and 20% of the time reacting to problems we cannot control.  I can reduce the gap between PCC Corporate and retail front line employees. I ask for the opportunity to assist in making PCC profitable again as we look to our next contract. 

Chris Maraslo, PCC Ballard, Grocery

PCC employee since 2019 and has worked through the pandemic. Understands the importance of proper support and care at the workplace. Chris is by far the fiercest advocate for workers' power that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. If he were elected to the committee, I have no doubt at all that he would stand for the workers and advance our cause without fail.

Scott Norman, West Seattle PCC, Receiver

I am a true Seattlite. Born and raised in Ballard and have lived in the south Seattle area now for the last 32 years. I have worked in the grocery business for most of my adult life and have been with PCC for 6 years now. I hope to receive your consideration and vote because I am passionate about fairness, respect, and accountability. The Labor Management Committee is a great opportunity for all of our voices to be heard. With my background in public service and the grocery industry, I am a strong candidate to help ensure that our voices and ideas are being weighed and taken seriously, in order for PCC to be prosperous well into the future. Thank you for your consideration. 

Scott Shiflett, Redmond PCC, Meat Dept

My name is Scott Shiflett and I am excited to have this Golden Opportunity to run for a position on the LMC! I’m looking forward to the work that we’ll accomplish, the relationships that we’ll build and the improvements we will bring through the work of the LMC. This is quite an honor to potentially be involved at the ground floor level of building this very important committee! I am a proud worker of PCC who brings 35 plus years of experience through my service in the grocery industry. I’ve seen how different departments are managed, the successes and failures of some practices and been a part of countless conversations with coworkers regarding the concerns they have about workplace matters. Serving on the Safety Committee for this same period of time has given me insight into this critical topic of discussion that we all must be attentive to. As a Bargaining Team member for many contract cycles, I have been honored to serve my coworkers by bringing their voices to the Bargaining table. There have been many late night ( and into the wee hours of the morning) bargaining sessions where both the Company and the Union were so close to reaching an agreement that we didn’t want to end our session! I’ve seen PCC change dramatically from the original family/neighbor style co-op to the now more corporate style. There are pros and cons to both. I feel we need to work together to find a harmonious blend between the two styles. To maintain our roots while growing and keeping instep with our changing membership and the dynamics of the grocery business as a whole. We must get back to our roots and be the family/neighborhood store we used to be while keeping up with the modernization of the grocery industry. We will work on finding the perfect balance to bring forth a happy and caring yet profitable company. I ask for your support, your vote as we move ahead in bringing forward the PCC we need, the values we must hold dear and foster the commitments we have to our community! Let’s cultivate the success of this company together!

Andrew Shustov, Bellevue PCC, Cheese

The first lesson I was taught when I started working in the grocery industry was that how a customer feels about their experience with a store is very strongly weighted among their other grocery shopping concerns (such as how much products there cost, a location’s convenience, or the quality of items). Similar considerations also very much apply to those of us who have chosen to work in the grocery industry. (How does it feel to work here? What is the pay? How convenient is it?) When I first started with PCC in 2019, the balance among these considerations on the employee side seemed very healthy among workers. Arrival of present year, and I’ve already watched coworkers who genuinely love the company and their own store locations vehemently vote “yes” on a strike ballot, and fully accept all of the personal uncertainty, anxiety, and financial awkwardness that comes with such a decision. Such votes were (by the majority) not made lightly. To run a successful grocery it is important to balance the above concerns of customers (or they will stop shopping). Likewise, to succeed in contract negotiations it is important to balance the above concerns of workers (or they will not accept the contract negotiations). My interest in the committee is to advance awareness toward worker concerns with the same level of enthusiasm, care, and practicality that any of us would bring toward the weight of shopper concerns.

Jayne Sonesen, PCC Fremont, Meat

Cares greatly about coworkers, and the future of the company as a whole. Views the company as a career and not just a job and is invested in its success.

Christopher Trebaol, Bellevue PCC, Produce

Christopher Lee Trebaol is Produce Lead at PCC Bellevue, starting with the company in summer of 2020. He is currently on the Worker Health and Safety Committee and founded the first Bellevue Worker Caucus Committee, and performed duties as Bellevue Shop Steward from 2020-2022. To Christopher the LMC represents an opportunity to elevate the unique concerns of all PCC employees, as well as take the first steps towards creating a more equitable Co-Op across the board. He hopes to address concerns around internal communication, budget, personal development and promotion, as well as provide a voice and expression to the varied and unique concerns of everyone within the company high or low. He hopes to bridge the many divides within the company, with charity and equanimity for all, and malice towards none. “The best days of PCC are ahead of us if we are all willing to reach out and take hold of them.”

Gabriella Von Ins, View Ridge PCC, Front End

I first started working for PCC in January 2018, and since then have worked in multiple stores and in various roles and departments. I am now currently a PIC at the View Ridge Store. My goals in being a PIC is to foster strong avenues for communication between staff members, empower staff to advocate for themselves and each other, and to provide resources for staff to safely and efficiently complete their tasks while finding a sense of pride in what they do. I believe that being a part of the LMC will allow me the opportunity to bridge these goals across the co-op, and collaborate with others in making them not only the reality but the standard.

Emily Weisenburger, Issaquah PCC, Health and Beauty

In 2023 I was a member of the bargaining committee where I was given the opportunity to listen to not just two sides of an argument, but many during negotiations. Back in the store, I was asked to explain the decisions and compromises. I am a member of the Worker Caucus Committee because I believe that workers should be heard and I want to facilitate that to better open the lines of communication between workers and managers.


Online vote: May 8 at 6:00am — May 9 at 6:00pm

To ensure you are able to participate in the secure online vote on May 8 and 9 you must make sure your personal email is up-to-date with the union! If you believe your information is out-of-date or if you haven’t been receiving union emails, please update your information!

Update you personal contact information ▸

If you have any questions, please reach out to a union Rep.

 Deep Roots - Did You Hear? Tentative Agreement Reached! Vote Scheduled!

After a year of bargaining, we have reached a fully recommended tentative agreement on our first union contract and will hold an in-person meeting the evening of Wednesday, May 8 to review a presentation of the recommended offer and vote. 

We organized our Union to address workplace safety and the reality that many of us struggle paycheck to paycheck to pay rent and other rising costs. This is historic—we are the first retail piercing and tattoo studios to unionize in Washington and possibly the first in the country! We are joining thousands of other workers with UFCW 3000 to set higher standards within our industry and ensure worker’s voices are centered in the future of Retail.

Our bargaining team is unanimously recommending a “YES” vote. 

  • Highlights of the tentative agreement include:

  • 6-Step Wage Scale with premium differentials for JGS certification and Co- Leads

  • Guaranteed wage increases every year on anniversary of employment and January 1

  • Commission on ALL Jewelry

  • Tips and Employee Discounts

  • Continued Healthcare benefit options with process to explore Dental coverage in 2025

  • Recognition of Holidays Juneteenth, Labor Day, and Christmas Eve… with time and a half pay

  • Paid Time Off

  • Workplace Safety language

  • Labor Management Committee

  • Just Cause Protections and Grievance Procedure to protect from disparate treatment

  • … and more!

CONTRACT VOTE SCHEDULED
Wednesday, May 8 at 8:00 PM

“Join us on May 8 to review the agreement with our team, ask questions, and learn about our new rights and benefits. We are excited to talk to everyone about how the contract will benefit us collectively and how we can build on it in the future!”

—Your Bargaining Team, Lexi Otway and Jude Manning 

Questions? Please contact your bargaining team or Union Representative Dominick Ojeda, 206-436-6586.

Downtown Dog Lounge Contract Ratified

A week before our one-year union election victory anniversary, Downtown Dog Lounge workers overwhelmingly voted in our first union contract!

Benefits include:

  • One additional paid holiday

  • Across the board wage increases

  • A grievance process

  • A Labor/Management Committee (LMC)

  • that will meet quarterly to discuss issues at work

  • $15 more toward employer healthcare coverage

Make sure you have completed your membership application! join.ufcw.org/join/3000

Providence Sacred Heart Techs Weekend Plans on the Strike Line!

Join us on Saturday for FEED THE LINE

We will have the Blue Apron Brigade (The Babs) delivering food and support we received from the Community in the area at various times in the day. Who are the Babs you may ask? Well come to the Strike line on Saturday and you won’t miss them.They’re the fun people wearing Blue aprons with FOOD!

  • Breakfast will be delivered to the strike lines around 7:00am and is from Panera Bread.

  • Lunch will be near the Check-In tent around 12pm and it is TECH-SASS STYLE BBQ from Fresh Soul. We will have folks relieve people from each strike line in groups so that you can grab lunch at the tent.

  • Dinner will be delivered to each strike line around 3:00pm and will be from Las Delicias de Isla.

  • Dinner will be delivered to each strike line around 5:30pm and is from Ricuras Caribeñas.

  • Some Community members may be dropping by with goodies throughout the day as well!

"Why is Providence afraid to face us?”

—Join us on Sunday for Family day of Sweet Treats and Face painting! A face painter will be at the Check-In Tent from 11am to 4pm. Bring the children!

Superior Linen Bargaining Update

Sus centavos no tienen sentido.

Compañeros en los últimos días nos juntamos con la compañía con la gran decepción de que nos ofrecieron centavos de aumentos. Nosotros propusimos de buena fe aumentos razonables que reconocen la lealtad de empleados que han trabajado muchos años en esta compañía y también un aumento que incluiría a todos.

Nos sentimos muy frustrados y descontentos con la compañía a la cual le hemos trabajado duro. Estamos en un momento crucial, donde tenemos que unirnos más que nunca para poder lograr salarios dignos y justos. Ya no estamos en la época donde unos centavos de aumento hacían una diferencia en nuestros bolsillos, porque ahora unos centavos no alcanzan ni para comprar un huevo. Estos días estaremos demostrando nuestra unidad usando botones y tomando acción el día primero de Mayo.

Their cents don’t make sense.

Siblings, we have met with the company in the last couple of days, and we are very disappointed that they have offered us cents to the dollar. We came to them in good faith with a reasonable wage proposal that recognizes the loyalty of long-term employees while also raising the wages for everyone across the board.

We feel very frustrated and unhappy with the company that we have worked very hard for. We are in a crucial moment in which we must be more united than ever to achieve fair and dignified wages. We are not in an era in which a few cents of wage increases would make a difference in our pockets; cents nowadays are not enough to even buy an egg. On the upcoming days, we will show our unity by wearing our buttons and taking action on May Day.

Xen của họ không có ý nghĩa gì hết

Anh chị em, chúng ta đã gặp gỡ công ty trong vài ngày gần đây, và chúng tôi rất thất vọng khi họ chỉ đề xuất cho chúng ta một số xen nhỏ so với số tiền cần thiết. Chúng tôi đã đến với họ với lòng tin tốt đẹp, đề xuất một mức lương hợp lý nhận ra sự trung thành của nhân viên làm việc lâu dài và đồng thời tăng lương cho tất cả mọi người.

Chúng tôi cảm thấy rất thất vọng và không hạnh phúc với công ty mà chúng tôi đã làm việc rất chăm chỉ. Chúng ta đang ở trong một thời điểm quan trọng khi chúng ta phải đoàn kết hơn bao giờ hết để đạt được mức lương công bằng và đáng kính. Chúng ta không ở trong một thời đại mà một vài xen lương tăng sẽ làm thay đổi trong túi của chúng ta; hiện nay, một vài xen không đủ để mua một quả trứng. Trong những ngày sắp tới, chúng tôi sẽ thể hiện sự đoàn kết bằng cách mặc nút áo và tham gia hành động vào Ngày Quốc tế Lao động.

“Me siento muy decepcionada porque no es justo lo que nos están ofreciendo. I feel very disappointed because it is not fair what they are offering us. Tôi cảm thấy rất thất vọng vì những gì họ đang đề xuất cho chúng ta không công bằng.” — Martha Moreno, Dry-Fold, 11 years, union bargaining team

“Es una miseria lo que nos están ofreciendo, no estamos pidiendo limosnas estamos trabajando. It is a misery what they are offering us, we are not beggars we are working for our money. Điều họ đang đề xuất cho chúng ta là một bi kịch, chúng ta không phải là kẻ ăn xin mà là người lao động kiếm sống.” — José Domingo, Wash-room, 24 years, union bargaining team

“Siento que valemos mas que unos centavos de aumento, trabajamos muy duro y le somos leales a la compañía. We are worth more than a few cents because we are hardworking and loyal to this company. Chúng ta xứng đáng hơn chỉ là một vài xen vì chúng ta là người làm việc chăm chỉ và trung thành với công ty này.”— Busaba “Apple” Bass, Soil, 8 years, union bargaining team

Multicare Health System - Our Patience Is Running Thin

Your Union Negotiating Committee met with MultiCare again on Thursday, April 18, starting the day with all outstanding proposals awaiting response from the Employer.

Despite our team being onsite and ready to negotiate by 9:30 AM, we were kept waiting until the afternoon to receive a proposal from management. During this delay, our committee utilized the downtime to strategize our next steps, yet we found it both inefficient and disrespectful to be left without a proposal to review for much of the day.

MultiCare’s counter proposal fell short of expectations, totaling fourteen pages with only minor changes from their previous offer. Furthermore, their proposal didn’t include a response to our wage proposal as MultiCare said they won’t have a response until next month at the earliest. 

Our committee expressed our frustration with MultiCare directly, warning management that our patience is not infinite. We are here to bargain in good faith, working together to find creative solutions to serious workplace issues, not to just pass papers back and forth. 

UFCW Local 3000 members at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane are on an unfair labor practice strike this week, the second against the health system in less than 6-months. Providence has repeatedly made the mistake of testing the patience of workers by failing to come to the table to bargain in good faith and it would be unwise for MultiCare to make a similar mistake. 

Our Negotiating Committee is scheduled to meet with MultiCare again on May 1, with additional bargaining dates scheduled through the end of June.

“We’re ready to work together, but it takes two sides willing to engage. MultiCare needs to step up and show they’re serious about reaching an agreement.” 

— Cheyenne Hannaman, Medical Laboratory Scientist @ Tacoma General Hospital

Join us, along with your friends, family, and MultiCare coworkers for a Union Family Day! RSVP NOW!

IBEW Local 76 Hall
3049 S 36th St
Tacoma, WA 98409
Saturday, May 4
11 AM — 2 PM

Contract Action Team Meetings:
Monday, May 6
9AM — RSVP Online
12PM — Tacoma General in Bunker Conference Room

5PM — RSVP Online

Providence Sacred Heart Techs ULP Strike Day 2 update

Amazing turnout of workers and community the first two days of the strike! We will be sending out short updates throughout the strike- today is an important update regarding your strike benefits and an invitation to join the Rally tomorrow night 4/24 at 7pm in Cowley Park.

Please help pass the word to friends and family- and wear your best western themed clothing for a Sunset showdown Rally in support of the Technical workers. We’ll be joined by community and legislative speakers… we hope to see you there!

WHAT IS MY STRIKE BENEFIT?    

Our Union Executive Board has approved strike fund benefits for represented workers of: 

  • $500/week for picketing a minimum of 20 hours a week, 

  • $800/week for picketing a minimum of 32 hours or more a week, 

  • $200/week “Respect the Line Benefit” for those who cannot join their colleagues on the strike line but respect the strike line and do not cross. *Respect the Line Benefit only available on full week.  

    Since this is an 8.5 day strike, there are an extra two days that represented workers are eligible for strike benefits: 

  • Week 1: Monday April 22 – Sunday April 28: Receive benefit above based on hours on the strike line 

  • Week 2: Monday April 29 – Tuesday April 30: Strike Benefit will be pro-rated

  • $200 for picketing 8-12 hr

  • $320 for picketing more than 12 hr

Our health care workers are standing up for fair treatment and safe patient care at Sacred Heart.

Come by at 7 PM to meet striking workers and prepare for a sunset solidarity rally, with voices from the hospital and our community. Let’s show Sacred Heart workers that this community has their back!

Our health care workers are standing up for fair treatment and safe patient care at Sacred Heart. https://www.mobilize.us/ufcw3000/event/620522/
 

Grocery East Contract Votes Set

After nearly six months of bargaining with Albertson/Safeway and Kroger for a new contract that respects our work, increases our wages, and improves our retirement and healthcare, we are holding a contract vote! This notice serves to inform all members that a critical membership meeting will be held on May 2, 2024, at the Spokane Double Tree Hotel, in the conference center. We will be conducting a vote on the last offer presented by the Employer following our scheduled bargaining dates on April 29 and 30, 2024. 

The Agenda, Times and Location for the meeting will be: 

1. CONTRACT RATIFICATION VOTE: The bargaining committee will present the last offer received from the Employer. Members will have the opportunity to discuss the terms and implications of the offer before proceeding to a vote on whether to ratify or reject the proposed contract. 
2. STRIKE AUTHORIZATION VOTE (if applicable): Should the final offer not be recommended by the bargaining committee, we will also conduct a strike authorization vote. This vote will determine whether to engage in a strike or other action in response to the Employer’s final offer. 
3. VOTE TIMES & LOCATION: Any member in good standing will be able to vote at the Spokane DoubleTree Hotel and Conference Center, 322 N Spokane Falls Ct, Spokane WA 99201 from 9am-12pm or from 3pm-7pm on May 2, 2024. Carpool if you can, as parking is limited. Available parking will be at no cost, details available at registration.

For questions, please contact your Union Representative, bargaining committee members, and stewards for critical updates as things can change quickly and are time sensitive. If you are unable to connect with your union rep, steward or bargaining committee member you may call the MRC at 1-866-210-3000 for more information. 

All members in the Spokane Albertsons Meat, Spokane Albertsons Grocery, Spokane Safeway Meat, Spokane Safeway Grocery, Spokane Fred Meyer Meat, Spokane Fred Meyer Grocery, Spokane Fred Meyer CCK, are encouraged to be present for this important vote. Your voice and vote are essential in guiding the direction of our bargaining strategy.  

The Cheney Meat and Grocery Votes will be held at a separate time and location to be announced. The Oregon Grocery Vote will be held at a separate time and location to be announced.