After months of negotiations, leafleting, info-picketing, a 97% strike authorization vote in June, and ratification votes from grocery store workers in many Puget Sound Allied Grocery Stores, our Union Bargaining Team harnessed all that power from thousands of grocery workers to fight and win a fair contract.

It has come to the Union’s attention that the contractual raises, for the following contracts Albertsons - Lewiston/Clarkston (Grocery and Meat), Albertsons - Coeur d’Alene (Meat), Albertsons - Coeur d’Alene/Hayden Lake (Grocery), Albertsons - Hayden Lake (Meat), Safeway - Coeur d’Alene (Grocery and Meat), and Safeway - Pullman/Moscow (Grocery and Meat) which were scheduled to take effect on October 12, 2025, and reflect on your paycheck of Oct 24, 2025, have not yet been implemented.

On October 16, we ratified new contracts for UFCW 3000 grocery stores in Skagit, Island, and Whatcom Counties at Safeway, Haggen, Fred Meyer, and Albertsons/Safeway, and Saar’s Grocery in Oak Harbor.  

These votes are open to all members of UFCW 3000 grocery stores in Skagit, Island, and Whatcom Counties at the big chains (Safeway, Haggen, Albertsons d/b/a Safeway in Oak Harbor, and Fred Meyer) and independent stores (The Market and Saar’s).  

After months of leafleting, info-picketing, petition-signing, and winning a 97% strike authorization vote, our bargaining team harnessed the power of thousands of grocery and meat workers to fight and win a fair contract. All that organizing helped win: 

After months of leafleting, info-picketing, petition-signing, and winning a 97% strike authorization vote, our bargaining team harnessed the power of thousands of grocery and meat workers to fight and win a fair contract. All that organizing helped win: 

Just a few weeks ago, we voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. The success of that vote armed our member-led bargaining team with the power to win an agreement that fixed the low-ball, takeaway offer from Kroger and Albertsons that prompted the strike vote in the first place.

Our union member bargaining team reached a Tentative Agreement and recommends a YES vote to accept the proposal from the employers.

“This is the ninth time I’ve sat at this table—this contract allows us to majorly build our power in the region” —Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer GM

This tentative agreement pioneers new staffing language, establishes first-ever staffing programs at our stores, secures strong wage increases, fully funds our healthcare plan with no benefit cuts, provides a pension we can count on, adds a major investment into our apprenticeship and training fund, and significantly boosts our bargaining power in the region and in the western U.S.

Though some of our contracts don’t expire until later this year— including those of us in Fred Meyer GM and in Teamsters 38— and though many of us are covered under interim agreements, our fellow grocery workers at Kroger and Albertsons will take strike authorization votes following a disappointing final bargaining session with the employers from May 19 to 21.

As the time to reach a deal came down to the wire, the companies acted with no urgency. They made our team wait for hours between proposals, and when they did pass something back, they only moved an inch here and there. Their posture at the table spoke volumes: They don’t value our work, and they don’t think we’re ready to fight for what we deserve. We’re happy to prove them wrong.

Our bargaining team unanimously recommends a NO vote on the contract and a YES vote to authorize a strike so corporate knows they can’t push us around.

Depending on how our upcoming negotiations go, our Bargaining Team may recommend a NO vote, a strike authorization vote, or a contract ratification vote.

Join your coworkers at a monthly Contract Action Team meeting—Let’s stay organized to win a strong contract this year.