Despite More Progress This Week, Still Major Problems

We have just wrapped up three days of negotiations. The short version of the update is that despite many bargaining sessions over the last four months, and some progress on some issues including scheduling improvements, we are still a very long way from reaching an agreement. The major roadblocks that remain would likely be strike-level issues.

Some of the specific items where solutions have been tentatively agreed to include safety, workforce development and training, bereavement and most recently a major breakthrough with Kroger on a large-scale solution for our pension problems. That Kroger pension solution is conditional – it only can be part of a global solution, which includes reaching a pension agreement with Safeway/Albertsons. We have a pension proposal in front of Safeway/Albertsons and are awaiting their response.

 After months of waiting and member action,  the employer finally presented their first wage proposal of 30 cents, 25 cents, and 25 cents.  Although this is what we won in the final hours of 2016 bargaining, it is only a fraction of what we need.

We are moving forward. We have taken action across the region including building our Contract Action Teams, leafletting customers at over 150 stores. All this has been building our strength as a union and connecting with our customers. Next week we will hold 32 Informational Pickets with members of UFCW 367, Teamsters 38 and UFCW 21. Join us on the line!

Make sure to come out and join an Informational Picket at your store next week. If your store is not on the list, join the one closest to you!  See list below.  Now is a critical time to showcase our unity and strength.

INFORMATIONAL PICKET LOCATIONS:

Tuesday, July 30

Tacoma

Fred Meyer Stevens 4505 S 19th St // 10am-12pm / 2pm-4pm / 6pm-8pm

Wednesday, July 31

North Seattle

Safeway N City 17202-15th Ave NE Seattle, WA // 12:30pm

Safeway Pine Hurst 12318-15th Ave NE Seattle, WA // 1:30pm

Kent

Safeway Kent Valley 210 Washington Ave S Kent, WA // 12:30pm

Fred Meyer Kent 10201 SE 240th St Kent, WA // 1:30pm

Renton

Safeway 200 S 3rd St Renton, WA // 12:30pm

Fred Meyer 365 Renton Center Way SW Renton, WA // 1:30pm

Bellevue

QFC Bel-East 1510-0145th Pl SE Bellevue, WA // 12:30pm

FM Bellevue 2041-0148th NE Bellevue, WA // 1:30pm

Auburn

FM Auburn 801 Auburn Way N Auburn, WA // 12:30pm

Safeway Auburn 101 Auburn Way S Auburn, WA // 1:30pm

University Village

Safeway U Village 3020 NE 45th St. Seattle, WA // 12:30pm

QFC U Village 2746 NE 45th St Seattle, WA // 1:30pm

Lower Queen Ann

Safeway Lower QA 516-1st Ave W Seattle, WA // 12:30pm

Safeway Upper QA 2100 Queen Anne Ave N Seattle, WA // 1:30pm

West Seattle

Safeway 4740-42nd Ave SW Seattle, WA // 12:30pm

QFC West Seattle 4550- 42nd Ave SW Seattle, WA // 1:30pm

Coal Creek

QFC 6940 Coal Creek Pkwy SE Renton, WA // 12:30pm

Safeway 6911 Coal Creek Parkway SE Renton, WA // 1:30pm

Issaquah

QFC Issaquah 1540 Gilman Blvd Issaquah, WA // 12:30pm

Safeway Issaquah 735 Gilman Blvd Issaquah, WA // 1:30pm

Redmond

QFC Bella Bottega 8867-161st Ave NE Redmond, WA // 12:30pm

QFC Redmond 15800 Redmond Way Redmond, WA // 1:30pm

Thursday, August 1

Tacoma

Fred Meyer Pacific 7250 Pacific Ave­ // 10am-12pm / 2pm-4pm / 6pm-8pm

Port Orchard

Safeway 3355 Bethel Rd SE, Port Orchard, WA // 12:30pm

Albertsons 1434 Olney Ave SE Port Orchard, WA // 1:30pm

Fred Meyer 1900 SE Sedgwick Rd Port Orchard, WA // 12:30pm

Albertsons 370 Sedgwick Rd Port Orchard, WA // 1:30pm

Monroe

FM Monroe 18805 State Route 2 Monroe, WA // 12:30pm

Safeway Monroe 1951 Highway 2 Monroe, WA // 1:30pm

Everett

FM Everett 8530 Evergreen Way Everett, WA // 12:30pm

FM Lynnwood 4615-196th SW Lynnwood, WA // 1:30pm

Next Bargaining Dates: August 12, 13, 14

YOUR GROCERY STORE BARGAINING TEAM:

Amy Dayley Angell, QFC #891 (Ballard), Front End Checker, UFCW 21

Christina Harris, Fred Meyer - Lake City #179 (Grocery), Bakery Clerk, UFCW 21

Cliff Powers, Safeway #402 (Oak Harbor), Produce Clerk, UFCW 21

Denise Anderson, Safeway #1546 (Aberdeen), Meat Wrapper, UFCW 367

Eleanor Knight, Albertsons #4483 (Auburn), 4th PIC, UFCW 21

Irene Garcia, Fred Meyer - Auburn #19 (Retail), Home Clerk, UFCW 21

Jeannette Randall, Safeway #1923 (Roxbury), Front End Checker, UFCW 21

Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer - Snohomish #681 (Retail), Non-food receiving Clerk, UFCW 21

J'Nee DeLancey, Town & Country #211 (Ballard), Beer/Wine Manager, UFCW 21

Joann Gardner, Albertsons #3106 (Puyallup), Personnel Coordinator/Bookkeeper, UFCW 367

Jordan Washington, QFC #803 (Meridian), Starbucks, UFCW 21

Kyong Barry, Albertsons #483 (S Auburn), Front End Supervisor, UFCW 21

Lisa Gasser, Fred Meyer #424 (South Hill), Bakery Clerk, UFCW 367

Maggie Breshears, Fred Meyer - Greenwood #122 (Grocery), Personal Shopper, UFCW 21

Maroot Nanakul, Safeway #464 (Bear Creek), Front End Manager, UFCW 21

Michaela Strain, QFC #819 (Bothell), Meat Wrapper, UFCW 21

Mike Sherman, Fred Meyer # 265 – Puyallup, Grocery Clerk, UFCW 367

Mike Solberg, Safeway # 547 (Graham), Grocery Clerk, UFCW 367

Paul Ames Reinhold, Metropolitan Market #157 (Uptown), Cheese Kiosk Clerk, UFCW 21

Richard Waits, Haggen #15 (Burlington), Deli Clerk, UFCW 21

Robin Hillistad, QFC #858 (N Seattle), HR Specialist, UFCW 21

Sam Dancy, QFC #825 (Westwood Village), Front End Supervisor, UFCW 21

Sue Wilmot, Safeway #1252 (Bainbridge Island), Front End Checker, UFCW 21

Wendy Garrett-Drake, Albertsons #469 (Mukilteo), Personnel Coordinator/Bookkeeper, Teamsters 38

Wil Peterson, Fred Meyer - Everett #95 (Grocery), CCK Checker, UFCW 21

Faye Guenther, President, UFCW 21

Steve Chandler, Principal Officer Teamsters 38

Joe Mizrahi, Secretary Treasurer, UFCW 21

Mia Contreras, Executive Vice President, UFCW 21

Tammi Brady, Recording Secretary, Teamsters 38

Samantha Kantak, Executive Assistant, Teamsters 38

Kate Meckler, Trustee, UFCW 367

Jim McGuinness, Attorney, UFCW 21, Teamsters 38 and UFCW 367