Kroger Bargaining Update: Employer Agrees to First Step toward Higher Pay for Pharmacy Techs
Kroger Bargaining Update: Employer Agrees to First Step toward Higher Pay for Pharmacy Techs
Since our last bargain in 2019, the UFCW 21 grocery store bargaining team has remained strongly committed to getting more members across the store onto comparable wage scales that would respect our work across all different departments. In this bargain we have proposed moving Clicklist and Pharmacy Techs to the Grocery A payscale as an important part of fair compensation for our work during the ongoing COVID crisis.
Today we reached an agreement with Kroger on a first step toward pay parity, when they agreed to a $1/hour raise for Pharmacy Techs from January – March 2021. We made it clear that this does not affect our existing proposals around hazard pay or bringing Clicklist and Pharmacy Techs onto the Grocery A scale and we will continue to push those.
“During this pandemic we have continued to serve our communities with added risk. We have been trying to get a higher wage that we deserve from Kroger for a long time now, this is definitely a win. We know this is only the first step and we are continuing to fight for higher wages, hazard pay and other premiums.” -Joanna Clapham, bargaining team member and Pharmacy Tech at Benson Plaza Fred Meyer
A reminder of our top proposals to the employers:
Reinstatement of Hazard Pay.
Stronger enforcement of safety measures, including enforcement of masks and store capacity limits.
Better notification to workers when COVID exposures occur.
(Kroger has agreed!) ✔️Moving Clicklist and Fred Meyer Pharmacy Techs to the higher Grocery A scale (Kroger has agreed to a $1/hour increase for Pharm Techs Jan-Mar)
Added pay including: Premiums for safety certifications, support for added childcare costs and compensation for off the clock hours after work spent keeping safe.
Adding hours to the store to address increased need for sanitization and to enforce social distancing.
Extending our previous agreement allowing for two week replacement pay for COVID infections and quarantine. (Kroger has agreed!) ✔️
Next bargaining date: Tuesday, January 19
See the last Kroger bargaining update here
We have also confirmed a first bargaining date with Albertsons/Safeway (January 22) and are continuing to pursue bargaining with other grocery employers.
UFCW 21 Members Continue to Call for Hazard Pay
“We don't have the option to stay home and be ‘safe,’ we have to be in the stores, around customers without masks coughing on everything! They don't keep their distance from us and most of them laugh when asked to please not be so close. We deserve extra pay for putting ourselves at risk so the companies can make money.” -Terry Lake, shop steward at Auburn Fred Meyer
ADD YOUR VOICE: Why is Hazard Pay important to you? https://www.videoask.com/fvc0fgc52
OUR KROGER GROCERY STORE BARGAINING TEAM
Maggie Breshears, Greenwood Fred Meyer
Sam Dancy, Westwood Village QFC
Amy Dayley Angell, Ballard QFC
Irene Garcia, Auburn Fred Meyer
Christina Harris, Lake City Fred Meyer
Robin Hillistad, N. Seattle QFC
Wil Peterson, Everett Fred Meyer
Jeff Smith, Snohomish Fred Meyer
Joanna Clapham, Benson Plaza Fred Meyer
Faye Guenther, President UFCW 21
Joe Mizrahi, Secretary Treasurer UFCW 21
Samantha Kantak, President Teamsters 38
Steven Chandler, Secretary Treasurer Teamsters 38
Tammi Bradey, Recording Secretary Teamsters 38
Jim McGuinness, Attorney