Our Union Member Bargaining Team Make Proposals to Improve Lives at Work, Kroger and Albertsons Propose Takeaways

/

Our Union Member Bargaining Team Made Proposals to Improve Our Lives at Work, Kroger and Albertsons Propose Takeaways

After preparing for months, our union member bargaining committee had our first bargaining sessions with the employer to negotiate a new contract. Kim Bristlin (Safeway 1159), one of the many grocery store workers on our bargaining committee, started our first session by sharing how the costs of living is up everywhere and that we need a new contract that respects the work we do to support our customers, our communities, and our stores.

Here’s a quick round up of the two days of negotiations. As a reminder, the way the bargaining process works is that our committee makes proposals, the employer makes proposals, and we work back and forth to try to come to an agreement. Typically we work on non-economic proposals first, and economics (like wages) next. Every member staying informed and involved during bargaining will help win the best improvements. In the end, you as union members will be the one to vote – that is part of being in our democratic union.

We made some big proposals to make our workplaces better including:
  • Funding for workforce training for career pathways and development
  • Greater workplace safety including a Master Safety Committee and in-store training for emergency situations.
  • Union-led New Hire Orientations so our co-workers understand their union rights and benefits.
  • Successorship language which would require a new employer to keep the union contract and the staff if the company is sold or merged.
  • Worker severance and retention so if our company is sold or merged we keep our jobs for a period of time, and are compensated fairly in the event of lay-offs or store closure.
  • Allow workers to accept tips.
  • Improve vacation accruals and lower qualifying threshold for vacation.
  • A 2-week scheduling notice so we can better plan our lives.
  • Add Presidents Day as an additional holiday.
  • Increase Leave of Absence time.
  • Expand past experience credit for prior service.
  • And other updates to our contract including moving Eastern Oregon workers onto the Spokane Healthcare Trust.
We also already won some early victories with tentative agreements on:
  • Prior notification and bargaining over temporary J-1/Guest Workers.
  • Allow for more union leave for union stewards.
  • Greater Bereavement benefit so we can get time off work to grieve a family member even if there is no formal funeral service.
Unfortunately, Kroger and Albertsons proposed major takeaways on our first days of negotiations.

They proposed:
  • Elimination of overtime after 8 hours.
  • After a global pandemic, elimination of contractual sick leave banks.
  • Adding more management to do our work.
  • Elimination of weekly hour guarantees that protect our ability to get healthcare.
  • Refusal to recognize past experience at hiring.

Kroger and Albertsons need to stop proposing takeaways and respect our work by investing in us.
 

Here are three things you can do to take action and show your support for the bargaining team:

1. Come to a Contract Action Team Meeting!

Spokane, UFCW 3000 office
December 5 from 5:30 – 6:30 PM
2805 N. Market St.
 
Tri-Cities, UFCW 3000 Office
December 6 from 5:30-6:30 PM
2505 Duportail St, Suite D
Richland, WA 99352-4079
 
Wenatchee, UFCW 3000 Office
December 6 from 5:30-6:30 PM
330 King St, Suite 4

Yakima, UFCW 3000 office
December 7 from 5:30- 6:30 PM
507 S. 3rd St

2. Sign a Strike Pledge Card – please contact your store steward or Union Rep to add your name!
3. Wear a union button!
 

More information:
  1. To help Stop the Merger, go to nogrocerymerger.com
  2. For information about your healthcare (Rehn):
    1. >> ufcwhealth.com
    2. Phone: 800-872-8979
  3. For Pension Questions  (Zenith):
    1. 800-225-7629
    2. >> soundretirementtrust.com