With the rising costs of living, many people are watching every penny and every paycheck, budgeting with dwindling means and having to choose what necessities to prioritize. Unions are in the fight for improving living conditions through better wages and benefits. Two UFCW 3000 grocery store members recently experienced the benefits of their union backing when they discovered issues with their pay.

Gena Galusha, meat cutter at Clearview Safeway in Snohomish and UFCW 3000 member since 2005, is quite familiar with opportunities through her union. She began her career as a Safeway deli worker then moved into meat cutter—completing her Meat Cutter Apprenticeship Program and achieving Journey Status while at QFC. In 2022 she returned to Safeway but there was an error during her hiring process that decreased her pay rate. Gena spent months trying to work with management to correct the pay error with limited success, then she decided to reach out to her Union Rep. She informed her Rep of the pay error and her months long efforts to get resolution. Gena’s Union Rep was able to cite contract language to the employer at a district level thus not only correcting Gena’s rate of pay but also awarding her $3645 in back pay! Gena knew she had a contract backing her up and didn't give up. She utilized the resources she has as a union member and, in collaboration with her Union Rep, she was able to win back her hard-earned money.

Rebecca Ashely, a do-it-all worker and point person at Safeway #1827 in LaGrande Oregon, found herself in similar circumstances to Gena. Through being an active UFCW 3000 member for 3 years, attending General Membership Meetings every quarter, and asking and studying her union contract, she had learned the importance of tracking every check stub. Her attention to detail is how she caught her company classifying her position wrong in their system--resulting in an incorrect pay rate. Rebecca contacted her Union Rep about her pay concerns. Her Union Rep went to the HR Department, and it was confirmed that Rebecca was not being paid correctly. Rebecca’s pay was adjusted and she received $3500 in back pay. Rebecca’s detective skills paired with the support of her Union Rep allowed for a swift win and better pay for herself.

With the 2025 Puget Sound Grocery Store contract negotiations on the horizon, there is a lot of work be ahead to better the working and living conditions for these workers, Gena Galusha and Rebecca Ashely’s stories serve as reminders of what we can achieve in collaboration and union.

Find out more about the 2025 negotiations at ufcw3000.org/better-staffing. You can learn more about how rising food prices affect grocery store workers in this article from The Guardian.