On August 22, our Union Grocery Store Bargaining Committee, members from UFCW 3000 and Teamsters 38, met to begin planning our contract campaign for the 2025 Puget Sound Grocery Allied Store contracts. Our Bargaining Committee represents over 26,000 Grocery workers in the Puget sound and is committed to continue the fight to set the highest standard in the Grocery industry.

During our first meeting we discussed our plan to win better wages, better staffing and better stores by organizing thousands of Grocery Store workers into action and preparing to do whatever it takes to win, including going on strike.

We also discussed:

• Our potential bargaining proposals and top bargaining priorities based on the frontline grocery store workers Bargaining Survey

• The need for our stores to be safer and better staffed

• The importance of improving the investment by the company in training

• The effect better scheduling practices and more hours would have on improving our stores.

• The responsibility of the employer to address safety concerns

• And more!

“We are excited to make historic changes to our contract and the grocery industry. This is the time for all of us to show our power in the workplace through our union. We’re fighting for safety and respect for our customers and coworkers. Grocery store CEO’s have flexed their power for too long, it’s time for us to stand together and fight back. We need wages that keep up with the times. We need everyone involved to win!” —Kyong Barry, Front End at Albertsons

“It’s time for the talk to turn into action, it’s our turn to get involved to work together and win. We know that better working conditions, better staffing, and better wages are how we have a better life. No more crumbs, we want the cake.” —Sam Dancy, Front End at QFC

We will be holding regular Contract Action Team (CAT) meetings the third week of every month to learn how to enforce our contract, hold Management accountable by organizing our coworkers, run a successful strike and get key updates from the Bargaining Committee.

We know that when we fight, we win! Our grocery store coalition to Stop the Kroger-Albertsons mega-merger has seen success and momentum throughout the country where workers, customers, and regulators are speaking up against the merger. Grocery stores and the workers in them are the heart of many communities, we are more than a profit center and numbers on a spreadsheet for greedy CEOs. These corperations have continued to understaff and disinvest our stores when we know that what makes our stores successful is adequate staffing, experienced staff, safe stores, and skills training for the future.