Washington Beef Bargaining Update

Bargaining Update 

On December 18, your Union Bargaining Committee met with the Company to continue negotiating the significant increase to the medical plan. 

As we shared in the last update, after reviewing the Company’s documents, we continue to believe the actual increase from 2025 to 2026 is much lower than 37.9%. 

During the meeting, we made it clear that the contract only allows a 50/50 split of annual increases and not cumulative increases, and that passing this increase on to workers would have a significant and unfair impact on employees and their families. 

At the end of the meeting, we believed we had reached an agreement to lower employee’s cost, with reduced deductions beginning in February, since it was too late to stop January payroll deductions, and that the January overpayment would be adjusted. Unfortunately, the following day the Company told us there was no agreement and that they are still demanding something in return to lower employee costs. We do not believe this is fair or reasonable. 

We know many of you have already signed the petition and have questions about next steps, including filing a grievance and how that process works. We will be holding a membership meeting in January to answer questions and explain next steps. We are currently working to secure a meeting space and will share more details as soon as possible. 

Stay United. Sign the petition. We deserve affordable health care. 

PHOTO: [Bargaining team/Comité de negociación: Araceli Brito Saavedra, Alondra Ceballos, Edgar Rodriguez] 

Actualización de Negociaciones 

El 18 de diciembre, su comité de negociación se reunió con la Compañía para seguir negociando el aumento al plan médico y buscar soluciones. 

Como dijimos en la última actualización, después de revisar los documentos de la Compañía, seguimos creyendo que el aumento real de 2025 a 2026 es mucho menos que el 37.9%. 

Durante la reunión, dejamos claro que el contrato solo permite una división 50/50 de los aumentos anuales, no aumentos acumulados, y que pasar este aumento a los trabajadores tendría un impacto grande e injusto para los trabajadores y sus familias. 

Al final de la reunión, pensábamos que teníamos un acuerdo y que el costo para los empleados se reduciría a partir de febrero, ya que era muy tarde para detener las deducciones de enero, y que se corregiría el sobrepago. Lamentablemente, al día siguiente la Compañía nos dijo que no hubo un acuerdo y que sigue pidiendo exigiendo algo a cambio para bajar los costos a los empleados. No creemos que eso sea justo ni razonable. 

Sabemos que muchos ya firmaron la petición y tienen preguntas sobre los próximos pasos, incluyendo presentar una queja (agravio) y cómo funciona ese proceso. Tendremos una reunión para todos los miembros en enero para responder preguntas y explicar qué sigue. Actualmente estamos trabajando para asegurar un espacio para la reunión y compartiremos más detalles lo antes posible. 

Manténganse unidos. Firmen la petición. ¡Merecemos un seguro médico accesible!  

Your Rights During Flooding and Extreme Weather Events

Once again UFCW 3000 members and communities are facing some extreme fall and winter weather, including recent flooding. It is important to remember that if you, your family, or your coworkers have been affected by extreme weather, you have rights at work, resources through your union, and the support of your community.

Important rights and resources for UFCW 3000 members if your workplace, home, or transportation routes are flooded or evacuated:

1. Just cause protections at work: With a union contract, you have “just cause” protection, meaning you should not be disciplined at work for reasonably having to deal with a circumstance outside of your control like a flood that affects your home, work, or commute to work

   • Be clear in communicating with your employer if you are unable to report to work on time or at all due to flooding or other extreme weather

   • Make sure to invoke your right to union representation if you are called into a meeting that could lead to discipline (we call these “Weingarten Rights,” read more here)

2. The right to a safe workplace: If you feel unsafe at work, report any safety concerns to your worksite safety committee & management right away, and get support from your Shop Steward and/or Union Rep if your concerns are not addressed

3. Union resources: If your home or work is affected by flooding or extreme weather and financial assistance would help, speak with your Union Rep about the UFCW 3000 Membership Assistance Fund. We also have a resource page for power outages and other effects if need be during these events.

4. Mutual aid: As union members, we know standing together and supporting each other is how we really make a difference. If you have ideas for ways to connect with or support fellow UFCW 3000 members in need, talk to a Shop Steward and/or your Union Rep for help with organizing

Extreme weather is dangerous in our workplaces and our communities, which is why UFCW 3000 members, including our Climate Justice Advisory Board, work for climate policies that will help protect us and our future health.

ACME Farms + Kitchen - Contract Ratified!

On Tuesday, July 30, the new three-year union contract for ACME Farms was unanimously approved by all those who attended the vote! Management has been informed that the terms of the new agreement should now be implemented.

Our negotiator will go through the post-vote process of finalizing the document for approval and signing by both parties, then copies will be printed for distribution by our Union Representative Alyssa Conn. Alyssa can be reached at 360-419-4681 should you have any questions.

Sea Wolf Bakers - Progress Is Being Made!

Our bargaining team met with Sea Wolf Bakers' management on Tuesday, July 29. We reached several important Tentative Agreements on:

• Daily overtime hours

• Paid bereavement leave

• Employer IRA contributions

• Minimum report pay in the event we show up to work and are sent home

At this session we also celebrated an exciting stride toward agreement on key economic items! The employer provided their first proposal on digital and cash tips, and our bargaining team gave candid feedback on the importance of implementing tip pooling to keep up with the cost of living. Our team passionately continued the conversation on paid holidays and wage scales to work towards an agreement that is equitable for all staff.

During this session we heard additional feedback from the employer on heat safety. Although the specifics of "extreme heat" were disputed, our team maintained our position on the importance of heat relief breaks.

We are pleased to announce we secured August 12 for another bargaining session as well as the already-scheduled August 26 date, and are looking forward to gaining momentum towards a Fully Recommended Settlement Agreement we can then put to a vote of our fellow Sea Wolf Union members!

Bargaining Team: Frankie Hull, Delivery Driver; Miller Hammond, Barista; Sophia Cerreta, Savory and Bread Departments

Sea Wolf Bakers - Bargaining Update

On Tuesday, July 8, our bargaining team met with management for our tenth bargaining session. We spent much of our day in caucus formulating our latest counterproposal on all things economic, including a wage scale with progression based on length of service, a potential system for tip pooling, and vacation accruals. We presented our counterproposal in the afternoon and had a lengthy discussion with management about where we are apart on the issues.

We also had a frank and open dialogue with them about our desire to address improvements to the existing excessive heat policy. We are happy to report that management seemed to understand this is an extremely important issue to all of us and they said they would return to the table next session with a revamped proposal for us to consider.

While they are still resistant to certain proposals, we feel with all our coworkers standing together in solidarity we can win a contract that we can all be proud of! We will be passing out Union swag for folks to wear at work soon (buttons and bandanas) and will be holding another all-member Contract Action Team meeting to discuss next steps. Please stay tuned for more details from our bargaining team and Union Representative Allison Hanley (who can be reached at 206-436-6586).

We will have our next bargaining session July 29 and are working on setting two more bargaining dates in August.

Bargaining Team: Frankie Hull, Delivery Driver; Sophia Cerreta, Savory & Bread Departments; Miller Hammond, Barista

Sea Wolf Bakers - Bargaining Update

On Tuesday, June 24, our bargaining team met with management for another joint session. In the morning, we were able to provide a counterproposal on the subject of excessive heat and breaks, and also came to tentative agreement regarding an attendance policy that will allow for equitable treatment of our coworkers.

In the afternoon, management presented a comprehensive counterproposal regarding all economic items: a wage scale based on months/years of service, health insurance, paid time off, retirement, etc.

Our next bargaining session will be July 8!

Contract Action Team Meeting

July 1
4:00 PM
Fremont Public Library

This will be for all of our UFCW 3000 coworkers at Sea Wolf to attend and discuss next steps in our contract campaign and get more details of the proposals!

Sea Wolf Bakers - Bargaining Update

On Tuesday, June 17 our bargaining team met with management for another joint session. After the last few sessions of discussion around economic proposals, they were able to provide us with their initial comprehensive economic proposal. The highlight of their proposal was a wage scale that would guarantee increases in pay based on months of service, with the seventh tier being the top of the scale after 60 months. We also had lengthy conversations about our tipping proposal and the concept of a surcharge, but have not yet come to agreement on these subjects.

In our counterproposal, which we passed at the end of the day, we addressed retirement, sick leave, paid time off, wages, scheduling, holidays, breaks, and other benefits.

We look forward to coming closer to an agreement next Tuesday, June 24 when we will receive another counterproposal from management, and another update will be forthcoming after that session!

Our Bargaining Team (Left to Right): Frankie Hull, Delivery Driver; Sophia Cerreta, Savory & Bread Departments; Miller Hammond, Barista; [Not pictured]: Haley Rydberg, Bread & Pastry Departments

Draper Valley Farms - Contract Ratified! / Contrato Ratificado!

DRAPER VALLEY FARMS BARGAINING UPDATE

Contract Ratified!

Our union bargaining team is happy to announce that with incredible turnout and participation our members have unanimously voted YES to ratify our new contract!

This three-year contract includes an across-the-board increase of $4 over the term of the agreement. An expanded work boot benefit that now covers all employees—not just new hires, paid days off for more stewards to attend union-related trainings and events, and the creation of a new labor management committee to continue addressing issues and improving our workplace.

We stood strong and pushed back against aggressive employer proposals and are proud of how our coworkers stood together in solidarity.

But we know the fight doesn’t end here. The real work starts now. Let’s keep this momentum going—by knowing our rights, enforcing our contract, and continuing to build our union power.

Join our Leaders in Action Training! April 26, 2025—Space is limited!

Let’s keep organizing and learning together! Let your union rep Celia know if you are interested in becoming a union steward.

DRAPER VALLEY FARMS ACTUALIZACIÓN DE NEGOCIACIONES

Contrato Ratificado!

¡Nuestro equipo de negociación están feliz en anunciar que, con una participación increíble, todos los votos fueron a favor para ratificar nuestro nuevo contrato!

Este contrato de tres años incluye un aumento de $4 dólares durante la vigencia del acuerdo. También amplía el beneficio para botas de trabajo, que ahora cubre a todos los empleados, no solo a los nuevos; días pagados para más delegados para que puedan asistir a capacitaciones y eventos de la union, y la creación de un nuevo comité laboral para seguir abordando temas importantes y mejorar nuestro lugar de trabajo.

Nos mantuvimos firmes y rechazamos propuestas agresivas del empleador. Estamos orgullosos de cómo nuestras compañeras y compañeros se mantuvieron unidos en solidaridad.

Pero sabemos que la lucha no termina aquí. El verdadero trabajo comienza ahora. Sigamos conociendo nuestros derechos, haciendo cumplir el contrato y fortaleciendo el poder de nuestra union.

Participa en nuestra Capacitación de Líderes en Acción el 26 de abril (el cupo es limitado).

Sigamos organizándonos y aprendiendo juntos. Comunícate con Celia, la representante de la union si estás interesado/a en convertirte en delegado/a.

Draper Valley Farms - Bargaining Update

Bargaining Update

We recently met with Draper Valley Farms on February 19, 20, and 21 to continue negotiating OUR contract at the Processing Plant and Distribution Center. By the end of the third day of negotiations, we had presented all our proposals to the employer that included wage increases that reflect the rising cost of living, higher pay for heavier jobs, and pay increases that recognize years of service. Unfortunately, by end of the third day, we had not received a response on the economic proposals. The next bargaining sessions will be on March 3 and 4. It’s important to stay united and keep showing our support with the stickers to demonstrate our strength and unity.

This negotiation is about finding common ground between us and the company. There are proposals we’ve rejected, and there are also proposals they’ve rejected. We need your support to show our unity and our power! 

— Felix

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact our union representative, Celia Ponce-Sanchez, at (206)436-6581. 

Actualización de Negociaciones

Nos reunimos con Draper Valley Farms el 19, 20 y 21 de febrero para continuar negociando NUESTRO contrato en la Planta de Procesamiento y el Centro de Distribución. Al final del tercer día de negociaciones, presentamos todas nuestras propuestas al empleador, que incluían aumentos salariales que reflejan el aumento del costo de la vida, un salario más alto para los trabajos más pesados y aumentos salariales que reconocen los años de servicio. Desafortunadamente, al final del tercer día, no habíamos recibido una respuesta sobre las propuestas económicas. Las próximas sesiones de negociación serán  el 3 y 4 de marzo. Es importante seguir unidos y continuar mostrando nuestro apoyo con las calcomanías para demostrar nuestra fuerza y unidad.

Esta negociación se trata de encontrar un punto de acuerdo entre nosotros y la compañía. Hay propuestas que hemos rechazado, y también propuestas que ellos han rechazado. ¡Necesitamos su apoyo para mostrar nuestra unidad y nuestro poder!

— Felix

Si tienen preguntas o necesitan más información, por favor contacten a nuestra representante, Celia Ponce-Sanchez, al teléfono (206) 436-6581.  

ਬargaining ਅਪਡੇਟ

ਅਸੀਂ ਹਾਲ ਹੀ ਵਿੱਚ 19, 20 ਅਤੇ 21 ਫਰਵਰੀ ਨੂੰ ਡਰੇਪਰ ਵੈਲੀ ਫਾਰਮਸ ਨਾਲ ਮਿਲੇ  ਆਪਣੇ ਕਾਂਟ੍ਰੈਕਟ ਬਾਰੇ ਗੱਲਬਾਤ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ। ਤੀਜੇ ਦਿਨ ਦੀ ਗੱਲਬਾਤ ਦੇ ਅਖੀਰ ਤੱਕ ਅਸੀਂ ਆਪਣੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਪ੍ਰਸਤਾਵ ਰਜਿਸਟਰ ਕਰ ਲਏ ਸਨ, ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੀ ਉੱਚੀ ਕੀਮਤ ਨੂੰ ਧਿਆਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਰੱਖਦਿਆਂ ਤਨਖਾਹਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਾਧਾ, ਭਾਰੀ ਕੰਮਾਂ ਲਈ ਵਧੀਆ ਤਨਖਾਹ ਅਤੇ ਸੇਵਾ ਦੇ ਸਾਲਾਂ ਦੀ ਸਨਮਾਨਿਤ ਕੀਮਤ ਵੀ ਸ਼ਾਮਿਲ ਸੀ।  ਤੀਜੇ ਦਿਨ ਦੇ ਅਖੀਰ ਤੱਕ ਸਾਨੂੰ ਆਰਥਿਕ ਪ੍ਰਸਤਾਵਾਂ ‘ਤੇ ਕੋਈ ਜਵਾਬ ਨਹੀਂ ਮਿਲਿਆ। ਅਗਲੀ ਗੱਲਬਾਤ ਸੈਸ਼ਨ 3 ਅਤੇ 4 ਮਾਰਚ ਨੂੰ ਹੋਵੇਗਾ। ਇਹ ਜਰੂਰੀ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਅਸੀਂ ਇਕਠੇ ਰਹੀਏ ਅਤੇ ਸਟਿੱਕਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਆਪਣਾ ਸਮਰਥਨ ਜਤਾਉਂਦੇ ਰਹੀਏ ਤਾਂ ਕਿ ਅਸੀਂ ਆਪਣੀ ਤਾਕਤ ਅਤੇ ਇਕਤਾ ਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਕਰ ਸਕੀਏ। 

ਇਹ ਗੱਲਬਾਤ ਸਾਡੇ ਅਤੇ ਕੰਪਨੀ ਦੇ ਵਿਚਕਾਰ ਇੱਕ ਸਾਂਝੀ ਮੰਜ਼ਿਲ ਨੂੰ ਲੱਭਣ ਬਾਰੇ ਹੈ। ਕੁਝ ਪ੍ਰਸਤਾਵਾਂ ਅਸੀਂ ਰੱਦ ਕੀਤੀਆਂ ਹਨ, ਅਤੇ ਕੁਝ ਪ੍ਰਸਤਾਵਾਂ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਨੇ ਰੱਦ ਕੀਤੇ ਹਨ। ਸਾਨੂੰ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਸਮਰਥਨ ਦੀ ਲੋੜ ਹੈ ਤਾਂ ਜੋ ਅਸੀਂ ਆਪਣੀ ਇਕਤਾ ਅਤੇ ਤਾਕਤ ਨੂੰ ਦਿਖਾ ਸਕੀਏ! 

— ਫੇਲਿਕਸ

ਜੇ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਕੋਲ ਕੋਈ ਸਵਾਲ ਹੋਵੇ ਜਾਂ ਹੋਰ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਦੀ ਲੋੜ ਹੋਵੇ, ਤਾਂ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰਕੇ ਸਾਡੇ ਯੂਨੀਅਨ ਪ੍ਰਤੀਨਿਧੀ ਸੇਲੀਆ ਪੋਂਸੇ-ਸਾਂਚੇਜ਼ ਨਾਲ ਸੰਪਰਕ ਕਰੋ, (206) 436-6581 ‘ਤੇ। 

Washington Beef - Contract Ratified | Contrato Ratificado

El día 14 de noviembre se llevó a cabo la votación para la aprobación de la oferta final del contrato colectivo laboral que la empresa Washington Beef le ofreció a los trabajadores(as) miembros de la UFCW 3000. El contrato fue ratificado por la mayoría de los votantes. 

Para la UFCW 3000 y sus miembros, esta fecha marca el inicio de una lucha que deberá mantenerse los próximos 3 años para lograr mejores condiciones laborales.  

En cuanto a los beneficios económicos, se logró un aumento de salario para los trabajadores, y apoyos para compra de equipo para empleados con más de un año de antigüedad en la empresa. 

Todas estas prestaciones y muchas otras, beneficiarán a los trabajadores de Washington Beef y la Unión UFCW 3000 trabajará para continuar con los entrenamientos voluntarios para los delegados de la Unión y así fortalecer el movimiento. 

Invitamos a todos los trabajadores a unirse a los grupos de Whatsapp y estar pendientes para los siguientes pasos. 

El día 14 de noviembre se llevó a cabo la votación para la aprobación de la oferta final del contrato colectivo laboral que la empresa Washington Beef le ofreció a los trabajadores(as) miembros de la UFCW 3000. El contrato fue ratificado por la mayoría de los votantes. 

Para la UFCW 3000 y sus miembros, esta fecha marca el inicio de una lucha que deberá mantenerse los próximos 3 años para lograr mejores condiciones laborales.  

En cuanto a los beneficios económicos, se logró un aumento de salario para los trabajadores, y apoyos para compra de equipo para empleados con más de un año de antigüedad en la empresa. 

Todas estas prestaciones y muchas otras, beneficiarán a los trabajadores de Washington Beef y la Unión UFCW 3000 trabajará para continuar con los entrenamientos voluntarios para los delegados de la Unión y así fortalecer el movimiento. 

Invitamos a todos los trabajadores a unirse a los grupos de Whatsapp y estar pendientes para los siguientes pasos.