Bartell Drugs & Rite Aid - Severance Pay & Store Closure Information
/On May 5, our union, along with other UFCW locals across the country, received notice that Rite Aid is filing for bankruptcy again and plans to close all store locations in the coming months. They aim to sell all their stores by August 2025. As we learn more information, we will send communications out through email and through our website.
While we do not yet know the timeline, it is important for all our members at Rite Aid and Bartell Drug stores to know their rights under our current contract.
If you have any questions about the closures or if you’re considering retirement, please call your union representative, Aaron Bailey, at (206) 436-6631.
Members have severance pay rights if their store is closed (see enclosed)
Your pension is still available and will not be affected by Rite Aid’s closure. For any pension questions, please call our pension office, Sound Retirement Trust, directly at (206) 282-4500.
For Bartell Drug members’ healthcare related questions, please call Sound Health and Wellness at (206) 282-4500.
King County Labor Council also has an online union hiring hall to see other union job openings in our area at www.unionhiringhall.org
If you have any questions about the closures or if you’re considering retirement, please call your union representative, Aaron Bailey, at (206) 436-6631.
Our contracts at Bartell Drugs and Rite Aid have strong language in Article 6.9 (2) around you receiving severance if you are laid off due to a store closure:
Years of Service Severance Amount Two (2) through four (4) years 1 week severance Five (5) through six (6) years 2 weeks severance Seven (7) through eight (8) years 3 weeks severance Nine (9) through ten (10) years 4 weeks severance Ten (10) years or more 5 weeks severance
Article 6.9 (3) — Severance pay will equate to the average hours paid in the fourteen (14) weeks, Sunday through Saturday, preceding separation, not to exceed forty (40) hours straight time pay.
Article 6.9 (4) — Workers who receive severance pay shall be paid accrued, unused personal holidays and accrued, unused vacation.
As union members at Rite Aid and Bartell, we have the right to be transferred to a union store in order of seniority. Work with your union rep and Rite Aid HR on relocating to a store nearby.
If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to your Union Reps, Aaron Bailey (206) 436-6631, or our Member Resource Center (866) 210-3000.
We have gotten reports that Bartell Drugs has told members to put in their two weeks’ notice if workers are leaving the company or moving to a non-union store—you will not receive severance pay if you put in your two weeks’ notice instead of being laid off! In order to receive the severance as outlined in our contract, you will need to be laid off by Bartell Drugs/Rite Aid.
Read your Contracts:
Bartell Drugs Contract
https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/4/bartell-drugs-contract
Rite Aid Contract
https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/25/rite-aid-contract
Resources:
The Unemployment Law Project: a free service that supports workers receiving their unemployment benefits at (206) 441-9178 or online:
UFCW Represented Work Locations: Stay protected through a union contract at our other represented locations—on our website find “Who We Represent”:
If you are laid off, you should qualify for unemployment benefits through the Washington State Employment Security Department if all have worked at least 680 hours within the last year. You can file a claim for benefits at 800-318-6022 or online: