Payless Foods Grocery & Meat - Contract Vote Scheduled!

We have reached an agreement with Payless Food for both the Grocery and Meat bargaining units! Our agreement includes retro pay back to contract expiration, the maintenance of hazard pay, and does NOT include the All-Purpose Clerk (APC) classification that the larger grocery stores have adopted.

A contract ratification vote will be held in the Payless Foods Breakroom on Tuesday, December 5 from 9AM to 1PM. Your Union Representative will also be making visits to the worksite ahead of the vote to share more details about our new agreement.

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

9:00AM – 1:00PM in Breakroom

Payless Foods - Tentative Agreement Reached! Contract Vote Scheduled

We have reached a tentative agreement with Payless Foods. Your Bargaining Committee is recommending a “YES” vote on this contract. There are no are takeaways to members and improvements include: 

• New wage scales to bring grocery journey rates up to other area grocery contracts.

• Holiday premium pay rates for grocery increased to time-and-a-half.

• Raises for journey rates ever year of the contract with full retro back to expiration.

• Other improvements!

Voting will be by a drop-in meeting at Payless Foods (1609 E Main St, Freeland, WA 98249) on Monday, August 9 from 1PM to 4PM in the breakroom! 

UFCW 21 members in good standing are encouraged to attend the meeting, ask questions, and vote on the contract. 

Payless Foods - Payless Bargaining Committee Lays Out Initial Proposals

Wages are Key

One of the top goals for this bargain is to make progress on wages.

“We proposed wages that recognize Payless has been behind other grocery employers, and the higher cost of living on South Whidbey Island.  That is important as prices keep rising.”    

—Diane LaFond, Bargaining Team Member

The Union also proposed increasing Sunday and holiday premiums and adding work on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve after 6 PM as premium pay shifts.  

Other Improvements

• Making work on Christmas Eve voluntary (if there aren’t enough volunteers then the shifts would be assigned the least senior workers).

• Not requiring funeral attendance to receive paid bereavement leave; for those whose families are too far away or are not having a formal funeral.

• Better scheduling practices.

• Making it easier for disabled workers, who work a limited schedule, to get vacation time and the life insurance benefit through our Healthcare Trust.

BUTTON UP! 

Show your support for the committee and our proposals by wearing a “We are the Union” button. Unions are workers standing together for a better way life and a better life on the job. When we show that, we win!