Essential Workers Bill of Rights: Grocery Store Workers

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Article 1

RIGHT TO BETTER WAGES: We have a right to fair pay so we can afford food, clothing, a place to live, and the other necessities we need to live our lives and support our families. Better wages mean that current workers can be given the opportunity to move into higher paying jobs and have their time with the company recognized.

Article 2

RIGHT TO LIFE OUTSIDE WORK: We have a right to a life outside of work including two dependable days a week for ourselves, our families, our places of worship, and our communities.

Article 3

RIGHT TO HEALTH CARE: We have a right to an affordable health care plan that helps us stay well and takes care of us when we are ill.

Article 4

RIGHT TO RETIREMENT: We have a right to a dependable pension so we can retire with dignity.

Article 5

RIGHT TO PAID SICK DAYS: We have a right to paid sick days when we are sick so we can stay at home, get well and contribute to a healthy food supply. Nobody should have to choose between staying home and caring for themselves or a sick family member and paying the rent.

Article 6

RIGHT TO JOB SECURITY: We have a right to protection against unjust firing or demotion, and unfair discipline.

Article 7

RIGHT TO SAFE WORKPLACES: We have a right to decent and safe working conditions. This includes basic humane treatment including rest breaks and worker safety protections.

Article 8

RIGHT TO A VOICE ON THE JOB: We have a right to a voice in the workplace when we choose to have a union, without any interference by our employers.

Article 9

RIGHT TO HEALTHY FOOD: Grocery workers and our customers have a right to safe and healthy food in the stores where we work and shop.

Article 10

RIGHT TO MORE HOURS: We have a right to a dependable number of hours of work each week so that we can predict our paycheck, manage our household budgets, and be able to pay our bills.

Washington State’s Department of Labor and Industries on Protecting Grocery Store Workers

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Our state’s Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has produced a document with their recommendations for grocery stores to ensure that stores comply with the state’s social distancing requirements. Find a printable PDF of this document on the L&I website here. 

If you think your store is not following social distancing protocols, there are lots of ways to report that, including via safety and health complaints or through the state’s COVID-19 social distancing report form, or by emailing UFCW 21 at safetyreport@ufcw21.org. 

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Protecting Grocery Store Workers 

The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) requires employers to implement the Governor’s proclamation. Employers must ensure social distancing for employees and customers; frequent and adequate handwashing; and that sick employees stay home. Employers must also provide basic workplace hazard education about coronavirus and how to prevent transmission in languages best understood by employees. 

Workplace Discrimination 

It is against the law for any employer to take any adverse action such as firing or threats against a worker for exercising safety and health rights such as raising safety and health concerns to their employer, participating in union activities concerning safety and health, filing a safety and health complaint or participating in a Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) investigation. Workers have 30 days to file their complaint with L&I DOSH and/or with Federal OSHA. 

Ideas for an Effective Social Distancing Plan: 

  • Limit the number of customers entering the store to facilitate social distancing at store entrances, throughout store and at check-out lines.  

  • Require all workers to stay at least six feet away from customers and coworkers.  

  • Temporarily mark six-foot increments (using adhesive colored tape, chalk, etc.) on the ground or floor to ensure social distancing.  

  • Post large print attention-grabbing signs readable from a far distance (or use portable, electronic reader boards) that inform customers of social distancing practices.  

  • Designate workers to monitor and facilitate distancing at check-out lines.  

  • Discontinue self-serve foods, free sample stands and product demonstrations. 

Ideas for an Effective Handwashing Plan: 

  • Install hand-sanitizing dispensers at store entrances and at key locations inside for customers.  

  • Ensure all workers know why and how to effectively wash hands for at least twenty seconds.  

  • Require workers to wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least twenty seconds, such as when they arrive at work, leave their workstations for breaks, eat, use tobacco, and after handling money.  

  • Ensure gloves are used for cart retrievers, handling money, common use of the same cash register or keypad by different cashiers, food safety and cleaning.  

  • Set up a schedule to keep these supplies well stocked and trash emptied. 

Ensure Sick Workers Are Not at Work:  

  • Monitor employees for signs of illness and require sick workers to stay home.  

  • Ensure employees know the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 caused by coronavirus exposure. 

Ideas for Providing Basic Workplace Hazard Education About Preventing Coronavirus Transmission: 

  • Instruct all workers on social distancing, handwashing, and other store-wide safety procedures related to coronavirus.  

  • Teach workers the importance of hand washing before eating, drinking, or using tobacco.  

  • Advise on respiratory etiquette, including covering coughs and sneezes and not touching eyes, noses, and mouths with unwashed hands or gloves.  

  • Prohibit sharing utensils, phones, work tools, and other workplace items that are not sanitized.  

  • Communicate important safety messages/ updates daily with methods such as posters, reader boards, etc. 

Checkout Stands and Counters Considerations  

  • Consider closing self-check stands if not all surfaces can be sanitized between customers and if it is not possible to ensure at least six feet between users.  

  • Consider installing “sneeze shields” at check stands, and ask customers to stand behind them, or relocate pay station key pads further away from worker.  

  • When supplies are available, provide disposable wipes/hand sanitizer at check-out stands for employees and customers (e.g. at key pads, registers, bagging area).  

  • Prohibit reusable shopping bags and provide single use bags for groceries. 

Stocking and Surface Cleaning 

  • Schedule as much stocking and deep cleaning as possible during closing hours. If a 24-hour store, stock during the slowest period of the night.  

  • Appoint a designated sanitation worker(s) at all times to continuously clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces on a significantly increased schedule. Use the environmental cleaning guidelines set by the CDC.  

  • When disinfecting for coronavirus, the EPA recommends using the longest recommended contact time and/or most concentrated solution per the label.  

  • Be sure to follow the label directions for FOOD CONTACT SURFACES when using the chemical near or on utensils and food contact surfaces.  

  • Use protective gloves and eye/face protection (e.g. face shields and/or goggles) when mixing, spraying, and wiping with liquid cleaning products, like diluted bleach. 

Other Protective Measures 

  • Provide ways for workers to express any concerns and ideas to improve safety.  

  • Alert store managers or shift supervisors of strategies on handling customers or workers who are not following social distancing practices or demonstrate signs of illness during the visit. For example, it might be helpful to move a coughing customer out of line to a separate checkout station distant from others.  

  • Update store Accident Prevention Program (APP) to include awareness and prevention measures for diseases and viruses.  

Resources 

L&I’s COVID-19 webpage 

County Public Health Grocery store guidance with downloadable posters here  

WA Food Industry Association: www.wa-food-ind.org/Covid-19 

Get help  

For a free safety and health consultation go to http://www.Lni.wa.gov/SafetyConsultants or call 1-800-423-7233 or visit a local L&I office. 

When we stand together, we win! Thank you!

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When we stand strong and stand together, we win. Over the last twelve months we built a successful campaign for a fair contract through our actions, our stories, and our unity. Back in November of 2018, a record number of members from stores all across the region participated in the bargaining survey which provided the focus, direction, and priorities for our member bargaining team. The next twelve months would see us come together for Contract Action Team meetings, community partner gatherings, leaflets, neighborhood canvasses, and then summer informational pickets. During it all we wore our buttons, united with other UFCW members up and down the West Coast, and shared 25,000 Better Jobs–Better Communities union grocery store bags with our customers and community allies.

Because of our shared strength and purpose we ratified the strongest grocery store contract in decades, with no takeaways. We did this together; every department, every store, every community. Together, we win.

A strong new contract means new language about our rights and wages to learn, be trained on, and enforce. Sign up for safety training, Steward training, member action teams, and more.

Here’s what UFCW 21 members are saying about our new contract:
(if you’re on your phone and don’t see the quotes, turn your phone sideways)

Puget Sound Grocery Store Workers are proud of a contract that includes:

  • Strongest journey wage increases in UFCW 21’s history.

  • Full back pay to expiration .

  • A long-term solution to our pension with projected improvements.

  • Health care benefits that are projected to be fully-funded, include benefit improvements and NO increases to premiums or deductibles.

  • First scheduling overhaul in decades, giving us more control over our schedules.

  • Strong safety language for the first time ever in our contract.

  • A plan for the future of technology and workforce training.

  • Protections for our wage scales, so as minimum wage goes up, so do our wage steps.

  • NOT ONE SINGLE CUT OR TAKEAWAY!

Members have been reporting that they are receiving their retro-pay checks and journey pay increases, be sure to check your check!

Retro-pay:

  • Journey persons under contracts that expired before contract ratification are entitled for retro-pay under the newly negotiated pay scale. Check with your Steward or call your Rep if you think you were eligible but have not received retro-pay.

New minimum wage:

  • On January 1st, the state’s minimum wage goes to $13.50 an hour, and all wages by contract are at least 10¢ above minimum and each step at least 10¢ above the last step. Our union was one of the leading forces that helped pass the law that requires the minimum wage to rise as the cost of living goes up.

Look closely at pay around the holidays:

  • For work after 6 pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, you should be paid time and a half.

  • All hours worked on Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and other holidays is paid at time and a half. In addition, if you qualify for Holiday Pay, make sure you receive it.

If you think you have a problem, read the contract and contact your steward, or call your Rep.

Grocery Store Bargaining Update: Exciting News This Morning

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We have exciting news. After more than six months of negotiations, hundreds of actions leafleting and picketing in front of our stores, wearing solidarity buttons, handing out 25,000 Better Jobs-Better Communities union grocery store bags to our customers, and joining together with other UFCWs up and down the West Coast, we are pleased to announce that we have reached a Tentative Agreement with the employers, pending one last step. This final critical step will be for Kroger and Safeway/Albertsons to work out the remaining details to the long-term pension agreement.

This Tentative Agreement is fully recommended by the Grocery Store Bargaining team, pending Kroger and Safeway/Albertsons finalizing the pension deal.

Details for the Tentative Agreement will be available for all active UFCW 21 grocery store members working in King, Snohomish, Kitsap, Mason, and Thurston Counties at the big chains (Safeway, Albertsons, Fred Meyer and QFC) and independent stores. The upcoming vote meetings will be taking place in early November (see below for voting dates, times and locations). Members have been signing up to attend these meetings over the past couple weeks. Members can drop by anytime during one of the vote meeting times to learn details, get questions answered and vote.

Vote meeting times, dates and locations are listed below: 

  • Friday, November 1, 2019 — BELLEVUE — 8AM-12PM & 4-8PM
    Meydenbauer Center / 11100 NE 6th St, Bellevue, WA 98004

  • Sunday, November 3, 2019 — SEATAC — 8AM-12PM & 4-8PM
    Doubletree Seatac / 18740 International Blvd, Seattle, WA 98188

  • Monday, November 4, 2019 — SEATTLE — 8AM-12PM & 4-8PM
    Fisher Pavilion, Seattle Center / 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109

  • Tuesday, November 5, 2019 — LYNNWOOD — 8AM-12PM & 4-8PM
    Lynnwood Convention Center / 3711 196th St SW, Lynnwood, WA 98036

  • Wednesday, November 6, 2019 — BREMERTON — 8AM-12PM & 4-8PM
    Kitsap Convention Center / 100 Washington Ave, Bremerton, WA 98337

  • Wednesday, November 6, 2019 — OLYMPIA — 8AM-12PM & 4-8PM
    The Olympia Center / 222 Columbia St NW, Olympia, WA 98501

     

In Solidarity, YOUR GROCERY STORE BARGAINING TEAM

Amy Dayley Angell, QFC #891 (Ballard), Front End Checker, UFCW 21
Christina Harris, Fred Meyer - Lake City #179 (Grocery), Bakery Clerk, UFCW 21
Cliff Powers, Safeway #402 (Oak Harbor), Produce Clerk, UFCW 21
Denise Anderson, Safeway #1546 (Aberdeen), Meat Wrapper, UFCW 367
Eleanor Knight, Albertsons #4483 (Auburn), 4th PIC, UFCW 21
Irene Garcia, Fred Meyer - Auburn #19 (Retail), Home Clerk, UFCW 21
Jeannette Randall, Safeway #1923 (Roxbury), Front End Checker, UFCW 21
Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer - Snohomish #681 (Retail), Non-food receiving Clerk, UFCW 21
J'Nee DeLancey, Town & Country #211 (Ballard), Beer/Wine/Spirt Manager, UFCW 21
Joann Gardner, Albertsons #3106 (Puyallup), Personnel Coordinator/Bookkeeper, UFCW 367
Kyong Barry, Albertsons #4483 (S Auburn), Front End Manager, UFCW 21
Lisa Gasser, Fred Meyer #424 (South Hill), Bakery Clerk, UFCW 367
Maggie Breshears, Fred Meyer - Greenwood #122 (Grocery), Personal Shopper, UFCW 21
Maroot Nanakul, Safeway #464 (Bear Creek), Front End Manager, UFCW 21
Michaela Strain, QFC #819 (Bothell), Meat Wrapper, UFCW 21
Mike Sherman, Fred Meyer # 265 – Puyallup, Grocery Clerk, UFCW 367
Mike Solberg, Safeway # 547 (Graham), Grocery Clerk, UFCW 367
Paul Ames Reinhold, Metropolitan Market #157 (Uptown), Cheese Kiosk Clerk, UFCW 21
Richard Waits, Haggen #15 (Burlington), Deli Clerk, UFCW 21
Robin Hillistad, QFC #858 (N Seattle), HR Specialist/Bookkeeper, UFCW 21
Sam Dancy, QFC #825 (Westwood Village), Front End Supervisor, UFCW 21
Sue Wilmot, Safeway #1252 (Bainbridge Island), Front End Checker, UFCW 21
Wendy Garrett-Drake, Albertsons #469 (Mukilteo), Personnel Coordinator/Bookkeeper, Teamsters 38
Wil Peterson, Fred Meyer - Everett #95 (Grocery), CCK Checker, UFCW 21
Faye Guenther, President, UFCW 21
Steve Chandler, Principal Officer Teamsters 38
Joe Mizrahi, Secretary Treasurer, UFCW 21
Tammi Brady, Recording Secretary, Teamsters 38
Samantha Kantak, Executive Assistant, Teamsters 38
Kate Meckler, Trustee, UFCW 367
Angel Gonzalez, Deputy Trustee, UFCW 367
Jim McGuinness, Attorney, UFCW 21, Teamsters 38 and UFCW 367