Stop the Kroger Albertsons Merger and the Cash Grab - Add your name!

Stop the Kroger Albertsons Merger and the Cash Grab - Add your name!

We would like to send an email to the FTC’s AntiTrust division and add your name to the growing list endorsing the letter we sent on 11/3 expressing concern about this proposed merger.

On November 3, 26 organizations, including UFCW 3000, wrote a formal letter to the Federal Trade Commission raising serious concerns regarding the proposed merger of Kroger and Albertsons. That letter concluded with the following:

 “The bottom line is that this proposed merger is bad for workers, bad for consumers, bad for communities, bad for the economy—indeed, bad for everyone not associated with Cerberus Capital Management or owning shares in these two companies. We urge you to take immediate action to stop the special dividend payment and block this merger altogether.”

Richland Fred Meyer Community Action

This community has our back! Give us a fair first contract!

Show your support for Richland Fred Meyer workers, join us on the sidewalk outside the Richland Fred Meyer to demand a first contract for workers at the Richland Fred Meyer.

Friday, October 7 @ 1PM

Richland Fred Meyer workers organized at the end of last year and have been bargaining with the company since early spring for a first contract.

Richland Fred Meyer - This community has our back - give us a fair contract!

Richland Fred Meyer

This Community Has Our Back, Give us a Fair First Contract!

Our Richland Bargaining Team met on August 16 and 17 and exchanged many proposals with the company including; arbitration procedures and grievance processes, workplace safety language, union security guarantees, just cause protections, paid holidays, sick leave and other important issues. We are very close to an agreement on many of these critical matters. We have dates set in September to continue negotiations with the employer over these critical issues.

Our team continues to fight for:

• Fair wages with an enforceable wage scale and increases.

• Affordable and quality health care that cannot be changed without the agreement of our union team.

It’s time to show Fred Meyer that this community is clearly on our side and demands that we get the fair first contract that includes fair wages, good health care, secure retirement, and a voice on the job that we deserve!

Save the date:

‘This Community Has Our Back, Give us a Fair First Contract’

Richland Community Rally, October 7 from 1:00-3:00PM

UFCW 3000 Member Story: Britt Leggett

Britt Leggett, grocery store worker at Fred Meyer in Ballard and proud UFCW 3000 member

It’s time for this week’s #MemberMonday spotlight! Today, our story is about Britt Leggett, grocery store worker at Fred Meyer 608 in Ballard.

Britt is an amazing example of a workplace leader. Britt makes an effort to get to know her coworkers in the store — not just how their work affects her day-to-day responsibilities, but also more about who they are as people outside of work and their hobbies. It’s this friendliness and consistency that helps Britt serve her fellow UFCW 3000 members as a shop steward! Britt helps encourage her coworkers to lead efforts within the store to problem-solve issues that may come up in the workplace. With over 200 workers that make FM 608 run, Britt plays an essential role in educating & training coworkers on their rights at work.

Britt’s leadership can be traced to her family’s roots in the Labor movement. Her grandfather, father, and aunt were all active Union members, organizing and advocating for higher standards in the workplace. As Britt says:

“When we are isolated in the workplace we are weak, but when workers come together as a Union we are strong…It is through our combined voices and solidarity with one another that Union workers can achieve our common goals. These are the beliefs and principles of the Labor movement that I am proud to be a part of.”

Britt — thank you for all that you do with and for your coworkers. You model leadership and service every day!

Ken’s Korner Red Apple (Meat), it’s time to vote!

Ken’s Korner Red Apple (Meat), it’s time to vote!

Member Bargaining team recommends a YES vote!

This historic agreement is a direct result of our actions and commitment to fighting for essential frontline grocery store workers and serving the communities in which we live, both during and long before COVID. This is a Tentative Agreement and is not final until we vote to accept it. Full details of the agreement will be provided at each vote location. Our Union Member Bargaining Team reached this Tentative Agreement and recommends a YES VOTE to accept the proposal from the employers. These votes are open to all active members of UFCW 3000 Grocery Store Workers in Island, Jefferson, Clallam, Skagit, Whatcom, and independent stores covered by this Tentative Agreement.

CONTRACT VOTE MEETINGS

Active members are eligible to vote.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 6 - KEN’S KORNER
12pm - 2pm

Oak Harbor Marketplace (Meat), it’s time to vote!

Oak Harbor Marketplace (Meat), it’s time to vote!

Member Bargaining team recommends a YES vote!

This historic agreement is a direct result of our actions and commitment to fighting for essential frontline grocery store workers and serving the communities in which we live, both during and long before COVID. This is a Tentative Agreement and is not final until we vote to accept it. Full details of the agreement will be provided at each vote location. Our Union Member Bargaining Team reached this Tentative Agreement and recommends a YES VOTE to accept the proposal from the employers. These votes are open to all active members of UFCW 3000 Grocery Store Workers in Island, Jefferson, Clallam, Skagit, Whatcom, and independent stores covered by this Tentative Agreement.

CONTRACT VOTE MEETINGS

Active members are eligible to vote.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 6 - OAK HARBOR MARKETPLACE (MEAT)
8am - 10am

Grocery Store Workers: Whatcom, Skagit, Island, Jefferson & Clallam Counties Ratify New Contracts

Large wage increases, gains in safety & training, health care benefits protected with no increased costs, a secured pension, and more.

Grocery store workers across five western Washington counties wrapped up a week of voting and overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year contract made possible by standing together and taking action. Over the life of this new three-year contract, grocery store workers will see wage increases of $4 — $9 an hour, gains in safety and training, health care benefits protected with no increased costs, a secured pension and more.

Over the past two and a half years these frontline essential grocery store workers stayed on the job during the pandemic, ensuring our communities had the food, medicine, and supplies we all needed. While the grocery store chains made additional billions of dollars in profits, Essential Workers were denied the respect, protections and pay they deserved. Workers in North Puget Sound counties of Jefferson, Clallam, Island, Skagit and Whatcom voted to approve their new contracts in June. Altogether, there are over 25,000 essential grocery store workers of UFCW 3000 in the Puget Sound area working at Safeway, Albertsons, Fred Meyer, QFC, The Markets, Haggen, and other independent grocery stores.

“ The new contract gives us more hope, safety, and a promise of greater contracts in the years to come thanks to our strong collective bargaining power! I look forward to our union building a training and certifications to build a career like I have. Trades make our union strong, and this contract is a big step in that direction!” -Sean Stone, meat cutter Safeway 1448 Sequim

The many improvements in the ratified contract include:

• Wage increases of $4 to $9 an hour over the term of the Agreement for the most veteran workers.

• Elimination of lower pay scales in departments such as deli, bakery, fuel, and e-commerce, some of which are disproportionately staffed by women, immigrants, and people of color.

• An increase of 150% in wage escalators – the required minimum amount for each raise, creating a larger “bump” from CPIS adjustments to the minimum wage.

• Increased funding to our Health Care plan, maintaining and improving our high-quality benefits with no increase in costs for members.

• Increased funding for our pension - one of the few pensions in the nation that has been able to make the leap from “Red Zone” to “Green Zone” status following the funding crisis caused by the 2008 financial crash.

• Stronger ability of store-level Safety Committees to address serious safety issues, beyond just COVID protections.

• A half million-dollar contribution each year from the Employers to fund the new Workplace Training program (WE TRAIN WA), allowing pathways to higher paying positions and career mobility within every store.

Island, Jefferson, Clallam, Skagit, Whatcom counties, it’s time to vote!

Island, Jefferson, Clallam, Skagit, Whatcom counties, it’s time to vote!

Member Bargaining team recommends a YES vote!

This historic agreement is a direct result of our actions and commitment to fighting for essential frontline grocery store workers and serving the communities in which we live, both during and long before COVID. This is a Tentative Agreement and is not final until we vote to accept it. Full details of the agreement will be provided at each vote location. Our Union Member Bargaining Team reached this Tentative Agreement and recommends a YES VOTE to accept the proposal from the employers. These votes are open to all active members of UFCW 3000 Grocery Store Workers in Island, Jefferson, Clallam, Skagit, Whatcom, and independent stores covered by this Tentative Agreement.

Contract VOTE MEETINGS

Active members are eligible to vote at whichever location is most convenient, during any time when polling is open. All vote meetings will be open between the hours of 8:00AM — 12 Noon and 4:00PM — 8:00PM

MONDAY, JUNE 6 – BELLINGHAM
FOX HALL EVENTS CENTER, 1661 W Bakerview Rd, Bellingham, WA 98226

TUESDAY, JUNE 7 – OAK HARBOR
Best Western Plus, 33175 State Route 20 Oak Harbor, WA 98277

TUESDAY, JUNE 7 – MOUNT VERNON
UFCW 3000 Office, 1510 N 18th Street Mount Vernon, WA 98273

THURSDAY, JUNE 9 – PORT ANGELES
OLYMPIC LODGE, 140 S Del Guzzi Dr Port Angeles, WA 98362

FRIDAY, JUNE 10 – PORT TOWNSEND
HARBORSIDE INN, 330 Benedict St Port Townsend, WA 98368

UFCW 3000 Member Story: CJ Brings the Music!

CJ, proud UFCW 3000 member and receiver at Fred Meyer

It’s #WorkerWednesday, and that means it’s time for another member spotlight! Meet CJ — he’s worked at Fred Meyer for 20 years and is a proud member of UFCW 3000. CJ is currently working as a Receiver at FM 210 in Monroe!

CJ was raised in a household that practiced worker power and solidarity. In fact, CJ says that he has vivid memories of being a kid in the 1990s and going on strike with his dad who was working at Boeing at the time.

While CJ enjoys the work that he does at Fred Meyer, his main passion in life is music. CJ plays the piano and just recently released a new album on Spotify! CJ says that he draws inspiration from his work at Fred Meyer. For example, CJ wrote a song about his coworker Sunil, who is a Grocery Clerk, entitled “International Man of Fiji.” You can check out his music @ CJ (DJCJ)!

CJ — thank you for bringing joy to your workplace! It is so cool to see your work & fellow union members represented in your artistry.

Grocery Store Workers Vote Overwhelmingly to Ratify New Contract!

Over the life of this new three-year contract, grocery store workers will see wage increases of $4 — $9 an hour, gains in safety and training, health care benefits protected with no increased costs, a secured pension and more.

Frontline essential grocery store workers stayed on the job during the pandemic, ensuring our communities had the food, medicine, and supplies we all needed. While the Employers made billions of dollars in profits, Essential Workers were denied the respect, protections and pay they deserved. Workers across Western Washington united and signed thousands of strike pledges, took actions in their stores and communities, and this week voted overwhelmingly to approve their new contract.

The many improvements in the ratified contract include:

• Wage increases of $4 to $9 an hour over the term of the Agreement for the most veteran workers.

• Elimination of lower pay scales in departments such as deli, bakery, fuel, and e-commerce, some of which are disproportionately staffed by women, immigrants, and people of color.

• An increase of 150% in wage escalators – the required minimum amount for each raise, creating a larger “bump” from CPIS adjustments to the minimum wage.

• Increased funding to our Health Care plan, maintaining and improving our high-quality benefits with no increase in costs for members.

• Increased funding for our pension - one of the few pensions in the nation that has been able to make the leap from “Red Zone” to “Green Zone” status following the funding crisis caused by the 2008 financial crash.

• Stronger ability of store-level Safety Committees to address serious safety issues, beyond just COVID protections.

• A half million-dollar contribution each year from the Employers to fund the new Workplace Training program (WE TRAIN WA), allowing pathways to higher paying positions and career mobility within every store.

“This new wage scale moves us one step closer to having a single pay scale for everyone in the store. An hour of work is an hour of work, regardless of what department you are in, and we deserve to be compensated equally.” — Kyong Barry, Albertsons

“This contract is a historic deal. No one in this region has ever seen wage increases like this and it will go a long way to address inequities in Fred Meyer stores.” — Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer

As big and important as this new contract is— it did not come about easily. We made these historic advances because the Employers knew we were ready for a fight, and fully prepared to strike if necessary. We showed the Employers that we are willing to take them on and we proved that the public, our communities, have our backs.

Over the last year we gathered in Contract Action Teams, store by store, and we united UFCW locals in Washington, Colorado, and California to fight together for breakthrough contracts. UFCW 3000 staff went to support other grocery store worker fights, including the 10-day grocery strike in Colorado.

The members on our negotiation team are people that work in the grocery stores every day, from many different departments. Young and old, veteran workers and new hires of all genders and backgrounds, these workers on the bargaining team unanimously recommended that the Tentative Agreement be passed by the membership.

The number one priority of the bargaining team for this contract was significant wage increases at the top of the scale. This ratified contract gives Journey raises between $4 and $9 per hour – far more than we have ever won. The biggest raises are going to workers in departments that have historically suffered from an inequitable pay structure that this contract eliminates.

Together as a union, we will continue to enforce the contract we have won, enforce the laws that protect workers, and build even more support and power to address important issues we all face at work and at home.

We will hold a live UFCW 3000 Telephone Town Hall on Monday afternoon at 3 PM talking about the new grocery store worker contracts and go into details on the wage increases, improved protections and how we won this historic new agreement. When your phone rings at 3 PM on Monday, just answer and you will join the call. If for some reason the call does not go through or it gets cut off, you can also call 888-652-0384 and enter meeting ID 6821 at 3 pm on Monday to join he call directly.

Contracts were ratified for Safeway, Albertsons, Fred Meyer, QFC, Metropolitan Market, Town & Country, and other independent grocery stores. Additional stores in Northern and Peninsula counties, and other independent stores will begin voting on the contract agreement in the coming weeks.

OUR UNION NEGOTIATIONS TEAM: 

Ames Reinhold, Metropolitan Market
Amy Dayley Angell, QFC
Aaron Streepy, Attorney
Cliff Powers, Safeway
Caprii Nakihei, Safeway
Cosmo Villini, Safeway
Eric Renner. UFCW 3000
Enrique Romero, Fred Meyer
Suzi Geffre, Fred Meyer
Faye Guenther, UFCW 3000 President
Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer
J’Nee DeLancey, Town & Country
Joanna Clapham, Fred Meyer
Joe Mizrahi, UFCW 3000 Secretary Treasurer
Kevin Flynn, Albertsons
Kyong Barry, Albertsons
Maggie Breshears, Fred Meyer
Naomi Oligario, Safeway
Roger Yanez, QFC
Sam Dancy, QFC
Sam Kantak, Teamsters 38 Secretary Treasurer
Shawn Hayenga, Metropolitan Market
Tammi Brady, Teamsters 38 President
Wil Peterson, Fred Meyer

Get to know your Negotiations Team!

Meet the 2022 Grocery Store Workers Negotiations Team: Sam Dancy

Sam Dancy, Grocery Store Worker at Westwood Village QFC 825 and UFCW 3000 grocery contract negotiations team member

As we negotiate the 2022 Grocery Store Workers contract with the employers, let’s get to know your fellow grocery store workers who are part of our member-led bargaining team!

Sam Dancy has worked at Westwood Village QFC 825 since 1991, starting as a graveyard-shift night stocker. Since then, he has worked his way up the ladder and now works as Front End Supervisor! Through the years, Sam’s coworkers have seen him supporting others by educating them on their rights at work, standing up to management, and helping coworkers advocate for themselves.

Outside of his leadership in the workplace, Sam is passionate about connecting grassroots community work with the organized Labor movement. For example, Sam traveled to St. Louis, to talk to community members about opposing Proposition A, which would have upheld right-to-work laws in Missouri. Sam is proud of the fact that Proposition A was ultimately defeated! It’s this same spirit of advocacy that brings Sam to the grocery contract negotiations team.

“All essential workers deserve to not have to live from paycheck to paycheck. One job should be enough! Grocery store workers deserve stability, and it’s time the employer did their part to guarantee us fair wages, workplace safety, and respect on the job.”

Richland Fred Meyer Bargaining Update

Our Richland Bargaining Team met Tuesday, April 12 with Fred Meyer to begin the negotiation process. Our committee drafted and made contract proposals to create our new union contract that includes:

• Workplace Safety, contract language that would improve training and safety in the store and create avenues to address safety concerns that are not addressed at the store level.

• Just Cause, making sure that workers cannot be terminated or discipline without a reason.

• Grievance procedure, to give workers the ability to challenge any unjust discipline or violation of our new contract.

• Recognition, making it clear that the contract will cover workers at the Richland Fred Meyer.

• Health and Welfare, ensuring workers will have access to affordable high-quality healthcare.

• Union Security, to ensure that we have a strong store for years to come.

Unfortunately, Fred Meyer did not make any formal responses to our proposals. Although we hoped and were available to bargain sooner, we look forward to our next bargaining meeting with Fred Meyer on Monday, May 9 and Tuesday, May 10 and anticipate that Management will have responses to our proposals.

The push for a first contract continues! While our team meets and continues to work diligently leading up to next bargaining sessions, we need to stay UNIFIED in our fight for a good first contract.

Attend a Contract Action Team Meeting for updates on what our Team is working on:

Tuesday, April 19 • 9am or 6pm

Friday, April 22 • 12pm or 8pm

UFCW 3000 Tri-Cities Office • 2505 Duportail St, Suite D Richland, WA 99352

Your Richland Fred Meyer Bargaining Team: Jeremy Brewer, Eden Hill, Kelly Swallow, Todd Davis, Brandyn Farrell-Parker, Suzanne Geffre, Melissa Lozano, Roxanne Reynolds

Meet the 2022 Grocery Store Workers Negotiations Team: Amy Dayley Angell

Amy Dayley Angell, Grocery Store Worker at Ballard QFC and UFCW 3000 grocery contract negotiations team member

As we negotiate the 2022 Grocery Store Workers contract with the employers, let’s get to know your fellow grocery store workers who are part of our member-led bargaining team!

Amy Dayley Angell has worked as a cashier at QFC for 15 years and now works at QFC 891 in Ballard. Amy started getting involved with the union when one of her coworkers was unjustly fired. Amy and her coworkers started a store-wide petition and worked together with their union rep to successfully reinstate the employee! Since then, Amy has been her store’s shop steward, showing up for her coworkers whenever they need help. In her words: “we are the union — without us stepping up, nothing changes!”

Outside of work, Amy is the proud mom of two teenagers. She loves spending time with her family, whether that’s playing board games, going camping, or walking their dog together. Amy wants to win a fair contract so that she and her coworkers can spend more time with their families. She also wants grocery store workers to feel more safe at work and to improve the turnover issue.

“Since the pandemic started, I don’t feel like the company takes our safety seriously. As grocery store workers, we have all been put into positions where we have to, essentially, be social workers — a job that we are neither trained nor equipped to do! Basic health precautions, like mandatory masking, sanitization, and plastic dividers, are all disappearing. Our employers are hanging us out to dry; it’s a big reason there’s so much turnover in our stores. If they want people to stay in this industry, they have to step up and take responsibility for employees’ health & safety at work!”

Grocery Store Worker Contract Negotiation Update: It is time to turn up the heat!

It is time to turn up the heat! 

Our contracts begin to expire May 7, 2022. We have seen workers take strike votes and prepare to strike to get the contracts and workplaces they deserve. 

After two years of the pandemic, feeling unsafe, overworked, understaffed, and underpaid, our full member negotiating team met with the employers. We hoped that the CEOs of these big national chains would have learned from the 10 day grocery store worker Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike in Colorado, and the recent near-strike in Southern California. Our union member negotiating team shared our moving stories of unsafe working conditions, inadequate safety standards, and grueling working conditions with the Employers’ representatives.

Our team proposed changes to our contracts that would, among other things: improve the safety at our stores, maintain and enhance our health care plan, increase the trainings we have access to, improve our vacation accrual, and most importantly, provide the pay increases that we deserve as frontline essential workers.

“I have been working for Fred Meyer for over 20 years. Even after working on the frontlines throughout the pandemic, Kroger pays me less than my coworkers, simply because I am classified as the ‘General Merchandise receiver’, while the ‘Grocery receiver’ gets nearly 5 dollars more an hour. How is that fair? These companies have made a lot of profit while we have been working and struggling to be there for our customers and communities.” — Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer, General Merchandise Receiver

“Since the pandemic started, I don’t feel like Kroger takes safety seriously. As grocery store workers, we have all been put into positions where we have to be essentially like social workers — a job that we are neither trained nor equipped to do! Basic health precautions, like mandatory masking, sanitization, and plastic dividers, are all disappearing. Our employers are hanging us out to dry; it’s a big reason there’s so much turnover in our stores. If they want people to stay in this industry, they have to step up and take responsibility for employees’ health & safety at work!” — Amy Dayley Angell, QFC

After our fourth consecutive day of negotiations...

Kroger continues to fail to properly comply with even our most basic information request, which we have a legal right to possess in order to negotiate the wages we deserve. We can not bargain effectively without the information we have requested. Our union member negotiating team’s attempt to get the Employers to agree to a new contract has not made significant progress. What we all want is no secret: more respect, better safety protections, better scheduling, significant pay raises; and to finally do away with the historic inequities that pay some workers a lot less just because of the departments in which they work.

Addressing these issues will help us live better lives and build a better and safer experience for our customers when they shop. The Employers have so far been unwilling to agree to improvements that are needed to reach an agreement. So, it is time for us to take action.

Our union negotiation team is using our time between analyzing proposals building strength - calling through store Contract Action Team phone trees, preparing everyone for action when and should it be needed!

Plan of Action: 

We look forward to returning to the bargaining table with Safeway/Albertsons next week on April 13 and 14. We are waiting to hear from Kroger on when they will be available to meet next. Our Richland Fred Meyer bargaining team will be meeting with Kroger next Tuesday April 12 to win a fair first contract.

Informational Pickets on April 26 at your store, or a store near you. 

Our customers and communities are willing to stand with us, we just need to reach out and share our stories, and the informational pickets will provide an excellent opportunity to do so. RSVP for an informational picket April 26 at: bit.ly/april26infopicket

Unfair Labor Practice Charges

Members continue to learn to identify unfair labor practices in their workplaces so that we can continue to hold the Employers accountable. These ULPs range from safety and contract violations, to other threats to our well-being at work. These charges provide the force behind an Unfair Labor Practices Strike if left unresolved by the company.

United, Arm-in-Arm

Union staff and members flew out to Colorado (UFCW 7) during the freezing 10-day long grocery store worker strike a few short months ago and Union staff and members went to Southern California during their strike authorization votes last month. In both cases, the solidarity across all our local unions was a key to the success of those contract fights and we were able to share experiences, resources, and power. Now these local Unions - together representing over 80,000 grocery store workers- have pledged their willingness to come here to Washington and stand with us if it becomes necessary to strike.

• RSVP for an informational picket April 26 at RSVP at: bit.ly/april26infopicket

• Make sure your personal contact information is up-to date: ufcw21.org/update-your-information

• Sign up for a Picket Captain Training Sign up at: bit.ly/groceryPCT

OUR UNION NEGOTIATIONS TEAM: 

Ames Reinhold, Metropolitan Market
Amy Dayley Angell, QFC
Aaron Streepy, Attorney
Cliff Powers, Safeway
Caprii Nakihei, Safeway
Cosmo Villini, Safeway
Eric Renner. UFCW 3000
Enrique Romero, Fred Meyer
Suzi Geffre, Fred Meyer
Faye Guenther, UFCW 3000 President
Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer
J’Nee DeLancey, Town & Country
Joanna Clapham, Fred Meyer
Joe Mizrahi, UFCW 3000 Secretary Treasurer
Kevin Flynn, Albertsons
Kyong Barry, Albertsons
Maggie Breshears, Fred Meyer
Naomi Oligario, Safeway
Roger Yanez, QFC
Sam Dancy, QFC
Sam Kantak, Teamsters 38 Secretary Treasurer
Shawn Hayenga, Metropolitan Market
Tammi Brady, Teamsters 38 President
Wil Peterson, Fred Meyer

Meet the 2022 Grocery Store Workers Negotiations Team: Cliff Powers

Cliff Powers, Grocery Store Worker at Oak Harbor Safeway and UFCW 3000 Grocery Contract Negotiations Team Member

As we negotiate the 2022 Grocery Store Workers contract with the employers, let’s get to know your fellow grocery store workers who are part of our member-led bargaining team!

Cliff Powers has worked in Produce at Safeway 402 in Oak Harbor for over 33 years! Cliff is originally from Virginia, where many community members were union workers in the mining industry. Before pursuing a career in grocery, Cliff spent 12 years as an EMS worker. In his free time, Cliff is passionate about film photography and model railroading!

Cliff started getting involved with the union years ago, when his produce manager — who was the store’s shop steward at the time — invited him to various trainings on his rights at work. Since then, Cliff has become a reliable resource for his coworkers, helping them navigate workplace challenges and advocate for themselves.

“I joined the grocery contract negotiations team because I want my coworkers to have better quality of life. That means fair pay, the hours necessary to ensure our stores aren’t understaffed, and respect on the job!”

Meet the 2022 Grocery Store Workers Negotiations Team: Naomi Oligario

Naomi Oligario, grocery store worker at Port Orchard Safeway and UFCW 3000 grocery contract negotiations team member

As we negotiate the 2022 Grocery Store Workers contract with the employers, let’s get to know your fellow grocery store workers who are part of our member-led bargaining team!

Naomi Oligario has worked at Port Orchard Safeway for 37 years! She started as a courtesy clerk before working her way up to produce & front end. Throughout the years, she has trained countless other grocery store workers, all while getting to know customers as they’ve grown up and built families of their own. While this year is the first time Naomi is part of the contract negotiations team, she has been a shop steward for her store since 2015-2016. Naomi is a respected workplace leader, helping her coworkers win grievances for backpay, educating them on their rights at work, and pushing management to respond to employee concerns.

Naomi is a proud mother of four and grandmother to four! Her youngest grandson is 7 months old, and her youngest grandchild was born just a few weeks ago. Naomi is excited to visit her in Ireland — after we’ve won a fair contract!

“I’m here at the negotiations table because I want the coworkers who have put in years and decades of service in the grocery industry to be taken care of. I want folks who are new to the business to feel like they belong and can truly make a career out of this work. A rising tide lifts all boats!”

Meet the 2022 Grocery Store Workers Negotiations Team: Roger Yanez

Roger Yanez, Grocery Store Worker at Redmond QFC and UFCW 3000 Grocery Negotiations Team Member

As we negotiate the 2022 Grocery Store Workers contract with the employers, let’s get to know your fellow grocery store workers who are part of our member-led bargaining team!

Roger Yanez started working at Fred Meyer in 2007 before transferring to QFC 860 in Redmond, where he has been for several years. He started getting involved in the union about three years ago, after successfully winning a grievance. Since then, Roger has truly stepped up as a workplace leader, training to become his store’s shop steward, and helping answer his coworkers’ questions about their rights at work.

In his free time, Roger is an avid coin collector! He loves spending time with his family, and that’s one of his main motivations for joining the grocery contract negotiations team this year. He’s excited to fight for a fair contract that will allow his coworkers to spend more time with their families.

Meet the 2022 Grocery Store Workers Negotiations Team: Maggie Breshears

Maggie Breshears, Grocery Store Worker at Greenwood Fred Meyer and UFCW 3000 Grocery Contract Negotiations Team Member

As we negotiate the 2022 Grocery Store Workers contract with the employers, let’s get to know your fellow grocery store workers who are part of our member-led bargaining team!

Maggie Breshears has worked at Greenwood Fred Meyer since 2013. Maggie started getting involved with the union when one of her co-workers lost health insurance in the middle of her cancer treatment. Since that experience, Maggie has become a leader in her store, serving first as a shop steward and then joining the grocery contract negotiations team in 2019.

Maggie’s biggest goal is to support her co-workers as best as she can. She frequently stands up to management, clarifies new policies, and educates co-workers on their rights at work. Maggie has also taken her advocacy outside of the workplace, testifying in support of hazard pay to the Seattle City Council when it initially passed.

“I am a firm believer that it is the people you work with that makes a job great, regardless of what work you do. And I work with some wonderful people. I will fight for them at the bargaining table, support them when management oversteps and join them in the fight for fair wages, safe workplaces and a contract that respects us as a vital part of the nation's food chain. When we work together, we can create change.“