PCC Contract Votes Scheduled

Bargaining Team Recommends a NO Vote on Management’s Latest Contract Offer

After months of negotiations, PCC Management has put forth their latest offer, and our Bargaining Team wants all union members to see for themselves if this offer is really good enough. While many tentative agreements have been reached throughout negotiations, there is still division on key issues, including across-the-board wage increases, Board of Trustees language, and more. We believe PCC can do better, that is why our Bargaining Team is recommending a NO VOTE on this offer. 

Vote meetings have been scheduled on Thursday, November 9 for all PCC workers in good standing to review the offer from Management, ask our union member Bargaining Team questions, and vote on whether to accept or reject the offer.

Contract Votes for Thursday, November 9:

9:00am — 12:00pm

West Seattle PCC: 2749 California Ave SW. Seattle, WA 98116
Burien PCC: 15840 1st Ave. South, Burien, WA 98148
Green Lake Village PCC: 450 NE 71st St. Seattle, WA 98115
Bothell PCC: 22621 Bothell Everett Highway, Bothell, WA 98021
Fremont PCC: 600 North 34th St. Seattle, WA 98103
Bellevue PCC:  11615 NE 4th St. Bellevue, WA 98004
Ballard PCC: 1451 NW 46th St. Seattle, WA 98107
View Ridge PCC: 6514 40th Ave NE. Seattle, WA 98115

2:00pm — 5:00pm

Columbia City PCC: 3610 South Edmunds St. Seattle, WA 98118
Central District PCC: 2230 E Union St. Seattle, WA 98122
Downtown PCC: 1320 4th Ave. Seattle, WA 98101
Redmond PCC: 11435 Avondale Rd NE. Redmond, WA 98052
Edmonds PCC: 9803 Edmonds Wy. Edmonds, WA 98020
Issaquah PCC: 1810 12th Ave NW. Issaquah, WA 98027
Kirkland PCC: 430 Kirkland Wy. Kirkland, WA 98033
Greenlake PCC: 7504 Aurora Avenue N. Seattle, WA 98103

WeTrain Washington is seeking a qualified Fishmonger Apprenticeship Instructor!

WeTrain Washington is seeking a qualified Fishmonger Apprenticeship Instructor! 

The Seattle Puget Sound Meatcutters and Fishmongers Apprenticeship Program is a partnership between UFCW 3000, the State of Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), retail grocery employers, and South Seattle College. The goal of the Seattle Puget Sound Meatcutters and Fishmongers Apprenticeship Program is to share industry knowledge, skills, and techniques to develop Apprentices into highly skilled Journey Meatcutters and Fishmongers. This Fishmonger Apprenticeship program is the first of it's kind in the U.S.

The Fishmonger Apprenticeship Instructor will teach aspiring Fishmongers in the Seattle Puget Sound Region, specifically in Snohomish and Kitsap Counties. The new instructor will need to work approximately one day per week between January and August of 2024. The application deadline is November 10, 2023. 

Learn more about, and apply to the open Fishmonger Apprenticeship Instructor position here! >>

Grocery East - Bargaining Update

“Me and my coworkers don’t expect to get rich working at Fred Meyer. We just don’t think we should have to make a choice between paying our utility bills or rent or mortgage. We deserve a better wage.” 

—Melissa Lozano, Richland Fred Meyer, Shoe Department Lead 

This week our union member bargaining team met to become more informed about our union pension, healthcare plan, and professional training fund.  Now we are ready to go out and educate and support our co-workers with this essential information. We are excited to fight to strengthen and protect our union benefits in bargaining. 

We also were briefed by the Director of WeTrain, our union’s first professional development training fund in the country for people working as meat cutters and in grocery stores.In contract negotiations, we are ready to push to expand this benefit to Eastern Washington, Idaho, and Oregon.  

Our committee discussed the proposed Kroger/Albertsons merger and the ways it would harm us as workers and consumers.Our union, in partnership with locals around the country, has been outspoken in our opposition to this proposed merger since it was announced over a year ago because it threatens jobs, communities and customers. We need Kroger and Albertsons executives to invest in us, not their pocketbooks.  

Join us by: 

• Coming to a Contract Action Team Meeting:

  • October 25 | 5:30-6:30 in Tri Cities-Wenatchee
    UFCW 3000 office: 330 King St, Suite 4

  • October 26 | 5:30-6:30 in Spokane
    UFCW 3000 office: 2805 N. Market St.

  • October 27 | 5:30-6:30 in Yakima
    UFCW 3000 office: 507 S. 3rd St

• Signing a Strike Pledge Card 

• Joining our Telephone Townhall on 11/15 at 4:30 PM (We’ll call you!) 

• Joining our Worker Research Committee, meeting on Monday, November 6 at 5:30 pm via Zoom!

  • >> Register here!

• Wearing a union button 

We plan to meet with the employers’ representatives at the end of November! 

PCC Bargaining Team unanimously recommends a NO Vote!

After months of negotiations, we find ourselves at a crossroads with PCC. We entered these discussions with the goal of securing a fair and competitive contract. A contract that would provide living wages, across the board wage increases that keep pace with inflation and with no cuts or takeaways from our healthcare.

Collectively we have won several TA’s (Tentative Agreements) to improve our work life, but still find ourselves far apart from PCC on wages, board of trustees and a few other items. Our bargaining team believes we shouldn’t be punished for PCC’s financial decisions, and we expect to see a wage increase that rewards our labor as essential workers. 
 
Now is the time to stand together and vote NO on this contract to send a strong message to PCC and bring them back to the bargaining table with the knowledge that this current offer is unacceptable! 
 
We will be voting on the current proposal in the next few weeks and will be notifying all members as soon as the dates are set.

Make sure your personal contact information is up-to-date with the Union >>

UFCW 3000 Member Story: Marlene Padilla

Marlene Padilla in the Meat Department at PCC Bothell

Marlene Padilla has worked in the grocery industry since 1999, starting at the Foodland stores in Hawaii. “Being a single parent and working close to home with great hours helped me with my decision to work in the grocery industry,” she says. At Foodland, she was promoted to meat wrapper, and when she moved to Seattle she started working for Safeway. After nine years, when one of Marlene’s meat managers left to work at PCC and suggested she come work there, too, she decided to go for it. She respected him because, as she puts it, he “gave me a lot of respect as a female, not just a fixture.”

When Marlene started at PCC in 2014, she knew that it was a risk starting with a new employer and a new group of coworkers: “I had to work harder to prove I had it in me, not because I knew someone. I’m still working in a man's world.” She showed her coworkers how dependable and trustworthy she was and has been working there ever since. She wants coworkers to know: “I always got your back.”

Away from work, Marlene enjoys reading, being a single mother, a grandparent, a Seattle Seahawks fan, and hanging out with her cat Shadow. “My three children and two grandchildren keep me grounded,” she says, “as well as all the meat department guys I work with.”

Negotiations with PCC for a new contract this year have required more workplace actions from PCC workers than ever before. As Marlene and her coworkers have discussed the bargain and taken action, she reminds coworkers about all the important parts of a union contract—the bargain can’t be about “the payscale and nothing else,” she says. Her top priority? ”Maintaining good health benefits.”

Marlene has taken an interest in attending PCC negotiations as an observer. “It’s important for us as members to see how the language in our contract is fought for!” Marlene is a strong woman and union member; her coworkers are lucky to have her standing with them in this bargain. Mahalo, Marlene!

PCC October Contract Action Team Meetings

Join your coworkers to prepare for upcoming negotiations and how to win a fair contract! If you have any questions, call 1-866-210-3000 and ask to speak to your Union Rep.

In Person Meetings:

Tuesday, October 17: 5:00pm—6:00pm Seattle Library: University Branch 5009 Roosevelt Way NE. Seattle, WA. 98105

Tuesday, October 17: 3:15pm—4:15 pm Lynnwood Library: 19200 44th Ave W, Lynnwood, WA 98036

Tuesday, October 17: 4:00pm—5:00pm Bellevue Library: 1111 110th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004

Wednesday, October 18: 2:00pm—3:00pm Seattle Library: Columbia City Branch 4721 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118

Wednesday, October 18: 4:00pm—5:00pm Kingsgate Library Meeting Room 12315 NE 143rd St. Kirkland, WA. 98034

Online Meetings:

Monday, October 16: Online Zoom Meeting 10:00am—11:00am & 7:00pm—8:00pm

Friday, October 20: Online Zoom Meeting 10:00am – 11:00am & 6:00pm – 7:00pm

PCC Bargaining Update

We believe that PCC should lead the grocery industry by having the best wages, safest stores and strongest benefits. As workers we are committed to making PCC the best grocery company to work at, to shop at, and to have in our communities through bargaining the best union contract possible.  

We have held numerous tabling events, informational pickets, customer leaflets, button ups, and delivered majority of signatures on the “PCC workers declaration of demands” petition to the employer. Our bargaining committee and coworkers continue to push PCC to be better. We are committed to keeping the pressure on PCC and preparing for a strike if necessary! Join us at our next Contract Action Team (CAT) meetings 10/16—21 or customer leaflets in October  

Over the last several months, our bargaining committee has made progress in improving our contract. We have tentative agreements that would: 

Remaining items include retirement, healthcare, and safety language; although we have not come to an agreement on these items the discussion has been positive.  

Despite good progress in many areas of bargaining, we remain apart from PCC on wages. Our wage proposal would make PCC workers the highest paid grocery store workers in the region, while also protecting our wage scale from being surpassed by the minimum wage. You can view PCC’s and our Unions wage proposal on the PCC contract  page here. Wage proposals will be updated soon. 

• Updating your information with our union UFCW 3000 to receive updates during the bargain update your personal contact information like email, address, and personal phone.

• Discussing the bargain with your coworkers—it’s your right! 

• RSVP to the next bargaining sessions: On October 19 and 20.

• Contact a union rep or steward to get more involved! 

UFCW 3000 Podcast Episode 8: So what's a union rep anyway?

I know I have a Union Rep, but who are they? What do they do? And what are my "Weingarten Rights" again? Michaela sits down with her Union Rep, Brandan, to hear more about his role and discuss rights on the job, meetings with management, and the many ways members can be involved in enforcing their contract and supporting each other. || UFCW 3000 members: you can look up your union contract and your Union Rep at https://ufcw3000.org/find-a-contract

UFCW 3000 union shop steward Michaela is always ready to answer fellow members’ questions about their union. She’s also a devoted murder podcast listener. Put those interests together, and she decided to start a union podcast to get all her coworkers’ questions and her own questions answered, and to meet as many people as possible who could share what it means to be a part of UFCW 3000. (No murder on this podcast, only solidarity!)

*The information shared on this podcast is offered by rank and file union member leaders of UFCW 3000. There may be inaccuracies or misstatements shared, as members will be speaking from the lenses of their perspectives and life experiences. While members are doing their best to share good information, we can make no claims to 100% accuracy and this podcast should not be construed as legal advice.

Grocery East Bargaining Update!

Our Union Bargaining Team: Josh Frans SWY 1799, Tresa Fairbanks SWY 3255, Vanessa Evans SWY 1473, Katrina Keffer FM 214, Amanda Bowerman SWY 1494, Shelly Clark SWY 1470, Frankie Roessner SWY 1242, Jeff Yergens SWY 3255, Joyce Laffelmacher ALB 265, James Perez SWY 502, Stephen Bunting SWY 2248, Ann Jennings SWY 1630, Vanessa Roessner ROS 126, Melisa Lozano FM 486, Kim Bristlin SWY 1159, Clayton Bennett ALB 206, Ross Cook SWY 3288, Jeff Terpening SWY 3255

As union members, every three years we get to bargain a legally binding contract that sets our wages, benefits and working conditions. Now we are starting the process of bargaining a new contract for the next three years.

“We are ready to fight for a strong contract with livable wages, better training and staffing, safety, and strong benefits!” —Vanessa Roessner (Rosauers 126) & Jeff Terpening (Safeway 3255)

This week, our Union Bargaining Team met for a full day of planning and preparation to get ready to bargain a strong contract for Grocery workers in Eastern Washington and Idaho. We spent the day discussing the bargaining process, going over the results of the Union Bargaining Survey, and preparing proposals that reflect what we need in order to make our workplaces and jobs stronger. Things like higher wages, our pension, corporate merger concerns, pandemic language and workplace safety protections.

For too long our wages have been falling behind. The cost of housing, groceries, and other living expenses are skyrocketing. Despite what the Employer may think, the cost of living is going up in all our communities and we deserve wage increases that will make these livable jobs.

We also discussed upcoming actions and brainstormed ways to show the Employer that we are serious about winning a fair contract. There are a few things we can do today to help build strength and momentum: wear a Union button, add your contact information to the phone tree, sign the Stand Together Pledge Card, and join one of the Contract Action Team meetings where we can talk about the negotiations process, ask questions, and plan next steps!

Upcoming Contract Action Team Meeting:

October 25 | 5:30-6:30 in Tri Cities-Wenatchee: UFCW 3000 office: 330 King St, Suite 4

October 26 | 5:30-6:30 in Spokane: UFCW 3000 office: 2805 N. Market St.

October 27 | 5:30-6:30 in Yakima: UFCW 3000 office: 507 S. 3rd St

Join the next Grocery Store Worker Telephone Townhall call on October 23! (all you have to do is pick up when we call)

Still Diverging on Wages but Making Progress at the Table

As PCC grocery workers, we believe that the co-op needs to be a leader of high standards in the grocery industry. This includes treating co-op workers with dignity and respect and having the best union contract possible, with industry-leading wages, safety and benefits. As workers and co-op members, we are committed to making PCC the best grocery company to work at, to shop at, and to have in our communities. 

Through numerous tabling events, informational pickets, customer leaflets, button ups, and by delivering the PCC Workers Declaration of Demands to management with nearly 80% of workers signed on in support, our bargaining committee and coworkers continue to push PCC to be better.  

Over the last several months, our bargaining committee has made major progress in improving our contract. We have tentative agreements that would do the following:  

• Increase the night time premium 

• Improve the worker caucus committee 

• Add language to allow more accesses to hours for those that want them 

• Add premium pay after 8 consecutive days work in Grocery (similar to the Meat contract)  

• Improve vacation scheduling 

• Expand access to protected leave of absence 

• Improve bereavement leave 

• Secure orca cards in the contract and cap the worker expense at $20 

• Prevent demotions except in cases of just cause 

• Dedicate money to a workforce training fund and more

Remaining items include retirement, health care, and safety language; although we have not come to an agreement on these items, the discussion has been positive.  

With respect to wages: Despite good progress in many areas of our union contract, we remain apart on wages. PCC’s most recent wage proposal is simply not enough to meet our needs. Our wage proposal would make PCC workers the highest-paid grocery store workers in the region, while also protecting our wage scale from being surpassed by the minimum wage. You can view PCC’s wage proposal on the PCC contract page.

Next Bargaining Date Wednesday September 27

Our strength comes from worker engagement, take action to build power in our workplace! 

• Attending a CAT meeting during the week of September 25 to get all the latest updates! See the schedule of upcoming Contract Action Team meetings on ufcw3000.org >>

• Updating your information with our union UFCW 3000 to receive updates during the bargain update your personal contact information like email, address, and personal phone >>

• Discussing the bargain with your coworkers—it’s your right! 

• Our Union Bargaining Team wants to hear from you! Look for them in the store and give them your feedback, or use this online form >>

• Contact a union rep of steward to get more involved! 

PCC - Bargaining Continues

We met with PCC representatives on September 6 & 7 and received multiple proposals from PCC management:

PCC’s Proposals:

• Increased deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums for the basic & premium healthcare plans, which could result in pay cuts for many of our coworkers.

• A wage scale that does not address increasing living costs and does not reflect our value.

PCC rejected multiple proposals from our member bargaining team, including:

Our Proposals:

• One wage scale for all PCCs

• Increased staff discount

• No-match letter protection

• Moving POS from group B to A

• Staffing minimums for each store

• Safety and de-escalation training

• We are disappointed PCC rejected our safety language pertaining to de-escalation, sexual harassment, stalking, violent customer interactions, and understaffing. 

---

Take action to build power in your workplace:

• Discuss the bargain with your coworkers—it’s your right!

• Update your information online with our union UFCW 3000 to receive bargaining updates.

• Wear your union button!

• Attend your CAT meeting during the week of September to get all the latest updates!

• Your bargaining team wants to hear from you—look for bargaining team members in the store and share your feedback, or submit feedback online:

• Attend our next bargaining sessions: September 18 and 19. Bargaining will be held at the Sea-Tac Hilton right off the airport light rail station.

Town Hall Call Monday: Important Union Update on Kroger/Albertsons Merger

Important Union Update on Kroger/Albertsons Merger

On Friday, Kroger and Albertsons announced plans to sell at least 413 stores across the country to C&S Wholesale Grocers (C&S) as part of the mega-merger of the two companies.

Our coalition of local unions have strongly opposed the proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons since day one. Our position has not changed because of the recent news from Kroger and Albertsons of their plans to sell some stores.

Important point right off the bat -- this sale is not happening now and it’s contingent on the overall merger being approved, a merger we are fighting. As a result, this sales deal only moves ahead if and when the federal regulators who are reviewing the overall merger approve it. We don’t think this sales deal will appease the Federal Trade Commission or the various State Attorneys General that have expressed concerns over the merger.

An additional 237 stores may also be sold to C&S as part of the deal, depending on the results of the regulatory review of the merger with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The stores would not change hands unless and until the FTC approves the overall Kroger/Albertsons merger.

UFCW 3000 Telephone Town Hall Planned for Monday

We are planning a live Telephone Town Hall for our grocery store members on Monday, September 11 at 5 PM to share updated information and to address your questions. When your phone rings Monday at 5, just answer it and you will join the call. If for some reason, you don’t receive a call, you can call in to join us by dialing 1-877-365-5237 and entering meeting ID number 7585.

As of now, according to Korger and Albertsons, about ¼ of the stores to be sold to C&S, if and when the merger is completed, are in Washington state. The exact stores have not been identified at this time. There are no further details on store divestments available at this time. We will continue to keep you updated as more information becomes available. We will use every available resource to enforce our contracts with Safeway and Kroger and protect our members.

#StopTheMerger Coalition

We remain opposed to the Kroger/Albertsons merger for the negative impact it will have on our members, customers and communities. That’s why we’ve partnered with more than 100 unions and organizations nationwide in the Stop The Merger Coalition to urge the Federal Trade Commission to oppose this deal. Visit NoGroceryMerger.com to learn more and take action today.

NoGroceryMerger.com

Send a Message to the FTC

The Federal Trade Commission has the power to block this merger. Take action now by sending a message to the FTC to let them know we stand united in opposition to the Kroger/Albertsons merger.

Send a Message

Coalition of UFCW Local Unions Raise Concern and Caution About Kroger/Albertsons Divestiture Deal with C&S Wholesale Grocers

UFCW Locals 5, 7, 324, 400, 770, 1564, 3000

Des Moines, WA – Today, a coalition of United Food & Commercial Workers local unions in fourteen states and the District of Columbia representing more than 100,000 Kroger and Albertsons workers released the following statement regarding the announcement of a divestiture deal to sell hundreds of Kroger and Albertsons stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers:

“We have raised alarms about the proposed Kroger/Albertsons merger from the very beginning— from threats of store closures, higher prices and reduced competition, the harm to unionized workers’ ability to negotiate strong contracts, as well as the negative ripple effects lower union density would have on workers throughout the grocery industry. News of a possible deal with C&S to buy hundreds of stores as part of the proposed merger in no way reduces those alarms. Indeed, in many respects this announcement raises the level of concern for our members.

“Workers and shoppers have been seriously harmed by large-scale sell-offs in the past, orchestrated as part of a potential merger. It was only in 2015 that private equity-owned Haggen acquired a large number of stores as part of a divestiture scheme to appease antitrust regulators in the Albertsons/Safeway merger. It took less than a year for that company to go bankrupt and for Albertsons to pick up the very same stores it had divested for a fraction of what Haggen paid less than a year before, thus undoing the remedy to resolve antitrust concerns. Moreover, thousands of workers lost their jobs and were forced to start over. Today’s announcement of a nearly identical divestiture scheme is a troubling sign that history could repeat itself.”

The above statement can be attributed to the following UFCW local presidents:

John Nunes, UFCW Local 5 President
Kim Cordova, UFCW Local 7 President
Andrea Zinder, UFCW Local 324 President
Mark Federici, UFCW Local 400 President
Kathy Finn, UFCW Local 770 President
Greg Frazier, UFCW Local 1564 President
Faye Guenther, UFCW Local 3000 President

Contact: Tom Geiger, UFCW 3000, 206-604-3421

PCC - Contract Action Team meetings

PCC - Contract Action Team meetings

Monday, September 25 @ 2pm—3pm
Lynnwood Library, 19200 44th Ave. Lynnwood, WA 98036

Wednesday, September 27 @ 5pm—6pm
The Seattle Public Library: University Branch, 5009 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105

Wednesday, September 27 @ 6pm—7pm
Kingsgate Library - Meeting Room, 12315 NE 143rd St, Kirkland, WA 98034

Wednesday, September 27 @ 2pm—3pm
The Seattle Public Library: Columbia City Branch, 4721 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118

Thursday, September 28 @ 4pm—5pm
Bellevue Library, 1111 110th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004

Tuesday, September 26 - Online Zoom Meeting @ 9am—10am
Contact a Bargaining Team member or your Union Rep for Zoom meeting details.

Join your coworkers to prepare for upcoming negotiations and how to win a fair contract! If you have any questions, call 1-800-732-1188 and ask to speak to your Union Rep.

Stopping the merger update

Since the day the proposed merger of Kroger and Albertsons was announced, our local unions and members have been taking action to protect our stores, our jobs, and our customers. Keeping you all informed during this process has been a priority. Thousands of you joined our Telephone Town Hall Update in May with members from the West Coast, the East Coast, and many states in between. Since May , members, community and allies across the country have been working hard as part of the “Stop the Merger Coalition" to convince the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that this merger is a bad deal for everyone.

Here's a brief snapshot of what we've been doing to oppose the devastating proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons:

• Getting the Word Out: spreading the word through social media, press releases, and community events. Members have been letting everyone know why this merger is a major problem, including a threat to jobs, competition, higher prices, and how it will hurt our local communities.

• Talking to Decision-Makers: advocating with policymakers in the federal government and state Attorneys General in California, Washington, Idaho, Colorado, Washington, DC, and many more to ensure they understand our concerns. UFCW Members are testifying, sharing stories, and making sure your voices are heard where it counts. The news coverage has been massive and important in getting our stories out to the public.

• Making Our Case: UFCW members are leading the fight to show federal and state policymakers that prioritizing the impact on grocery store workers is paramount to a thriving network of grocery stores in our local communities. Without workers’ lives being a primary consideration, the ones who benefit will be the Kroger and Albertsons executives. Albertsons owners already took nearly $4 billion out of the company and now are looking to cash in with a $146 million golden parachute.

• Taking It to the Streets: promoting rallies, petitions, and meetings. We're making sure our communities know what's at stake and getting them involved. We've joined forces with other groups like farmers, community allies, and consumer advocates who are also worried about this merger. The more people we have on our side, the stronger our message becomes.

Our fight isn't over. Your involvement is crucial to our success. For example, by adding your stories of harm from past mergers, we are forcing the FTC to take notice that the people who are hurt most by these mega-mergers are the workers and the communities they serve.

Take Action

The FTC has the power to block this merger. Take action now by sending a message to the FTC to let them know we stand united in opposition to the Kroger/Albertsons merger.
 
We'll keep you posted as the fight continues. In the meantime, talk to your Union Rep or Steward to learn how you can be more involved.

Town & Country LOU votes scheduled

We will be voting on two LOU’s regarding safety committees and a fish monger position. UFCW 3000 members in good standing are encouraged to attend a meeting, ask questions, and vote on the contract. Contact a Bargaining Team member or your Union Representative for any questions!

Thursday, September 14, 2023

9:00 AM–11:00 AM

1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Vote meeting held @ store location

#208 (Bellevue) 4989 Lakemont Blvd SE Bellevue, WA 98006

Reps: Rhonda Fisher-Ivie, Mohamed Bonah

#211 (Ballard) 1400 NW 56th St. Seattle, WA 98107

Reps: Bruce Le, Aaron Bailey

#212 (Shoreline) 15505 Westminster Way N Seattle, WA 98133

Reps: Chris Crawford, Joshua Johnson

#215 (Bainbridge) 343 E Winslow Way Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

Reps: Tae Abranam, Sharra Oakley

#216 (Poulsbo) 20148 - 10th Ave. NE Poulsbo, WA 98370

Reps: Cynthia Hill, Scott Pattison

#217 (MillCreek) 15605 Main Street Bothell, WA 98012

Reps: Adrian Noel, Dacia Burley

UFCW 3000 Member Story: Penelope DeMeerleer

Penolope DeMeerleer at the Edmonds’ PCC educating customers about the fight for a fair contract.

Penelope DeMeerleer works at the Ballard PCC and has jumped headfirst into stewardship. She traces her enthusiasm for organizing with her coworkers back to her time working as an advocate focused on empowering children born with disabilities. Penelope has worked as a grocery clerk in the front end of the store checking out customers for over a year now. As contract negotiations started this year she knew that PCC workers had a lot on the line for their future.

Better wages, staffing levels (or a premium for when staff is so low that everyone has to work harder), and transportation options are just some of the issues on the table for these essential food chain workers. While they have made progress on important working condition issues and better leave of absence language, they still have a long way to go.

Penelope knows that workers showing solidarity in PCC stores is the key to winning at the bargaining table and has been eager to talk to her coworkers about getting active. So she is making sure Ballard PCC union members have the latest bargaining updates and are participating in actions such as the leaflet action at PCC Edmonds (pictured above).