Grocery Store Contract Vote
/“It’s time to stand up and show the employers that if they don’t take their cuts off the table and agree to better wages, fully funded health care and a pension that we can depend on, we are ready to authorize a strike” - Our Grocery Store Bargaining Team
THE TIME HAS COME TO VOTE
We’ve been in negotiations for nearly 6 months. By November 1, the Bargaining Team will either have a proposal from the Employers that we will recommend for ratification, or the Bargaining Team will recommend to authorize a strike.
These votes are open to all active-member UFCW 21 Grocery Store Workers in King, Snohomish, Kitsap, Mason, and Thurston Counties at the big chains and independent stores.
Only contracts that have expired are eligible to take a strike authorization vote, independent stores whose Employers have signed interim agreements (“Me Too Agreements”) are not eligible to vote on a strike at this time. Active members are eligible to vote at whichever location is most convenient, at any time when polling is open.
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
Providence Update - Strike Authorization Vote
/UNITED ACTION – STRIKE AUTHORIZATION VOTE
**ALL VOTE TIMES EXTENDED TO 9PM**
Drop in anytime during the listed times. Members must be in good standing to vote.
Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center – Spokane
October 24, 2019
UFCW 21 Office: 2805 N Market St. Spokane, WA 99207
Meeting Times: 6AM-9AM; 11AM-4PM and 5PM-9PM
Providence Holy Family – Spokane
October 25, 2019
UFCW 21 Office: 2805 N Market St. Spokane, WA 99207
Meeting Times: 6AM-9AM; 11AM-4PM and 5PM-9PM
Providence St. Mary’s – Walla Walla
October 25, 2019
Holiday Inn: 1433 W Pine St., Walla Walla, WA 99362
Meeting Times:11AM-4PM and 5PM-9PM
Providence Centralia Hospital RN – Centralia
October 29, 2019
Peppermill Inn Meeting room:1233 Alder St. Centralia, WA 98531
Meeting Times: 6AM-9AM; 11AM-4PM and 5PM-9PM
Providence Regional Medical Center – Everett
October 29, 2019
Snohomish County Labor Council – Warren Rush Room:
2810 Lombard Ave Everett, WA 98201
Meeting Times: 6AM-9AM; 11AM-4PM and 5PM-9PM
Providence St. Peter’s Hospital – Olympia
October 30, 2019
Doubletree – Olympia room:
415 Capital Way N Olympia, WA 98501
Meeting Times: 6AM-9AM; 11AM-4PM and 5PM-9PM
Grocery Store Bargain: Closer Than Ever to a Real Pension Solution
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When the teachers union (WEA) meeting nearby heard we were at a contract negotiation, they stopped by to make it clear they stand with grocery store workers.
Grocery Store Bargain: Closer Than Ever to a Real Pension Solution
CLOSER TO AN ANSWER ON PENSION
After three long days of negotiations and conversations about our pension, Albertsons/Safeway negotiators have indicated they are open to negotiating a long term solution that is in line with the Kroger tentative agreement already reached. The union bargaining team is fully committed to fighting for a long-term fix so we can truly move forward with a secure pension.
A pension solution takes time. However, retirement security is worth the fight. We believe that everyone has a right to a secure retirement, and that the investments we make in safeguarding our pension now are vital to our rights as working people and our future bargains. The team has spent many hours with some of the foremost union pension experts in the country to make sure we’re protecting our investments, and it’s time for these employers to act. See the Pension Primer for more details on the plan.
NEXT BARGAINING DATES: October 17 & 18 and October 24 & 25
HOW TO STAY INVOLVED
Every time we step into the room with these employers, we bring the strength of 30,000 grocery store workers with us. There are lots of ways to support this bargain and get the best contract possible. Have an idea or a question? Ask your Union Steward or Union Rep. Right now, you can:
Attend Contract Action Team meetings – next meetings will be October 20-23
Wear your union button – and keep extras on hand for coworkers
Involve your community – ask your family and friends to join thousands of supporters who have signed our petition and pledge of support for grocery store workers
Share your experience working in grocery stores with our online sharing form, so we can continue to bring the voices of members right to the bargaining table. Why is the pension important to you? What should employers know about the value and knowledge you bring to the company every day? What’s it like living on the wages you make now, and what would a real raise mean to you? Take five minutes to add your voice to our bargaining power.
THIS COMMUNITY HAS OUR BACK
Our allies across the region continue to step up and support us at every turn. Just one example: When community allies heard that Renton Fred Meyer workers had faced intimidation for participating in union activities supporting the bargain, they demanded an opportunity to visit the store this week and let management know directly that this community has our back—during this bargain and always.
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 Gonzales, Deputy Trustee, UFCW 367
Jim McGuinness, Attorney, UFCW 21, Teamsters 38 and UFCW 367
Update on Grocery Store Contract Negotiations Here and Around the Nation
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Update on Grocery Store Contract Negotiations Here and Around the Nation
Recent negotiations have focused on finding a pension solution with Albertsons/Safeway, similar to the Tentative Agreement we reached with Kroger. If we can reach an agreement with Albertsons/Safeway to solve our pension problems, we can move our pension from the “red zone” to the “green zone,” and it will have a lasting effect on bargains to come.
See the Pension Primer for more detailed background on why solving our pension problems are so important to this and future negotiations.
Beyond our pension, there are critical issues still on the table, including:
Raising wages.
Protecting and fully funding our health plan.
Blocking employer takeaways - the employers have proposed eliminating our across-the-board guarantee of raises, eliminating our wage escalators, and the guarantee of 10 cents above minimum wage.
The employers’ current proposals on wages and holiday pay are unacceptable to our bargaining team, and our membership. We are not interested in any of the employers’ cuts. We’ve been sharing with the employers real stories from members about what it’s like to work in grocery stores these days and the challenges we’re facing—members who are working multiple jobs and still struggling to get by, members worried about keeping a roof over their heads as the cost of housing in our region skyrockets.
We’re the ones who make these companies successful, and we need real wage increases, high quality and affordable health care, and a secure pension we can count on at the end of our working lives.
Actions Continue:
Members have been taking action together for months now, including wearing buttons and stickers at work, leafleting our stores, holding informational pickets, and most recently taking our message directly the public by holding banners on highway overpasses across Pierce, King, and Snohomish Counties.
This week, members will be handing out leaflets in front of stores across Puget Sound to update our customers and our community about the bargain. We know our communities have our back, and if we want to see movement at the bargaining table, we need to keep everyone involved and keep up the pressure. Check with your Steward or Union Rep to get involved in an action at or near your store.
Other UFCW Agreements Across the Country
UFCW members across the country have been UNITED for fair contracts over the past year. We supported our fellow members in New England during their strike, and stood with members in Colorado, Southern California, and Oregon and Southwest Washington during their many months of tough negotiations. Local 555 (Oregon and SW Washington) just reached a Tentative Agreement on Saturday 9/28, and details will soon be available.
These locals won wage increases in the range of 45-60 cents per hour at the top of the scale for each year of the contract and also won additional improvements to their contracts on top of wage increases.
Next round of Negotiations
We have negotiations October 1 through most of the week and will send an update after this round.
Most importantly, your involvement during these negotiations is critical to our success—your support is our power at the table. Button up, come out to an action, and stay in touch with your Steward and Union Rep.
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
Mia Contreras, Executive Vice President, UFCW 21
Tammi Brady, Recording Secretary, Teamsters 38
Samantha Kantak, Executive Assistant, Teamsters 38
Kate Meckler, Trustee, UFCW 367
Jim McGuinness, Attorney, UFCW 21, Teamsters 38 and UFCW 367
Providence Updates: Centralia RN, Holy Family Service, PSHMC Service
/Talk to your Bargaining Team Members, attend an upcoming Contract Action Team meeting and sign our Unity Petition. This is a clear message that we are stronger together and are saying “NO” to their new “Total Rewards” program.
Read MoreGrocery Store Bargain: Sound Trust Pension, When you’re in a hole, stop digging.
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While a pension is a good thing for workers, our pension, like many other pensions in our country needs significant changes if it is to continue to provide financial security for us into the future. ..
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