REI - Bargaining Continues

On December 12 at 9:30 AM, your bargaining team met again to continue negotiations with REI. Bargaining across the country with REI has shown that our fight ahead requires strong solidarity and action to win our first contract.

We discussed the implementation of the restructuring plan and will continue to request information to keep members informed. REI stated that the implementation should be complete by January 28. Your store manager should begin having conversations with members this week to talk through their classification. If you have any questions or issues about your classification, work with your union rep, Dominick Ojeda, on next steps.

Our next bargaining dates are set for the last few weeks of January 2024, with potentially two in-person days. We hope to make progress at these meetings, and at our next bargaining prep meeting, your bargaining team will be planning our plan of action to win a fair first contract!

Ultimately, it is your process, and it will be successful to the extent that you, as a team, own this process.

Forward together, not one step back!

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Join our next ZOOM bargaining prep meeting at 9:30 AM on January 11, 2024.

January 11 • 9:30 AM

Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep for call-in details. Details will be also emailed out.

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Are you interested in joining bargaining with REI Corporate? A few things to know:

• RSVP with your union rep, Dominick Ojeda.

• Members not on the bargaining team are attending as observers; no comments are allowed during sessions with the Employer unless discussed beforehand.

• Be open-minded; consider each other’s viewpoints; and attack the issue, not the person.

• Once a position is adopted or decided, we all support that approach.

Kraken (Retail) - Bargaining Continues

Kraken (Retail)
Bargaining Continues

After months of negotiations, UFCW 3000 members at BDA made our voices heard when we voted down the Employer’s latest contract offer.

As a result of the vote, the parties are moving our contract dispute into binding arbitration scheduled for March 6 and 7. This process provides both the Union and the Employer the chance to present arguments supporting their respective last proposals to an arbitrator, who will then make a binding decision on the terms of our final agreement, which would immediately take effect.

During the arbitration process our union will be advocating for a contract that:

• Increases wages for all workers

• Addresses overall benefits including bonus pay structure

• Protects scheduling and hours for workers that want more

Our union looks forward to resolving negotiations through arbitration and coming to a settlement that advances our working conditions and wages. In the meantime, if you have any questions or face any discipline at work, please call Union Rep Dominick Ojeda @ 206-436-6586.

UFCW 3000 Member Stories: Brian Peters

Brian Peters leads a chant on the Macy’s Picket Line

For 3 days, starting on Black Friday this year, Macy’s workers went on strike over their employer’s unfair labor practices of retaliation and bargaining in bad faith. Macy’s stores at Southcenter, Alderwood, and Bellingham malls picketed outside their store asking for their customers’ support.

If you came to the Alderwood strike line you definitely would have seen and heard Brian leading chants for hours each day of the strike. He started leading chants on Black Friday and everyone loved his steady energy that kept the picket line moving! Once he tried out the mic, Brian was hooked. A 15-year employee in men’s suits, Brian always came to Macy’s picket line looking snazzy and ready to chant for Macy’s to negotiate in good faith. We are so glad you used your voice, Brian!

The Macy’s bargaining team resumes bargaining today, Monday, December 18th with a federal mediator present during the sessions. Stay tuned for updates!

PRMCE RN Contract rejected.

Today, December 15, nurses have spoken and have rejected the tentative agreement by a 51% (463 out of 893 cast ballots) and have rejected strike authorization by a 47% (425 out of 893 cast ballots) meaning that we have not reached the necessary two-thirds threshold to authorize a strike.

We will be continuing our quest for improved staffing levels crucial to delivering the quality care our patients and community deserve. Since the beginning, our unwavering dedication to refining staffing language, amplifying our voices within the Hospital Staffing Committee, and aligning with staffing law guidelines has been steadfast.

Nurses have democratically voiced their opinion that the tentative agreement will not do enough to resolve our staffing challenges, but it is a step in the right direction. Our skepticism toward Providence’s resolve to address staffing issues is loud and clear.  

Every individual's commitment is crucial; we urge all to push forward in advocating for better working conditions and superior patient care.

Your invaluable insights are needed now more than ever. We seek your guidance on where to focus our attention for our next bargaining session. Your voices remain integral in charting our path forward in this ongoing journey toward improved working conditions and unwavering dedication to superior patient care.

What to expect for next steps: 

• UFCW will inform Providence that the contract was rejected and request bargaining dates to return to the bargaining table.

• A Union Survey will be sent out to all nurses to hear feedback on what you would like to see specifically improved in the contract offer.

• The Bargaining Team will meet to review the surveys and strategize on how best to address those issues

Providence St. Peter Hospital RN - Case Manager Rns Bargaining Update!

Our bargaining team met with management on Tuesday, December 12. While we have not come to a tentative agreement, we have made it clear, and management has grasped, that we have no interest in a wage scale that is different (and economically worse) than the existing RN scale. At this point, management has not agreed to any retroactive pay, and we still have not reached a consensus on where our years of experience would place us on the wage scale.

We appreciate the supermajority of our coworkers signing strike pledge cards! We will be holding another Contract Action Team meeting to discuss next steps and get your input. This will be held at the Olympia Center, located at 222 Columbia St. NW, Olympia, WA, 98501, on January 4 at 5:00 PM in Room 101.

Please reach out to us or Union Representative Brandan Zielinski (206 436 6603) with any questions.

Bargaining Team, left to right: Alison Studeman, Case Manager RN; Melissa Macchiarella, Case Manager RN; Mary Briles, Case Manager RN.

Macy’s Strike Authorization Vote Notice

In anticipation of our first bargaining session with Macy’s since our ULP strike, we must show Macy’s our readiness to take decisive action again if we fail to reach an agreement. Our Bargaining Team has scheduled another vote on Wednesday, December 20, just two days following our next bargaining date.

Similar to our last vote, two ballots will be given to voters:

CONTRACT VOTE: Vote on the latest offer made by Macy’s during our December 18, 2023 bargaining session bargaining session;
and

STRIKE AUTHORIZATION VOTE: If the offer made by Macy’s is not recommended by our Bargaining Team, we will be voting to authorize another strike.

After workers stood up, and the media carried our message across the country, we are hopeful that Macy’s will come to the bargaining table in good faith prepared to make progress on an agreement that addresses some of our core concerns around wages, safety, holidays and more. If not, we will vote to authorize another strike!

Strike Authorization Vote: Wednesday, December 20 at 8AM—11AM and 3PM—6PM

SOUTHCENTER: DOUBLETREE SUITES BY HILTON HOTEL 16500 SOUTHCENTER PKWY, SEATTLE, WA 98188

ALDERWOOD: LYNNWOOD EVENT CENTER 3711 196TH ST SW, LYNNWOOD, WA 98036

BELLINGHAM: FOX HALL EVENT CENTER NEW LOCATION 1661 W. BAKERVIEW RD. BELLINGHAM, WA 98225 New Location!

RSVP to the vote today!>>

WhidbeyHealth Professional and Technical Contract Ratified!

On Wednesday, December 13, the WhidbeyHealth collective bargaining agreement for professional and technical workers was ratified, with 98% of those voting “Yes” to approve the tentative agreement!

Our Bargaining Team wishes to congratulate everyone on their contract and thank them for their patience throughout 2023 as we negotiated this agreement.

Ratification bonuses of $1,200 pro-rated by FTE (for instance, a .5 FTE will receive $600) will be on our pay checks this December 22, less standard deductions.

“We are happy to have been able to help facilitate settling this contract. Getting paid for our ‘real’ experience is huge! We’re always looking for co-workers to get involved in this process to help continue to support one another.”- Jennifer MacNeill, Medical Technical Lead

Bargaining Team: Jennifer MacNeill, Medical Technical Lead; Rosalie Nguyen, Pharmacy.

PCC Update - Take Action! Info Pickets on Tuesday!

In our last session, your union bargaining team put forward a proposal. It included, among other improvements, the following demands.

• To maintain the best of our healthcare plan!

• To give us industry leading wages and a shortened path to Journey!

• To develop lasting worker representation in the governance of PCC as well as a path to a worker ownership that would give us a share of future PCC success!

Unfortunately, despite our efforts to come up with creative ways to achieve a good contract, PCC was unwilling to offer a response to our proposal. As a result, we have requested to go to mediation for our next bargaining sessions. PCC has agreed to this option.

With months of bargaining behind us, where PCC has been unwilling to offer wages that even match what others in the industry achieved years ago, it is time that we show PCC how serious we are about securing a great contract!

To demonstrate strength of our solidarity, we want every available worker to join us on December 19 from 1:00pm – 3:00pm at the various locations where we are holding Informational Pickets:

• Columbia City 3610 S Edmunds St, Seattle, WA 98118

• Issaquah 1810 12th Ave NW, Issaquah, WA 98027

• Green Lake Village 450 NE 71st St, Seattle, WA 98115

• Edmonds 9803 Edmonds Way, Edmonds, WA 98020

• Redmond 11435 Avondale Rd NE Suite 101, Redmond, WA 98052

• Central District 2230 E Union St, Seattle, WA 98122

Lourdes Medical Center RN Tentative Agreement reached for contract extension and wage increases for all Nurses

In an attempt to address the immediate retention and recruitment issues at Lourdes Medical Center, our Bargaining Team and Administration met to discuss the possibility of extending the current contract with increases to compensation and some other changes.

After two long days of conversations, we were able to reach a tentative agreement that will close the gap in compensation with our geographic competitor. We believe the increases will help our hospital with retention and recruitment.

Our Bargaining Team worked hard and made sure that there were substantial economic increases, increases to PTO accrual, an addition step to the top of the scale, and premiums were increased in many areas including Charge Nurse, On-Call, Night shift differential, Preceptor, and a new SANE premium.

“Competitive wages are an absolute must to recruit and retain nurses. We believe this proposal achieves that goal and makes me very happy.” — Jennifer Powell RN

“It is great to be part of a Union that always has the members’ best interest in mind and supports our efforts in achieving those interest.” — Holly Kelly RN

“I feel accomplished and fulfilled in being part of a successful negotiation in this expedited process. It is a validation of our hard work, dedication, and the value we brought to the table as a team.” — Jessica Leon RN

Please join our Bargaining Team in voting YES!

December 27, 2023 any time between 6:30am to 8:00am and 11:00am to 2:00pm in the Carondolet Room next to the cafeteria.

A complete document of the contract and the new wage scale will be available at the vote along with our Bargaining Team to answer any questions and address any concerns you may have.

You must be a member in good standing to be eligible to vote. Please reach out to Union Representative Juanita Quezada with any questions at 509-340-7407.

LabCorp - Ho! Ho! Ho! LabCorp is Still On The Naughty List!

Our Bargaining Team: Nancy Pyanowski, Kyle Chrisman, Sam McVay, Lisa Magee, Matt Noll, Shelby Tyner, Deborah Gibby  

“We’re finding common ground on non-economic proposals, but LabCorp continues to offer wages and benefits that just aren’t competitive. We all need to get ready to take action and fight for the contract we deserve in the new year.” 
— Lisa Magee, Hematology

On Monday, we met with LabCorp to negotiate our union contract. We’re making progress on some of our non-economic proposals, including improvements to our union stewards and new hire orientation language. Management responded to our economic proposal (updated for the Seattle 2024 minimum wage) from last session. They walked back their proposed decreases to the percentages between steps and increased their base pay offer for some positions by 5¢ to 25¢. We’re frustrated by this small, slow movement, but we took an opportunity to try to come closer to agreement by sharing and compiling our market research. 

It’s no secret that LabCorp is struggling to hire and keep talented lab workers. We’re understaffed, overworked, and undervalued. Management acknowledges these issues, but we’re half a year into negotiations and they’re still not offering real solutions. We need LabCorp to put its money where its mouth is and come to the table with fair and competitive wages and benefits at our next session on Dec 18.

WHEN WE FIGHT, WE WIN

We’re going to give LabCorp the holiday present it deserves – our petition demanding fair pay! Hundreds of our union members have already signed their names but we need your help to get to 75% by next Monday, December 18. 

>> Sign the Petition!

Already Signed?
Find a coworker who hasn’t yet and talk to them about how important it is to stand together! Every single person makes a difference.

CAT MEETING – UPDATES & PLANNING JANUARY ACTIONS

Please join us this Sunday at 6:30 PM for a virtual meeting to learn more about what’s happening at the bargaining table. We’ll review the employer’s latest offer then discuss how we will engage our communities and coworkers to win a strong contract. All questions are welcomed and encouraged!

Sunday, December 17, 2023 
6:30 PM – 7:30PM

Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep for call-in details. Details will be also emailed out.

Your voices are wanted! 

Call Christie at (206) 436-6606 (landline) to discuss the different ways you can share your story. Use your strength to inspire and empower your coworkers!

>> For the latest bargaining updates, a copy of your contract, our Facebook and Slack, and more.

Isoray - How did negotiations go? What does a potential sale of the company mean? What are the impacts of a decertification petition?

A lot has happened over the past week. We met with the employer on December 7 and 8 to continue our fight for a first contract, which includes higher wages, more affordable healthcare, clear and fair treatment, seniority rights, a voice on the job, and more. On December 8, we were notified of a decertification petition filed in an attempt to eliminate our union, which we have worked hard to form. Then, the following Monday, December 11, we were informed of a potential sale of Isoray to GT Medical, which would be the second sale of Isoray within a year.

Our union bargaining committee is committed to continuing to fight for a contract that betters our lives and sets a minimum on what the employer must provide us. Even if a new company purchases Isoray, we want to make sure we have a voice on the job and in the process while the company changes ownership. Workers deserve to have a say in their future and a say over their working conditions and compensation, and that is exactly what a union helps to do.

On December 7 and 8, our Union Bargaining Committee came prepared to work together to find solutions to the concerns the company previously brought up regarding healthcare eligibility waiting periods in the union healthcare plan. Unfortunately, when we presented our proposal that addressed the waiting periods, Isoray rejected it, claiming that the company was not profitable and didn’t want to take on the additional expense.

We also presented a counterproposal on wages that included 10% increases between steps in certain job classifications, and set wages for years 2 and 3, with the potential for higher increases based on performance.

Now more than ever, it’s important to stand together through this process to ensure we keep our voice at the table.

Join our upcoming Zoom meeting on Monday, December 18, where we will discuss our most recent bargaining proposals, what happens if the company is sold, and the impacts of a decertification petition. Feel free to drop in any time between 5:30-7:30 pm.

Contact your Bargaining Committee or Union Rep for call-in details. Details will be also emailed out.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your Bargaining Committee members or your Union Representative, Juanita Quezada, at 360-409-0557. Thank you for your continued support during this crucial time. Together, we will continue to fight for better wages, quality and affordable healthcare benefits, and improved working conditions.

Bargaining Committee: Ethan Black, Fernando Gonzalez Perez

Update on Proposed Kroger/Albertsons merger

To all of our members and #StopTheMerger coalition partners and allies:

We wanted to share a brief update with you on where things stand with the proposed Kroger/Albertsons merger and our collective efforts to stop this harmful deal.
 
First off, we want to clarify where things stand right now. Despiterecent news reports to the contrary,the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) does not need to make a decision this week.
 
The bottom line is this: based on the information we have now, we expect the FTC to make a decision on the proposed merger early in the new year. This is consistent both with our understanding of the process and with public statements made by FTC chair Lina Khan.
 
Once the FTC has completed its investigation of the merger deal, there are three possible outcomes:

1. The FTC can seek to stop the transaction by filing a preliminary injunction in federal court and the case will go to administrative trial. We believe our campaign has in part made this the most likely outcome and the trial will take many months to conclude.
   or

2. The FTC can enter into a negotiated consent agreement with the companies and allow the deal to go forward under certain conditions, e.g.divestitures. This is how past mergers of this kind have been treated under previous administrations, but we believe it is unlikely in this case under the Biden administration.
   or

3. The FTC closes its investigation and allows the deal to move forward unchallenged. We believe this is the least likely scenario.

Secondly, we’d like to draw your attention to some recent activities and developments:

• A new report was issued by economist MarshallSteinbaum from the University of Utah demonstrating how the deal could dampen labor power and thus lead to devastating outcomes for workers. You can download the report and view our press release highlighting it, which was picked up in a few media stories.

• This week, our union siblings at the Teamsters International union have come out against the companies’ plans to divest hundreds of stores to C&S. You can read their press release here.

• Last month, our friends at American Economic Liberties Project hosted a great virtual event on the “disaster in the making” that is this merger, featuring workers, independent grocers, farmers, and consumers that the proposed merger would directly impact. Check out the video on YouTube.

• Today, UFCW members in Southern California will meet with California Attorney General Rob Bonta and shared their stories about previous mergers in the grocery industry and their concerns with the proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons.

Lastly, we’d like tothank all of you for being a part of this effort to protect workers and our communities from the devastating impacts of this proposed mega-merger.As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or suggestions.
 
In solidarity,
#StopTheMergerCoalition
www.nogrocerymerger.com

Olympic Medical Center Support Services Tentative Agreement Reached! CONTRACT VOTE Scheduled

An earlier version of this vote notice read that the Port Angeles vote on Friday, December 22 ran from "11:00PM to 5:00PM". The correct time is 11:00AM to 5:00PM. Thank you for your patience!

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Tentative Agreement Reached! CONTRACT VOTE Scheduled

After several months of bargaining, we have reached a tentative agreement. Highlights of the Tentative Agreement Include: 18% Wage Increases over 3 years, Bonuses, Differential and Premium Increases. Only members in good standing are eligible to vote.

Contract Vote Details:

Sequim: Thursday December 21 3:00pm to 5:30pm

Medical Services Building (MSB): Conference Room 840 N 5th Avenue Sequim WA 98382

Port Angeles: Friday December 22 8:00am-10:00am

PFS Building: 519 S. Peabody St. Basement Breakroom Port Angeles, WA 98362

Port Angeles: Friday December 22 11:00Am to 5:00pm

Olympic Medical Center: Fairshter Meeting Room 939 Caroline Street Port Angeles WA 988362

For additional information contact a Bargaining Team Member or our Union Representative Aimee Oien 360-662-1981

Cascade Valley Security Officers and MSWs - Successful First Day—More Dates Scheduled

BARGAINING TEAM: Carl Ramirez (Security Officer), Lisa Warriax (MSW)

“We received a wage proposal which gives us hope that Cascade Valley wants to engage in productive talks with us. We will keep going forward from here!”

Early this year we won our union election for Security Officers and MSWs. Our bargaining team met in the Fall and drafted proposals which would achieve parity with Skagit Regional, increase retention, and bolster recruitment efforts.

On December 12 we had our first bargaining session with the Cascade Valley’s management and had a successful day. Our proposal is for the existing Cascade Valley collective bargaining agreement to extend to security officers and MSWs. In addition, we proposed wage scales and other compensation for both classifications. Throughout an intense day of negotiations, we’ve already made headway, particularly in refining seniority language for both groups and establishing wage guidelines for Security Officers. Recognizing the significance of seniority in scenarios like job applicant tiebreakers, layoffs, and scheduling, we succeeded in establishing that our original date of hire with Cascade Valley would serve as our seniority date.

In our pursuit of equitable treatment, we firmly pushed back against the Employer’s proposals and stand united in advocating for wage parity. The battle for parity will continue in our upcoming sessions scheduled for January 4 and 18.

Congratulations 2023 Essential Workers Organizing Academy Graduates!

In April 2023, we began our first Essential Workers Organizing Academy (EWOA) cohort, hiring eight full-time and one-half time “apprentice organizers.” Candidates were drawn from UFCW 3000 members in healthcare and grocery, as well as from external organizing campaigns and a general applicant pool.​

The program was broken up into three distinct phases: training, internal organizing, and external organizing/preparing for strikes. ​Training included exercises and readings about how to conduct organizing conversations and campaigns, learning about the history of unionization and organizing workers, presentations from guest speakers, and visits to both union and non-union worksites. Apprentice organizers supported on campaigns that included Macy’s, Bartell Drugs, Fred Meyer(s), PCC, Providence-Everett, as well as political and community projects. ​

Congratulations to the EWOA class of 2023!

Post-EWOA, our goal is to help every apprentice organizer who wants to continue in the labor movement to find a job either with this union or another movement organization. 

EvergreenHealth - Bargaining Continues

Bargaining has continued to be challenging but we have been making progress with the help of a federal mediator for the past two months. Management has started to understand that our coworkers are leaving and going to higher paying jobs. We have focused on economics that will make retention of current employees and recruitment of new employees a priority. Work/life balance has been another focus for us as we have proposed language on staffing, low census, rest between shifts and on-call. Patient safety has been at the forefront of all of our proposals.

Communication between managers and techs is essential for Evergreen to be a good place to work.

We worked late into the night Friday, December 8, and made some progress on economics. Our next mediation session is Friday, December 15.

For more information, talk to a bargaining team member or to Union Representative Jack Crow at 206-436-6614.

UFCW 3000 Member Story: Kyle Chrisman

Kyle Chrisman

Kyle Chrisman has been working at LabCorp for almost 18 years on Capitol Hill as a phlebotomist. Kyle is dedicated to his patients and coworkers, which is why he fights so hard to build collective power on the job. Kyle is currently serving on the LabCorp union bargaining committee. Phlebotomist union members at LabCorp have often had their concerns ignored by their employer and Kyle is ensuring that LabCorp hears them loud and clear during negotiations.

LabCorp is having trouble staffing and retaining workers and union members know why, LabCorp needs to provide competitive wages and benefits. The City of Seattle recently announced that the minimum wage within city limits would be going up 6.85%, which helps workers keep pace with the increased costs of living and working in the city. Instead of proposing a wage scale based on the percentage, LabCorp simply bumped all positions that were under the new minimum wage rate of $19.97. This compresses the scale so that several of the steps are at the same rate. LabCorp then maintained their offer of below-market raises, decreased percentages between steps above minimum wage, and higher health care costs.

Kyle and his fellow bargaining committee members know that is simply not realistic when it comes to making ends meet and safely caring for patients. That is why the bargaining committee updated their proposal to reflect the effects of the new minimum wage throughout their wage instead of just meeting it like LabCorp.

Stay tuned as Kyle and his fellow union members fight for a better contract and better patient care, they have already held one info picket are prepared to take further action to ensure a fair contract!

Mason Health RN - Bargaining Continues

Bargaining Team (Left to Right): Tori Willis, Megan Corbin, Nancy Ownby

We have been negotiating since the beginning of October and have made many proposals for competitive and equitable wages, premiums and benefits along with addressing fair distribution of work. Management has been receptive, but slow in responding. On December 4, 2023, we received an economic response. We are reviewing Management’s proposal package and will respond with a counter-proposal at our next session on December 13.

Nurses need to be valued for our essential work. Retention and recruitment should motivate Management to provide competitive wages and benefits. This is critical to ensuring the best care at Mason Health for our community.

We want this contract to reflect Mason Health’s Mission:

“United Community, Empowered People, Exceptional Health.”

For additional information, talk to a bargaining team member or to Union Representative Naomi Oligario (360) 662-1989.

Mfused - Finally Making Progress

Mfused
Finally Making Progress

We met with Mfused Management and a mediator to continue bargaining our first contract on November 3 and November 17. After months of slow and volatile negotiations, we feel like we’re finding more productive ways to communicate at the table and at work.

We have tentatively agreed to have:

• A union-only bulletin board at work

• Labor/Management and Safety Committees

• Excused attendance due to unsafe commuting conditions

• A 72-hour notice of required overtime

• Eight paid holidays a year (including MLK Jr. day & Juneteenth)

• One week Management deadline to respond to vacation requests (otherwise automatic approval)

• Membership administration language

• Plus other provisions

In one of our previous sessions, we proposed switching from the current Employer-provided healthcare provider to a Union Trust Plan. Mfused declined to change healthcare providers, but proposed improvements to their current plan including decreasing the monthly out-of-pocket cost to employees and offering an alternative plan at a different price.

We are holding strong for living wages and pay equity, and continuing to negotiate for the benefits, raises, paid time off, and just cause that we deserve.

Mfused has signaled they would like to reach a full tentative agreement (TA) by the end of the year. We are not against this; in fact, we welcome expediency but not at the cost of unnecessary compromise. We expect the Employer to make their best offers at our next bargaining session on Friday, December 15.

QUESTIONS? Reach out to your Steward Robbie Elkins or Union Rep Chris Arellano @ 360-409-0241.

PRESS RELEASE: UFCW Locals 5, 7, 324, 400, 770 and 3000

Economist Report Goes Deep into Economic Analysis of Proposed Mega Grocery Store Merger and the Harms to Working Communities

A new report issued by economist Marshall Steinbaum from the University of Utah delves into the proposed mega-merger of Kroger and Albertsons in ways that have not been fully looked at over the past year. This is important information for any people involved in researching, reporting upon, or assessing the potential impacts that such a mega-merger could have.

• Marshall Steinbaum’s new research paper, utilizing a large database of posted job offers, demonstrates that the Kroger-Albertsons merger would reduce individual worker’s bargaining power as well as their union’s power.

• The paper shows that increased employer concentration has negative effects on both earnings and work hours.

• Importantly, the paper shows that union workers receive higher pay when there are two bargaining counterparties in a given labor market as opposed to when there’s only one.

The Presidents from UFCW Locals 5, 7, 324, 400, 770, and 3000 who have been leaders in the efforts to oppose the proposed merger since it was announced over a year ago provided support for the report:

“Our ability to raise wages and standards in general depends on our ability to pit these companies against one another at the bargaining table—threaten to strike one while directing customers to the other,” the presidents called out. “If these two companies were to become just one company, that power would go away and that harms workers as well as customers.”

The full report, entitled: Evaluating the Competitive Effect of the Proposed Kroger-Albertsons Merger in Labor Markets, can be found here:  https://marshallsteinbaum.org/assets/kroger_albertsons_labor.pdf

Workers across the country have experienced the impacts described in the report:

“In our most recent contract negotiations we were able to leverage one company’s fear of losing market share to their competitor and we used that to get improvements in our contract that they wouldn’t have agreed to otherwise. That helped us get historic raises that would never happen if there were just one company,” says Rachel Fournier, a Los Angeles, CA Ralphs employee.  

“I feel this merger would only bring a negative impact on the workers. Staffing, safety, and our seat at the bargaining table would all come under threat while the corporations reap the benefits from our hardship,” echoed Rena Zagala-Fondren, a Safeway worker from Los Gatos, CA.

A Seattle area worker had an additional response. “For years we have been facing reduced staffing levels in our stores – during and after COVID. Our experience is that this would only get worse if the mega merger were allowed. We need to increase staffing, improve our schedules, and increase our leverage as unionized grocery store workers, not go the other way,” said Sam Dancy, a Front-End Manager at Kroger-owned QFC store in West Seattle, WA.

Jill Young, a just-retired grocery store worker from Grand Junction, CO stated, “I started in ’86, was on strike in ’93 and ’96. Over the years I have been injured more than a couple times and had to take off six months or more to get better. The company tried to cut the leave time to one month. Having a union that was organized, and willing and able to strike was part of what kept that benefit in place. There are young workers just starting out who deserve a future with a union workplace and the leverage I have had. This proposed merger threatens that future.”

Judy Wood, a cake decorator for Albertsons in Orange, CA raised several of her concerns, “The power we have when we bargain collectively leads to improvements in stores for both workers and customers. Workers have higher wages and stores are safer now because we have the power to fix hazards that we won through our last contract bargaining session. If this merger goes through, we will lose some of that power, putting the public in a worse position.”

Benjamin Blum, a night crew employee at Thousand Oaks, CA Ralphs added his thoughts: “Our unionized workplaces have competitive wages and benefits because workers have fought for and won them. If the proposed megamerger were approved, workers will lose leverage and be more vulnerable to a single massive employer that would bully and retaliate against workers.”

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