EB Management Company - First Hill Trust Tentative Agreement Reached!

EB Management Company - First Hill Trust
Tentative agreement reached!

On Friday, January 12, our Bargaining Team reached a tentative agreement with First Hill Trust on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The new three-year contract (once ratified by a vote of our three UFCW 3000 members) will maintain the high-quality healthcare and retirement benefits we have won in previous contract cycles. It will also provide 2% raises to two of our members retroactive to January 1 of this year.

ONLINE VOTE

Given that this is a very small bargaining unit, we will hold the contract ratification vote online.

Thursday, February 1 @ 9am—4pm

Please inform Bargaining Team member Thao Palmer or leave Union Negotiator Daniel Cobb a message at 206-436-6577 if you believe UFCW 3000 needs an updated personal email address for you to receive the link to access the online vote.

Macy's Strike Update: Workers Continue ULP Strike as Boycott Gains Strength

Macy’s workers, community partners and customers have been joining our picket lines. We plan to maintain our strike and expand our boycott until we win a fair contract. We continue to prepare the Bellingham and Southcenter Mall stores to join the strike, so sign up for your strike shift and keep warm clothes and waterproof shoes in your car.

The Mediator for FMCS has circulated potential bargaining dates for Macy’s and our union to get back to the bargaining table. No date is set at this moment. We remain willing to bargain with Macy’s at any time.

As a reminder, Macy’s most recent “Last Best and Final” offer just isn’t enough: 

• The elimination of our personal day in honor of MLK day, reducing our amount of paid time off and disrespecting an important holiday. (Which they left off their last update, and store managers indicated that MLK was not being taken away. This dishonesty about their own proposal is likely a violation of labor law.)

• Eliminating our hard-won wage scale—and without any guarantee that experienced workers will maintain wages above the applicable minimum wage.

• A rejection of our proposed safety language that would protect workers from discipline if we call mall security or the police in response to a violent situation.

• Just $0.50 per year in General Wage Increases (GWI) to current workers, with lower ratification bonuses than previously offered of $300 for part-time workers and $600 for full-time workers.

• Check out management’s Last Best and Final offer here >>

Macy’s can afford to do better. This offer was made by a company that has recorded more than a billion-dollar annual profit margin, a company made profitable off the work of the people now walking the strike line.

Our rank-and-file worker-led Executive Board approved more comprehensive strike benefits of:

• $500/week for striking members who work 20 hours on the strike line.

• $800/week for striking members who work 32+ hours on the strike line.

• $200/week Respect the Line Benefit for striking members who cannot join their coworkers on the strike line but respect the strike line and do not cross (for a maximum of 4 weeks). 

To receive your strike benefit, sign in and out of your shift on the strike line, or if you are respecting the line, email Strike@UFCW3000.org to notify our union that you will be respecting the line but not walking the line. All members receiving any type of Strike Benefit must have a completed W-9 on file.

• If you haven’t already done so, please sign a W9 here >>

• Check out the Strike FAQ for some basic information >>

• Please share the pledge to boycott with your friends and family >>

See you on the strike line soon, stay warm!

PRMCE RN Negotiations are ongoing!

EvergreenHealth - CONTRACT RATIFIED!

The Union contract for EvergreenHealth has been ratified by both Union Members and the Board of Commissioners.

Highlights of the agreement include:

• 6.75% Wage Increase, 2024
• 5.75% Wage Increase, 2025
• 3%-10% additional Market Adjustments for many positions
• New Position: Advanced Procedures Mammography Tech
• $625-$1250 Ratification Bonus, effective the payroll period beginning February 4, 2024
• Shift Differential: Evening $2.75 per hour, Night $4.50 per hour
• Standby Pay: $4.25 per hour, $6.00 per hour for all hours after 50 hours of standby per pay period
• Paid Education Leave: New language allows for up to $600 to be carried over.

For additional information, contact our Union Representative Jack Crow at (206) 436-6614.

Macy's Workers Continue Strike and Launch Boycott

Despite the cold and rain, Macy’s workers, community partners and customers have been joining our picket lines. More than 20,000 customers have pledged to shop elsewhere while workers are on strike at Macy’s. The strike and boycott will continue to expand until we win a fair contract. 
If you are in the Bellingham or Southcenter Mall locations, sign up for your strike shift and keep warm clothes and water proof shoes in your car as we continue to prepare for your stores to join the strike. 

We have informed Macy’s we are ready and willing to bargain at any time.

As a reminder, Macy’s most recent Last Best and Final offer just isn’t enough: 

• The elimination of our personal day in honor of MLK day, reducing our amount of paid time off and disrespecting an important holiday. (Which they left off their last update and store managers indicated that MLK was not being taken away. We are filing a new Unfair Labor Practice). 

• Eliminating our hard-won wage scale—and eliminating the guarantee that experienced workers will be paid a certain amount above the minimum wage.

• A rejection of our proposed safety language that would protect workers from discipline if we call mall security or the police in response to a violent situation. 

• Just $0.50 per year in General Wage Increases (GWI) to current workers, with low ratification bonuses of $300 for part-time workers and $600 for full-time workers. 

• Check out management’s Last Best and Final offer here >>

This insulting offer was made by a company that has recorded more than a billion-dollar annual profit margin. 

We must continue to prepare to go on strike at the other Macy’s locations, Bellis Fair Mall, Southcenter Mall and the Alderwood and Tukwila Furniture Galleries. Workers could strike any day at any of these locations, joining workers at Alderwood ON STRIKE!
 
In anticipation of a longer strike, our rank-and-file worker-led Executive Board approved more comprehensive strike benefits of:

• $500/week for striking members who work 20 hours on the strike line.

• $800/week for striking members who work 32+ hours on the strike.

• $200/week Respect the Line Benefit for striking members who cannot join their coworkers on the strike line but respect the strike line and do not cross (for a maximum of 4 weeks). 

To receive your strike benefit, sign in and out of your shift on the strike line, or if you are respecting the line, please email Strike@UFCW3000.org to notify our union that you will be respecting the line but not walking the line. All members receiving any type of Strike Benefit must have a completed W9 on file. If you haven’t already done so, please sign a W9 here >>

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BALLOONS AND BBQ!

Join your coworkers on the Strike Line this Saturday, January 20, 2024 to pass out balloons to customers. There will be BBQ sliders and sides for lunch around 1:30pm.

Check out the Strike FAQ for some basic information >>
 
Please share the pledge to boycott with your friends and family >>

 See you on the strike line soon, stay warm!

Deep Roots Stay Threaded Together!

Today we came prepared to negotiate all day but shortened our session due to health reasons of the Deep Roots bargaining team. Nevertheless, we made meaningful progress on bereavement, inclement weather, and seniority! We won the inclusion of close friends, people residing with the employee, and pets in bereavement leave, and are continuing to push for more paid time. We also are proud to have reached a tentative agreement today on our Grievance Procedure which will allow us to have a process to challenge unfair discipline, pay discrepancies, and other violations of our Union contract.

Our team has reached tentative agreements on many articles of our first Union contract:

• Definition of who is included in our Union and protections in the event that Deep Roots were to sell in the future

• Recognition of Union stewards at each studio, access for our Union Rep to visit us at work, and Union bulletin boards to share information with each other

• Protections against discrimination, recognition of our gender identities, fair process for job postings and awarding new positions, standards of practice for covering shifts at other studios

• Just Cause! This is the heart of a Union contract. This protects us from unequal treatment and misapplication of company policies and discipline.

• Rights to leaves of absence under state and federal law, Union leave up to 3 days per year for Union stewards, leave for occupational injury up to 12 months

• Grievance Procedure with 30 day timeline to file grievances

We return to the bargaining table on January 29 to push towards the finish line! We expect at our next session a full economic response from Deep Roots that will include wages, commission, holidays, vacation, sick leave, healthcare, and retirement.

As we organize together, remember that we currently have the right to Union Representation if we are called into a meeting with HQ or management that could result in discipline. This is called our Weingarten right. We also have the right to wear our stickers at work- it is an unfair labor practice for Deep Roots to ask us to remove them if we are allowed to wear other buttons and stickers. Please reach out to our Union Rep Dominick Ojeda, 206-436-6586, if you have questions or need to request that he join you at a meeting.

“We are so close- let’s stay Threaded Together and show our solidarity! Please wear your stickers every day and share with your clients, friends, and other supporters of Deep Roots workers.”- Our Union Bargaining Team, Cy Manning & Lexi Otway

PRMCE RN Back to the table on January 22

On January 22 we will be mediating with PRMCE and a federal mediator. We have drafted a proposal based on the bargaining unit’s responses and feedback on the December survey. Our hope is that PRMCE will respond in a meaningful way to our proposal.

To keep everyone informed, we'll be hosting a Zoom meeting on January 22 at 2pm. During this session, we'll provide updates from the bargaining table and collectively brainstorm proposal concepts.
 
Meal  Waiver Update:We recommend that you DECLINE the two questions on PRMCE’s meal waiver. If you do not receive your meal period or receive a late meal period, you are supposed to be paid 30 minutes for every missed or late meal period. If you believe you have not been paid appropriately, please contact your union representative, Anthony Cantu. 

Downtown Dog Lounge - Another Tough Negotiation Session...

Our DDL worker union team met with Elise and her lawyer on Thursday for negotiations. We moved closer to management on multiple issues, but they continue to hold out. We do have tentative agreements on the need for just cause in any discipline or termination of workers, as well as non-discrimination language. However, management is still playing hardball with important subjects. Talk to a member of our bargaining team today to get the full details.

Cascade Valley Hospital MSWs & Security Officers Bargaining Update

Our Union Bargaining team: Lisa Warriax – MSW, Carl Ramirez – Security Officer

“With every session we are one step closer. MSWs and Security Officers stand united in our proposals, and together we are making progress. There’s no such thing a s snow day for our Bargaining Team!”

On January 4 the newly accreted Security Officers and MSW’s Bargaining Team at Cascade Valley Hospital met for the second bargaining session with the Employer. During this session, we gave compelling testimony about working conditions, we firmly pushed back on the Employer’s proposals around uninterrupted meal breaks and daily overtime, and the Employer made significant movement on wages for Security Officers.

We met for our third bargaining session on January 18, despite the challenges due to inclement weather. While the Employer continued to reject our proposal to give everyone an initial wage increase upon being placed onto a wage scale, the Employer did agree to audit past job experience to ensure we are being paid commensurate to our past job experience. We also made considerable progress with our protective gear proposal for Security Officers. The Employer told us they will be looking for a vendor to supply protective vest for each security officer.

We must continue standing united for pay which is commensurate to our experience and will retain and recruit Security Officers and MSWs. We will meet the Employer again in mid-February.

Mason General RN Contract - BARGAINING UPDATE

We met with Mason General management on January 17 to continue negotiations on our contract!

Your Bargaining Team:

• Is getting close to reaching an agreement on Extra Shifts language (which we feel very good about!)
• Anticipates getting the employer a counter proposal on wages early next week!
• Is awaiting some additional and important information from the employer in order to make a strong counter!

If you have questions about bargaining, reach out to our bargaining team!

If you have questions about anything else, please reach out to our union representative Naomi Oligario at (360) 662-1989.

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

Grocery East Join the next Contract Action Meeting

Join us for a Contract Action Team (CAT) meeting to review our action plan to win a fair contract! At these meetings, we will have an in depth discussions about our next steps to win better wages and the contract we all deserve.

Pendleton/Hermiston: February 1, 2024 5pm – 6Pm

Pendleton Convention Center 1601 Westgate, Pendleton Ore 97801

Spokane: February 7, 2024 10am – 11am or 5:30PM – 6:30PM

UFCW 3000 office, 2805 N. Market St. Spokane, WA 99207

Yakima: February 7, 2024 5:30pm – 6:30pm

UFCW 3000 office, 507 S 3rd St Yakima, WA 98901

Wenatchee: February 8, 2024 5:30pm – 6:30pm

UFCW 3000 office, 330 King St, Suite 4. Wenatchee, WA 98801

Tri cities: February 8, 2024 5:30pm – 6pm & February 28, 2024 5:30pm – 6:30pm

UFCW 3000 office, 2505 Duportail St, Suite D. Richland, WA 99352

Update on Our Efforts to Protect Workers and Customers from the Proposed Kroger-Albertsons Merger/C&S Divestiture

We wanted to provide you with an update on our efforts to oppose the proposed merger between The Kroger Company (parent company of Fred Meyer and QFC) and Albertsons Companies, Inc. (parent company of Safeway, Albertsons and Haggen stores) and their proposed divestiture of stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers.

1. On Monday, January 15, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a lawsuit in King County, Washington court to block the proposed merger. Our UFCW 3000 endorsement of this legal action and a quote from UFCW 3000 grocery store member Yasmin Ashur who works at the Port Orchard Albertsons was part of the news coverage in the Seattle Times news article linked above and other news stories nationwide.

2. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is continuing its review of the proposed merger, and we continue to work closely with them. Many analysts feel it is more than likely that the FTC will challenge the merger. Our local union, in coalition with other local unions from across the United States, has provided extensive information about the proposed merger to the FTC. We remain hopeful that the FTC will also challenge the proposed merger. Both the courts and the FTC have the power to potentially block the merger from being completed.

3. Recently, Kroger and Albertsons have announced a delay to the merger timeline, until potentially as late as August. No doubt this delay is in response to both news of the lawsuit and the pressure campaign mounted by a broad swath of consumer groups, unions, farmers, ranchers, and others committed to preventing the harmful effects of this merger.

JOIN US!

All our grocery store members are invited to join us for a webinar on Tuesday, January 23. Please go to the link below to register for your preferred webinar:

MORNING MEETING:

Tuesday 1/23/24

8 AM

EVENING MEETING:

Tuesday 1/23/24

5 PM

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Additional information:

• This is far from a done deal: Kroger and Albertsons cannot sell stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers unless and until a merger were approved by regulators, and now, because of the Washington State lawsuit, the courts.

• Contrary to comments made by these companies, this proposed merger is not at all necessary. Nor does their announced divestiture plan remedy our concerns. Both Kroger and Albertsons are doing well financially and making strong profits.

• The proposed merger is really about greed. These two companies have already profited so much from the labor of grocery store workers all while often under-staffing stores and over-charging customers. Instead of investing in improved working conditions and reduced prices, they have prioritized high CEO pay, large dividends, including an Albertsons $4 Billion give away in early 2023, and massive stock buy backs.

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Keeping up the Effort to Protect Workers and Customers

Our efforts over the past year and a half, from actions at the store level, to meeting with regulators, to helping to educate the public and generate hundreds of TV, radio and newspaper stories across the nation, have and continue to have an impact. We can’t let up now. The proposed Kroger-Albertsons merger would no doubt be disastrous for consumers in the form of higher prices, for workers in the form of lost jobs, lower wages, and crippling losses to pension and health benefit plans, for farmers and ranchers who will lose a major buyer of their products,  and for thousands of Americans who would find themselves living in food and drug-store deserts without adequate access to everyday necessities. If you haven’t done so already, please tell the FTC and you can also write to Washington’s Attorney General to thank him for his recent lawsuit and let him know why you oppose the proposed merger.

Twin City Foods - Vote Scheduled for Proposed Healthcare Plan Changes / Votación Programada para los Cambios Propuestos al Seguro Medico

Twin City Foods ha propuesto un cambio a su plan de seguro médico. Después de revisar los cambios propuestos, decidimos que este cambio tiene que ser votado por nuestros miembros de la Union.

Tendremos una votación para que todos los miembros elegibles tengan la oportunidad de votar sobre los cambios propuestos al plan del seguro medico.

Los detalles sobre los cambios estarán disponibles en los tiempos de votacion. Recomendamos que todos los miembros de la Union asistan, hagan preguntas, y voten.

Si tiene alguna pregunta o inquietud, llame a su representante de la Union, Odalys González, al (360) 409-0558.

DETALLE DE VOTO

• jueves, 25 de enero de 2024

• 6:00 AM-8:00 AM y 2:00 PM-4:00 PM

• En las dos salas de descanso de Processo y el Nuevo Empaque

• Twin City Foods

• 5405 Industrial Way, Pasco WA

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Twin City Foods has proposed a change to your healthcare insurance plan. After reviewing the proposed changes, we are putting it up for a vote by the membership.

We will be holding a vote to allow all eligible members an opportunity to vote on the proposed changes to the healthcare plan.

Details will be available at the meeting. UFCW 3000 members in good standing are encouraged to attend, ask questions, and vote.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call your Union Rep, Odalys Gonzalez, at (360) 409-0558.

VOTE DETAILS

• Thursday, January 25, 2024

• 6:00 AM-8:00 AM & 2:00 PM-4:00 PM

• In Processing & Repack break rooms

• Twin City Foods

• 5405 Industrial Way, Pasco WA

PCC Contract Votes are Coming!

We will be bargaining with the Employer on January 23 and 24...

If we do not reach a Tentative Agreement:

For a successor contract we will hold strike vote meetings on Friday, January 26 for all PCC workers in good standing. Members will be able to review the most recent offer from Management, ask the union member Bargaining Committee questions, and vote on whether to accept or reject the offer and vote to authorize a strike at PCC.

Tentative Votes for Friday, January 26:

8:00am — 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 — 6:00pm

Columbia City PCC: 3610 South Edmunds St. Seattle, WA 98118

Central District PCC: 2230 E Union St. Seattle, WA 98122

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

If we reach a Tentative Agreement:

If we reach a tentative agreement with PCC during bargaining on Tuesday 23 & 24 we will cancel the Strike Authorization Vote meetings on January 26 and reschedule the vote for a later date to give members time to review the contract offer and union Bargaining Committee recommendation.

Reach out to a Union Rep, Shop Steward, or Bargaining Team member with any questions.

Providence Meal Waiver Update

In December 2023, Providence sent out a meal waiver to all UFCW 3000 represented employees. Providence is seeking to get employees to waive the timing of their first and second meal period, and waive their right to a second meal period if they are a 10 hour or 12 hour shift employee. Per the collective bargaining agreements, meal breaks should be administered per WA state law WAC 296-126-092  andRCW 49.12.480

RCW 49.12.480

• 8 hour shift employee- 2 paid rest breaks and one unpaid 30 minute meal period for every 5 hours worked with the first unpaid meal break between the second and fifth hour of the shift
   

• 10 hour shift employee- 2 paid rest breaks and one unpaid 30 minute meal period for every 5 hours worked with the first unpaid meal break between the second and fifth hour of the shift 
   

• 12 hour shift employee- 3 paid rest breaks and one unpaid 30 minute meal period for every 5 hours worked with the first unpaid meal break between the second and fifth hour of the shift

If you do not receive your meal period or receive a late meal period, you are supposed to be paid 30 minutes for every missed meal period. If you believe you have not been paid appropriately, please contact your union representative.

UFCW 3000 is recommending that you deny Providence’s request to both questionson the meal waiver. Our position is that Providence cannot change the timing of the meal period without bargaining over this issue and by waiving your right to a second meal period you may be losing out on overtime pay.

We have demanded that Providence remove the timing question from the meal waiver and bargain with us over the confusing language in the meal waiver. We have not heard back from Providence but expect an answer this week.

Our recommendation is that you respond in the following way:

1. Question 1: I am voluntarily requesting to waive my second unpaid meal period if I am entitled to one. DECLINE
    

2. Question 2: I am voluntarily requesting to take my first and second (if applicable/not waived) unpaid meal period at a time that is different than between hours two through five of my work periods. DECLINE

If you have any questions, please reach out to your union rep: Anthony Cantu (Providence Everett RNs), Jack Crow (Providence Everett Pros and Techs), Madison Derksema (Providence St. Peter, Providence Radiant Care and Providence Centralia), Lenaya Wilhelm (Providence Holy Family and Sacred Heart), Juanita Quezada (Sacred Heart Tech), Amy Radcliff (Mt Carmel RN and St. Joes).

Mason General RN Contract - BARGAINING UPDATE

Our team is working hard just to bring our contract up to the standards of other local hospitals:

• Competitive Wages — Mason Health does not appear to see the need for any significant wage increases and is offering less than 4% in the first year.

• Federally Recognized Holidays — Mason Health is not interested in any of the holidays we asked for and other hospitals already have.

• Equitable Vacation/Earned Time — We are working to ensure that earned time is competitive with other hospitals.

• Correcting the Definitions of Full-Time & Part-Time — We have proposed language which documents that full time for 12 hour nurses is 36 hours a week.

These are things we shouldn't have to fight with management about but our fight continues. We are bargaining next on Wednesday, January 17 and will not compromise on this contract.

For additional information, contact Union Representative Naomi Oligario at (360) 662-1989.

If someone you know is not receiving these updates, update your information.

Macy's Workers Launch ULP Strike on Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Early yesterday morning, Macy’s workers at the Alderwood Mall location began an Unfair Labor Practice strike. Despite frigid temperatures, we took to the picket lines this MLK Day to stand up for ourselves, our colleagues, our families and our customers in the face of management’s blatant disrespect.
 
As you know, we have been in negotiations with Macy’s for close to a year now. Instead of coming to the bargaining table with thoughtful proposals that honor our contribution to this company’s success, Macy’s continues to undermine the process by repeatedly committing unfair labor practices, including bargaining in bad faith, changing working conditions unilaterally, and engaging in direct dealing while misleading workers about the most recent contract offer.
 
As of right now we plan to stay off the job indefinitely, picketing every day during Macy’snormalbusiness hours. We hope Macy’s will come back to the bargaining table to begin working on an agreement that isn’t riddled with takeaways and concessions. Macy’s workers deserve an agreement that protects us when we are at work, respects our time with the company and is something we can be proud of.

Macy’s most recent Last Best and Final offer just isn’t enough, offering:

• The elimination of our personal day in honor of MLK day, reducing our amount of paid time off and disrespecting an important holiday.

• Eliminating our hard-won wage scale—and without any guarantee that experienced workers will be paid above what new hires receive.

• A rejection of our proposed safety language that would protect workers from discipline if we call mall security or the police in response to a violent situation.

• Just $0.50 per year in General Wage Increases (GWI) to current workers, with low ratification bonuses of $300 for part-time workers and $600 for full-time workers.

• Check out management’s Last Best and Final offer here >>

This insulting offer was made by a company that has recorded more than a billion-dollar annual profit margin. A company made profitable off the work of the people now walking the strike line.

We must continue to be prepared to go on strike at the other Macy’s locations, Bellis Fair Mall, Southcenter Mall and the Alderwood and Tukwila Furniture Galleries. Workers could strike any day at any of these locations, joining workers at Alderwood ON STRIKE!
 
In anticipation of a longer strike, our rank-and-file worker-led Executive Board approved more comprehensive strike benefits of:

• $500/week for striking members who work 20 hours on the strike line.

• $800/week for striking members who work 32+ hours on the strike.

• $200/week Respect the Line Benefit for striking members who cannot join their coworkers on the strike line but respect the strike line and do not cross (for a maximum of 4 weeks).

To receive your strike benefit, sign in and out of your shift on the strike line, or if you are respecting the line, please email strike@UFCW3000.org to notify our union that you will be respecting the line but not walking the line.  All members receiving any type of Strike Benefit must have a completed W9 on file. If you haven’t already done so, please sign a W9 here >>

Join our next All Macy’s Member Call this Wednesday, January 17 at 5pm

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88212637000 to discuss the strike and next steps.

Check out the Strike FAQ for some basic information >>

See you on the strike line soon, stay warm!

WA Attorney General files lawsuit to block Kroger-Albertsons mega merger

We have been clear and strong in our opposition to the proposed Kroger and Albertsons merger from day one. Attorney General Ferguson has been a leader in the effort to protect workers and consumers and he led the effort last year to try to stop Albertsons' $4 billion payout to wealthy shareholders. That was important. The announcement today of his lawsuit to stop the merger itself is welcome news.

 “As a grocery store worker and leader in our union, I feel very supported to have Attorney General Ferguson taking action to protect us from this bad merger proposal. Workers, shoppers and our communities need to prevent this proposed mega-merger from taking place,” - Yasmin Ashur, UFCW 3000 grocery store worker from the Albertsons in Port Orchard, WA.