Puget Sound grocery workers ratify historic new contract

UFCW 21, Teamsters 38, UFCW 367 win major gains with no takeaways

SEATTLE (Nov. 8, 2019) — For months, bargaining teams representing some 30,000 grocery workers in 12 counties around the Puget Sound area have been working to get a fair contract agreement. These workers — who are our family members, friends and neighbors — have been seeking wage increases, affordable health care, secure pensions, and investment in training. On Thursday, their three unions — UFCW 21, Teamsters 38 and UFCW 367 — announced they have won, and members have now ratified, a historic new contract covering the region’s Kroger (Fred Meyer and QFC) and Albertsons/Safeway grocery workers.

UFCW 21 posted the following announcement from the unions’ Grocery Store Bargaining Team to all members on Thursday:

When working people come together with each other and our community—we win. After more than six months of negotiations, UFCW 21, UFCW 367, and Teamsters 38 members turned out to vote and ratified a historic new contract.

Puget Sound Grocery Store Workers are proud of a contract that includes:

► Strongest journey wage increases in UFCW 21’s history

► Full back pay to expiration

► A long-term solution to our pension with projected improvements

► Health care benefits that are projected to be fully-funded, include benefit improvements and NO increases to premiums or deductibles

► First scheduling overhaul in decades, giving us more control over our schedules

► Strong safety language for the first time ever in our contract

► A plan for the future of technology and workforce training

► Won protections for our wage scales, so as minimum wage goes up, so do our wage steps.

► NOT ONE SINGLE CUT OR TAKEAWAY!

Your work and solidarity made this happen. Thank you for your time, your action and standing united.

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 Gonzalez, Deputy Trustee, UFCW 367
Jim McGuinness, Attorney, UFCW 21, Teamsters 38 and UFCW 367

EDITOR’S NOTE — Are you a grocery or retail worker? How do higher wages, affordable health care, and a pension sound to you? Find out more information about how you can join together with co-workers and negotiate a fair return for your hard work. Or go ahead and contact a union organizer today!