Safeway delivery drivers defend union, ratify contract

Teamster-represented workers successfully beat back management attempts to transition employees to gig work

TUKWILA, WA (January 22, 2025) — Nearly 140 grocery delivery workers for Safeway.com overwhelmingly ratified a strong new agreement last weekend, locking-in their status as union workers — and securing the strong benefits of a union contract. The collective bargaining agreement — which covers Safeway.com delviery drivers throughout the Puget Sound region — was ratified by nearly 90% of voting members.

The workers, represented by Teamsters Local 174 and Local 313, faced a tough negotiation with the company. Per Local 174, that the contract contains a strong economic package, with improvements to wages and benefits. But perhaps the contract’s biggest win — and certainly the hardest fought — is language that defines and protects union work from being outsourced to gig workers.

“In an industry dominated by [gig work], the subcontracting protections were essential and were the last pieces of the agreement to be negotiated in order to reach a fully-recommended contract proposal,” reported Local 174 in a news release announcing the new contract ratification.

Per the union, management aggressively pursued gig work proposals. But united, the workers stood firm against even entertaining those proposals, ultimately successfully pressuring the company to return to the table and settle and agreement that secured strong benefits and wages while protecting union work.

“We know that Safeway would like nothing more than to use only nonunion gig workers to deliver groceries for poverty wages, but we are proud to say we all stood together and fought them back,” said Teamsters Local 174 Secretary-Treasurer Rick Hicks. “Because of the strength and solidarity of this work group, we were able to achieve an offer that our members were proud to ratify. This is a strong union contract, and strong union contracts are not for sale to the lowest bidder.”