On the heels of a contract settlement at Fred Meyer and QFC, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 555 is heading back to the bargaining table with Albertsons and Safeway.
The union has been in contract negotiations with Albertsons and Safeway management since July 2021, and has held a half-dozen bargaining sessions since then. Contracts at Albertsons and Safeway locations have expired or will be expiring in the coming months.
As of mid-November, the two sides were “very far apart on what is deemed an acceptable wage increase,” according to an update UFCW issued to members. But the union reported management was “open to standardizing health and welfare qualifying language, and eliminating other language made irrelevant by new agreements.”
The two sides had their first bargaining session of 2022 scheduled for early January, but it was canceled due to inclement weather and staffing shortages. They’re next scheduled to meet Feb. 7 and 8.
Miles Eshaia, communications lead at Local 555, told the Labor Press the bargaining team will seek wage increases and better retirement safety for members. He said the contract for Safeway and Albertsons workers represents more than 9,000 employees.
UFCW’s Fred Meyer and QFC contract won member approval in a series of votes held at the end of December.
