UFCW 324 Communications / News
Tentative Grocery Contract Reached
~ Workers to vote on pact next week
August 20, 2007: Seattle Post-Intelligencer
After five months of bargaining, the grocery workers union has reached a tentative agreement with four of the Northwest's largest grocery chains, the United Food and Commercial Workers announced Monday.
The three-year contract would cover about 23,000 cashiers, grocery workers and meat department employees who work for Safeway, Albertsons, Fred Meyer and QFC, union spokeswoman Jackie O'Ryan said. Some smaller regional chains have said they would mimic the contract.
"This is the recommended contract, so the union is recommending that members ratify it," O'Ryan said.
Specific contract details won't be released until the members have had a chance to review them and vote, she said. Voting will take place Sunday through Tuesday.
Three main companies are involved in the negotiations. They are: Cincinnati-based Kroger Co., which owns Fred Meyer and QFC; Pleasanton, Calif.-based Safeway Inc.; and Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Supervalu Inc., which owns Albertsons.
Contention points between the grocery chains and the union included wages, employee scheduling and sick leave. The previous contract expired May 5.