At the Bargaining Table
GROCERY JOBS SHOULD FEED A FAMILY:
STANDING TOGETHER TO MAKE ENDS MEET
KATHY FINN
Director of Research, Bargaining
and Education
The Union contracts with Ralphs,
Albertsons/Vons, Gelsons, Stater
Brothers and Super A expired on
March 6, 2016. Contract expiration
is when union members have the
opportunity to better their lives by
improving their wages, benefits and
other conditions that govern their
employment. With the increases
in minimum wage mandated by
the state of California and the City
of Los Angeles, increasing wages
both in the top rates and in the
progression brackets is of utmost
importance in these negotiations.
While we are engaged in
bargaining, the Union continues to
represent and defend the members
in the workplace, enforcing the
contract wages, health plan,
pension and other working
conditions that remain intact and
continue uninterrupted while we
negotiate.
Bargaining with Albertsons/Vons
and Ralphs over the “Master
Food” Agreement initially got
Issue 2
off to a slow start due to an IRS
pension funding issue that had to
be resolved before the Employers
would discuss other issues. At
the end of March, the Unions and
Employers found a solution to
that issue that allows our pension
plan to emerge from critical
status by increasing the Employer
contribution rate by reasonable
amounts over the next several
years. Now, we must make sure
that Albertsons/Vons and Ralphs
agree to fully fund our pension by
paying those reasonable amounts as
part of our overall settlement.
Since Gelsons, Stater Brothers
and Super A - the independent
companies participate in the same
health care and retirement plans
and must pay the same contribution
rates as Albertsons/Vons and
Ralphs - the “major” companies,
the independent companies will
not be prepared to complete a
new contract until they know how
much it will cost them to maintain
the health care and retirement
plans. The independent companies
are also unwilling to pay wages
that differ greatly from the major
grocery companies because
they compete with those other
companies for customers. For these
reason, the negotiations with the
independent companies will not be
completed until after the majors.
the companies the importance of
maintaining our health and pension
benefits, fair scheduling, increasing
hours for part-timers, and living
wages that allow grocery workers
to make ends meet. So far, the
companies have not indicated any
willingness to agree to any of these
important proposals.
From experience in prior
negotiations, we know that there is
only one way to achieve a contract
beneficial to the workers and
that’s to STAND TOGETHER!
When the majority of workers
and a majority of the community
and customers who shop in the
stores express support for our
demands and a willingness to take
action, the Employers will have to
consider our proposals. Thousands
of UFCW members have already
pledged to “Stand Together” for
fair wages, affordable healthcare,
and fair scheduling practices. They
have showed their support for these
proposals by signing petitions
and delivering them to their store
managers. Mobilization of the
workers and the community will
continue to grow until we achieve a
fair contract.
The federal mediator who assisted
us in 2007, 2011 and 2014 began
to attend negotiations at the end
of April. In our negotiations to
date, we have clearly explained to
THE VOICE
June 2016
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