Northern California Safeway workers on verge of striking if deal not reached

Safeway looks to hire temp workers as UFCW strike looms

The Safeway grocery chain posted flyers at its Northern California stores seeking temporary workers in case the 25,000 UFCW workers go on strike Saturday morning. Two-hundred-forty stores would be impacted by a work stoppage.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Safeway workers across Northern California are threatening to strike if a new labor agreement isn’t reached between the grocery chain and the union representing thousands of employees.

Deadline looms

What they're saying:

Safeway, the Bay Area’s largest grocery chain, said it remains committed to continued negotiations with UFCW Local 5, the union representing its Northern California grocery store workers.

"We have scheduled bargaining sessions this week and continue to work with a federal mediator," Safeway said in a statement. "While we are disappointed that the Unions have indicated the possibility of a strike at some of our stores, we fully respect our associates’ right to engage in collective bargaining.

The company said it hopes a resolution will be reached soon.

Safeway employees want fair wages, healthcare

Dig deeper:

UFCW Local 5, which represents about 25,000 Safeway employees in the Bay Area and Northern California, said it has spent months pushing for a new contract with better pay and healthcare benefits.

"The company clearly had no interest in addressing the issues important to our hardworking Safeway members in the high cost of living Northern California," the union said in a July 17 statement.

The union has set a deadline of midnight on July 25 to reach a deal. Without an agreement, workers say they’ll walk off the job.

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While a strike has not yet happened, workers have already begun rallying outside several Safeway stores across the Bay Area.

"We just feel like we come to work, we’re dedicated, we give our blood, sweat, and tears to Safeway," said employee Ardith Wells, who joined a demonstration outside the Pleasant Hill store last week. "We just want to know as employees, it’s reflected in our pay, our benefits, and what we’ve got."

Union leaders say wages have not kept up with inflation, and that current full-time salaries, averaging about $28 an hour, are not enough for many workers to afford living in the Bay Area.

"Settle with the workers in Northern California like you did in Washington, like you did in Southern California, like you did in Colorado," said Jim Araby, a spokesperson for UFCW Local 5. "People want a little more of an increase, just so they can live on a full-time job here."