Safeway workers in Northern California prepare for possible strike amid tense contract talks
Safeway workers in Northern California prepare for possible strike amid tense contract talks
Union members rallied outside a Safeway store in Pleasant Hill on Tuesday, where roughly 100 workers picketed as contract negotiations remain underway.
PLEASANT HILL, Calif. - Thousands of workers at one of the Bay Area’s largest supermarket chains could soon walk off the job as contract negotiations between the union and Safeway continue.
Safeway Strike?
What we know:
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5, which represents about 25,000 Safeway employees across the Bay Area and Northern California, voted last week to authorize a strike if a deal cannot be reached soon.
Union members rallied outside a Safeway store in Pleasant Hill on Tuesday, where roughly 100 workers picketed as negotiations remain underway. The union says it is pushing for higher wages, improved healthcare, and stronger retirement benefits.
"We just feel like we come to work, we’re dedicated, we give our blood, sweat and tears to Safeway," said employee Ardith Wells. "We just want to know as employees it’s reflected in our pay, our benefits, and what we’ve got."
So far, the Union says both sides remain far apart at the bargaining table.
"We’re pretty close [to striking]," said Wells. "And by all means, if that’s what we have to do to get treated fairly, then that’s what’s going to happen."
Fair wages desired
Union leaders say wages at Safeway have not kept pace with inflation and that current full-time salaries, averaging around $28 an hour, are not enough for many workers to get by 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."
A strike could affect Safeway locations throughout the region if an agreement isn’t reached in the coming days. Union officials said a walkout could happen as soon as next week.
The other side:
In a statement to KTVU, Safeway said: "We remain committed to engaging in good-faith discussions to reach a new agreement with UFCW locals. We are hopeful a resolution will be reached soon. We value our associates and the critical role they play in our success. We have put forward a strong offer that includes meaningful wage increases, continued investment in secure healthcare coverage, and the long-term stability of the pension plan, reflecting both the dedication of our associates and the real economic conditions facing our industry."
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