The union representing about 25,000 Safeway workers in northern and central California extended a strike deadline early Saturday, citing “negotiation progress.” Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers had threatened to go on strike if a new contract agreement wasn’t reached by midnight Friday. UFCW 8-Golden State, UFCW Local 5, and UFCW Local 648 said they agreed to a temporary extension of the deadline at the request of a federal mediator. The announcement came on social media not long after the midnight deadline had passed. “We are working towards negotiating an agreement that avoids a work stoppage and appreciate the support of the customers and the communities where they work,” according to a joint statement issued by UFCW Local 5 President John Frahm, UFCW 8-Golden State President Jacques Loveall, and UFCW Local 648 President Dan Larson.
“Our members remain mobilized and ready, but as long as talks are advancing toward a fair deal, we will continue to bargain in good faith,” they said. Safeway, with 243 stores in California, is owned by Albertsons Companies. The union said the extension of talks didn’t signal “satisfaction” with the current state of negotiations, “but reflects a strategic decision to allow additional time for talks to progress under federal mediation.” The union said it is seeking “meaningful” improvements in wages, funding for healthcare and pension benefits. Besides monetary issues, the union said it is seeking stronger scheduling protections and on-the-job safeguards. No new deadline was announced.
I guess I could get behind them if they had a half ounce of decent customer service – everytime I go there I find price discrepancies and when you can find someone to correct it – it’s like I’m the biggest bother of the week … there are a few that are good at the Safeway Clayton
And why do you think they act like you are a bother? Why are there so many incorrect price tags? It’s because management won’t schedule adequate help even close. They are all being worked to the bone, and for close to minimum wage. Just so the company can give out bonuses to the top tier out of store level.
Walk a mile in somebody else’s shoes. Especially an “essential worker” that used to be called a Superhero for putting their lives on the line during Covid.
,,,, when I see the “workers” chit chatting and sharing pictures and videos on their phones & laughing it up – on the store floor – that sends a different message than being “worked to the bone”
Nobody, outside of COVID propogandists who pushed a crap fear porn narrative of the virus, called grocery store workers “superheroes”
If you want to push facts about the stores being mismanaged, you’ll gain a lot more traction than giving pretend labels about simple low-skill manual labor jobs.
Find it interesting that a Federal Mediator came in already and is involved as Safeway is in
the Private Sector because the Private Sector is so much a part of labor relations, it is rarely
interfered with at both state and federal court level.
Management has a limited arsenal of weapons so-to-speak to fight the strike.
Their one big conglomerate.
Today’s Labor Law’s have their roots in the Norris La-Guardia Act. But the three major contemporary
Laws are the Wagner Act, the Taft-Hartley Act and the Landrum-Griffin Act.
Safeway always looks better in pictures than real life.
Meh, I can always shop at Costco, Trader Joes, Lucky, Grocery Outlet, Whole Foods, etc. Etc
As someone who has worked at a grocery store, it is only a minimum wage job and not a career unless an assistant or actual manager. So to go on strike if you’re a cashier or stocker just seems wild to me. I do understand COL wages and tenure increases but come on. People wonder why delivery grocery products are taking over. And I can’t remember the last time I could find a Safeway employee to actually help with something other than a deli or butcher employee. Even then I have to ring the bell and wait a minute.
Yeah, I don’t think so. The staff refuse to come to the front and open registers, despite being called BY NAME from the front. There are lines that take forever because staff are just hiding in the back instead of working. It is amazing that unskilled workers think that only they can do their jobs…
Union employees… LoL! Things are the same all over.
I do agree with most of the above comments.
Management is to blame for most of the problems tho, usually not enough check stands open.
I’ve been almost exclusively shopping at a Raley’s tho because I’m out in the boonies kinda far from other grocery stores.
First thing a customer has to do there is search the parking lot to find a grocery cart.
They always have one or two check stands open, but there’s gotta be 12 people waiting in each line before they’ll open another.
Sale price is always just regular price (which was already too high) but receipt always shows regular price to be higher than it’s ever been (6 pk Coors $9.49 reg price $11.49 BS)…. what a bargain.
Shelf tag says “Beef Broth sale price $2.00” but I look at receipt and see they charged me $4.49
The only place I shop and can’t complain is Costco in Brentwood.
Besides the generous price break, when I get in line a clerk walks up and cheerfully pre scans my items & when I get to the check stand everything just stays in the cart, all I do is pay & go. Shorter lines & fast service. Costco has their act together.