Stand Up for Puget Sound Grocery Store Workers

Grocery store workers at the big chains have been in negotiations for a new contract since March. After nine months, the employers are still proposing cuts to pay, cuts to health benefits, and cuts to the pension. There are three unions bargaining together – UFCW 21, UFCW 81 and Teamsters 38.
 
Earlier this week, grocery store workers from across King, Snohomish and Kitsap Counties attended standing-room only meetings to vote on the employer proposals. After the final meeting on Wednesday night, the ballots were counted and 94% of grocery store workers from Safeway, QFC, Fred Meyer, and Albertsons had voted to reject the employers’ proposal and authorize a strike. The vote sends a strong message to the employers that grocery store workers want a fair contract and that the current proposal by the employers is extreme.

Today (November 12th) both the union and the employers were able to agree to set bargaining dates for next Thursday and Friday, the 18th and 19th of November — the week before Thanksgiving.

What your members can do

As a labor and community ally, we thought you may want to know about three actions that you can ask all your members to do today and over the coming weeks to show support for grocery store workers:

1. Talk to your local checkers, meat cutters, produce workers, and deli clerks at Safeway, QFC, Fred Meyer and Albertsons and let them know that you stand with them and support their fight for a fair contract.
    
2. When you do your shopping, ask to speak to the manager or person in charge. Let them know you will not be shopping at the store if the companies force the workers out on strike because they will not make a fair contract offer.
    
3. Click here to watch our Stand UP video, then post it on your Facebook page and share it with your friends and family.

What your organization can do

1. Pass along this email to your membership list.
    
2. Adopt the local QFC, Safeway, Fred Meyer, or Albertsons store where you would join actions for a fair contract in the next week and would offer support in case of a strike or lockout. Please fill out this form if you or your organization is willing to adopt a store.

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