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8h ago

Safeway Union Sets Friday Midnight Deadline for Contract and Threatens 25,000-Worker Strike

Bay Area union leaders are demanding higher wages and improved benefits as federal mediators work to break the impasse before the Friday deadline.

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A Safeway in San Francisco’s Fillmore district is closing after serving the neighborhood for 40 years. (Jan. 5, 2024)
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Overview

  • The United Food and Commercial Workers Locals 5, 8 and 648 have set a midnight Friday, July 25 deadline to finalize a contract with Safeway and Albertsons or face a strike.
  • Up to 25,000 unionized Safeway employees across Northern and Central California could walk off the job at 12:01 a.m. Saturday if no agreement is reached.
  • Union negotiators are pressing for substantial pay increases, fully funded health care and stronger retirement benefits after months of stalled bargaining.
  • Safeway and parent company Albertsons say they have scheduled bargaining sessions this week with a federal mediator but have not yet offered a comprehensive wage counterproposal.
  • Safeway is preparing for a potential work stoppage by recruiting temporary workers at more than $27 an hour while unions mobilize picket preparations.