Overview

• The United Food and Commercial Workers and Stater Bros. Markets struck a tentative three-year labor contract on August 6 that covers more than 12,000 employees across 172 Southern California stores.
• Provisions include step increases to base pay, uplifts in pension contributions, expanded healthcare coverage, stronger safety protocols and higher staffing levels.
• Two weeks earlier, union members had authorized an unfair labor practice strike — a first in the chain’s 89-year history — and filed charges with the NLRB alleging surveillance, retaliation and bad-faith bargaining.
• The agreement follows July 11 settlements at Albertsons and Kroger covering 45,000 workers, aligns terms after Super A Foods ratified a pact last month and keeps Gelson’s Markets talks ongoing.
• Before taking effect, the pact must be ratified by UFCW members, though no vote date has been set.