UFCW 5 Retirees: Get Active
Retiree health benefits are at risk like never before. The employers are demanding give backs by the very people who built their businesses. The union is fighting to protect the benefits of our senior members. To succeed, the assistance of every retiree will be required. Please click on the link below to take a survey and show your support.
Negotiations Kick Start January 23
With Grocery Employers
Negotiations between UFCW Local's 5, 8 and 648 and Safeway, Save Mart and Raleys resumed on Monday January 23. Click here to be redirected to the negotiations page to see an update by President Ron Lind.
Raleys Inks Contract Extension
Through February 29
Raleys has signed a contract extension that puts them in synch with Safeway and Save Mart who previously signed conract extensions through February 25. These extensions allow company and union representatives to pursue negotiations and attempt to resolve the many issue facing the parties.
Meetings between Locals 5, 8 and 648 are set to resume January 23.
For the latest negotiations update click here.
UFCW Legend Walter Johnson
Passes Away
Memorial Service Set
UFCW legend Walter Johnson passed away last week. Brother Johnson, or Walter as he was known to everyone, touched thousands of lives and improved the lot of all workers he represented when he located to the Bay Area after serving in the army during WW II.
Walter began his career as a salesman at Sears and ultimately rose to the the Presidency of Local 1100, one of Local 5's predecessor unions. He led a six month strike there, which proved a watershed for improving wages and working conditions in retail. Walter knew that society was not only improved by making gains at the bargaining table so he became a natural and ardent supporter of the civil rights movement.
When San Francisco Labor Council Executive Secretary Jack Crowley died unexpectedly while on a trip to China, Walter took the reins of the labor movement in SF. He excelled in the role of labor statesman and was in the same league with Jack Henning of the California Labor Federation and Dick Groulx of the Alameda Labor Council.
Walter never had a bad word to say about anyone, which for someone with the jobs he had is a real rarity. He always had time for a kind word, advice or a joke. Walter was a class act all the way. He'll be missed by all who had the fortune to know him and even those who didn't are better off because of him.
Services for Walter will be held at 1PM, Saturday January 21 at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.
Negotiations Resume
Efforts Redoubled to Reach
Just and Fair Contract
*New Town Hall Union Meeting Set*
February 2, 7PM South San Francisco Office
The week of Janary 9 marked the first face to face bargaining between UFCW locals 5, 8 and 648 and Safeway, Save Mart and Raleys since the holiday break. The unions used the time away from the bargaining table to meet with health and welfare consultants to look at benefits and how to pay for them for active and retired members. The bargaining team also met with the entire representational staffs of all three locals along with leaders from the international union to discuss the talks. Preparations were made for all possible contingencies that may develop as a result of negotiations.
Since Monday the 9th he parties have met and discussed retiree medical and alternate dispute resolution models for disagreements on worker comp issues. No agreements have been reached and the union and companies remain far apart on the issues. The main sticking point throughout the talks has been whether or not the companies will back off their uncalled for demands for concessions on benefits and wages for members in the stores and the elimination of medical for retirees. The union will not agree to these unreasonable requests and continues to work to reach an agreement that is acceptable to our working and retired members.
The negotiations page is in the process of being updated to include a section that lists all the proposals exchanged between the parties to date, check back soon for this new addition.
Click here for the latest negotiations update.
Union Town Hall Meeting
Make sure to attend the latest union town hall meeting. The negotiations update will be held at the South San Francisco office on February 2 at 7PM. The union is working to make sure the meeting is available on the internet.
Bargaining Update:
Grocery Contracts Extended
Grocery contracts between UFCW Locals 5, 8 and 648 have been extended with Safeway and Save Mart through February 25, 2012. If an agreement is not reached by the new expiration date the terms of the agreements may be extended on a day to day basis to facilitate reaching an agreement. Either the union or the companies can cancel the extension with seven days notice during the day to day extension period if they do not feel sufficient progress is being made.
The contract between the locals and Raleys is extended through January 24, 2012.
A week of meetings have been scheduled the week of January 9 to resume negotiations. Subsequent meetings have been scheduled with all employers through the expiration of the respective extensions. During the extensions all wages, benefits and working conditions remain intact.
Click here for the latest ENegotiationsUpdate
Click here for the new UFCW5 News grocery negotiations special edition
Click here to be redirected to the negotiations page
Member Negotiations Video and
Audio of December 5 Town Hall Available
A new video featuring local 5 members discussing negotiations has been posted on the union's You Tube channel. Click on the You Tube logo in the upper right hand corner of this page and you will be taken directly to the video.
The town hall meeting held on December 5 was an unqualified success, Despite the fact that the live broadcast had to be moved from South San Francisco to San Jose at the last minute because of technical difficulties (not enough bandwith to do a live stream at SSF, a problem that will be corrected before the next town hall) the stream began on time at 8PM. Members turned out in good numbers in the offices where viewing parties were held and the Q&A that was done live and by email and text worked great.
If you were unable to make the meeting the audio file is available on the negotiations page or by clicking here.
Local Launches Toll Free
Negotiations Hotline
1-800-619-4036
Local 5's toll free negotiations hotline is up and running. Please call 1-800-619-4036 for the lates news about what is going on in grocery talks. Use this option in addition to talking to your union rep and stewards, reading ENegotiationsUpdates, using the union's smart phone apps, the texting program and our social media applications.
Click here for the latest ENegotiationsUpdate.
