Jacques Loveall
President, UFCW 8-Golden State
UFCW International Vice President
When our members at Albertsons, Safeway and Vons authorized their bargaining committee to call a strike if necessary, they did more than prepare for a fight. They sent a message reverberating across our entire Union: we are united, and we will not be pushed around.
The message was heard loud and clear. The result? One of the most impressive contracts we’ve ever secured, agreements protecting, uplifting and honoring the hard work of grocery workers from Bakersfield to the Oregon border.
These victories weren’t won at the bargaining table alone. It was forged through the solidarity of thousands of members standing shoulder to shoulder, ready to act. Collective strength gave our bargaining team power to push back bad proposals from the employers, protect our hard-earned benefits and deliver real gains.
What we achieved together
These three-year agreements include:
- Substantial wage increases for all classifications
- Increased employer contributions to support members’ health care benefits
- Expanded retirement benefits, including an Individual Account Plan (IAP) and a Lifetime Income Security Accrual Fund (LISA) for members in Kern, Inyo and Mono counties
- Job protections in the face of automation, including self-checkout safeguards
- Improved paid time off and department head pay
- Most importantly: every takeaway proposed by the employer was defeated
These wins are not just for members who ratified the contract, they’re a beacon for all of us. They prove when we stand together, we can achieve what some may think is out of reach.
A Union-wide message
These contracts serve as a reminder of who we are and what we’re capable of. Whether you work in retail food or drug store, a food processing plant, a distillery, a cannabis shop, a hospital or any other location covered by our Union, these victories belong to you. It shows solidarity isn’t just a principle, it’s our most powerful tool.
Let’s carry this momentum forward. Let’s keep organizing, keep showing up, and keep standing strong.
Together we proved, once again:
