A major Puget Sound grocery workers union announced ratification of a new three-year contract, raising hourly wages $4-$9 over the life of the agreement.
UFCW 3000, now representing the unions formerly known as UFCW 21 and UFCW 1439 after a merger in March, announced that its grocery workers voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new contract.
In addition to the wage increase, the contract bolstered workers' health care coverage and pensions with more funding, among other improvements.
"Over the life of this new three-year contract, grocery store workers will see their wages increase $4 to $9 an hour, gain safety and training, maintain a quality health plan with no increased costs, and have a secured pension and more," the union said in a release.
The contract eliminated lower pay scales in departments such as deli, bakery, fuel, and e-commerce, "which are disproportionately staffed by women, immigrants, and people of color," the release noted.
"This new wage scale moves us one step closer to having a single pay scale for everyone in the store. An hour of work is an hour of work, regardless of what department you are in, and we deserve to be compensated equally," said Kyong Barry, an Albertsons Auburn grocery store worker and bargaining team member.
Workers from grocery chains including Fred Meyer, Safeway, Albertsons, QFC, Metropolitan Market and Town & Country were involved in negotiations.
The union represents more than 50,000 workers in the grocery, food processing, retail, and health care industries, among others, in Washington and parts of Oregon and Idaho.
Separately, members with UFCW 367, representing grocery workers primarily in Pierce and Thurston counties among other areas, are set to vote on their contract next week, with a tentative agreement also reached. The members work at many of the same grocery chains as UFCW 3000 members.
