Over 2,000 members of UFCW Locals 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428 and 1442 who work at Gelson’s Markets stores across Southern California ratified a new contract on August 21. This contract, which was reached after months of negotiations and active participation from thousands of Gelson’s Markets members, marks another milestone for the Grocery Workers Rising campaign, a coordinated effort among the locals to improve standards across the retail food industry.
Key provisions of the three-year contract include:
• Wage increases for every worker.
• A new supplemental pension plan to help workers in their retirement.
• Increased health care benefit contributions and faster health care eligibility requirements for new hires.
• Staffing language that includes the union in evaluating reasonable staffing levels that address the efficient operation of the store, health and safety of employees, and quality of customer service.
“Our journey to contract ratification saw a record turnout of grocery workers, customers, and community members, all fighting for the same thing – better stores, better lives, better communities,” said the Gelson’s Markets bargaining committee in a joint statement. “We fought to ensure our jobs would be sufficient to feed our own families and afford health benefits and a dignified retirement at the end of a long career. We also fought for more staffing to improve the customer experience at our stores.”
“Only by rising up together in solidarity – from wearing buttons, signing petitions, and pledge cards, to standing with our co-workers and our fellow union siblings at Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, Pavilions, and Stater Bros. – were we able to win changes in our workplaces that will benefit us, our co-workers, and our customers in the future.”
“Our fight isn’t over though. Members at El Super are also still without a contract, and our pharmacist siblings at Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions are gearing up for their fight next year. They all stood by us to get this contract. Now we must stand by them.”