About 700 members of UFCW Locals 324, 770, 1167 and 1428 who work at seven El Super stores in Southern California ratified a new contract on Feb. 25 that strengthens wages and includes hard-fought immigration protections.
The agreement comes after months of bargaining and collective action by workers and the community, including petitions, coordinated store and corporate actions, and pressure from customers.
Key provisions of the five-year contract include:
• Wage increases for every worker.
• Immigration protections that benefit both workers and customers.
• A bonus for ratifying the contract.
“This contract reflects the power of workers standing together,” said the UFCW El Super Bargaining Committee in a joint statement. “We fought for dignity, safety, and respect, and we were able to secure meaningful improvements because workers stayed united throughout this process.”
El Super stores are owned by Chedraui USA, a subsidiary of Grupo Comercial Chedraui, the third-largest supermarket chain in Mexico. Chedraui USA operates 383 supermarkets in the United States, including Fiesta Mart, Smart & Final, and El Super across California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas. El Super workers and customers are primarily Latino.