Posts Categorized: Retail

On Nov. 24, over 3,500 members of UFCW Locals 8-GS, 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428 and 1442 who are essential pharmacy workers at Rite Aid locations across Southern California ratified a new contract. The agreement was reached after months of negotiations and active participation from thousands of pharmacists, pharmacy clerks, and technicians in Southern California.

Key provisions of the three-year contract include:

•           Significant wage increases each year of the contract for all workers. Initial increases will be retroactive to July 21, 2024.

•           New longevity rates at 10 and 15 years.

•           Protection of health care and pension benefits. Rite Aid has agreed to fully fund all health care and pension benefits with no changes for the duration of the contract.

•           Protections to full-time and part-time guaranteed hours that the company tried to reduce.

•           Elimination of lunch waiver practice.

The seven UFCW Locals released the following statement:

“Today, by ratifying this contract, Rite Aid workers secured historic wage increases for every member, protected our health benefits and secured our pension. After countless hours at the bargaining table, the hard-working UFCW members stood together for their families and each other and won a strong contract. This contract is a concrete and direct result of the tireless work of the member-led bargaining committee and our members’ engagement in the fight. Our members are fighting for a more promising future, and this contract will help to achieve that goal.”

On Oct. 29, workers at the Lush Cosmetics store at the St. Louis Galleria Mall in St. Louis joined UFCW Local 655. This organizing win marks the first Lush Cosmetics store in Missouri to unionize.

These workers joined our union family for a voice in the workplace. Their decision reflects the belief that forming a union is in their best interest and aligns with the company’s stated corporate values.

“Lush is very open about supporting animal rights, environmental justice, and human rights,” said Harshini Abbaraju, a Lush Cosmetics employee who has worked for the company in three states and is now employed at the St. Louis Galleria Mall. “Now they need to put their money where their mouth is and recognize our union, because there are no human rights without workers’ rights.”

“That’s their ethos,” Abbaraju added. “Because that’s their ethos, and because our union will allow us to assert our dignity in the workplace, the company should have no problem working with us to get a strong, first contract.”

“We look forward to meeting with the employees to get their concerns and bargaining with Lush management to get a contract that addresses those concerns,” said UFCW Local 655 President David Cook.

In addition to the new Lush Cosmetics unit in St. Louis, the UFCW also represents Lush Cosmetics workers in Louisville and Lexington, Ky., who are members of UFCW Local 227, and Lush Cosmetics workers in Friendswood, Texas, who are members of UFCW Local 455.