Earlier this month, Safeway pharmacy tech employees in Oak Harbor, Wash. voted to join UFCW Local 3000.
The seven workers were inspired to unionize by a desire to address heavy workloads and uneven disciplinary actions. They overcame an intimidation campaign waged by Safeway’s upper management and organized for better wages and stronger healthcare benefits, as well as the opportunity to contribute meaningfully in the workplace.
“Voting to become a union took bravery and a strong crew. We’re a good team and need better protections and more power so we can address challenges and improve our workplace. We voted to do it, and you can, too,” said Joan Whitmarsh, pharmacy tech at the Oak Harbor Safeway.
Organizers held biweekly, offsite meetings where workers felt comfortable voicing their concerns about the current workplace environment.
During these discussions they saw the collective power of unionizing. Being a member brings increased wages, benefits, and worker solidarity not just for the pharmacy techs, but also for the other 135 union members at that Safeway who are also represented by UFCW Local 3000.
Organizers are planning to coordinate negotiations around their statewide grocery contract campaign next year.