UFCW Local 5 and UFCW Local 648 have reached a tentative agreement with Safeway, averting a planned strike that would have been the first regional labor stoppage against the company in nearly three decades, the union announced.
The deal follows five months of negotiations and growing strike momentum from the 16,000 Safeway employees represented by the unions in the Bay Area.
The tentative agreement includes meaningful wage increases, improvements to retirement benefits, fairer scheduling, increased health care contributions, and stronger job protection language.
“This is a hard-earned and inspiring victory,” said UFCW Local 5 President John Frahm and UFCW Local 648 President Dan Larson in a joint statement. “Because our members stood together–strong and unshakable — they secured a contract that reflects their value and delivers real improvements for their families and futures.”
Ratification votes will be scheduled in the coming days. Union leaders expressed confidence that members will approve the deal.