The UFCW 770 Grocery contract is a 3-year agreement.

Ralphs, Albertsons/ Vons, Gelsons, Stater Brothers, and Super A Foods are all affected by contract negotiation, which started March 3rd.

Here’s how it breaks down:

Ralphs and Albertsons/Vons are parties to one contract that expired March 3rd

Gelsons, Staters and Super A each have their own separate contracts that track very closely the Ralphs and Albertsons/Vons contract. These contracts also expired March 3rd.

Collective bargaining is all the workers joining together to negotiate with the company over their wages and benefits and other working conditions. We are bargaining for fair wages and enough hours to sustain a family, preservation of our health and retirement benefits, and a stronger voice in our workplaces and in discussions about how our jobs are changing due to automation.

Gelsons, Stater Brothers and Super A have signed “me-too” agreements. This means that they have agreed in advance to any agreements, particular around wages and benefits, that Ralphs and Albertsons/Vons agree to.

All contract provisions/protections remain in place while we are negotiating. To be more clear: these protections stay in place until we reach impasse.

Reaching impasse is very rare; this happens when neither side is willing to make any more changes in their position. (Even during the 2003/2004 strike/lockout, for example, we never reached impasse. We went out on strike before we ever reached that point.)