Essential Grocery Workers Overwhelmingly Ratify a New Contract with Food 4 Less

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 9, 2021
Contact: Bertha Rodriguez, Bertha.Rodriguez@ufcw770.org, (213) 453-6276

Essential Grocery Workers Overwhelmingly Ratify a New Contract with Food 4 Less

Strong Contract Secures Improved Wages and Hours, and the Creation of Health and Safety Committees at All stores

Los Angeles, CA– This week, frontline grocery workers at Food 4 Less/FoodsCo supermarkets who are members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) in Southern and Central California voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new contract.

A worker-led Bargaining Committee from UFCW local unions across California settled the agreement after six months of negotiations with Kroger, the parent company of Food 4 Less/FoodsCo.

The agreement is the best deal ever won at Food 4 Less. It includes wage increases of up to $1.65 over 3 years plus an agreement to match any larger increases achieved by Ralphs workers in their upcoming contract renewal. It also provides bonuses between $150-$500 for most workers, more guaranteed hours for part-timers, extra vacation time for senior employees, access to a scholarship fund that Ralphs workers already have, and establishes a Health and Safety Committee at every Food 4 Less store.

Blanca Padilla, who has worked at Food 4 Less for 30 years, says: “We’ve gone through a lot during this pandemic. This contract is pretty good and is a step in the right direction in our struggle to improve wages and benefits. Me and my coworkers will continue fighting to raise the standards at Food 4 Less. I’m also committed to joining my fellow grocery workers in the upcoming master food contract campaign with Kroger.”

“This is a good contract for Food 4 Less workers. We pushed to raise the bar and won better pay and hours, and we will continue to fight for what we deserve, and for Kroger to recognize us as equal to Ralph’s workers. We also refused to allow the company to negatively affect our pension and healthcare benefits. As a covid survivor, these benefits are very important to me and my family,” says Elena Gonzalez, a cashier at a Food 4 Less in Bell Gardens.

“This contract fight has been historic and it is a workers’ victory. Food 4 Less members were actively engaged in the bargaining process. Despite all the challenges faced throughout the pandemic, UFCW 770 members were able to speak up about the changes that they needed to make. This contract is an important step towards our goal of reaching the kind of member participation and worker power necessary to achieve truly transformative contracts,” says UFCW 770 Secretary-Treasurer, Kathy Finn.

The bargaining unit covers approximately 7,000 employees working at 98 stores across 9 counties in California. These workers are represented by UFCW Locals 135, 324, 770, 1167,1428,1442 and 8-GS. UFCW 770 represents about 2,500 members in 37 stores in Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties.

The contract expired in June of 2020 but due to the Covid pandemic, it was extended until March of this year. Negotiations started on January 6, 2021. The term of the agreement expires on June 8, 2024.

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About UFCW Local 770:
UFCW Local 770 represents over 20,000 grocery workers in Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties. Overall, the union represents roughly 31,000 members in the retail food, retail pharmacy, meatpacking and food processing, laboratory, and cannabis industries.

PARA DIFUSIÓN INMEDIATA
9 de julio de 2021
Contacto: Bertha Rodriguez, Bertha.Rodriguez@ufcw770.org, (213) 453-6276

Trabajadores Esenciales de Supermercados Ratifican Contundentemente un Nuevo Contrato con Food 4 Less

El Robusto Contrato Garantiza Mejores Salarios y Horarios, y la Creación de Comités de Salud y Seguridad en Todas las Tiendas

Los Ángeles, CA– Esta semana, los empleados de supermercado de primera línea que trabajan en Food 4 Less/FoodsCo y que son miembros de UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers Union) en el Sur y el Centro de California votaron abrumadoramente para ratificar un nuevo contrato.

Un Comité Negociador liderado por trabajadores de Locales sindicales de UFCW en el estado de California, alcanzaron un acuerdo contractual, después de seis meses de negociaciones con Kroger, la empresa propietaria de Food 4 Less/FoodsCo.

El contrato es el mejor pacto alguna vez logrado con Food 4 Less. Incluye incrementos salariales de hasta $1.65 a lo largo de 3 años además de un acuerdo de igualar cualquier aumento que logren obtener los trabajadores de Ralphs para su próxima renovación de contrato. También ofrece bonos de entre $150-$500 para la mayoría de los trabajadores, más horas garantizadas para los trabajadores de medio tiempo, tiempo extra de vacaciones para los empleados con más antigüedad, un fondo de becas igual al beneficio similar que ya reciben los trabajadores de Ralphs, y establece un Comité de Salud y Seguridad en cada tienda de Food 4 Less.

Blanca Padilla, quien ha trabajado en Food 4 Less durante 30 años, dice “Hemos pasado por muchas cosas durante esta pandemia. Este contrato es bastante bueno y es un paso en la dirección correcta en nuestra lucha para mejorar los sueldos y beneficios. Mis compañeros y yo continuaremos luchando para elevar los estándares en Food 4 Less. También estoy comprometida a unirme a mis compañeros en las tiendas de supermercado en la siguiente campaña maestra para el contrato con Kroger.”