UFCW Grocery Workers Overwhelmingly Ratify a New Contract with Food 4 Less, The New Deal is the Strongest Ever Won


This week, frontline grocery employees who work at Food 4 Less/FoodsCo supermarkets in Southern and Central California voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new contract. This is the best deal we ever reached with Food 4 Less and was achieved thanks to active member participation both at the bargaining table and through actions at the stores including wearing buttons, signing and delivering petitions, and participating in the picket lines and boycott actions.

The Food 4 Less Bargaining Committee was able to win:

    • Wage increases of $1.65 over 3 years plus an agreement to match any greater increases achieved by Ralphs workers in their new contract in 2022 and 2023.
    • Ratification Bonuses. Workers at top pay who are Full Time will receive bonuses of $500; Part Time employees will receive $350, and Utility Clerks will receive a $150 bonus.
    • Health and Pension Benefits. The Company will pay all contributions necessary to maintain benefits without any reductions.
    • Scholarship fund. Food 4 Less employees are now eligible for the UFCW Trust Fund scholarship on the same basis as Ralphs employees.
    • More hours. At least 24 hours per week for workers with 5 years of service and 28 hours per week for workers with 15 years of service.
    • Four weeks of vacation for senior employees.
    • Workers won Health and Safety Committees in each store to protect workers and customers against hazardous conditions.
    • Workers were actively engaged in the bargaining process and were able to present their demands to the Company’s negotiators; workers were able to express the changes that they needed.

This contract is a step in the right direction. There’s more work to be done. Food 4 Less workers deserve more and we will continue to build off of this win by organizing, building stronger power in our stores, and working towards a contract that respects our contributions, hard work, and sacrifices throughout these difficult times. We got this! ¡Sí se puede!

** For further details, see the Food 4 Less ratification handout