Potential strike at Alberta Safeway: How you can help

Locked out boilermakers and allies (including representatives from CUPE, AUPE and AUFA) stop a van of scabs on July 23 in Edmonton.

Note: UFCW401 have clarified to say that their top issues are safety, lack of respect for employees, following the contract, and job security although hero pay definitely remains a concern. Their strike vote will be on August 4th-7th.

Negotiations between United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 401 and Safeway is a useful example of how bargaining impasse can play out. It also offers AUFA members an opportunity of how to be a useful ally to other workers struggling with an unreasonable employer.

UFCW has been bargaining for a contract renewal for 8000 workers at 75 Alberta Safeway stores. Their collective agreement expired in 2017 and negotiations reached impasse in June of this year. UFCW decided to hold a strike vote in order to demonstrate to the employer that their members were serious about making gains.

One of the triggers of the strike vote was that Safeway’s parent company (Sobeys) brought to an end its $2 per hour hazard pay premium for staff while Safeway’s earnings were ballooning and shareholders were receiving increased dividends. Sobeys is asking for concessions despite record profits.

A June strike vote saw 79% support for a strike. This means UFCW can call a strike any time in the next three months by giving Safeway 72 hours of notice. Safeway also conducted an employer lockout poll, so it is in a position to lock out workers.

Following the strike vote, the parties returned to the table and, with the help of a mediator, have concluded a tentative agreement. In this case, it appears that threat of a work stoppage and its attendant costs caused both sides to reconsider what they might accept. A vote by the workers on the employer’s latest offer will be held next week on August 4th to 7th.

If UFCW is forced to strike in order to secure an acceptable contract, there are a number of things that AUFA members can do to be good allies.

Before any work stoppage you can leave a comment on Canada Safeway’s website to let them known that you will stop shopping at Safeway’s until there is a fair deal. You can also tweet at them (@SafewayCanada) or contact them through Facebook.

If there is a strike, you can honour the union’s picket line and shop at another grocery store. You may wish to patronize an independent grocery store or a Co-op, Save-On-Foods, or Real Canadian Superstore (Safeway’s parent company operates Sobeys, Thrifty Foods, and IGA stores).

During a strike, you may also be able to join a UFCW picket line as an ally. This can take as little as an hour of your time. For more information about joining a picket line, contact Bob Barnetson.

A strike by workers is much more effective (i.e., shorter) when the public refuses to do business with the employer. If AU forces AUFA to strike, we will be relying, in part, upon the actions of the public to pressure AU to settle (e.g., by cutting into AU’s revenue through delayed course registrations). It is important for AUFA members to return the favour when other unionized workers need our assistance.

Bob Barnetson

AUFA Job Action Committee