It’s GO Time: Safeway bargaining kicks off next week
On Tuesday, September 30, your union will start going head-to-head with Sobeys to bargain a new contract for Alberta Safeway workers.
This round of bargaining won’t be easy. But we’re ready for the fight. And with members like you standing strong alongside thousands of coworkers, we know we can win the fairness and respect you deserve.
How we got here
In 2023, after years of frustration with Sobeys, your union fought for and won important wage increases. Through a process called a Wage Reopener, Arbitrator Mia Norrie awarded senior Safeway workers a 5% wage increase in 2023 and another 5% in 2024. Norrie recognized that while our proposal was ambitious, Sobeys’ proposal was, in her own words, “significantly inferior.”
Sobeys didn’t like that outcome. But instead of respecting the process, they went to the Court of King’s Bench to try to overturn it. While the court sided with Sobeys, your union has filed an appeal because workers deserve fairness, not rollbacks.
That appeal will be heard by the Court of Appeal on October 10, 2025.
UFCW Local 401 President Thomas Hesse has been clear: “Sobeys’ attempts to drive down wages during an affordability crisis, while their parent company Empire posts record profits, are shameful and wrong.”
What’s at stake this round
From your bargaining surveys, we know the top six priorities Safeway members identified:
- Restoring wage rollbacks and further wage increases
- More full-time jobs, more hours for part-timers
- Secure and improve workers’ benefit plans
- Safe, comfortable and respectful workplaces for all
- Fair discounts for workers
- Job security and end Sobeys’ anti-union tactics
Open bargaining: come and see it for yourself
We believe in open bargaining, which means any Safeway member can attend negotiations and see for themselves what happens at the table. Contact your Union Labour Relations officer to arrange attendance if you are interested.
When & Where: September 30 – October 2, 2025
Carriage House Hotel, Calgary
9030 Macleod Trl, Calgary, AB T2H 0M4
Time: 9:00 a.m. start
This is YOUR bargaining table. Stay informed by:
- Reading bargaining update emails
- Visiting https://gounion.ca/safewaybargaining2025/
- Following UFCW 401 on social media: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok (@UFCW401)
- Watching for Friday debrief Zoom meetings after each week of negotiations
IMPORTANT: Sobeys will try to deliver their own message about bargaining through Safeway Talks.
Always rely on updates from your union first. Our updates will come from your Union Bargaining Committee. That Committee is made up of Safeway workers fighting to get you the best deal possible.
Building strike readiness
In the weeks and months ahead, you’ll hear more about the importance of a strong strike vote strategy. Let’s be clear:
- A strike vote does not necessarily mean we are going on strike.
- A strike vote is a show of strength, demonstrating that workers are united and willing to stand up for fair wages and decent working conditions.
- The stronger the strike vote, the stronger the message to Sobeys: Safeway workers will not settle for less.
- Strong strike votes are often the most effective tactic to avoid strikes by getting employers to come back to the table with fair offers.
- There’s nothing unusual about taking a strike vote, especially in the midst of an affordability crisis. Recently, nurses, government employees, teachers, and workers in food processing and retail across Alberta and North America have all taken strike votes.
- Strike votes aren’t just for industrial and blue-collar workers; they are for everyone who wants power and leverage at the bargaining table.
As UFCW Local 401 Secretary Treasurer, Richelle Stewart, explains: “A strike vote is about demonstrating collective power. When thousands of Safeway members make it clear they are ready to take action, Sobeys has no choice but to pay attention.”
“The employer knows we are serious when we show our strength together,” adds Stewart.
Together, we win
Safeway workers have always been there for Alberta communities. You were frontline heroes during COVID-19 and you continue to be heroes in your communities to this day. You deserve a contract that reflects your value and your sacrifice.
This round will be a tough fight, but we’ve been ready for this moment. You’re not alone, your union is prepared, and together, we are unstoppable.
It’s GO TIME. Let’s get to work and let’s win.
Posted on: September 26,2025