New Year, Same Old Sobeys Tactics…
BARGAINING CONTINUES
As we move into 2026, one thing hasn’t changed: Sobeys continues to drag its feet at the bargaining table.
We are waiting to hear from the Court of Appeal on 2025’s wage rollbacks — the issue we know matters most to you. Meanwhile, bargaining continues on critical workplace protections that directly affect your work.
Your Union Bargaining Committee is pushing the company on real issues that shape your hours, schedules, and the future of full-time work at Safeway. Even as Sobeys avoids meaningful movement on core concerns, your Committee remains focused on securing protections that strengthen your jobs now and for the long term.
KEY ISSUES
Below are five key issues currently being debated at the bargaining table: 1. Part-Time Guarantee of Hours
Your Bargaining Committee presented a proposal that would guarantee unrestricted part-time members 32, 28, or 24 hours per week.
The goal is simple: push available hours to existing members and stop the practice of hiring new employees only to give them one shift a week.2. Guarantee of Full-Time Jobs
The Meat and Deli agreements already include a guarantee of full-time positions. It’s time the Retail Agreement did too.
Across the province, full-time positions have disappeared. As workers retire or leave, those jobs are not being replaced. When a full-time job is lost, it must be replaced. That protection belongs in your contract.3. Digital Shift Swap (Dayforce)
The company is finally moving toward a modern scheduling system accessible via a mobile app and online: Dayforce. This would allow members to:
- View schedules online
- Stop having to come into the store just to check shifts
- Swap shifts with other members to better manage work and life
This is a long-overdue change, and we’re watching it closely to ensure it works for you.4. Digital Shift Bid / Offer (Dayforce)
The company proposal around digital shift bids raises concerns. While it may allow members to pick up or drop shifts, seniority protections will be crucial. Access to more hours must be fair, transparent, and protected. This issue remains under close scrutiny as negotiations continue.5. Commitment to Service
UFCW Local 401 President Thomas Hesse addressed the company directly at the bargaining table, stressing that Safeway’s future depends on investing in its brand and in the workers who deliver excellent service every day.
“If Safeway wants to protect its brand and remain competitive, it has to invest in service. That means investing in the workers who provide that service every single day,” emphasized President Hesse.
Part of your Bargaining Committee’s proposal includes language stating that: “The Company shall ensure that at least three cashiers are on check stands for the first two hours after store opening and the last two hours before closing.”
Sobeys must maximize investment in its existing conventional stores and recognize that services (not cuts) are what distinguish Safeway from other discount operations.
GETTING STRIKE VOTE STRONG
As bargaining continues, building toward a strong strike vote is critical. A strong strike vote doesn’t necessarily mean a strike is happening. Rather, it shows Sobeys that Safeway members are organized, engaged, and ready to fight, including withdrawing their labour, if that becomes necessary.
This is how real leverage is created in negotiations. Strike votes are a powerful tool in the labour movement and have been instrumental in achieving meaningful gains for workers across Canada.
Every major agreement in Alberta over the past year has been preceded by a strong strike vote, from nurses to EMS workers to other workers.
When members stand together strong and united, employers take note. Strong strike votes are a signal that the workforce is informed, organized, and committed to protecting their rights.
Secretary Treasurer, Richelle Stewart, emphasized the importance of member engagement: “Strike votes are about leverage. They’re about mobilizing from the ground up and showing the employer that members are engaged, informed, and united. That’s how we create the pressure needed to win real improvements at the table.”
STAY UP TO DATE
Remember, the latest bargaining updates are always posted on our website: gounion.ca/safewaybargaining2025. Take a moment to review them and refresh your memory on the most recent developments at the table.
NEW CAMPAIGN: FREE PERIOD PRODUCTS IN STORES
We are also launching a human rights campaign calling on Sobeys to provide free period products for Safeway workers in employee washrooms.
We raised this issue directly at the bargaining table. The employer’s response was that it would cost too much and that they are not obligated to provide these products because they are not a public entity.
We disagree.
Access to period products is a basic dignity and workplace equity issue. We are calling on Sobeys to do the right thing at their Safeway stores.Click the image, sign the petition, and help us get loud about it:
STAY CONNECTED
- Follow UFCW Local 401 on social media
- Sign up for email updates
- Show up, speak out, and be part of the change
Bargaining works best when members are informed, engaged, and visible. Let Sobeys know you’re watching and ready to fight!
Posted on: January 09,2026