Save On Foods Bargaining Update – December 2025
Your UFCW Local 401 Bargaining Committee met with Save On Foods Thickwood to exchange proposals and negotiate monetary items including wages and benefits over three days on November 13 and 25, and December 9, 2025.
We put forward a strong ingoing position on wages, proposing across-the-board 10% increases each year. This is a Local 401 initiative we are taking with ALL employers to help employees deal with the affordability crisis. We also proposed funding improvements to the trusteed PT Health and Welfare Benefit plans.
Local 401 wage proposals in the grocery sector are supported by the research of the Alberta Living Wage Network, which produces an annual report outlining the wage needed to cover living expenses for typical families in key municipalities. Their 2025 report calculates a $23.00/hour wage for Fort McMurray.
“Alberta’s $15 minimum wage is the lowest in the country and no longer reflects the true cost of living. Real unions like UFCW Local 401 recognize that reality and are pushing employers to do the same,” stated UFCW 401 General Counsel & Director of Policy and Analysis Mark Wells.
UFCW also proposed recognizing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a new general holiday, and new language to permit employees up to two “Float Holidays” which would allow them to observe alternate religious or culturally significant celebrations in lieu of a named General Holiday (for example, recognizing Diwali in lieu of Thanksgiving). We also proposed a Gynaecological Health Day each month for health issues specific to women.
Some employees have to take unpaid days or use vacation to recognize their religious celebrations, which puts them at a disadvantage compared to employees whose celebrations are on a day that is already recognized. Similarly, women deal with monthly health challenges that men do not, which reduces the overall benefit of their sick days. These proposals are designed to ensure no one is disadvantaged because of their gender or cultural background.
Save On Thickwoods’ ingoing wage proposal was a single 1.5% increase for the top-rate employees effective the date of ratification, and two 1.5% lump sum payments. However, the Company accepted the Union’s proposal of a new General Holiday recognizing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
“The bargaining committee reacted strongly to Save On’s ingoing wage proposal. Lump sum payments don’t help employees pay the bills each month – they just leave them in a deeper hole as inflation eats away at the value of their paycheques,” said Wells. “But we achieved a real win with the Company agreeing to our proposal for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. That gave us confidence that we could keep making headway,” he added.
On the third day of bargaining your Local 401 bargaining committee delivered a detailed presentation comparing the 2025 living wage to the wage scales in the collective agreement, and tabled a comprehensive response to the company’s proposals that rejected any roll-backs. The Company responded by slightly improving it’s financial position and taking some proposed roll-backs off the table.
“Overall our negotiations were productive and respectful. Save On backed away from some positions that would have been an absolute obstacle to getting a deal, and while we are still far apart on money, we did close the gap a little. I believe both sides are committed to further progress,” Wells stated.
The Union and the Company are now scheduling further bargaining dates in January.
Stay in touch with your bargaining committee for more news:
Matt Gilks – UFCW 401 Union Labour Relations Officer (mgilks@ufcw401.ab.ca)
Joanne Wilson – Front End
Dulcie Stoodley – Bakery
Jolene Messer – Meats
Rhonda Heap – Front End
Visit https://gounion.ca/contact/ to sign up for email updates!
Posted on: December 16,2025