Standing Strong as We Head to Mediation
With key protections in place, we are ready to focus on the priorities that matter most to you.
Members of the Safeway Bargaining Committee celebrated Pride Month during our recent round of negotiations!
We’ve wrapped up another intense round of negotiations.
We kicked off Day 1 with an energizing visit from Local 401 President Thomas Hesse, who spoke directly to the committee about narrowing down our big priorities and keeping our eyes on the ultimate prize: a fair contract.
“We are locked in and fighting for wages that make life affordable,” said President Hesse. “Our members deserve to make sure their hard work is respected at the grocery till and in their bank accounts.”
What We Worked On This Round
During this session, your committee put in long hours to protect your rights and improve your working conditions.
Our main focus was on:
- Fighting for full-time positions: Pushing hard for improvements that open up more full-time opportunities for members.
- Reviewing Letters of Understanding (LOUs): Cleaning up, modernizing, and strengthening the various LOUs that govern your day-to-day workplace rules.
- The Dayforce App: We enhanced the language around the new shift swap and trade features of this new technology coming to the stores soon, fighting hard to ensure that all available shifts are awarded fairly and that these digital changes truly work to protect members.
UFCW Local 401 President, Thomas Hesse, talking to the Safeway Bargaining Team
Moving to Monetary Items And Mediation
With the foundational pieces sorted out, we are now prepared to move to the most important issue for the vast majority of our Safeway members: monetary items.
The time for corporate stalling is over. We are taking these critical financial demands into formal mediation, with the next two high-stakes rounds of bargaining scheduled for July and August.
As we head into this crucial phase, UFCW Local 401 Secretary Treasurer Richelle Stewart emphasized the vital role every single member plays in this fight:
“It is absolutely critical that every member is plugged into union communications right now,” said Secretary Treasurer Stewart. “As we head into the most important stage of bargaining, mediation could lead to a potential strike vote in the fall. This is the moment where collective action will be asked of everyone, and we must stand ready.”
The Power of Open Bargaining: We Need You There!
As a democratic union, we believe in open bargaining.
This means these negotiations don’t happen behind closed doors, they belong to you. Having a strong turnout of members attending these sessions as observers completely changes the dynamic in the room.
When the company looks across the table and sees a room packed with engaged, focused members watching their every move, it sends an undeniable message: the committee speaks for everyone on the shop floor.
As we head into the next couple of rounds, we need you there. Showing up as an observer is one of the easiest and most powerful ways to show management that we are united and watching closely.
The strength of our committee at the table comes directly from your solidarity in the stores.
Talk to your shop stewards, make sure your contact information is up to date with the union, and contact your Union Rep to find out how you can attend the upcoming bargaining rounds as an observer.
Mark Your Calendars!
The next round of bargaining and mediation will be taking place at:
- Location: Holiday Inn Edmonton South (Parsons Rd)
- Dates: July 22–24, 2026
Interested in attending as an observer? Reach out to your union rep to get involved!
Stay strong, stay tuned, and let’s win the contract you deserve.
Posted on: June 24,2026