STANDING TOGETHER IS HOW WE WIN.
Safeway workers are fighting for a fair deal. And they’re not standing alone.
If you still have cable at home, turn on your TV tomorrow.
There’s a good chance you’ll see a commercial sponsored by your union. And if YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or TikTok is more your thing, you’ll probably see it there, too. It’s a new 30-second ad featuring Gage, a Safeway meat cutter, UFCW 401 member and new father.
Watch the full commercial:
https://youtu.be/VR0lzHUd32k
Gage has spent the past seven years building his career at Safeway. He’s a top-rated meat cutter who takes real pride in his craft and loves the work he does every day. And now, he has something even more important to come home to: he’s recently become a father.
Like so many of us, Gage is working hard not only for the job he loves, but for the future he’s building for his family. Gage’s story is about more than one workplace. It’s about what every UFCW 401 member deserves: fair treatment, respect and a voice on the job.
The TV commercial was created in-house by UFCW 401 members and staff, with our members at the heart of the story. It will run on cable television and social media from September 3–7, reaching Safeway workers and the public just days before the anticipated strike vote.
Visit: https://faircheckout.ca/
THIS IS A FIGHT THAT MATTERS TO ALL OF US.
Gage is one of more than 7,000 Safeway workers across Alberta who have waited more than a year for a fair contract, while facing wage rollbacks, benefit concerns, reduced hours and uncertainty about jobs and stores.
In 2024, after your union successfully won badly needed wage increases, approximately half of Safeway workers received a 10% raise: 5% in 2023 and 5% in 2024. Sobeys later clawed back 6.5% of those increases following a decision workers and their union believed was flawed.
These were wages workers had already earned and relied on to pay their bills, mortgages, groceries and support their families.
UFCW Local 401 fought back through the Court of Appeal and won, restoring the wage increases. Sobeys has now sought leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.
For workers, this is about more than a paycheque. It’s about fairness, respect and being able to count on the wages you earn. After more than a year at the bargaining table and mediation ending without a deal, workers are ready to stand together. From September 8–11, they’ll vote on whether to authorize a strike.
“This fight matters to every UFCW 401 member. When workers stand together for fair wages, respect and security, we don’t just strengthen one group of workers; we raise the bar for everyone. That’s what solidarity is all about.”
— Thomas Hesse, President, UFCW 401
The Safeway Bargaining Committee with UFCW 401 President Thomas Hesse and Secretary Treasurer Richelle Stewart, holding “The Big Great Grocery Strike” posters.
STAND WITH SAFEWAY WORKERS
We’re asking every UFCW 401 member to stand with our Safeway brothers, sisters and coworkers.
“If Safeway workers vote for a strike mandate and a strike ultimately happens, we’re asking every UFCW 401 member to stand with them and respect the picket line by not shopping at Safeway while workers are on strike. This is what solidarity looks like: showing our fellow members that when they stand up for a fair deal, they don’t stand alone.”
— Richelle Stewart, Secretary Treasurer, UFCW 401
It’s a simple way to show workers that they are not alone.
You can also help by:
- Watching and sharing the commercial with your family, friends and networks.
- Talking about the campaign and why fair wages and respect at work matter.
- Supporting Safeway workers online by sharing their stories and updates.
- Respecting the picket line if workers are forced to strike.
Visit FairCheckout.ca to meet the workers, learn what’s happening at the bargaining table and find out how you can show your support.
Posted on: September 02,2026