Union goes to Alberta Court of Appeal Against Safeway!
Today, Local 401 initiated one of what will be a number of legal actions against Safeway.
This is an additional legal action on top of the ongoing and continuing litigation your union is pursuing against Safeway.
Last year, Safeway agreed to an arbitration process around employee wages. That process did not result in the outcome Safeway wanted.
The arbitrator, who Safeway proposed, gave thousands of Safeway employees a fair wage increase. Unfortunately, Safeway refused to give that increase to all workers despite repeated demands from your union.
Safeway convinced a conservative judge to send the decision back to arbitration. Your union firmly believes that the judge was wrong. As a result, we’re going to the Alberta Court of Appeal to ask for the arbitrator’s decision to be restored.
Click here to see the Court of Appeal pleadings filed today on your union’s behalf.
As Safeway continues to attack its own employees, Local 401 will keep doing everything in its power to stand between the greedy grocery giant and you.
Meanwhile, Safeway threatens to take away the wage increase we won and is asking to go to bargaining early. Their threats and intimidation continue.
Not surprisingly, Safeway employees don’t trust Sobeys. We’re asking Safeway employees for direction on their preferred course of action.
Will we win or lose in our various legal challenges to Safeway’s unprecedented aggression and threats? We cannot know. But our resolve and commitment are unwavering.
“Be it in the courts, in arbitration, or before the Labour Board, the voices of Safeway workers will be heard,” says UFCW Local 401 President Thomas Hesse.
“If Safeway employees ask us to go to bargaining early, rest assured that we will be looking to bargain from a position of strength,” says Secretary Treasurer Richelle Stewart.
It is too early to reach a conclusion. But our polling is starting to tell a story.
Thus far, Safeway employees are standing strong. Whether there is early bargaining or bargaining extends into next year, the anger and frustration of Safeway employees is clear.
As of today, almost 95% of Safeway employees are saying they are strike-ready.
“There is a terrible sadness and disappointment that comes with this situation,” says Secretary Treasurer Stewart. “Members are struggling to get by.”
“We’ve heard stories about some members using food banks,” adds President Hesse. “Others talk about crumbling mental health. How can Safeway attack its own employees like this during an affordability crisis and just before the holiday season?”
Union member after union member is telling us how much Safeway’s actions hurt them.
“However, this seemingly impossible circumstance cannot and will not defeat us,” says President Hesse. “Sobeys will see our teeth. And whatever happens, they will know they were in a fight.”
Make sure your coworkers’ contact information is up to date with your union by clicking here.
We are fighting to protect you and need to remain in constant contact with you as our efforts progress!
In solidarity,
Thomas Hesse, President
Richelle Stewart, Secretary Treasurer
UFCW Local 401
Posted on: November 08,2024