September 25, 2025

FreshCo Heritage kicks off bargaining

Your union negotiating team met with the company on September 22 and 23.

UFCW Local 401 believes in open bargaining. If any member is interested in attending, please let Abdi Guled, your Union Labour Relations Officer, know.

Check out this video on open bargaining for more information:

Your Union negotiating committee

• Anastasia Holleman – Meat/Deli Clerk, Heritage FreshCo
• Oleksii Tiurin – Grocery, Heritage FreshCo
• Abdi Guled – Union Labour Relations Officer, UFCW Local 401
• Chris O’Halloran – Executive Director, UFCW Local 401

Proposals and next steps

At this first round of bargaining, both the Union and the company shared their initial proposals. The Union presented our priorities for improving wages, benefits, and working conditions. The company, however, did not table any monetary or benefits proposals this time, but indicated they plan to do so at the next round. Here’s where things stand and what to expect in the coming months:

• You can find the Union’s ingoing proposal here.
• You can find the Company’s ingoing proposal here.

We are scheduled to return to the bargaining table on December 8–9 and March 9–10.

“Our conversations with the company were productive, and we were able to get a clearer picture of some of the gaps in your current contract,” shared UFCW Local 401 Executive Director, Chris O’Halloran. “While they haven’t made any proposals on wages or benefits yet, we’re hopeful that the next round in December will bring real progress. Our focus remains on making sure the membership’s needs -especially in the face of rising costs- are front and centre.”

We will share the company’s proposed wage and benefit increases as soon as we receive them. We hope the company understands the needs of our membership and proposes a substantial increase to help members manage the rising cost of living.

Stay informed!

Want to keep up with the latest news on your contract negotiations? Visit the FreshCo Bargaining website anytime for updates, proposals, and resources: https://gounion.ca/freshcobargaining2025/

For questions or concerns, reach out to:

Abdi Guled:
(780) 452-0362
aguled@ufcw401.ab.ca

Chris O’Halloran:
(403) 291-1047
cohalloran@ufcw401.ab.ca

September 10, 2025

Negotiations Start Off Slow at FreshCo Tamarack

Your Union negotiating committee met with your Operator, Wilson, and Sobeys’ lawyer, Michael, on September 3rd and 4th of last week.

Your negotiating committee was made up of:

• Khushneet Kaur – Member
• Arlene Santos – Member
• Sam Nuako – Union Labour Relation Officer
• Chris O’Halloran – Union Spokesperson

We were also joined by two members from the Milbourne Freshco store. At UFCW Local 401, we believe in being open and transparent with our members. That’s why we invite any Freshco member who’s interested in observing negotiation to attend and see how the process works.

To learn more about open bargaining, check out this video.

You can find the Union’s ingoing proposal here.

You can find the Company’s ingoing proposal here.

If you look at the Company’s proposal, you will notice that they are not proposing any wage or benefit improvements. We asked the Operator’s lawyer multiple times to give us a package of proposals about money that we could take back to our members, and they refused.

“It was a difficult set of negotiations,” said Chris O’Halloran, Executive Director and Union spokesperson during bargaining. “The Company lawyer refused to answer questions or justify their position throughout two days of bargaining.”

Added O’Halloran: “There are a lot of areas that could use improvement, but it is hard to negotiate when one side will not answer your questions.”

We will be back at the negotiating table with Wilson and Michael on November 27th and 28th. We are in the process of scheduling additional dates as well.

If you have any questions, please contact ULRO Sam Nuako at snuako@ufcw401.ab.ca or by phone at 780-452-0362 ext. 1813, or reach out to Chris O’Halloran at cohalloran@ufcw401.ab.ca or by phone at 587-999-6448.

September 4, 2025

FreshCo and Sobeys: one company, one fight

Are they really separate companies? We don’t think so, and we’re taking action to prove it.

Sure, you’ve probably been to a FreshCo before, Anna, and noticed lower prices on produce or fewer services available to you. All to diminish service to the customers, rake in the profits, and sell the idea that you’re saving big on the same products you’d find at other grocery stores.

But is that truly a deal for customers or just a smokescreen for a business model that cuts corners on workers and service while boosting corporate profits?

FreshCo operates under a franchise model, but some may suggest the puppeteer pulling the strings behind the scenes is the big corporation: Sobeys. That means FreshCo workers face an even tougher challenge when it comes time to negotiate collective agreements. Why? Because it’s not the multimillion-dollar corporation (Sobeys) sitting across the bargaining table. It’s the franchisee. Obviously, franchisees work with limited resources, while big corporations, like Sobeys, have deep pockets and the financial muscle to back them up.

UFCW Local 401 wants to change that in Alberta.

That’s why the union has recently filed something called a Common Employer Application with the Alberta Labour Relations Board (ALRB). This is a legal request asking the Board to recognize that FreshCo and Sobeys are not truly separate companies.

Even though FreshCo stores may appear independent, we believe Sobeys makes the decisions, sets the rules, directs the work, and controls what happens on the ground. If that’s the case, Sobeys should be held accountable at the bargaining table when it comes to negotiating your union contract.

WHAT IS A COMMON EMPLOYER APPLICATION?

A Common Employer Application is used when a big company tries to hide behind a separate brand or franchise to avoid dealing fairly with workers, especially with unions. It’s a way to get the Labour Board to say, “No, you’re actually the same employer, and you can’t dodge responsibility.” This matters because right now, each FreshCo store negotiates separately, store by store, which weakens our ability to fight for better wages, benefits, and job security. When stores are divided, it benefits the corporation, not the workers.

WHAT DOES FRANCHISING REALLY MEAN?

Franchising is a business model where big corporations like Sobeys allow other people to run stores under their brand name, but in many cases, the corporation still controls major decisions like pricing, hours, staffing, and policies. It’s often used to avoid strong union contracts and reduce costs, which usually means cutting corners on workers’ wages and protections. It’s a way for multi-million-dollar companies to keep profits high by keeping workers weak and divided.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER NOW?

We’re living in uncertain times, the cost of living keeps going up, and our paycheques don’t stretch as far as they used to. That’s why it’s more important than ever for workers to stand together.

If you want to read our application to the ALRB, click HERE. 

We’re following the lead of UFCW 1518 in British Columbia

Last year, UFCW Local 1518 made a similar Common Employer Application in British Columbia. Sobeys fought that application twice. And twice, the Courts ruled in favour of the union, finding that Sobeys and FreshCo are common employers.

We expect Sobeys to fight our Alberta application just as hard. But we’re ready.

What exactly does this mean for workers at Local 401?

If the Alberta Labour Relations Board agrees that Sobeys and FreshCo are common employers, it could be a game-changer for FreshCo workers across the province. Instead of negotiating separate contracts store by store, all FreshCo workers would bargain together, united under one voice. It would also be a game-changer for Safeway employees, as it would enhance our ability to push Sobeys at two levels instead of one.

Additionally, it would discourage Sobeys from converting Safeway stores into FreshCos, as it would send the message that they cannot easily weaken the union.

That kind of unity gives workers more bargaining power. Sobeys would no longer be able to play stores off one another or isolate negotiations. It means better coordination, stronger support, and more pressure at the bargaining table.

Simply put, we’d be in a much better position to win real improvements in wages, benefits, and working conditions.

Why should I care if I don’t work at Sobeys or FreshCo?

When UFCW Local 401 takes action, your bosses are paying attention. It sends a clear message: they can’t mess with you. It also makes them think twice about trying to restructure the business in ways that strip away your union rights, wages, or benefits. 

That’s why it’s so essential we stand together behind Local 401’s strategies and tactics. We need to make it crystal clear to every employer that an injury to one is an injury to all.

It’s easy to feel powerless against big corporations on your own. But 401’s message is a collective one: all of us, united. It reminds the world that workers are never alone.

What Happens Next?

While the legal process plays out, UFCW Local 401 is still preparing for bargaining at each individual FreshCo location. We are at the table with nine of them out of over twenty different stores with different collective agreements.

Safeway bargaining is about to begin, and at those negotiations, we’ll be asking Safeway to guarantee that no stores will be closed and that no more locations will be converted to FreshCos.

In the meantime, we’re not waiting. We’re organizing, supporting members, and getting ready.

Questions or Concerns? Let’s Talk.

If you have any questions about the common employer application, or FreshCo negotiations, please reach out to:

Chris O’Halloran, Executive Director
cohalloran@ufcw401.ab.ca
587-999-6448

We’ll keep you updated as the legal process continues. In the meantime, stay strong and stay informed. 

This is about standing up together for your rights, and we’re following the proven path paved by our union comrades at UFCW 1518 in BC.