WASHINGTON--Nearly 30,000 employees at Giant and Safeway in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia today overwhelming approved a new contract that maintains health care benefits without co-payments and provides wage increases over the four-year term of the agreement.
“Our members were determined to preserve their health care benefits, and we did,” said Jim Lowthers, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400, which represents workers in the Washington metropolitan area. “Health care is a critical issue for workers all across the country, and I’m proud we could hold the line here.”
Under the agreement, Giant and Safeway also agreed to increase funding for the pension plan, as well as to provide hourly wage increases that average from 30-35 cents per year for most employees. While the union agreed to a different health care system for newly hired employees through a transition period, these employees will achieve the same level of benefits after six years.
“Overall, this is a contract that will benefit our members while also helping our employers remain competitive in this market,” Lowthers said.
Giant and Safeway are the dominant grocers in the Washington-area market, accounting for 57 percent of total retail food sales. “We appreciate the fact that the companies recognized that the quality service our members provide is part of the competitive advantage they enjoy in the area,” Lowthers said.
Posted by UFCW 227 at April 1, 2004 02:23 PM