Month: June 2023

Tentative Agreement Reached

After many long days and bargaining into the early hours of this morning, your Bargaining Committee has reached a tentative agreement with Save-On-Foods which they are recommending to members! 

We are now in the process of finalizing the Memorandum of Settlement and explanatory documents. We will be setting up an Advisory Committee meeting, Shop Stewards call, member information meetings, and store visits to review the agreement prior to voting. 

Details will be provided to Save-On-Foods members starting early next week, so please stay tuned to your email for more information on the tentative agreement and upcoming ratification vote.

If you or your co-workers do not receive our emails, now is the time to send us your full name, employee ID, store number, cell phone number, and email address to [email protected].

In solidarity,

The Save-On-Foods Bargaining Committee:

Jaime Emerson – Abbotsford – Pharmacy Assistant
Jimbo Grant – Maple Ridge  – Cross Classified 
Dave Diamond – Kelowna – Cross Classified 
Erica Jones – Pitt Meadows – Cross Classified  
Josephine Bustin – Tsawwassen – Post-2013 Dept Manager and former Restaurant 
Chris Holowka – Prince George – Cross Classified 
Anita Letendre – North Van – Cross Classified 
Marylou Fonda – Ft St James – Cross Classified 
Joel Simmons – Nanaimo – Post-2013 Dept Manager
Katie Guerin – Kamloops – Cross Classified 
David Gutierrez – Surrey – Cross Classified 
Cheryl Vincenzi – Central Fill – liaison to the committee for Pharmacy discussions

UFCW 1518 Staff Negotiators – Stephen Portman and Ronda Melbourne 

Bargaining Progress and Priorities

We are writing to provide you with a special pharmacy-focused update on the recent bargaining sessions between UFCW 1518 and Save-On-Foods, and the outcome of advisory meetings we held with pharmacy members.

UFCW 1518 negotiators and representative pharmacy members, including Pharmacy Assistants, a Script Care Pharmacy Assistant, and a Pharmacy Technician met with the employer, including senior management of the pharmacy division, for a day of discussions.

The discussions centred around enhancing the language in the collective agreement, with a specific focus on addressing the evolving demands placed on pharmacies due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the expanded scope of practice approved by the College of Pharmacists of BC. Pharmacies are now tasked with handling minor ailments, vaccination services, Opioid Agonist Treatment (OATs), and other clinical-based therapies. As a result, our members have experienced an increase in workload and responsibilities. At the same time, the employer has reaped the rewards of this expanded workload in increased profit.

In light of these changes, along with ongoing increases in the cost of living in BC, we are actively fighting for significant improvements to a new wage scale for both Pharmacy Assistants and Pharmacy Technicians. It is imperative that our members’ compensation reflects the increased workload and the educational investments they have made in their pharmacy careers.

Furthermore, we are advocating for the re-classification of Pharmacy Assistants who have completed Registered Pharmacy Technician certification. It is only fair that they are recognized and compensated for the roles that they are trained to perform, reflecting their acquired skills and expertise.

Another key priority for us is to secure enhanced funding for education and training opportunities. We firmly believe that investing in our members’ professional growth is crucial for their career advancement within the pharmacy at Save-On-Foods. By creating a clear pathway for development, we aim to empower our members and provide them with the tools necessary to build successful and fulfilling careers.

We understand the dedication and commitment our pharmacy members demonstrate in their service to customers and patients. We will continue to keep you informed of the bargaining progress and any further developments that arise. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Your input and engagement are vital in this process.

In solidarity,

Kim Novak
President, UFCW 1518

Your Bargaining Committee met with Sobeys on June 19 and 20 and had expected a substantial improvement from the company’s first wage offer. Unfortunately, that is not what happened. While we had hoped we could report that significant progress was made toward reaching a settlement, the Employer returned to the bargaining table this week with minimal change. Their offer is nowhere close to a fair deal and is not one that we, as your committee, can recommend.

In response, the union tabled a response to the Employer that includes our members’ top priorities: wage increases for top-rate employees, a shorter wage scale, a pathway to full-time positions, access to more hours for all employees, and a short-term contract. We have asked the employer to advise when we can expect a meaningful response to our position—an offer that recognizes the hard work and dedication of our members at Sobeys.

The time has come for us to provide Sobeys members with a full update on where we are at in bargaining. We will be calling our Advisory Committee together, then we will hold a Telephone Townhall for ALL Sobeys members. You will be able to ask all of your questions about bargaining and our next steps.

Fighting for a Fair Contract

This week we were back to bargaining with Save-On-Foods. And while we anticipated the employer would table a low-wage offer as their first pass, our committee was extremely disappointed by how low the Save-On-Foods starting offer is. 

Their offer, quite frankly, is hard to take seriously. It provides as low as 3% total increase over the term proposed and lump sums in lieu of increases, along with other proposed concessions to the existing language. All of these are unacceptable. Our Bargaining Committee has made this clear to the employer. 
 
After the expansion Save-On-Foods has done over the last several years and with how hard our members are working for the company’s success, to see a wage offer earlier this week that was so minimal was insulting. 

By the end of the week, Save-On-Foods did start to make moves in the right direction. But we have more work to do. We need your support to put the pressure on Save-On-Foods that you want a fair deal—with fair increases—NOW. One way is to keep wearing your Respect Retail Worker buttons. Another is to tell your store manager that workers need more now. 

While we are concerned about how far apart we are from the employer, we do have more bargaining dates scheduled. Monday, June 5, will be focused on Pharmacy issues, and then we are back to the full table from June 21–25. We are preparing for those dates expecting to see significant moves from Save-On-Foods with respect to wage increases and structural improvements that provide a pathway to meaningful wage increases for all members.

Here is a recap of our members’ priorities in this round of bargaining:  

• Wage increases for ALL members including those at top rate and higher 
• Significant, equitable wage increases for unionized management 
• Significant improvements for Pharmacy Assistants and Regulated Techs
• Removing barriers and wage caps for Service Clerks, Restaurant, Wine Department and Starbucks
• Improved scheduling language and more ability to move between stores

In solidarity,
 
The Save-On-Foods Bargaining Committee:

Jaime Emerson – Abbotsford – Pharmacy Assistant
Jimbo Grant – Maple Ridge  – Cross Classified 
Dave Diamond – Kelowna – Cross Classified 
Erica Jones – Pitt Meadows – Cross Classified  
Josephine Bustin – Tsawwassen – Post-2013 Dept Manager and former Restaurant 
Chris Holowka – Prince George – Cross Classified 
Anita Letendre – North Van – Cross Classified 
Marylou Fonda – Ft St James – Cross Classified 
Joel Simmons – Nanaimo – Post-2013 Dept Manager
Katie Guerin – Kamloops – Cross Classified 
David Gutierrez – Surrey – Cross Classified 
Cheryl Vincenzi – Central Fill – liaison to the committee for Pharmacy discussions

UFCW 1518 Staff Negotiators – Stephen Portman and Ronda Melbourne 

Fighting for a Fair Contract

This week we were back to bargaining with Sobeys. As we expected, the employer tabled their initial wage package. The committee is extremely disappointed that the employer has come in as low as they have with their first pass—including increases of less than 1% a year. In some years, many members were only offered lump sums by the employer. This employer position is unacceptable. We need to see a substantial improvement from Sobeys in the form of wages to bring an agreement back to our members. 

At this point, we are concerned about how far apart we are from the employer. However, we do have more bargaining dates booked on Monday, June 19 and Tuesday, June 20. We are preparing for those dates expecting to see significant moves from Sobeys with respect to wage increases and structural improvements that provide a pathway to meaningful wage increases for all of our members. 

Here is a recap of our members’ priorities in this round of bargaining:  

• Wage increases for ALL members including those at top rate and higher  
• Provisions for more members to become full-time
• Significant, equitable wage increases for unionized management 
• Significant improvements for Pharmacy Assistants and Regulated Techs
• Removing barriers for Service Clerks and Starbucks members who are currently capped 
• Improved scheduling language and more ability to move between stores 

To show your support for a fair deal, wear a Respect Retail Workers button to your shifts. The next time you see your UFCW 1518 rep in stores, tell them that you support your Bargaining Committee! We will be sending more buttons to your store soon if you don’t already have one.