Safeway workers across Alberta have voted 91 per cent in favour of a new five-year union contract with Sobeys. The endorsement comes after a 10-day voting period for around 6,000 employees. The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 401 posted the results on Saturday, four days before strike action was scheduled to begin. The union had said wages had been the primary contention point in long-running negotiations. The new deal with Sobeys includes wage, benefits and cross-training improvements the union says will lead to more available hours for part-time workers. The agreement also includes a condition for the company to withdraw its Supreme Court of Canada action against its workers. Sobeys filed a judicial review in 2023 after an arbitrator’s decision to take the union’s last offer. Workers will now be allowed to keep the 10-per-cent wage increase negotiated at that time. Most workers will also receive a $2,000 signing bonus, with junior employees getting $500 and new funding for union dental, health and welfare benefits. Most workers will also see a cumulative wage increase of 18 per cent over the course of the five-year agreement. Sobeys will now also be required to consult with a committee of Safeway workers and UFCW Local 401 should corporate offices want to close any Alberta locations. “Additionally, and importantly, the company has guaranteed that no Safeway store will be converted to a discount banner with diminished service,” a news release from the union said. The agreement also includes a new Employee Assistance Plan provision, paid time off for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and protections for freedom of expression in the workplace. The plan guarantees access to free period products, a benefit only currently guaranteed by law in Manitoba. The contract expires in September 2030. “This deal is an expression of the value of collective action and having a union,” UFCW Local 401 President Thomas Hesse said. “There will be no strike at Safeway, but it is certainly worth noting that employees’ united voices led to higher wages, better benefits and real job security.” CTV News Edmonton has reached out to Sobeys for a statement. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Brittany Ekelund
