PHOENIX (Dec. 10, 2009) — Union grocery workers across Arizona voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new contract with the Fry’s, Safeway and Smith’s supermarket chains.
The members of UFCW Local 99 voted by mail to approve a three-year agreement that does not include employee-paid premiums for health insurance. The new contract also includes wage increases and sufficient funding to maintain the workers’ pension fund.
“More than 50 percent of those eligible participated in the vote — an unusually high percentage that reflects our members’ intense interest in the negotiations that produced this agreement,” UFCW Local 99 President Jim McLaughlin said.
The agreement between the union and the supermarket companies was reached in the late hours of Nov. 12, hours before a strike deadline set by Local 99.
“This new contract is a significant improvement over the employers’ previous offer, which was rejected by the members,” McLaughlin said. “We are glad the companies were able to come to terms with us and we look forward to working with them over the next three years in a spirit of trust and mutual support.”
McLaughlin thanked the members for their “unshakeable strength and solidarity” during the 13-month negotiating process.
“Their support made this good contract possible,” he said.
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 99 is the largest private-sector union in Arizona. It represents workers in retail food and drug stores, food-processing plants, health care facilities, legal offices, dentist offices, waste-management firms, museums, parking lots and other businesses and institutions throughout Arizona.
