Safeway workers threaten to strike as grocery chain sees massive profits
Safeway workers in BC’s Lower Mainland are threatening to walk off the job if their employer doesn’t meet their demands on the bargaining table.
Sobeys presented an offer of less than a 1% wage increase, according to the union, and its workers say they are prepared to strike unless that number goes way up and other demands are met.
“Our members working at Safeway stores have worked tirelessly through a pandemic, rising inflation and record profits reported by the company they work for – Sobeys. Now that we are in bargaining, their employer has seemingly turned their back on that,” UFCW 1518 President Kim Novak said ahead of the vote.
Empire Co. Ltd., the parent company of Sobeys, Safeway, and more, recorded a massive profit in its most recent financial documents from last year to the tune of $261 million.
That amount is thanks in part to the sale of Safeway Gas Stations to Shell in Western Canada for $100 million.
“As Sobeys records high earnings, and executives and shareholders are paid out, Safeway workers are feeling disrespected by their employer’s proposal of a marginal wage increase of 1% or less. It’s not okay,” the union added.
The result of the strike vote saw a groundbreaking 98% result in favour of job action, which would affect 40 Sobeys locations in the Lower Mainland and 3,000 retail workers, the union said Friday morning.
However, the union will return to the bargaining table next week in hopes of getting another offer from Sobeys, and picket lines and store closures may be averted in that case.
Another union within the company, representing Safeway’s meat, deli, and seafood workers, is also arguing for a better deal. UFCW 247 workers will be voting at the end of this month on whether to take job action.
It comes as many Canadians call for action against rising grocery prices.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the CEOs of Canada’s largest grocery companies must devise a plan to reduce food costs by October or face consequences.
“It’s not okay that our biggest grocery stores are making record profits while Canadians are struggling to put food on the table,” said Trudeau.
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