Our path forward: new agreements with UFCW 1518 and UFCW 247

The Company’s bargaining committee has been at the table with UFCW 1518 and UFCW 247 since January, working towards fair collective bargaining agreements. On October 20, the majority of B.C. Safeway teammates voted in favour of new contracts with both Unions.

These agreements include wage increases, modernized language, and a path towards full time jobs for Grid B employees, making it possible for our teammates to build long-term careers with Safeway and FreshCo Pharmacy.

We’re working quickly to implement all changes in accordance with the new agreements and will provide updates through Store Managers on the implementation plan and timing of retroactivity payments. We appreciate your patience as we work through the implementation process.

We’re also pleased to announce a tentative agreement reached with BCTGM Local 468, which is subject to ratification on November 1. If you’re a member of this bargaining unit and have questions on the agreement or the ratification process, please reach out to the Union directly. Please ensure that you’re informed on the tentative agreement and exercise your right to vote in the ratification process.

We’d like to thank all involved for their efforts towards solidifying agreements that help us to continue serving B.C. families. We’re proud to continue building a strong future for Safeway in the province.

Reaching a deal with UFCW 247

As you know, we reached a fully recommended tentative agreement with UFCW 247 last week. We now have agreements with both UFCW Locals and you will be able to get fully informed and participate in ratification processes this week.

The tentative agreements contain wage increases, more flexible scheduling options, voluntary severance offering, and a path to full-time for Grid B teammates who are building their careers in our stores and are a vital part of our future.

The time has now come for you to participate in a ratification vote on your respective tentative agreement. From October 18-20, your Union has asked you to cast your vote to ratify the new agreement.

It’s important that you exercise your right to be informed on all details and to participate in the ratification vote. This is a major decision and not one you should leave in the hands of others.

Please review the meeting notifications posted by the Union so you can be fully informed on the tentative agreement and to know where to vote.

If you require adjustments to your schedule so that you can attend a Union meeting or the ratification vote, please speak to your Store Manager and they will do their best to assist. In addition, if you don’t have access to a computer or mobile device that will allow you to participate in the Union’s meetings or online voting, please speak to your Store Manager about getting access to a Store Training Computer you can use.

Your vote matters! Exercise this right to make your voice heard.

Happy Thanksgiving, Safeway!

Seeing all of the incredible fall product and food displays in our stores, we know how hard you’re working to wow our customers and ensure they get everything they need to create their Thanksgiving dishes.

We want to take this moment to express our gratitude for all that you do each and every day for our customers, our communities, and one another.

We’re so thankful to have you on our team.

We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with the people in your life who matter most.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Reaching a deal with UFCW 1518

Since January, we’ve been at the table with UFCW 1518 and your bargaining committee, working collaboratively towards a fair, modern and competitive collective agreement for Safeway teammates in British Columbia.

We’re pleased to share that we’ve reached a tentative agreement that’s fully recommended by UFCW 1518 and your teammates on the bargaining committee. Given the significant time and effort invested by all involved, it’s good to know that this deal will be presented to all teammates with full support of the Union. We thank your teammates on the bargaining committee for making sure your voice was well heard and for their hard work as we focused on what we all needed in this collective agreement.

The Union will be sending information on meetings and the ratification vote schedule soon. We really encourage you to participate and to vote on this important agreement. Once ratified, we can move forward with implementation of this new, fair agreement.

Beyond this, we’re also looking forward to meeting with UFCW 247 and BCTGM 468 and their bargaining committees in the coming weeks. More details will follow.

Thank you again for your continued support throughout this process. We’re excited to continue growing as a team.

Bargaining update: Back to the table this fall

We get it. Bargaining has taken longer than any of the parties had hoped when we started earlier this year. We want you to know that we have returned to the bargaining table with UFCW 1518 to work together towards a fair collective agreement. Bargaining is complex and often takes longer than either side might predict. We’ll meet with UFCW 1518 in September, and UFCW 247 and BCTGM 468 in October.

We want you to know that we are committed to getting the right deal in our next set of bargaining dates with each of these Unions.

While we are committed to reaching agreements with all three Unions this fall – they must be the right agreements, with terms that meet our objectives to modernize the agreements and allow us to compete in this province. There’s a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we have no doubt that we can get it done together.

We have made a lot of progress in the talks already and we know we can finalize agreements with real improvements on many of our common goals.

Keep checking in with us for updates on SafewayTalks.ca.

Your vote matters. Exercise this right.

Since we began bargaining with UFCW 1518 and UFCW 247 earlier this year, it’s been our goal to ensure that you have all the information you need to stay up to date on progress.

We have learned that both Unions have made the disappointing choice to call strike votes in advance of our scheduled bargaining in September and October. We will continue to bargain in good faith. A strike vote will not change that.

On September 12 – 14, UFCW 1518 has asked you to cast your vote to authorize strike action. Dates for UFCW 247 bargaining unit members will be announced soon. No matter what your opinion is on the strike vote, it’s important that you’re fully informed and get your questions answered by attending the strike vote meeting and casting your vote.

Not voting means you’re leaving a critical decision about your job in the hands of others.

Your Store Manager may be able to answer your questions if you have any. Also, if you have any scheduling issues that impact your ability to attend the Union meeting, please speak to your Store Manager, who may be able to help.

Your vote matters, please exercise this right to make your voice heard.

A strike vote will not impact our approach to bargaining. We remain committed to working collaboratively with both Unions and bargaining committees to reach an agreement that balances the needs of our teammates and our business.

Thank you for continuing to support one another and our customers during this process.

Why is bargaining taking so long?

We’ve been bargaining with UFCW 1518 and your bargaining committee since January of this year.

We are now in a critical phase of these talks that will hopefully lead us to a modernized and competitive collective agreement. We need a deal that works for our company, and for you — our teammates — and will allow Safeway to be successful.

We want to set the record straight on recent communications from UFCW 1518:

  • We value our teammates and have always treated them with the utmost respect.
  • We remain committed to reaching a fair and competitive collective agreement with UFCW 1518 and your bargaining committee. We’ve agreed to additional dates in September with UFCW 1518 where we hope to reach an agreement.

We also want to be clear that:

  • There’s been significant developments in the industry including a new settlement between UFCW 1518 and Save-On-Foods. This is a major development and our company must take the time required to fully analyze the costs and impact of this settlement and the potential impact on the Safeway network.
  • Safeway is not the same as Save-On-Foods. Save-On-Foods is a privately held company with no public visibility on their operations or financial performance. However, what we do know is that they have three times the number of stores and market share in B.C. compared to Safeway.
  • Save-On-Foods is not our only competitor. Walmart and Real Canadian Superstore are major competitors in the industry and they benefit from a much less expensive labour cost structure than Safeway does.
  • It’s no secret that British Columbia is facing a challenging and uncertain economic environment.
  • We have many terms in our collective agreement that don’t exist elsewhere which make it more expensive to run our stores and more difficult to compete in the industry. We need a competitive deal that will help Safeway compete into the future.

We look forward to working with UFCW 1518 and your bargaining committee on collaborative solutions for these challenges as we seek to achieve a fair, modern and competitive collective agreement.

We’ll continue to keep you up to date on progress.

Safeway is bringing the heat to celebrate summer

Eye-catching signage. Seasonal fresh produce. Freshly baked pies. Meat and seafood ready for the grill.

It’s undeniable that the sights and smells of summer touch every corner of our stores.

From colourful and unique in-store displays to cake creations that look too beautiful to eat, you’re doing an incredible job elevating our customers’ shopping experience.

A big shoutout to each of you for your dedication and creativity in inspiring customers to get out and enjoy the season to the fullest.

Happy summer y’all!

Kitsilano Safeway (Vancouver, B.C.)

Lawson Heights Safeway (Saskatoon, SK)

Lloydminster Safeway (AB)

McBride Safeway (New Westminster, B.C.)

Kensington Safeway (Calgary, AB)

English Bay Safeway (Vancouver, B.C.)

The way people shop continues to evolve. We must adapt to succeed.

We returned to bargaining in June with UFCW 1518 and the bargaining committee. We made some minor progress, but we’re concerned about the lack of understanding of the changes and pressures in our industry and how this impacts our collective agreements.

It’s clear that our customers and communities continue to change and so too are their shopping behaviours.

B.C. families are budget conscious and looking for the best value and it’s no surprise that discount competitors are attracting more customers. Customers are buying down and this has negative impacts on full-service grocery retailer sales, market share and basket size.

Since the end of the pandemic, we’ve also seen customer shopping patterns shifting from demanding one-stop shop locations to shopping at many locations and formats to get the lowest prices.

We’ve been impacted by these changes in shopping patterns.

We’re also facing added pressure from other grocery and wholesale club competitors all seeking customer loyalty in an effort to increase their sales. Customers have limited budgets and need to decide carefully where to spend their hard-earned money.

So how can Safeway compete?

  • We focus on serving our customers and running profitable stores. We need to drive sales and control our expenses to grow our business. The 7% increase in minimum wage in June was a significant cost to our business. And while we’re committed to rewarding you appropriately for your hard work, we must ensure it doesn’t jeopardize the profitability of our stores. Also, with any increases to wages we need to make sure we can compete within our industry and in this province.
  • We need to address areas of competitive disadvantage. Operational constraints like an absence of vendor stocking language, complicated scheduling practices, and an inability to effectively introduce third party kiosks, have made it difficult for us to compete with the rest of the industry which doesn’t have these restrictions.
  • We win together. We have to work together to beat the competition by providing exceptional value and service to our customers every time they come through our front door and spend a portion of their household budgets with us. In addition, the Company has prioritized creating a model for meaningful full-time jobs and a path for development for teammates who want to build their careers at Safeway.
  • We continue investing. We have, and will continue to, invest in updating some of our current stores by giving them a much-needed facelift to strengthen the Safeway brand and better serve our customers.

Since 2018, we’ve come a long way as a team and we need to keep focusing on managing our business both in terms of investments and controllable costs to ensure we can keep the Safeway banner viable and healthy in this province.

We remain committed to reaching an agreement with the Union and your bargaining committee. There’s a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we can get it done by working together.

Keep checking in with us for business updates on SafewayTalks.ca.

Safeway Local Supplier Spotlight: Chiwis

Safeway is proud to support local suppliers across British Columbia as part of our commitment to ensuring that great Canadian products are always on our shelves. This is why we were thrilled to sit down with Sarah Goodman, founder and CEO of Chiwis.

We spoke to Sarah about the spark that ignited the idea for Chiwis, her commitment to sustainability, and how Safeway has supported the company’s growth.

Can you share a little bit about your background and how your company came to be?

It all started with the kiwi chip. I began making kiwi chips to bring on hikes, camping trips, or to eat on the couch during a good Netflix session. After years of hearing feedback from friends and family that kiwi chips tasted like healthy sour patch kids, and that they would buy kiwi chips if they were available in stores, I realized I had a unique product on my hands that I didn’t see on store shelves.

Chiwis launched in early 2021 with our Original Kiwi Chip and Tropical Kiwi Chip varieties. We now have a lineup of five flavours of 100% natural fruit chips with more fun ideas being tested at our snack factory in Squamish, B.C.

Can you tell us more about your products?

Chiwis are vegan, GMO-free, gluten-free and mess-free! We work with farmers to make Chiwis from upcycled fruit, and we use the whole fruit (core, rind, skin) in our chips. This has two benefits: we cut down on food waste, and our customers enjoy the added benefits of the vitamins and fibre found in parts of the fruit you normally wouldn’t enjoy eating.

In what ways have your local B.C. roots impacted your business?

I was always looking for healthy, light snacks to take with me on hikes and overnight camping adventures while exploring our beautiful province. Chiwis were directly inspired by my inability to find a healthy, additive-free option that was fibre filled to keep me energized on my B.C. adventures. It’s been incredible growing my business here. The B.C. food industry is such a supportive, positive space to be a part of.

As your business began to grow, why were you interested in working with Safeway?

It was a big goal of ours to work with Safeway because your team has such an incredible reputation with consumers for delivering high quality foods. We also saw how supportive Safeway was to their local suppliers and knew it would be a great fit.

What did it feel like when you saw your products on Safeway shelves for the first time?

It was absolutely a pinch me moment! The store I walked into also gave us such a beautiful display at the front of the store. Our bright bags are a great addition to front-of-store displays regardless of the season, and it blew me away to see the creativity that the store was able to conjure up using a product I had developed from an idea to the shelf.

What makes you most proud to partner with Safeway? 

I’m most proud of having our product on Safeway shelves because of the high reputation for quality foods the Safeway name carries. We know your customers put so much trust in your brand, and it’s an honour to be found amongst your amazing selection.

What growth has your company seen since partnering with Safeway?

We’re based in Squamish, B.C., so having our products in your stores in different regions of the province has helped us expand our consumer base. It was also amazing to be featured in your International Women’s Day signs on March 8. We had many customers and business partners reach out to say they saw us featured that month and it was fantastic exposure for our Certified Woman-Owned Business. We also love participating in store manager events, like the one that recently took place in Whistler.

What’s next for you and your business?

We’re working hard on testing new innovative chip varieties and working on a very fun vegan sweet treat for the holidays. Follow us on Instagram or TikTok @chiwis_snacks to stay up to date with all things happening at Chiwis.

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Chiwis is now available in 15 Safeway stores throughout B.C. (with more to come!). Be sure to try this yummy, healthy fruit snack for yourself — if you haven’t already.

Loving the Safeway Local Supplier Spotlights? Lucky for you, there’s more coming soon.