Category: Manitoba

Announcing new rewards with Scene+

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

In June, we announced that we are a co-owner of the Scene+ loyalty program, along with two other iconic Canadian brands, Scotiabank and Cineplex.

Scene+ will replace the current AIR MILES program in stores and online, beginning in Atlantic Canada in August 2022, and then continuing across the rest of Canada culminating in early 2023.

What is Scene+?

Scene+ is one of Canada’s leading loyalty programs. It offers members opportunities to earn and redeem points when and how they want to be rewarded. Scene+ includes a broad array of rewards partners, including Scotiabank, Cineplex, Expedia, more than 700 restaurants nationwide, and online retailers including Apple and Best Buy.

How will customers earn Scene+ points at Safeway Stores?

When the program is launched, customers will have several ways to earn Scene+ points in Safeway stores including:

  • Everyday Rewards: Earn points through weekly flyer events and everyday product offers in-store and online with Voilà
  • Personalized Offers: Receive weekly offers customized just for you, delivered to your email or grocery store App
  • Banking Products: Earn even more points by shopping with a Scotiabank debit or credit card.

Will customers be able to redeem Scene+ points toward groceries?

Yes. Once the program is launched, customers will be able redeem 1,000 Scene+ points towards $10 off their purchase of eligible products at Safeway.

Where else can customers earn and redeem Scene+ points?

  • Travel: With your next escape powered by Expedia
  • Dining: With dine-in, take-out and delivery at over 700 restaurants (like Harvey’s, Swiss Chalet and Kelseys)
  • Shopping: Earn for shopping online and redeem points at over 60 retailers including Apple and Best Buy
  • Movies: At Cineplex Theatres
  • Entertainment: At Playdium and The Rec Room
  • Banking: Earn even more points by shopping with a Scotiabank debit or credit card and redeem Scene+ points for an account credit on participating Scotiabank debit and credit cards

How will I continue to receive my employee discount?

At launch, you’ll continue to enjoy your employee discount by scanning a Scene+ membership number. More details on how to register your Scene+ number for the discount will be provided in the weeks leading up to your launch.

In the meantime, please continue to scan your AIR MILES card to get your employee discount.

Stay tuned for more information as we get ready to launch Scene+.

Reaching a deal with UFCW 832

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

Since late 2021, we’ve been at the table with UFCW 832 and the Safeway bargaining committee, working collaboratively towards a fair collective agreement for Safeway teammates in Manitoba. Our focus at the table has been on securing an agreement that is good for our teammates and their families, while supporting the long-term health of our business in Manitoba…which is good for all of us! We’re glad that all parties saw eye-to-eye on this.

These objectives were top-of-mind throughout every conversation, and we’re pleased that they’re at the core of the newly ratified Safeway agreement with UFCW 832. The bargaining process was positive and constructive, ultimately landing on a deal that’s in everyone’s best interest and fully recommended by both sides. The new five-year agreement takes effect immediately and will carry us through to March 2027.

The agreement provides a long-term commitment to our teammates through regular wage increases and provisions for benefit funding. It also allows for key operational enhancements that will enable us to continue investing in our stores and competing within the Manitoba market.

We’re proud that this agreement brings a number of enhancements for our teammates, like restructured wage scales for many employees, improved benefit funding, and increased earning potential for teammates who are building their careers in our stores and are a vital part of the future of our business.

As a business, we’ve made a significant investment in our teammates and in the success of Manitoba Safeway for both the near future and long-term. While the last two years haven’t been without their challenges, your Safeway pride shines bright as ever in our stores across the province. We’re excited to continue growing as a team.

Introducing Togetherall — a new support resource available to Safeway teammates!

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

We’re incredibly proud to share that a new support resource is available for all Safeway teammates. Togetherall offers teammates a confidential, online mental health peer support community that is available 24/7. This new resource is available to all Safeway teammates at no cost, regardless of employment status.

On Togetherall you’ll find courses specific to your concerns and learn techniques to help manage your mental health. There are numerous tools, self-assessments and articles to help you understand how you’re feeling in addition to tracking your progress. The community is where you can get (or give) the mental health support needed and is monitored by clinical professionals.

Mental health is more than the absence of disease, it includes wellbeing, self-care and managing the daily struggles we all face to keep ourselves mentally well. Mental health concerns can affect anyone. Click here to join Togetherall today!

 

 

 

Kicking off bargaining with UFCW 832

Posted on by Sudhanshu Rewari

Last week, Safeway, UFCW 832 and UFCW 832’s Bargaining Committee began bargaining for a new collective agreement. It’s been quite some time since we last bargained in 2018, and a lot has changed in our store network and across our province since then.

Safeway is at the table eager to work collaboratively with UFCW 832 and the bargaining committee. We are committed to the bargaining process. We know we share the same goal – to come to a fair and competitive agreement that will balance the needs and aspirations of our teammates, and the operational and competitive requirements of our stores. We want to continue building on the exciting growth we’ve seen in the Safeway banner in Manitoba for years to come.

There’s a lot for us to discuss with UFCW 832 over the coming weeks. We will focus on our incredible Safeway teammates as our top priority. While there may be references to FreshCo in our collective bargaining, those stores are managed independently by their Franchise Operators. The focus of our negotiations is Manitoba Safeway stores and the necessary steps to ensure a profitable future with long-term career opportunities for those Manitoba Safeway stores.

We know that many of the conversations over the next few months will impact you and your families. You’re at the heart of our stores across Manitoba and it’s no secret just how critical your work has been to serving our local communities with pride. We encourage you to stay informed on bargaining progress by speaking with members of the UFCW 832 Bargaining Committee or connecting with your Store Manager if you have questions about how negotiations may impact your day-to-day work.

We’re back at the table in January and will continue to keep you updated as bargaining continues. If we work together, we’re hopeful that we can reach a fair agreement before the expiry of our current contract this March.

Honouring our Canadian Heroes

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

Hi Team,

Like many of you, today is an important day for me. Today, on November 11, we pay respect to the many Canadian Heroes who have fallen in service to this country, and acknowledge those who continue to serve.

Let’s take a moment today to reflect on the ultimate sacrifice made by our Heroes who have stepped up, and continue to step up, to defend our Canadian values and the freedoms that we enjoy today.

To our Safeway teammates who have fought for or continue to serve our country, and to those with friends and family that may be doing so, we salute you. We will wear our poppies with pride today to honour you for your bravery and courage.

We will read the following script over the PA system in our stores at 11:00 am this morning to observe a moment of silence:

“Good morning shoppers. As we all stand here in peace and safety, we pay our respects to all of the fallen, all of the wounded and all who served in conflict for more than 100 years. Today, we remember those who volunteered, sacrificed, served, fought, and died, for our freedom. We thank you, and salute those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We will never forget. We will remember you.”

Warm regards,

Julie Sue Wood, Vice President Operations, SMO

Teammate CFL Contest has been extended!

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

We’re loving the photos you’ve been sharing that we thought…we want to see more! We’re extending the contest submission deadline until November 12!

If you haven’t yet, now is the time to get involved! You have until November 12 to enter the Teammate CFL Contest. All you have to do is snap a photo of you and your friends and/or family going BIG at Home to show off your CFL spirit. Then, you’ll share the photo on Safeway’s closed teammate Facebook group using #myCFLfamily. You’ll want to remember to include your store number!

15 teammates will be randomly selected to win 1 of 15 CFL prize packs, valued at $500. From the 15 randomly selected winners, one teammate will be chosen to win a Grey Cup Trophy visit to their store, ahead of the ’23 CFL season kick-off.

For more information, speak with your Store Manager.

Keep those photos coming!

Have you entered the CFL Contest yet? Just 10 days left!

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

There’s 10 days left to enter the Teammate CFL Contest. If you haven’t yet entered, do so today!

Until November 5, snap a photo of yourself and your friends or family going BIG at Home to show off your CFL pride. Then, post the photo in Safeway’s closed teammate Facebook group using #myCFLfamily. Make sure to include your store number, too!

What’s up for grabs? 15 teammates will be randomly selected to win 1 of 15 CFL prize packs, valued at $500. From the 15 randomly selected winners, ONE teammate will be chosen to win a Grey Cup Trophy visit to their store, ahead of the ’23 CFL season kick-off.

For more information, speak with your Store Manager.

We hope you’ll continue to join us as we go BIG to celebrate our CFL partnership. We’re loving the photos, keep them coming!

Thanks for helping us raise more than $57,000 for the A Family of Support: Child and Youth Mental Health annual checkstand campaign!

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

At Safeway, we’re driven by our purpose of being a family nurturing families and we were excited to bring the annual checkstand campaign to life in our stores.

From September 16 – 30, Canadians generously donated to the A Family of Support: Child & Youth Mental Health second annual checkstand campaign at all of our Sobeys Inc. banner stores. Our goal with the fundraising campaign was to come together with our teammates, partners and customers to continue advocating for children’s hospitals.

We’re proud to share that our Manitoba Safeway teammates and customers came together to raise more than $57,000. What an incredible accomplishment!

In total, $2,285,454 was raised across all of Sobeys Inc. banners from coast-to-coast. Sobeys Inc. also matched all customer donations on September 25-26 to a maximum of $150,000. When added together, that equals $2.4 million! 100% of the funds raised will be donated to 13 children’s hospitals in Canada and will go towards the A Family of Support initiative. These donations will play an important role in helping each hospital implement specialized mental health programs for children and youth.

A huge thank you to our Manitoba Safeway store teams who are essential to bringing this important cause to life in our stores. You are making a real difference in the lives of Canadian families and our friends at the children’s hospital foundations are grateful for the support and efforts to make this initiative a reality.

Be sure to watch this thank you video from our foundation partners and Sobeys teams!

Safeway Corral Centre (Brandon, MB) teammate ready to encourage customers to donate.

Want a shot at winning a CFL prize pack, and seeing the Grey Cup Trophy up, close and personal?

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

The CFL playoffs are back, and our Safeway teammates and customers alike are eager to make up for the season they missed.

This CFL season, customers will have the chance to win 1 of 2 ultimate homegating packages or daily prizes of CFL Team Merchandise. But we can’t encourage our customers to “Go BIG, at Home” without helping our Safeway store teammates get in on the action, too!

With many Safeway teammates supporting their favourite teams this year, we’re building on the excitement with a one-of-a-kind store teammate contest that launches today — and participating is easy!

Between October 18 – November 5, snap a photo of yourself and your friends or family going BIG at Home to show off your CFL pride. Then, post the photo in Safeway’s closed employee Facebook group using #myCFLfamily. Make sure to include your store number, too!

What’s up for grabs? 15 teammates will be randomly selected to win 1 of 15 CFL prize packs, valued at $500. From the 15 randomly selected winners, ONE teammate will be chosen to win a Grey Cup Trophy visit to their store, ahead of the ’23 CFL season kick-off. How exciting?!

For more information, speak with your Store Manager.

We hope you’ll join us as we go BIG to celebrate our CFL partnership. We can’t wait to see your photos!

We’re the Official Grocer of the Canadian Paralympic Committee!

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

Just off the heels of our first-ever games as the Official Grocer of Team Canada, supporting the Canadian Olympic Committee, we’re excited to keep the Olympic momentum going. Our Safeway store teammates played a critical role in our Tokyo campaign, and we heard your feedback that our support should extend to Paralympians too. We were really inspired by your strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and we couldn’t agree more!

In honour of Disability Employment Awareness Month, we are proud to announce our continued commitment to Canadian athletes through a first-ever partnership with the Canadian Paralympic Committee. Safeway, Sobeys, IGA, Les Marchés Tradition, Marché Bonichoix, Rachelle Béry, Foodland, Thrifty Foods and Voilà will be recognized as the Official Grocer of the Canadian Paralympic Committee.

As part of this partnership, we’ll provide grocery cards to qualified Paralympic athletes to redeem for nutritious food at our banners, including Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland and Thrifty Foods helping to fuel their rigorous training and preparation leading up to the Beijing Games.

We’ve also selected a diverse group of Paralympic athletes, representative of the communities we serve coast-to-coast, to act as brand ambassadors as part of Team Empire. These athletes include:

  • Mark Arendz, Para-Nordic Skiing – Hartsville, PEI
  • Mollie Jepsen, Para-Alpine Skiing – Vancouver, BC
  • Frédérique Turgeon, Para-Alpine Skiing – Montreal, QC

Beginning in 2022, Canadians and teammates alike can join in and support Canadian Paralympic athletes through our robust, multi-channel marketing campaign ahead of the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. This means that both Olympic and Paralympic athletes will be part of our Feed The Dream campaign, celebrating our partnerships with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees.

There’s only four months until the Beijing Winter Games, and we couldn’t be any more excited to officially expand Team Empire!