As you are aware, we challenged the Arbitrator’s ruling on the Wage Reopener and we’re committed to keeping you informed on the process. As a reminder, we challenged this ruling because it put us in an uncompetitive position in the Alberta market, with top-rate wages more than 8% higher than our major competitors. We had no choice but to continue to work through the process to protect our Safeway business.

Today, we received news that the Judge determined that the Arbitrator made multiple errors in their decision, including the error of relying on wage settlements that were not part of Safeway’s competitive environment and information that was factually incorrect.  As a result, the Judge has overturned the Arbitrator’s decision and has ordered that the matter be heard again in a new arbitration.

The court recognized the errors and we are optimistic that the new Arbitrator will focus on the Alberta market and the competitive landscape in which we operate.

We recognize that this decision will cause uncertainty for our top-rated teammates. We assure you that we will share more on our path forward in the coming days.