Safeway teammates,
As you know, we’ve been in collective bargaining with UFCW 401 since March. We’ve consistently kept you informed with open and honest updates from the bargaining table and have been clear about our objectives from the very beginning – securing a strong future for Safeway and meeting customer preferences by introducing FreshCo to the right Alberta markets. These goals have not, and will not, change.
Over the past week UFCW 401 has been distributing a survey in stores in preparation for a strike in Alberta. We ask that you carefully consider what a strike will mean for Safeway. The retail climate in Alberta is challenging enough. Many of our stores continue to struggle. Know that if a strike takes effect, it could continue for a long time. This means frustrated customers, happy competitors, damage to our reputation, significant lost sales, no capital investment, and at the very core, teammates who are forced to disrupt their lives and face financial insecurity for their families. We also want to be clear that a strike will not solve the key issue we face – many of our Safeway stores are unprofitable simply due to the customers and the markets that they serve. Striking will simply worsen an already challenging situation.
A strike cannot and will not change the market in Alberta. It would simply distract all of us, on both sides of the table, from addressing the problems in our stores. And the longer we wait to solve them, the more difficult they become to solve. At some point, all strikes will end, and the issues before us will still exist.
We’re committed to winning at Safeway. We’ve been clear that there’s so much opportunity for Safeway in Alberta. We believe in the full service model and we’re prepared to continue investing in Safeway’s future – but we need a fair collective agreement and the right market factors to do so. We will continue to come to the bargaining table prepared to work towards a fair agreement and a smooth introduction of FreshCo. Just last week, employees voted to ratify an agreement for our Alberta Gas Bars. Progress is possible, and we’re dedicated to working with our Safeway teammates and UFCW 401 to accomplish a positive result for you, too.
We ask that you continue to trust in the collective bargaining process. Unfortunately, things like this sometimes take time. But rest assured that we are just as committed to a fair agreement as the day bargaining began.
Thank you for your continued hard work in our stores and patience through negotiations. Your Safeway pride never ceases to amaze us and we’re excited to continue driving growth together in Alberta. We will keep you up to date as bargaining progresses.
Scott Chollak
Vice President Operations, Alberta
