We are still recruiting members to join Local 400 ACT! which has been expanded to cover all contracts represented by UFCW Local 400!
We need your help to secure a fair contract in our 2013 negotiations. Please fill out the form below to pledge your support and join us in the fight.
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I am A 9.5 year service clerk with Safeway in Dunkirk MD I am 67 years old I am hopeing you can Get us some more money in our Ret cks ( I have not Ret yet) I won’t to see what this new Contrac will be like before I make my move.
There has not been any change in RET money In over 10 years lets see what you can do for us OK
Thank you Donald C Wallace 2/16/12
Donald, thank you for your comment. We agree with you that an increase in wages is important and we also believe that retirees should be protected as well. When you stated, “lets see what you can do for us”, we actually would like to emphasize the point that this negotiation is going to take all of the union members banding together to secure a fair contract. That’s really important because it rests on us, since we are the ones that submitted items to bargaining through in-store surveys and in the end, we are the only ones that can vote for or against the contract. The union is all of us, not just representatives and stewards. Thanks for being engaged!
They keep telling us that the 2nd tier will soon become tier 1. That won’t be true unless we receive the same benefits they receive now, that’s not happening, so we will stay tier 2. Also, there are other items in the contract that needs to be addressed, like vacations and the item that says “with management approval”. Me being in the 2nd tier, leaves me with no benefits when I retire. How can a company find justification with a person giving them 30 years of their lives and they not protect them. I am angry and disappointed with how this company treats it workers. I am ready to do whatever is necessary for a fair contract.
Thanks you for all that you do, each and every day on the shop floor. You raise a lot of valid points here and we definitely need to fight for all of them. Keep up the great work!
My Boyfriend and I are in our local Giant all the time. We see the same happy, helpful faces every day. It is these hard working individuals who make our grocery shopping enjoyable and easy. We are always greeted with smiling faces. My boyfriend talks sports with many of these employees and they often make a lot of jokes back and fourth with each other. It may seem like a small matter, but it is all of these little things that make our Giant the friendly warm grocery store that it is. We see the same faces there morning to night and they are always hard working and helpful. It would not make any sense to me for these people to not be able to receive the hours that they certainly deserve. Not only do these people make customers like my boyfriend and myself happy to go to the grocery store, but they definitely contribute in a large part to the quality reputation that Giant has. Please find a way to provide these hardworking people with the hours and work that they clearly have earned. If people are willing to put the time and effort into their job to help better their company, than the company can and should at least repay them with the hours that they deserve.
Thanks Shannon! We really appreciate customers like you. Please pass this on to your store manager in your local Giant as well. Thanks again!
MY name is James McRae, I have work for Giant for 22.5 years never as it been so bad for working class employees such as myself. So from me to all of you employee’s out there let’s
keep up the fight we deserve it GO Local 400.
Thanks James! We believe we will secure a fair contract thanks to having members like you along with us in this fight. We all need each other and we appreciate all you do as our fellow member!
Both of my parents were/are Giant employees – my father retired 10+ years ago from the warehouse and my mother continues to work in the Bakery Department in the stores. Over the last few years her Bakery and Store Managers have been doing things with her schedule to try and force her to retire (she’s been with Giant for over 30 years). The atmosphere in the store is acrimonious. She told us last night that she has to attend a “special meeting” on Monday regarding a buyout package. Everyone who’s name is the on the has at a minimum 25+ years with the company. Giant hasn’t been the same since Ahold took control.
Thanks for your words and we agree with you totally.
I’ve worked for several grocery stores – Super Fresh, Margruder’s and Whole Foods. These days I’m in Virginia politics. Let me know what I can do to support you.
Thanks Frank! Do you mind emailing us at occupygiantandsafeway@gmail.com with your contact information so that we can get in touch with you?
I’m a resident of Manassas VA near the Giant on Lomond and Sudley. I’m always proud to shop in a union store, and I’ll do anything I can to help make sure it stays that way. I have experience with event organizing for protests, etc and I’d be happy to help out with any efforts on my days off.
Thanks Jarret–we will be taking you up on that for sure!
I would like to thank Tom McNutt for being transparent and a no B.S. man of integrity at the Monday night meeting in Greenbelt. We’ve got your back!
Thank you Thomas! We will pass that on to the local office.
I want to bring up the subject of career advancement. I know of an individual whom has worked for Safeway for nearly 2 years. This person is conscientious, and very loyal to the business. This person recently spoke to their supervisor about moving forward in thieir career. This supervisor,as described by other employees in the store is very controlling and doesn’t like moving employees forward. The super is or is only interested in keeping employees under her thumb with no intention of advancing employees under her purview. What type of people are you placing in management positions who do not believe in promoting people within? Others who have been hired by her do not stay because of her unprofessionalism. How will this new contract make management accountable and what are you planning to do about situations like the one just presented?
Ms. DeLong, as we are sure you understand, while we have the ability to negotiate over the working conditions of union members during bargaining–the union doesn’t have the ability to influence the companies’ decision regarding their selection of management team members. As far as accountability goes, that’s exactly what we attempt to ensure as union stewards by enforcing our collective bargaining agreement. We’ve been discussing issues just like this at the table, and so have our bargaining committee members. Workers in the stores deserve the right to be treated with dignity on the job and it’s something that we will continue to fight for. Thanks for raising this!
Thank you for your reply. While I understand that you are in negotiations at this time, conditions in one of your southern Maryland stores is in such disarray that no one wants to work for a particular manager. This manager could care less about the welfare of the employees much less helping them to advance. I am wondering if you know or even care about the conditions these employees are working under. Unless this is addressed, I know for a fact that this storenwillbe losing at least half of their experienced personnel. I urge your,please take this matter seriously and I am confident you will make these managers who have less than the capacity to care about the welfare of the employees, a priority in your negotiations.
Thank you.
Please email us at occupygiantandsafeway@gmail.com so that we can pass the information over to the local. We won’t be able to address this in a public forum. Thanks!
Hi! I’ve been working for Giant 21 yrs. I have seen Giant go through changes that I never thought I would. Giant has been a company who’s name alone meant clean stores, great products, and above all….great customer service!!! Not just from the cashiers, grocers, and customer service, but, from management as well. We as employees of Giant need to keep this going, not, because we are expected too, but, because, we have pride in ourselves and in what we do. GIANT (AHOLD) would NOT be where they are today, if it weren’t for employees (like myself) who really care about their job, do the very best they can, and take care of their customers. If we care about the service that we give to others….why can’t we be shown the same? WE COME TO WORK DOING THE VERY BEST WE CAN….DON’T WE DESERVE TO BE GIVEN THE VERY BEST (GIANT) CAN? I FEEL WE DESERVE THE SAME RESPECT THAT WE GIVE OUR CUSTOMERS!!!! A LOT OF US HAVE GIVEN GIANT THE MOST WE COULD GIVE. We are NOT asking for more than we deserve and are entitled to! We have worked VERY HARD to get where we are and what we have. It hasn’t been just given to us…WE HAVE EARNED IT!!! Hang in there GIANT brothers and sisters….WE WILL WIN IN THE END! (PS. I’m very proud to be a union member) Local 400 I know in my heart you will do the best you can for us, THANK YOU! 👼
Thank you so much Darlene. Those are some POWERFUL words! Keep up the great work and thanks for being you!
Those words came from my heart! I do give my customers more than 100%. I also feel that the wages and benefits that we have earned….should NOT be taken away. How can the company justify taking away the things we worked so hard for? The way the economy is right now, a lot of us I’m sure live pay day to pay day, or are just a month or so from losing everything. That being the case, why take more from us? When I and others read and hear that the company is doing so well, again, how can they justify taking more from us? When is ENOUGH, ENOUGH? Since the company is doing so well, why not share the goodness with those who helped get you there…..US? The company should be proud of those who have given years and years to make Giant what it is! You don’t take away from them, you reward them! Make them feel that the years they have given are worth it! A raise, the benefits, and a retirement that they can look forward to. Why keep giving to those who already have? Give to the employees who would like to have a share, too! Thank You!
See Babe!…
I’m a 27 year employee and very sad to see what has happened to my giant. It’s very hard to go to work every day with the morale the way it is . They cut hours and work us to death. I not afraid of doing a little hard work and I give the company 100%. I’m proud of what I do but any more nothing is good enough and the rules change all the time so you never know if you are doing the right thing . Now they want to take from us and give nothing . GO LOCAL 400. We need you to help us . Whatever you need from me you got it .
It’s definitely going to take all of us to secure this contract. Please get in touch with your representative ASAP and they’ll give you some ideas for ways to help. Keep up the activism. We’re glad to have you with us!
Bridgett I have worked for Safeway for 7 years now. HELP this is not the same company I started with 7 years ago. Its gotton a lot worse. There no respect for empoyees. Schedules are to be posted by 1pm on Friday according to the contract this has never happen in my years with the company why is this not enforced. It needs to be enforced. Its hard to make appointments for the week when you dont know when you are to work before 3 pm on Saturday. How is the world is vacation pay figure out? It sure dosnt make sense to me. Promotion what are they I havent had one ? Seniority it has no effect I have never in my years been able to bump for hours its all ways turned down by management saying bumping not allowed. Seniority in scheduling management pays no mine to at all. WE WILL FIGHT FOR WHATS RIGHT!
Keep up the great work Bridgett! We’re glad to be fighting next to you!
I am only a 2 year employee of Giant. I have worked from the Service Deli to the Cashier stand. One thing i can tell you is that I love my customers. Without them, we wouldn’t have a store to work in.
It took me 19 months to get basic health insurance that i needed desperatly. Now i have to wait to the 30 month mark to get vision dental and prescription coverage. Now those things could be taken away? I am working for that insurance coverage so that i can go to the doctor when necessary. Also, I am a mother, grandmother and wife. I have 6 people in my home. We eat alot. And guess where i get my groceries? From my store that i work in. So basically the money that i make there goes right back in their pocket. Yes i could shop somewhere else and possibly get better prices, but i prefer to buy there. If the contract is a bust and we lose everything, i will never ever step a foot in that store again. And I will makes sure and take as many of the church members and neighbors with me as possible. I love my store. I love my customers, but we deserve the things that most everyone takes for granted.
If we go on the picket line, what happens to our paycheck?
Barbara, Thanks for sharing all of this. We agree that major things need to change and we are working on that in negotiations. Please attend the ratification meeting in early April to get details about what happens if the contract is rejected by the membership. Details can be found on that from your union staff representative. Thanks again!
Please consider some kind of button similar to the ones the employees wear so we can show our support when we shop!!
i have been working for safeway for 7 years as a food clerk. the morale in my store is extremely low and that is because of our store manager. he practically bans us from speaking to each other, sometimes even a simple hello gets a nasty look. there are several things i would like to address but am afraid of stepping on any toes. such as giving us five and a half hour shifts instead of six or more to avoid giving us a second break (which is prohibited in the contract)…not getting a ph like i was promised over a month ago and keep getting a run around. if we bring this to the union for help, will you help us AND protect from recrimination from safeway?
Yes, the local union will address it. Will you please email us your information at occupygiantandsafeway@gmail.com so that we can pass it along and get someone to assist you?