Safewayunion deal boosts workers
Safeway has reached an agreement with a union representing Northern California workers to increase their pay, hours and sanitation.
The contract, viewed by The Chronicle, says that Safeway and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5 reached an agreement “arising from the extraordinary challenges resulting from the COVID19 pandemic temporarily impacting the grocery industry,” referring to the disease caused by the coronavirus.
New plexiglass screens keep checkers and customers better protected from the spread of coronavirus at the Crystal Springs Village Safeway.
“Local 5 members are working around the clock to assure that families have the food and supplies they need. Along with health care workers they are truly first responders during this growing crisis,” union President John Nunes said in a news release Monday.
Albertsons Companies, the nationwide grocery chain that owns Safeway, pledged to give a $2anhour pay raise to California grocery workers at Safeway, Vons, Albertsons and Pavilions stores. Safeway will also pay workers up to two weeks if they are diagnosed
with COVID19 or are told by a doctor to quarantine or selfisolate. Employees 65 or over who choose to selfisolate will be able to use accrued sick or vacation time.
The grocery chain promised to practice social distancing, sanitize throughout stores, suspend instore product demonstrations and selfservice bars, and encourage online ordering. It will also continue current plans to install hard plastic shields in all checkstands to protect employees.
The contract also lays out a protocol for contactless delivery. A driver drops off groceries on a doorstep, rings the bell, and steps back 6 feet — before informing whomever opens that they’re doing so because of the coronavirus instead of bringing bags inside, as Safeway couriers typically did before. If a recipient has disabilities, the driver will maintain 6 feet of separation as they come inside.
Fooddelivery drivers employed by Grocery Works will be allowed time to sanitize their hands at least once an hour and will wash their hands when they arrive at a store. Safeway will provide all necessary materials including hand sanitizers, disinfecting cleaning products and appropriate training. Safeway will also provide extra staffing to clean and stock bathrooms.
The grocery chain will make additional work hours available for employees who want them and make every effort to accommodate workers who have scheduling conflicts because of the need to care for children whose schools have closed.
“In ways that we could not even imagine, overnight, our country changed — and as a result it changed the way our teams conduct business,” Albertsons CEO Vivek Sankaran said in a statement. “I am so proud to say our teams did not skip a step. In our manufacturing plants, distribution centers and in our stores, our associates are working tirelessly to serve our customers. They work every day to keep our communities fed, their pantries and medicine cabinets stocked, and to ensure one less worry on our customers’ minds as we all face this unprecedented pandemic.”
The union is also pressing state government to mandate additional paid leave to grocery workers, access to free coronavirus testing, and require food retailers to allow them access to regular hand washing, sanitary cleaners and protective gear. The proposal also would mandate sufficient staffing to assure that sanitary conditions are maintained for employees as well as customers.