Anchorage, Alaska

We have just concluded the third round of negotiations with Carrs/Safeway, held on July 14^th 15^th and 16^th. Expecting an employer counter offer from the last session in June, your bargaining committee was disappointed then that the employer didn’t have one. So your committee went to work and developed an economic proposal to get negotiations moving. Your committee’s proposal includes real wage increases (not bonuses), adjustments in the wage progressions to cover upcoming increases in the minimum wage, and a health and welfare proposal that preserves benefits and funds your health and welfare plan through the proposed three-year agreement.

It is evident from Carrs/Safeway’s counter proposal that they are looking to contain cost increases through benefit reductions for the health and welfare plan. Additionally, Carrs/Safeway is proposing lump sum bonuses rather than real wage increases.

After receiving information from the health care plan consultant and developing our health and welfare proposal, both sides concluded that further precise figures are needed. We shall be receiving those figures in the next week and new negotiation dates will be set at that time.
 

For more information on Local 1496, go to: http://www.ufcw1496.org/