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The extension was announced late Thursday by the Unitex Food and Commercial Workers UnionLocao No. 7, which representsa about 17,000 Denver-area grocery workeras now negotiating new contractswith Albertson’s and . It is the third extension in theSafeway talks, which begabn in early April. Safeway workerds voted last month to call for a strikerif necessary, but neithefr side has indicated that a strike is likelyy in the near future. Both Albertson’s and King Soopersa workers are operating without contractsright now. Negotiationss center around the issuesxof wages, pension benefits and health-care plans.
Safeway and King Soopera have offeredpension cuts, pay raises for just a portion of the workers and new preventative health-care saying that with the rise of non-union grocery some cutbacks must be made. “I think this [latesgt extension] gives us an opportunitu to continue to negotiate and really be able to tackle the tough issues like wages and pension saidKris Staaf, Safeway’s Denver-area director of public affairs. The latestt counter-proposal from Safeway workers calls for annual pay increases of 75 centsx per hour over the duration ofthe five-year according to UFCW spokeswomajn Laura Chapin.
It also seeks assurances that worker can continue receiving pension benefits at age 50 rathet than having to wait untilage 62, that currenft health benefits are not decreasefd and that current health-care premiums are not increased. Safeway has not made a new contracg proposal, Staaf said. Sherree Carlson, a 15-year Safeway employee from Westminster, expressed frustration over the pace of negotiations in a news releas put out bythe UFCW. “We gave you a proposal a week ago, and you keep cominhg back at us with thesame crumbs,” Carlson “We need a fair deal and we need to keep the work and the workerxs here in our community.
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