Safeway, Giant OK New Contracts

LANDOVER, Md. — Workers at Giant and Safeway stores in the Blatimore-Washington area have voted to approve new contracts, the chains and two local unions said Tuesday.

More than 23,000 workers represented by United Food and Commercial Workers Locals 27 and 400 agreed to the deals. According to a Local 400, the 19-month pact includes hourly wage increases; full funding of health benefits with no increase in members’ out-of-pocket costs; and continued retirement security with all current pension benefits maintained and new steps to resolve funding issues for at least the next 10 years. The union said it was able to defeat concessions including a new wage tier and elimination of Sunday pay scales.

“We are very pleased that our associates ratified the contracts reached between Giant and UFCW Locals 400 and 27,” Giant Food President Anthony Hucker said in a statement. “Throughout negotiations, our goal was to reach an agreement that ensures our associates continue to be among the highest compensated in the industry in the Baltimore-Washington area, while also positioning Giant to effectively compete in a growing marketplace. We are very pleased that these contracts achieve this goal and recognize the outstanding contributions and hard work of our 17,000 store associates.”