Giant Eagle, Union Reach Tentative 3-Year Pact

After nearly three months of complex and contentious negotiations, Giant Eagle and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776 Keystone State have reached a tentative agreement.

Giant Eagle members, which are from 35 of the Pittsburgh-based retailer’s corporate-owned stores in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, are set to vote on the tentative contract within the next several weeks. If approved by the majority of members, the three-year pact will be ratified, retroactive to July 1, 2018.

If approved, the tentative labor pact with western Pennsylvania’s grocery market share leader stands to increase both starting rates for new members and base pay rates for current members while maintaining the present benefits structure.

The tentative deal was approved by both sides of the bargaining table, including a unanimous endorsement from the rank-and-file bargaining committee, said officials from the suburban Philadelphia-based UFWC 1776 in a statement.

“This is a great effort from the new Local 1776 Keystone State bargaining committee and Giant Eagle,” said Wendell Young IV, UFCW 1776 president, which represents 4,500 Giant Eagle members who serve Pittsburgh customers in 35 Giant Eagle locations. “Our main goal was to build on the foundation put in place in the most recent contract, improving wages and other items most important to our members. I believe we have done that here.”

Related:Giant Eagle Hammers Out 4-Store Deal With Ace Hardware

“We are thrilled to extend our longstanding partnership with Local 1776 Keystone State, formerly UFCW Local 23,” added Dan Shapira, Giant Eagle special counsel. “Our team members are the lifeblood of Giant Eagle, and we believe this new agreement puts those working in our Pittsburgh area stores in the best position to continue providing high-quality service to our customers.”

The multiformat Giant Eagle has 400 locations across Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana and Maryland. It has been in negotiations since the spring with the union. UFCW Local 1776 KS represents more than 30,000 members, including supermarket workers across Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and New York.