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Fred Meyer, QFC reach tentative labor deal after one-day strike

UFCW Local 555 sets ratification vote for members in Oregon and Washington

Russell Redman

December 21, 2021

3 Min Read
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Workers picketed at multiple stores starting Friday morning, but on Saturday morning Kroger's Fred Meyer and QFC chains and UFCW 555 announced a tentative contract agreement.Fred Meyer

This week and next week, members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 555 are slated to vote on a tentative contract agreement following a one-day strike late last week by workers at Fred Meyer and QFC stores in Oregon.

Members of UFCW 555, which represents nearly 10,000 Oregon and southwestern Washington grocery workers at The Kroger Co.-owned Fred Meyer and QFC banners, on Dec. 11 voted to authorize a strike over what union officials called a “subpar wage proposal” that didn’t factor in the increased cost of living and COVID-19 hazard pay; unacceptable working conditions, including store staffing concerns; and unfair labor practices. UFCW 555 said it had been in contract negotiations with the two Kroger chains since July.

Plans called for the walkout to run from 6 a.m. on Dec. 17 to 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 24 at Fred Meyer and QFC stores in metropolitan Portland, Bend, Newberg and Klamath Falls, Ore. Workers picketed at multiple stores in the area starting Friday morning, but on Saturday morning both UFCW 555 and Fred Meyer/QFC announced a tentative labor deal for union workers under grocery, meat, central checkout (CCK) and nonfood contracts in Oregon and Washington.

“We are pleased that Fred Meyer and QFC have recognized the ongoing hazard to its workers, with a settlement agreement that provides significant wage increases, added workplace protections, a secure retirement and quality health care,” Tigard, Ore.-based UFCW 555 said in a statement. “This agreement, if ratified, will positively impact the amazing members of UFCW Local 555 and their families,” the union added.

Related:UFCW, Teamsters land new labor contracts with Kroger, Fred Meyer

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Nearly 10,000 Oregon and southwestern Washington grocery workers under the Fred Meyer and QFC banners are represented by UFCW 555.

Contract ratification votes are scheduled to begin Dec. 22 and run through Dec. 30 at various locations in Oregon and Washington, UFCW 555 reported. The union said details of the agreement will be made public after members have had a chance to vote on it.

“This settlement offer, if ratified by the membership, will be the best contract in UFCW 555 history, and we are working though this weekend to get this offer to our membership as quickly as possible,” UFCW 555 stated on Sunday.

In announcing the tentative pact with the union on Saturday, Fred Meyer and QFC said all affected stores are now open, staffed and stocked.

“We are so grateful to our Fred Meyer and QFC associates for everything they do for our customers and our community. That’s why we’ve invested in their wages, health care and retirement,” Fred Meyer President Dennis Gibson said in a statement. “We will continue to do everything we can to balance investments in wages and overall well- being while keeping food affordable for our customers. We remain committed to our people and our Oregon community.”

Related:Kroger, UFCW reinforce pension benefits for Fred Meyer, QFC workers

Prior to the strike vote, the contract offer by Fred Meyer and QFC included $36 million in additional pay, another $5 million in pension contributions and $30 million in health benefit contributions, with the latter maintaining current plan costs, published reports said. The company proposal indicated that Oregon store staff earn an average of $17.29 per hour.

UFCW 555 had said Fred Meyer/QFC’s latest offer before the tentative agreement included a 50-cent raise for the next two years and a 40-cent raise on the third year of the contract for long-term employees, but the company hadn’t offered raises for a “vast majority” of employees.

Earlier this year, four UFCW locals representing Fred Meyer and QFC employees ratified an agreement to transition about $400 million in pension liabilities from an underfunded pension plan to the UFCW Consolidated Pension Plan. The Kroger Co. said at the time that the funds transfer would stabilize pension benefits for more than 10,600 of the chains’ associates.

Overall, Portland-based Fred Meyer Stores operates more than 130 multi-department stores in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Bellevue, Wash.-based QFC’s store base includes over 60 locations in western Washington and Portland. 

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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