United Food and Commercial Workers Local 789 and St. Paul-area grocery chains will continue bargaining Monday, citing 'considerable movement' toward a new contract covering 5,000 workers.
The union canceled a strike vote planned for March 10 and instead tentatively scheduled a ratification vote for March 17.
Union and store negotiators met three times last week, including a 19-hour session that ended at 4 a.m. March 8. Both sides previously agreed to extend the current contracts, which expired March 3.
In a statement, the union said 'key agreements were reached on a number of items' and that negotiators were 'closer on allowing retirees to buy health insurance at a more reasonable price.' Unresolved items included wages, benefit improvements and work rules.
The union represents workers at Cub, Jerry's, Lund's, Byerly's, Knowlan's, Festival, Rainbow and Kowalski's. Key issues include raising the wage scales of entry-level and part-time workers, and job protection for meat cutters.
From the March 13, 2002, issue of The Union Advocate newspaper. Used by permission. The Union Advocate is the official publication of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@mtn.org
For more information
UFCW Local 789 publishes negotiations updates at its website, www.ufcw789.org
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 789 and St. Paul-area grocery chains will continue bargaining Monday, citing ‘considerable movement’ toward a new contract covering 5,000 workers.
The union canceled a strike vote planned for March 10 and instead tentatively scheduled a ratification vote for March 17.
Union and store negotiators met three times last week, including a 19-hour session that ended at 4 a.m. March 8. Both sides previously agreed to extend the current contracts, which expired March 3.
In a statement, the union said ‘key agreements were reached on a number of items’ and that negotiators were ‘closer on allowing retirees to buy health insurance at a more reasonable price.’ Unresolved items included wages, benefit improvements and work rules.
The union represents workers at Cub, Jerry’s, Lund’s, Byerly’s, Knowlan’s, Festival, Rainbow and Kowalski’s. Key issues include raising the wage scales of entry-level and part-time workers, and job protection for meat cutters.
From the March 13, 2002, issue of The Union Advocate newspaper. Used by permission. The Union Advocate is the official publication of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@mtn.org
For more information
UFCW Local 789 publishes negotiations updates at its website, www.ufcw789.org