In case you missed the big blurb on our homepage this morning, the Southern California grocery workers voted overwhelmingly over the weekend to approve the new contract agreement they had reached with the grocery chains. So it's not "tentative" anymore, it's official.
This is a Big Deal because the new contract has a lot of improvements for the grocery workers:
- Elimination of the unfair “two-tier” wage and benefit structure;
- Wage increases ranging between $1.65 and $6 over the life of the contract;
- All wages increases retroactive to previous contract expiration in March;
- Increased contributions to secure pension benefits;
- Significant improvements to all health care plans; and
- Necessary funding for health care guaranteed through the contract.
Here's the UFCW's press release on the agreement, and here's some news stories: