Unionized Southern California Stater Bros. workers have ratified a new labor contract with the grocery chain, their union announced Friday.
According to the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, the three-year agreement includes “substantial wage increases,” along with a new supplemental pension plan and increased healthcare contributions. It also includes provisions for worker safety and adequate staffing, union officials said.
The contract covers more than 12,000 Stater Bros. workers across Southern California.
“The journey to contract ratification was different this year,” according to a statement from the union. “Never before have our members had to fight this hard to get what they deserved. Never before has the company disrespected our members, intimidated them, bullied them, and retaliated against them for their union support. However, they persevered and saw a record turnout of grocery workers, customers, and community members, all fighting for the same thing — better stores, better lives, better communities. Our members fought to ensure their jobs would be sufficient to feed their own families and afford health benefits and a dignified retirement at the end of a long career.”
The agreement was reached after four negotiating sessions in nine days.
“Negotiations were conducted in good faith, with both sides working hard to reach a fair deal that supports our teammates and holds the line on prices for our customers,” Stater Bros. Markets said in an earlier statement when the tentative contract agreement was announced.
“We appreciate the collaborative effort and are encouraged that the union is recommending the agreement for ratification.”
The union workers had previously authorized a strike if a deal could not be reached.