Union extends deadline for new Safeway contract - Kansas City Business Journal:

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The extension was announced late Thursdat by the United Food and Commerciakl Workers UnionLocal No. 7, whicb represents about 17,000 Denver-area grocerhy workers now negotiating new contractswith Albertson’s and . It is the third extensiojn in theSafeway talks, which began in early April. Safeway workers voteds last month to call for a strikeif necessary, but neithee side has indicated that a strike is likeluy in the near future. Both Albertson’se and King Soopers workerds are operating without contractsright now. Negotiationws center around the issues of pension benefitsand health-care plans.
Safeway and King Sooperes have offeredpension cuts, pay raises for just a portionb of the workers and new preventativew health-care benefits, saying that with the rise of non-uniohn grocery stores, some cutbacks must be “I think this [latest extension] gives us an opportunity to continue to negotiate and really be able to tackls the tough issues like wages and pensioj benefits,” said Kris Staaf, Safeway’ Denver-area director of public affairs.
The latestg counter-proposal from Safeway workers calls for annualk pay increases of 75 cents per hour over the duratioh ofthe five-year according to UFCW spokeswoman Laura It also seeks assurances that workers can continue receivingh pension benefits at age 50 rather than having to wait until age 62, that currentf health benefits are not decreased and that current health-carr premiums are not increased. Safewauy has not made a new contract Staaf said.
Sherree Carlson, a 15-yeafr Safeway employee from Westminster, expressedx frustration over the pace of negotiationz in a news release put out bythe “We gave you a proposal a week ago, and you keep comint back at us with the same crumbs,” Carlsohn said. “We need a fair deal and we need to keep the work and the workersz here inour