Portland metro grocery workers have been without a union contract for the last 1 1/2 years. With the rising cost of living and health care, our union has been trying to bargain a new contract with our employers seeking better wages and health benefits. Many of my co-workers with families have struggled to make ends meet with their salaries and our health insurance has been deducting $19.41 a week on top of our union dues, which is $40 dollars a month. Our union dues are supposed to help pay for our health insurance costs but without a contract, it is the one extra cost that we didn’t need to be deducted from our paychecks.
As a single guy, I can absorb those extra fees because with my salary I can support myself just fine. But people with families, it’s really hard on them. I’ve heard some families cutting back on their grocery bills just so they can make the extra health insurance cost.
This weekend, I went to my union’s ratification meeting to vote on the new recommended tentative agreement contract. The union and our employers agreed that we should get a 25 cent raise and another 25 cent raise the second year. We will also get a 25 cent per hour for the last 12 months of retroactive pay in lump sum for the time we have been without a contract. Our insurance deductible has gone up to $100, from $200 to $300. Those are some of the highlights and the vibe in the meeting room were mixed. However, our union has said they have been working tireless hours for the last week and they feel that this is the best offer that we can get. They have negated many proposals our employer has suggested like eliminating Sunday premium pay which we get an extra dollar for working and night premiums in which we get an extra 25 cents for working after 7 in the evening.
I think during this bargaining for a new contract, we do not have any real leverage because of this economy. Many people are looking for jobs and with the way things are, our employers can easily find someone else to fill the void. The union didn’t have any concrete leverage because their intentions are to not go on strike. If we did, how are families going to survive with no income coming in? However, I must say that they came away with small victories in the contract and finally after 4 years, we get another raise. I think my salary justifies me because it’s more than enough to support myself and my extracurricular activities but to families it barely affords food on the table.
Update:
We have accepted our new contract for 2 1/2 years.
With my new-found wealth, drinks are on me!
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Congratulations Paul, glad to hear that!
Not sure the moral of the story other than don’t start a family just yet, heh heh.
BTW, today I tried to use a Ralphs Club Card @ Vons…the checker was friendly about it. Once it was vice versa..I tried using a Vons Club Card @ Ralphs. It’s hard to keep track of this stuff! Not to mention, I’m also trying to sort through about 7 coupons I separated for today’s bill. Not a pretty sight.
Yeah, I don’t know really either. Just sad that we waited a year and a half and the end result is this. Maybe we’re just being greedy I guess, maybe new contracts shouldn’t always be better. I feel bad for those families though, there’s another obstacle ahead for them. LOL, I get that a lot too and customer get embarrassed.. it’s OK those things are hard to keep track of.
Hey there. I’m glad you guys were able to have a contract after so long. My husband is in the carpenters union and he goes to the meetings. It’s so important to vote for those important issues because even though you are single and have no kids right now, one day you may be married with children. The decisions that are made today will affect you in the future. Keep pressing on!
I give the wrong card at the grocery store all the time. I have like 5 different ones, and they all look alike!
I’ll just have a water for my free drink, thank you, so you can keep your money.
Paul,
Seriously glad the negotiations are over and an agreement was reached. One that, hopefully, will benefit you and your coworkers.
Wow… glad it doesn’t hurt you but seriously.. the fact that unions have to get involved is shitty. Why can’t employers take care of their workers. Ugh. Glad it is all over for you though.
Yay for you!Being in the midst of negotiations has to suck! Now you can get on with life!
I really like the post of above about why employers can’t take care of their employees. It seems ironic that all though the grocery store i work at perpetuates an image of families being able to afford food as well as other commodities it will not provide the same for its employees (for example, a living wage instead of minimum wage).
I am glad you guya got the new contract, it’s got to be a weoght off of you all. Make mine a double!
Secretia
Glad everything worked out for you. Our union contract is up in may and I hope that everything goes smoothly. I am one of the few non union workers in my store, but I hope everything works out for the people in our area. Also I will not be very happy of working 12-16 hour days if there is a strike, which there are talks of.