Potential large-chain grocery store strike along the Central Coast if negotiations are not met
Jeanette Bent
CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION-TV) — UPDATE 4:14 p.m. July 24, 2025
Safeway has released the following statement to KION News about the impending strikes:
We remain committed to productive, good-faith negotiations with the UFCW locals in Northern California. We have scheduled bargaining sessions this week and continue to work with a federal mediator. While we are disappointed that the Unions have indicated the possibility of a strike at some of our stores, we fully respect our associates’ right to engage in collective bargaining.
We are working diligently to balance the needs of our associates and customers, maintain our position as a trusted choice in the market by delivering consistent value, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our business in a highly competitive grocery industry. We are hopeful a resolution will be reached soon, as we have in other parts of the country through successful collaboration with our union partners to secure agreements that recognize and reward our dedicated associates while supporting the company’s ongoing growth.
Throughout this process, our focus remains on providing exceptional service to our customers and fostering a positive, supportive work environment for our associates across the communities we serve.
Original Article from July 16
The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5 (UFCW5) confirmed to KION Wednesday that if the demands they’ve laid out to Safeway, Inc. (parent company of Albertsons) are not met, workers along the Central Coast may strike.
“This absolutely includes striking along the Central Coast,” one local UFCW5 representative said.
According to UFCW5, approximately 25,000 Safeway members are potentially getting ready to strike, depending on how negotiations between the union and company went during Wednesday’s meeting.
Since the meeting on Wednesday with a federal mediator, the two sides say they could not agree.
The union is now saying that another meeting is set for July 23, but a strike will be called if there’s no contract by midnight on July 25.
The union says they are asking for Safeway to honor their workers and dedication as well as the business success, saying that in December 2023, the company paid $4 billion in dividends to shareholders because of its strong profits.
Now, UFCSW is asking for a “reasonable contract” that includes pension and wage security that matches the high cost of living in this area.
In a statement, Safeway told KTVU: “We remain committed to engaging in good-faith discussions to reach a new agreement with UFCW locals. We are hopeful a resolution will be reached soon. We value our associates and the critical role they play in our success. We have put forward a strong offer that includes meaningful wage increases, continued investment in secure healthcare coverage, and the long-term stability of the pension plan, reflecting both the dedication of our associates and the real economic conditions facing our industry.”
The union said that after surveying members about a potential strike, 95% stated that they wanted to strike over “multiple unfair labor practices.”
The two institutions have been in negotiations over the past five months, with the official contract ending in April 2025.