Colorado Springs Safeway Retail and Meat, Fountain Mesa Safeway Meat Workers Vote to Ratify Tentative Agreement by Large Margin
New Agreement Includes $12-Million Boost for Retiree Health Fund2200 Retirees Faced with 21% Health Premium Hike
(UFCW-7, Wheat Ridge, CO. February 5, 2010)—United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 members voted to ratify a tentative agreement in Colorado Springs Friday night.
Colorado Springs Safeway retail and meat, as well as the Fountain Mesa Safeway meat department voted by a large margin to accept the tentative agreement, which was recommended by the Safeway bargaining team and Local 7 officers.
The tentative agreement includes a plan that pumps $12-million into the grocery store retirees’ Health and Welfare Fund. Without the infusion of cash, retirees would face a 21 percent hike in their health insurance premiums.
The ratification vote Friday night covers about 850 workers. The 52-month deal includes a signing bonus, wage increases, improved health care insurance for active employees and a design to stabilize the pension plan.
Denver metro grocery store workers overwhelmingly ratified a similar deal Thursday that covers about 3,000 employees.
The new agreements take effect at once.
Local 7 represents about 14,000 grocery store workers in Colorado and Wyoming..
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