A potential strike looms for approximately 25,000 Safeway employees in Northern and Central California, with a deadline approaching on Friday at midnight. Union officials and Safeway's parent company, Albertsons, have not reached an agreement after several months without a contract. Workers demand wage increases, health care improvements, and pension enhancements due to the high cost of living in Northern California. Many stores are seeking temporary replacement workers as employees express concerns about the ongoing situation and its impact on their livelihoods.
"We're asking for wage increases that will help our members survive in Northern California given the cost of living, along with improvements in health care. We're seeking improvements in the pension plan for the first time in a decade, Safeway can afford it," said Jim Araby, UFCW Local 5 representative.
"We don't feel good, we're scared about what's going to happen. Life in California is so expensive every day, up- up- up, we got to raise a little bit right."
A Safeway spokesperson said, '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.'
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