LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Locals 135, 324, 770, 1167 and 1428 voted to ratify a new three-year contract with Stater Bros. The contract was reached after months of negotiations and active participation from thousands of grocery workers at Stater Bros. stores across Southern California.
The five UFCW Locals released the following statement:
“The journey to contract ratification was different this year. Never before have our members had to fight this hard to get what they deserved. Never before has the company disrespected our members, intimidated them, bullied them and retaliated against them for their union support.
“However, they persevered and saw a record turnout of grocery workers, customers, and community members, all fighting for the same thing – better stores, better lives, better communities. Our members fought to ensure their jobs would be sufficient to feed their own families and afford health benefits and a dignified retirement at the end of a long career. They fought for safety measures so they wouldn’t be afraid of going to work.
“Their fight took to the streets where they organized numerous rallies, marches and boycotts that showed their power. They stood up and demonstrated their unity by signing petitions and wearing buttons. These actions and their courage to stand up to their employer built the strength needed to reach this agreement. Only by rising up together and pushing back on Stater Bros.’ illegal behavior were our members able to make a change in their workplaces that will benefit both all grocery workers and customers in the future.”
Key provisions of the agreement include:
Substantial wage increases
A new supplemental pension plan to help workers in their retirement
Increased healthcare benefit contributions and quicker healthcare eligibility requirements for new hires
Staffing language that includes the union in evaluating reasonable staffing levels that address efficient operation of the store, the health and safety of employees, and the quality of customer service
Safety language that empowers workers to keep their workplace safe from hazards
Protections of our bargaining unit to protect against subcontracting of union work
This contract will go into effect immediately for over 12,000 essential grocery workers at Stater Bros. stores across Southern California.
BACKGROUND:
Grocery Workers Rising is 65,000 essential grocery workers across Southern California rising up for what they deserve. Visit the campaign at http://www.groceryworkersrising.org.
These workers are employed at Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, Stater Bros., Gelson’s and Super A stores. Grocery workers at Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions voted yes to ratify new contracts on July 11, 2025.
Their contracts expired on Sunday, March 2, 2025.
