January 26, 2009

This was the first meeting with the Employer since the new Union administration was elected.  The parties, with the assistance of the Federal Mediator, meet for 6 hours and made no progress.  We will be getting back to the bargaining table the first week of March.

This is the first contract for this group and the employer is doing all it can to not reach an agreement.  The Employer actually brags about how good these employees have it with the employee funded 401(k), which is in the toilet. They also bragged about how good the management non-union health plan is and they say it with a straight face.  The employer management non-union plan is far more expensive with higher deductibles and as a result some employees choose no health care.  Fred Meyer should be ashamed of this fact.  Under the management proposal we will have Fred Meyer employees who cannot afford to have the management non-union health plan. This is wrong.

The solution is for Fred Meyer to understand that these employees have value to the employer and we believe they should be compensated appropriately and have an affordable health care plan just like their co-workers who work in the same store, our Grocery, Meat, and CCK workers. Come on Fred Meyer step up to the plate and reach an agreement that provides for good wages, employer funded pension, and affordable health care.