Rising Up for a Fair Contract
August 15, 2025
Our new three-year agreement with Stater Bros. has officially been ratified!
Taking the time to vote ensures your voice is heard. Because of our solidarity and commitment to fighting for the contract we deserve, our new contract includes:
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Substantial wage increases
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A new supplemental pension plan to help workers in our retirement
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Increased healthcare benefit contributions and quicker healthcare eligibility requirements for new hires
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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
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Safety language that empowers workers to keep their workplace safe from hazards
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Protections of our bargaining unit to protect against subcontracting of union work
Our journey to contract ratification was different this year. Never before have we had to fight this hard to get what we deserve. Never before has the company disrespected us, intimidated us, bullied us and retaliated against us for our union support.
However, we 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. We fought to ensure our jobs would be sufficient to feed our own families and afford health benefits and a dignified retirement at the end of a long career. We fought for safety measures so we wouldn’t be afraid of going to work.
Our fight took us to the streets where we organized numerous rallies, marches and boycotts that showed our power. We stood up and demonstrated our unity by signing petitions and wearing buttons. These actions and your courage to stand up to your employer built the strength we needed to reach this agreement. Only by rising up together and pushing back on Stater Bros.’ illegal behavior were we able to make a change in our workplaces that will benefit both us, our co-workers, and our customers in the future.
Our fight isn’t over though. Members at El Super are also still without a contract, and our pharmacist siblings at Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions are gearing up for their fight next year. They all stood by us to get this contract, now we have to stand by them.
We are a union, and we are only as powerful as we make it. It’s up to us to be brave and stand up to Stater Bros. when they want us to keep our heads down and not speak up. But you’re not alone in this fight. Look to your left. Look to your right. Those co-workers want the same as you – jobs that they can be proud of and thrive on. We are absolutely stronger together, and we are that much stronger for our next contract campaign three years from now, so continue to stay engaged with your stewards, co-workers, and your union. That campaign is starting now, and if we learned anything this year, it’s that Stater Bros. doesn’t give us anything. We have to take it.
If you have any questions, please contact your Steward or Union Representative.
In Solidarity,
Your Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee
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August 12th, Virtual Meeting Handouts
Informational Zoom meetings Tuesday, August 12 at 8:00 AM or 7:00 PM – click link time to pre-register.
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CALL TO ACTION! CONTRACT RATIFICATION VOTE!
Informational Zoom Meetings:
- Tuesday, August 12 at 8:00 AM or 7:00 PM – These meetings will cover the highlights of the agreement.
Contract Ratification Electronic Voting:
- Wednesday, August 13 at 8:00 AM to Thursday, August 14 at 5:00 PM – You will receive a secret voting link via text and email on Wednesday, August 13th at 8am. The link is valid for one time use thru August 14th at 5pm.
This contract includes major improvements in wages, healthcare, retirement, staffing, and more, made possible by your solidarity and determination!
Your Stater Bros Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee RECOMMENDS VOTING YES!
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August 6, 2025
VICTORY: We’ve Reached a Tentative Agreement on our Stater Bros. Contract!
Agreement includes higher wages, better retirement benefits, healthcare improvements, staffing, safety and more
After more than five months of relentless hard work, determination, and unprecedented participation, we’re excited to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement with Stater Bros.! From boycotts, rallies, marches, petitions, and wearing buttons to one-on-one conversations with our coworkers and customers, we stayed strong.
Following an intense two-day session that began on Tuesday morning, we’ve secured an agreement that addresses our priorities, which we want to share with you. It includes higher wages, improved pensions, better and faster access to healthcare,safety, staffing, and more that we’ve earned and deserve. But remember – nothing is final until we all have the chance to review the details and cast our vote.
This victory wouldn’t have been possible without the power of our collective action. Together, we stood up to the company’s disrespect and made it clear that we are a strong union family, united in solidarity to fight for the contract we deserve.
Next Steps
Remember, this is a tentative agreement. It is not final until you vote to accept it.
You will have the opportunity to review the deal and have your questions addressed before casting your vote. We will be scheduling vote days, times, and locations and informational webinars shortly, so please look out for updates here, via text and usps mail.
If you have any questions, reach out to your Bargaining Committee Member, Steward, or Union Representative.
In Solidarity,
Your Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee
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August 1-4, 2025
Negotiations with Stater Bros. have concluded for the weekend but we’re scheduled to meet with the company on Tuesday, August 5 and Wednesday, August 6.
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Updated July 31, 2025
Negotiations will continue tomorrow, August 1, with the assistance of a Federal Mediator.
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July 31, 2025
“You’re not my family.” – Pete Van Helden
Stater Bros. seems to be finally hearing us
Stater Bros.’ CEO Pete Van Helden came to negotiations this morning and after telling us “we are not family,” he turned it into an interrogation meeting.
While we sat across from him, we took the opportunity to tell him exactly what we feel about how the company is run and how negotiations are going. We told him that workers aren’t proud to work at Stater Bros. and are leaving the company. We told him that we’re disrespected and that’s leading to low morale in the stores. We told him about workers feeling unsafe in the store when ICE comes in and goes into private areas. After we spoke, Pete didn’t listen to us and decided to interrogate the workers who spoke up about what they said in an attempt to discredit them.
However, the company’s bargainers certainly heard how serious we are about negotiating the contract we deserve and the extent of the disrespect we’ve experienced.
This afternoon, for the first time since we began bargaining back in March, we started having real dialogue. It was a start, but we’re still far apart on major economic issues. Stater Bros. also finally agreed to have a federal mediator come in and help move negotiations along in a positive manner, so we will be meeting with the company tomorrow and hope they are prepared to continue the progress we made.
In the spirit of good faith, we’re changing the action tomorrow, Friday, August 1, back to a rally. We think it’s important to show Stater Bros. how we feel and that we won’t back down if negotiations don’t progress. RSVP HERE: Friday, August 1, at 11am in Long Beach.
Meanwhile, stay connected. Stay ready. This is our moment. We are united, and we are ready to do whatever it takes.
If you have any questions about what’s happening at the table, or anything else, reach out to your Bargaining Committee Member, Steward, or Union Representative.
In solidarity,
Your Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee
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July 30, 2025
Stater Bros. Refuses to Pay Workers Same Wage Increases as Ralphs and Albertsons – Company Spends $4 Million on Each Store Remodel
In an attempt to show us how poor they are, Stater Bros. decided to give us a math lesson at our first bargaining session in two months.
Stater Bros. said that our WHOLE proposal would cost $112.1 Million. This may seem like a huge number for someone working in a grocery store, but Stater Bros. is a billion-dollar corporation. Their own website says they make $4 BILLION annually in sales.
Let’s do our own math. $4 billion in sales divided by 12,000 Stater Bros. employees means that each employee brings in $333,333 in sales but Stater Bros.’ math today said each of us cost $74,000 a year. Do that math Stater Bros. We bring in way more money than you’re paying us, and we know we’re worth the money we’re asking for.
What’s worse is that they’re also spending $4 Million on each store remodel. No matter how pretty the store looks, you won’t make any money if there’s no workers in it to serve the customers.
We came back to the bargaining table today with the goal of getting a tentative agreement that we can recommend to you, but Stater Bros. is still refusing to pay the wage increases we all deserve and won’t agree to any of our important language changes to the contract.
We bargain for more than just wages. We need assurances that Stater Bros. will follow the law when ICE comes into our stores. We need to ensure that union work remains union work and the company won’t use subcontractors to diminish our power in the stores. We need a safety committee in our stores to keep us safe on the job. These are important issues that we need in the contract to hold Stater Bros. accountable and make the company one we’re proud to work for.
Right now, we’re not proud to work for Stater Bros. The company continues to break the law, committing unfair labor practices like interrogating workers, surveilling members and retaliating against union supporters. We’re overworked, disrespected, and undervalued. It’s time Stater Bros. steps up and respects the work we do.
Stay tuned. We will send another bargaining update tomorrow with next steps.
NOTE: Friday’s action will now be a BOYCOTT of Stater Bros. Join us this Friday show Stater Bros. our community and our customers stand in solidarity with us and will boycott the company until they do better. RSVP HERE: Friday, August 1, at 11am in Long Beach.
If you have any questions about what’s happening at the table, or anything else, reach out to your Bargaining Committee Member, Steward, or Union Representative.
In solidarity,
Your Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee
LET’S SHOW OUR WORK
Union proposal cost – $112.1 million ($9,341 per employee)
Current payroll cost for Bargaining Unit – $650 million
Current health and welfare cost for Bargaining Unit – $129 million
650 million + 129 million divided by 12,000 = $64,000 + 9341.66 = $74,000 per employee in Bargaining Union
$333,333 sales each year per employee
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July 25, 2025
ULP Vote Overwhelmingly Passes!
We’ve had enough of Stater Bros.’ union-busting tactics and illegal actions that undermine workers
We have spoken loud and clear.
This week, 12,000 Stater Bros. workers across Southern California came together and overwhelmingly voted YES to authorize an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike against Stater Bros. for breaking the law by surveilling, interrogating, and discriminating against union members.
This vote sends a strong message to Stater Bros.: We’ve had enough of their union-busting tactics that undermine workers and silence our voices. And if they thought Stater Bros.’ members could be scared away from standing up for our rights, they found out tonight that they are very, very wrong.
What does this mean?
This vote prepares all of us to take action if Stater Bros. continues to commit unfair labor practices that undermine our rights. It does not mean we are on an Unfair Labor Practice strike right now. If you walk off the job before the union declares a strike, you can be disciplined and/or fired. Remember, you will always be the first to know when we take action.
What’s next?
An Unfair Labor Practice strike is always a last resort, and we will continue to push Stater Bros. to do the right thing. We’re scheduled to go back to the bargaining table on July 30 and 31, where we are demanding that the company stop breaking the law, and negotiate a contract that respects the work we do. We are fed up with being overworked, disrespected, and undervalued.
Meanwhile, stay connected. Stay ready. This is our moment. We are united, and we are ready to do whatever it takes to defend our rights.
We’re ready to show our strength with a rally on August 1, 2025. Join us in Long Beach from 11AM-1PM to demonstrate that we’re ready to do what it takes to get the contract we deserve. RSVP for the action here: https://ufcw324.org/stater-bros-august-1-rally-rsvp/
If you have any questions about what’s happening at the table, the ULP strike authorization, or anything else, reach out to your Bargaining Committee Member, Steward, or Union Representative.
In solidarity,
Your Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee
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July 15, 2025
We’re Taking an Unfair Labor Practice Strike Vote Friday, July 25th!
Negotiations with Stater Bros. Markets are scheduled to resume on July 30 and 31, 2025.
Read more to learn what’s next with our fight for a fair contract from Stater Bros.
Two months ago, Stater Bros. told us, your bargaining committee, that they don’t want to negotiate with us until we have a deal with Kroger and Albertsons. Well, last week our fellow union members at Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions overwhelmingly voted yes to ratify a new contract that includes higher wages, improved pension, health and welfare improvements, staffing, and other improvements they deserve as the backbone of these companies.
Stater Bros., it’s now your turn.
Since March, we’ve pushed Stater Bros. for real solutions to short staffing, unsafe conditions, and unfair wages, but all we’ve seen is disrespect and frivolous bargaining sessions. And while we’ve been fighting to reach a deal, they’ve been breaking the law, unlawfully surveilling members who have been active in the contract campaign, discriminating against members on the basis of their union support, interrogating members and bypassing the union’s bargaining committee and making proposals directly to members.
That’s why we’re scheduling an unfair labor practice strike authorization vote!
DATE: Friday, July 25th
TIME: All Day Voting 9 am to 6 pm
MEETING TIMES:
9:00 am or 6:00 pm
PLACE: Doubletree Hilton Claremont
555 W Foothill Blvd
Claremont, CA 91711
We’ve never had to take an Unfair Labor Practice strike vote at Stater Bros., but the company has changed. We need to stand up to our company’s unlawful behavior. By violating our rights, Stater Bros. is making our fight for our futures, our families, and our communities harder. That’s why we need EVERY SINGLE UNION MEMBER to come out and vote YES during the Unfair Labor Practice Strike vote. We need to send a loud and clear message to them with our vote.
We’re scheduled to return to the table on July 30 and 31, and when we show up with a strong ULP strike vote, we will show Stater Bros. that we’re backed by 15,000 members. Hopefully, this will convince the company to get serious and negotiate a fair contract.
GET INVOLVED:
It’s time we make Stater Bros. understand that we won’t back down. Join us on August 1 for a rally from 11AM – 1PM in Long Beach to show the company that we’re standing up against their unfair labor practices. RSVP here: https://ufcw324.org/stater-bros-august-1-rally-rsvp/
Stay involved and do not hesitate to reach out to your Steward, Union Representative, or Bargaining Committee Member with any questions.
In Solidarity,
Your Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee
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May 21, 2025
Stater Bros. admits they’ve been wasting our time at bargaining
We met with Stater Bros. for our seventh day of bargaining today, where we spent a good portion of the session discussing subcontracting of our work. Stater Bros. wants the right to bring in subcontractors and take away our work and our power in the store. That is totally unacceptable. Our work has to be our work and we won’t allow it to get taken over by subcontractors! We’re outraged at Stater Bros.’ position because Kroger and Albertsons agreed to our proposed language all the way back on February 27, 2025, during our THIRD session!
This issue is one of the most important protections we have in our contract, and we must do everything we can to fight against Stater Bros.’ attempt to weaken us.
We also thought you should know that we didn’t receive a single proposal from the company today. The few minutes we met with them they spent asking us questions AGAIN about the health benefits they pay for and backtracking on things they have said in previous sessions.
At the end of the day, Stater Bros. told us they don’t want to negotiate with us until we have a deal with Kroger and Albertsons.
What can we do while Stater Bros. stalls until their competitors come to a deal?
Stand with Kroger and Albertsons members while they are taking their strike vote next month! The contract our brothers, sisters and siblings win from Kroger and Albertsons will directly influence the contract we receive here. If they are forced to go on strike, we must join their picket lines and ensure Kroger, Albertsons and Stater Bros. know we’re all standing together and are willing to fight for what we have earned and deserve.
Right now, it’s imperative that Stater Bros. knows we’re ready and willing to do what it takes to get the contract we deserve. The more we participate in actions like the march in La Verne or rally in Redlands, stay involved in bargaining, and stand together, the more power we have at the table to negotiate for the contract we deserve. And we deserve better than Stater Bros.’ nefarious actions to intimidate you from participating in union actions.
We will continue to escalate our campaign with more actions and more ways you can get involved. Stay involved and do not hesitate to reach out to your Steward, Union Representative, or Bargaining Committee Member with any questions.
In Solidarity,
Your Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee
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April 21, 2025
Another insulting wage proposal
Today we met with Stater Bros. for our sixth day of bargaining, where they spent the day rejecting several of our proposals on common sense workplace protections. Our proposals included protections for workers impacted by the use of new technology in the stores and protections for immigrant workers. They also continued to question our proposal for Special Project Union Representative (SPUR) leave.
This morning we gave Stater Bros. a counter offer on our wage proposal and we expressed that they need to come back to the table with an offer that includes everyone, not just the people at the top wage rate. At the end of the day they responded with another insulting offer. While they finally added the meatcutters to the proposal, their proposal is still only $1 each year for those at the top rate of pay. Nothing for those who aren’t at the top rate of pay, nothing for department heads, nothing for those in the progressions and nothing for courtesy clerks.
It’s clear that Stater Bros. isn’t going to move on the issues we care about until they know we’re ready and willing to do what it takes to get the contract we deserve. Continue to wear your buttons! This act of solidarity shows Stater Bros. that we’re all united. When we stand together, we have more power at the table to negotiate for the contract we deserve.
We also know that our customers are standing with us in our contract fight, so we’re holding customer engagement actions where we’ll give out informational flyers to customers. It’s time we show Stater Bros. that our customers are standing with us to improve our stores, working conditions, and neighborhoods.
Here are the actions at Stater Bros.:
- Tuesday, April 29: Stater Bros. #155 – 7814 E. Firestone Blvd., Downey, CA 90241
- Monday, May 12: Stater Bros. #60 – 18527 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, CA 92686
- Tuesday, May 20: Stater Bros. #165 – 3325 E. Chapman, Orange, CA 92669
RSVP for one (or all) of the actions here: https://ufcw324.org/gwrhandbillrsvp/
We’re waiting for Stater Bros. to provide future bargaining dates. In the meantime, we will continue to escalate our campaign with more actions and more ways you can get involved, including engaging with our customers in front of our stores. Stay involved and do not hesitate to reach out to your Steward, Union Representative, or Bargaining Committee Member with any questions.
In Solidarity,
Your Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee
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April 11, 2025
We Have a Long Way to Go – $1 per year for only the people at the top of the pay scale is unacceptable
Finally, Stater Bros. admitted the truth today – that their proposal has no increases for meatcutters, courtesy clerks and the people in the progressions. We asked them three separate times and they confirmed every time that “there’s nothing for anyone else.” That’s unacceptable. $1 per year for only the people at the top of the pay scale is unacceptable! We are all dedicated to this company and work hard to make it a place where we’re proud to work. We all deserve a raise!
Today we handed over multiple proposals on important issues – immigration protections for workers, AI/training and leaves for union business, and had the opportunity to engage in conversations about them. At the very end of the day, Stater Bros. acknowledged their responsibility to participate in our health and pension benefit fund on the same basis as the other large grocers in our area.
But we still have a long way to go.
Right now, it’s imperative that Stater Bros. knows we’re ready and willing to do what it takes to get the contract we deserve. We know we deserve better from Stater Bros. and to get that we need to stay involved in bargaining. Continue to wear your buttons! This act of solidarity shows Stater Bros. that we’re all united. Join calls like the ones hundreds of members attended this week. When we stand together, we have more power at the table to negotiate for the contract we deserve.
Join our next campaign action on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at 11:00 AM in La Verne, CA. We’ll be marching from Vons to Stater Bros. to show how powerful we are when we stand together. Talk to your union representative or bargaining committee members if you need transportation to the march.
Register for the march here: https://forms.gle/zTyhcqMDGusAL7kv6
We return to the bargaining table on April 21, 2025. In the meantime, we will continue to escalate our campaign with more actions and more ways you can get involved, including engaging with our customers in front of our stores. Stay involved and do not hesitate to reach out to your Steward, Union Representative, or Bargaining Committee Member with any questions.
In Solidarity,
Your Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee
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March 21, 2025
Negotiations are not a game, Stater Bros.
This is our livelihood
Stater Bros. talks to us like we’re idiots. We’ve had four bargaining sessions with the company and it’s clear they don’t know how negotiations work.
They’re hiding their full wage proposal and they’re the ones accusing us of playing games. On the very first day of bargaining, we gave Stater Bros. all of our proposals, including a comprehensive wage proposal. Today they admitted they were holding off on presenting wage increases for meatcutters and courtesy clerks until we respond to their $1 per year increase for only the food, GM and meat clerks at the top rate.
We won’t sit by while they attempt to piecemeal wage increases for some and try to divide us. All of us deserve fair wages, not just the workers who they deem to be the most important.
We also tried to address another big issue to us – staffing. We gave them a full staffing proposal and explained why adequate hours and full-time jobs are so important to our stores. But they don’t care. The company just wants to increase their profits while requiring us to do more and more work with less and less staff.
We’ve confirmed April 11 for future negotiations and we’re waiting to hear back from the company on more dates. When we meet again with Stater Bros. we expect them to stop playing games and come prepared to negotiate on the issues that affect our lives.
The federal government offers a service that helps parties resolve contracts to avoid a labor dispute. The bargaining committee requested Stater Bros. to participate in this process to have more productive conversations and the company continues to refuse.
What can you do to stand up to Stater Bros.?
Stay tuned this weekend for a video from your bargaining committee about the company’s misinformation. We’ll post it on groceryworkersrising.org and our social media accounts. In the meantime:
Join us for an all Southern California UFCW grocery worker call on Wednesday April 9 at 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM. Join these calls to hear exactly what’s happening at negotiations with Stater Bros. and future actions from the best source – us – your bargaining committee. We’ll be talking about the company’s misinformation campaign, what their proposals are, and what we’re fighting for. Register for the calls by clicking on the time below:
Join our next campaign action on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at 11:00 AM in La Verne, CA. We’ll be marching from Vons to Stater Bros. to show how powerful we are when we stand together. Talk to your union representative or bargaining committee members if you need transportation to the march.
Continue to wear your buttons!
The company sees how powerful and united we really are – that’s why they’ve resorted to spreading misinformation and attempting to undermine us, the people at the bargaining table. They’re afraid of us standing together to demand the contract we deserve and they’re doing everything in their power to try and silence our voices and intimidate us. But we know we deserve better. And so does the public, whose support for us has been overwhelming.
We will be continuing to escalate our campaign, and the more we participate in actions like the April 15 march, stay involved in bargaining by joining calls, and stand together, the more power we have at the table to negotiate for the contract we deserve, including meaningful wage increases for every member in every year of this contract. We can’t pit one job class of workers against another. We must remain united and strong to ensure we get what we deserve.
If you have any questions about bargaining, or if there is anything we can help you with, please do not hesitate to reach out to your Union Representative or Bargaining Committee Member.
In Solidarity,
Your Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee
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March 14, 2025
It’s clear Stater Bros. doesn’t care about workers at all
We met with Stater Bros. for another day of bargaining where the company began by doubling down on its mistreatment of courtesy clerks. At the last session, we asked why the company was hiring courtesy clerks at some stores and laying them off at others. Today, they responded to that question by informing us of a freeze on hiring new courtesy clerks.
And the day only got worse after that. They provided us with a wage proposal of $3 over three years, but only for the workers at the top rate. Don’t we all work hard? Don’t we all deserve a wage increase that recognizes the increasingly high cost of living in California?
Relying on California’s mandated minimum wage increases is not enough. We’ve presented a wage proposal to increase top wages by $5.50 and with fair increases for every single worker at Stater Bros. We all contribute to Stater Bros.’ prosperity and we all deserve to be able to pay our rent and put food on the table.
Stater Bros. continues to come to negotiations and disrespect us, our union representatives and the role we play in the company. They refused to allow the federal mediator to come to negotiations today. The mediator’s job is to serve as a neutral party to help ensure that bargaining is productive and fair. Even Kroger and Albertsons have welcomed the mediator to help the bargaining process along. We strongly encourage Stater Bros. to reconsider having the mediator here at our next session.
What can you do in the meantime? Your union representatives and SPURs will be out in the stores distributing buttons to all Stater Bros. members. Wear the button! This act of solidarity shows Stater Bros. that we’re all united and standing together for the contract we deserve. When our customers ask about the button, tell them that we’re fighting for a fair contract and that Stater Bros. is disrespecting us and our contribution to their success.
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Our contract expired Sunday March 2, 2025 and the bargaining team made the strategic decision to not agree to a contract extension because a contract extension would limit our ability to fight for the fair contract we deserve. Remember that when a contract expires, our current wages, benefits, and protections don’t change, including our health insurance. We should report to work as usual while we continue to fight for the new contract we deserve.
We will meet with the companies again next week on March 14 and again on March 19 and 21. Between now and then, we must show how united and strong we are. How do we show our power?
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Join us for an all Southern California UFCW grocery worker call on Thursday, March 13 at 9:00 AM and 6:30 PM. Everyone needs to join these calls to hear exactly what’s happening at negotiations and future actions from the best source – us – your bargaining committee. Register for the calls with the links below:
2. Sign a petition that demands Stater Bros. provide fair wages, secure health benefits, a reliable retirement, sufficient hours, more full-time positions and better staffing. Union representatives and SPURs are in the stores currently with these petitions.
3. Follow the Grocery Workers Rising website and social media accounts! These platforms are where the most up-to-date information will be housed. Workers can find bargaining updates there and other content about the contract fight, so make sure all of your co-workers also follow the accounts to combat the companies’ misinformation campaign!
We will send another update after our next session on March 14, 2025. These updates that come directly from your union co-workers on your bargaining committee have the most up-to-date information about what is happening at bargaining with your best interests in mind.
If you have any questions about bargaining, or if there is anything we can help you with, please do not hesitate to reach out to your Steward, Union Representative, or Bargaining Committee Member.
In Solidarity,
Your Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee
Update 2/12/25
All Stater Bros. Members:
Grocery workers are struggling. In 2022, we won a contract that led the nation in wage increases and increased hours, but corporate greed and rising inflation have eaten up those gains. And the cost of housing, food and gas continues to spike.
Grocery workers make massive profits for CEOs and shareholders, but these companies don’t care about the well-being of their workers or their families. These jobs should be sufficient to feed a family and provide health benefits and a set retirement at the end of a long career. Unfortunately, that is not currently the case. Now is the time for thousands of hard-working grocery workers in California to rise up like never before to fight for the contracts they deserve from Stater Bros.
Now is the time to fight for:
- Living wages
- Affordable healthcare benefits
- A reliable pension
- More full-time jobs
- Better working conditions
We know Stater Bros. is a different company today than it was under Jack Brown. They’re putting profits over people and calling us a team instead of a family. These contract negotiations are the time to start putting protections into place to keep workers safe, and ensure Stater Bros. remains a company we are proud to work for. It’s time to speak out against the corporate greed that keeps stores understaffed and grocery workers’ pockets empty.
We are 50,000 grocery workers standing strong. We are Grocery Workers Rising.
How Bargaining Will Work
The first scheduled bargaining session with Stater Bros. is scheduled to begin in March. We, the worker bargaining committee and leaders from UFCW Locals that represent grocery workers – 8GS, 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428, and 1442 – will present proposals to Stater Bros. based on the contract surveys you completed.
Throughout the process, both sides will continue to pass proposals back and forth in an attempt to reach a “tentative agreement” on a new contract. This tentative agreement is not final until the members get a chance to review it and vote on whether or not to accept it. If a majority of workers vote to accept the contract, only then would the contract be ratified and go into effect.
At the conclusion of each session, we, the bargaining committee, will send coordinated updates to keep workers informed of what happened at each session, what Stater Bros. said or did, and to let you know what you can do to fight for the contract you deserve.
We know Stater Bros. will attempt to control the narrative about bargaining with misinformation and partial truths to try and divide us. In addition to wages, the bargaining committee will also be fighting for other critical issues like reasonable staffing levels and improved pension and medical benefits that all workers need. Remaining united and fighting for every grocery member is how we get the contract we deserve.
What We Can Do to Show Our Power:
Follow the Grocery Workers Rising website and social media accounts! These platforms are where the most up-to-date information will be housed. Workers can find bargaining updates there and other content about the contract fight, so make sure all of your co-workers also follow the accounts to combat the companies’ misinformation campaign!
Join our campaign kick-off rally on February 28, 2025, at 3:30 PM in Buena Park. After the UFCW 324 Grocery Steward Seminar, 1000 grocery workers from across Southern California, including our brothers, sisters and siblings from the Teamsters, will converge in Buena Park to show Stater Bros. just how powerful grocery workers are when they stand together ready to fight for what they deserve. Many local UFCW unions will be providing transportation to the rally. Talk to your union representative or bargaining committee members to reserve a spot.
Register for the rally HERE.
Workers are signing petitions that demand Stater Bros. provide fair wages, secure health benefits, a reliable retirement, sufficient hours, more full-time positions. These petitions deliver a strong message to Stater Bros. that the workers will not settle for less than they deserve. It’s critical that every worker sign it.
Only by rising up together can you make a change in your workplace, not only for you, but for your co-workers as well. This is your union, and it is only as powerful as you make it. Last year, grocery workers took on billion-dollar corporations and defeated them, stopping the merger between Kroger and Albertsons. Imagine what you can do this year if you get involved.
If you have any questions about bargaining or if there is anything else we can do to support you, please do not hesitate to reach out to your Bargaining Committee Members, Union Representatives or Stewards.
In Solidarity,
Your Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee
