Members at Save-On-Foods achieve historic new contract – UFCW 1518

New Westminster, B.C. – August 31, 2023 – Thousands of UFCW Local 1518 members working at Save-On-Foods locations across British Columbia have recently ratified a historic new five-year collective agreement bringing wage increases, better work-life balance, pension improvements, and more.

The new agreement brings 12% of higher wage increases for top-rate staff and a shorter progression to the top rate on every pay scale in the contract – including increases of over 17% in year one for many working their way up the scale. In addition, the new agreement contains a wage reopener in 2026.

With the new agreement, members can move up the pay scale faster, accruing higher raises more frequently, and more opportunities for full-time hours and protections, which were difficult for new workers to achieve before.

The new agreement includes changes that will give members more power over their schedules, including fewer last-minute changes by the employer and the ability for staff to restrict their availability to certain days and times up to 32 hours. The deal also introduces a four-day workweek pilot project, which will be instituted at five stores to start.

“This round of bargaining was more than just money,” says UFCW 1518 President Kim Novak. “It was also about making members’ actual workdays more fulfilling, fair, and reflective of the communities where they work. Our members made it very clear that they need a more flexible agreement that better reflects their lifestyles. The fact that we secured a shorter agreement also means that we can keep the contract language modern and attuned to the shifting needs and demographics of our diverse membership.”

To read more about this historic victory at Save-On-Foods, click here.