News

Rite Aid union workers ratify new two-year labor agreement

Pleasanton store, others in agreement with 'interest-based' contract

Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers union at Rite Aid stores in Pleasanton and other Northern and Central California locations have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new labor agreement with their employer. The new agreement will expire July 13, 2013.

The mail-in vote involved approximately 3,500 members of UFCW 8-Golden State and UFCW 5.

"Thanks to the unity of our members and the hard work of our negotiating team, we were successful in bargaining an agreement Rite Aid members can be proud of," said Jacques Loveall, president of UFCW 8-Golden State.

"This achievement is especially noteworthy as an example of interest-based bargaining," Loveall continued. "We have aligned the interests of our members with those of the employers. As Rite Aid succeeds, our members will share in the fruits of increased market share."

The ratified contract includes across-the-board wage increases and a ratification bonus. It also maintains a comprehensive union pension plan and health care benefits.

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UFCW 8-Golden State represents some 35,000 members who work in grocery and drug stores, food-processing plants and offices from the Oregon border in the north to Kern County in the south.

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Rite Aid union workers ratify new two-year labor agreement

Pleasanton store, others in agreement with 'interest-based' contract

by / Pleasanton Weekly

Uploaded: Tue, Aug 30, 2011, 6:19 am
Updated: Wed, Aug 31, 2011, 6:38 am

Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers union at Rite Aid stores in Pleasanton and other Northern and Central California locations have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new labor agreement with their employer. The new agreement will expire July 13, 2013.

The mail-in vote involved approximately 3,500 members of UFCW 8-Golden State and UFCW 5.

"Thanks to the unity of our members and the hard work of our negotiating team, we were successful in bargaining an agreement Rite Aid members can be proud of," said Jacques Loveall, president of UFCW 8-Golden State.

"This achievement is especially noteworthy as an example of interest-based bargaining," Loveall continued. "We have aligned the interests of our members with those of the employers. As Rite Aid succeeds, our members will share in the fruits of increased market share."

The ratified contract includes across-the-board wage increases and a ratification bonus. It also maintains a comprehensive union pension plan and health care benefits.

UFCW 8-Golden State represents some 35,000 members who work in grocery and drug stores, food-processing plants and offices from the Oregon border in the north to Kern County in the south.

Comments

John
Bridle Creek
on Aug 30, 2011 at 9:17 am
John, Bridle Creek
on Aug 30, 2011 at 9:17 am

who would have known Rite aid workers were union? I sure didn't. this is news to me.


Paulette
Val Vista
on Aug 30, 2011 at 11:32 am
Paulette, Val Vista
on Aug 30, 2011 at 11:32 am

I'm happy to hear that Rite Aid workers are unionized. That explains why we see the same people working there for a long time. I just found out something I didn't know. AT & T is the only phone company now that is unionized; so, for those who support workers, it seems like it is the right choice. Who would've thunk? The right is always criticizing unions; but, it seems that they are happy as clams when their own kids get a union job.


Cholo
Livermore
on Aug 30, 2011 at 1:01 pm
Cholo, Livermore
on Aug 30, 2011 at 1:01 pm

YUP...i agree...may they have long, happy, productive lives!


Nomad
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Aug 30, 2011 at 11:22 pm
Nomad, Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Aug 30, 2011 at 11:22 pm

If Rite Aid needs to raise prices to pay for the raises and bonuses, then watch as people move their purchases to lower cost providers. One only needs to look at Rite Aid's (RAD) business performance over the last year to scratch their head and wonder why they would agree to such a deal with the union. Increased cost of doing business, leads to increased prices at the register, which leads to lower revenue as customers go elsewhere.


Stephanie
Birdland
on Aug 30, 2011 at 11:39 pm
Stephanie, Birdland
on Aug 30, 2011 at 11:39 pm

Nomad's assertions are nonsense. They assume consumers are incapable of making purchasing decisions based on anything but cost of product. They assume, too, that Rite Aid's margin of profit must be identical to that of its competitors. They assume that a community is incapable of patronizing a store because of its solid track record with American workers. And they assume that a satisfied union work force is incapable of translating high morale into a more productive work regimen. Lots of assumptions, all wrong.

After hearing about Rite Aid's good faith bargaining with its unionized workers, I shall from this point forward be purchasing most of my 'pharmaceutical' items at Rite Aid.


No more
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Aug 31, 2011 at 10:32 am
No more, Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Aug 31, 2011 at 10:32 am

Thanks for the heads up. I'll not pass through Rite-Aid doors again.
I also don't shop Safeway anymore. With Trader Joe's, Fresh & Easy, and Sprouts, all non-union, thus all more affordable. My needs are met. I rarely bother with safeway's impossible parking lot, where SUV's sit on the line, preventing use of the next space. I had hoped Safeway would repaint at angles vs straight, so the busses could possibly fit between their lines.


Crystal
Ruby Hill
on Aug 31, 2011 at 11:05 am
Crystal, Ruby Hill
on Aug 31, 2011 at 11:05 am

I'll not shop at Safeway ever again. The company's employees are unionized. And besides, I can't ever find a parking space at Safeway. Too crowded. And last time there my SUV got dinged. There must be a connection between the ding and the union thugs. I think I saw one standing at the bus stop a couple of days ago. I almost called the police, but I had to get home to watch Dr. Phil.


xyz
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Aug 31, 2011 at 1:32 pm
xyz, Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Aug 31, 2011 at 1:32 pm

From now on I will only shop Rite Aid.


Real Deal
another community
on Dec 2, 2011 at 8:11 pm
Real Deal, another community
on Dec 2, 2011 at 8:11 pm

I have worked at Rite Aid in a non union position. People don't know about the company cars that are fully paid for by the Corperation in every way. People don't know about the yearly Trade Shows and how much money is waisted as managers and corperate members go and party harty. Yet when it comes to .30 cent or less raises that union and non union employees have to survive on annually or the the cutting of store employee hours during the holidays the general public wants blame the high costs of Rite Aid's prices on things like this? Please you have got to be kidding me!


Joe
Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Dec 5, 2011 at 6:35 am
Joe, Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Dec 5, 2011 at 6:35 am

Real Deal,

That's a conservative for you. Protect the ones on top, squash the small guys.

Disgusting, but unfortunately true.


Name hidden
Ridgeview Commons

on Apr 27, 2017 at 5:23 am
Name hidden, Ridgeview Commons

on Apr 27, 2017 at 5:23 am

Due to repeated violations of our Terms of Use, comments from this poster are automatically removed. Why?


Name hidden
Ridgeview Commons

on Jun 5, 2017 at 12:44 am
Name hidden, Ridgeview Commons

on Jun 5, 2017 at 12:44 am

Due to repeated violations of our Terms of Use, comments from this poster are automatically removed. Why?


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