On December 5, employees from Santa Cruz Markets, two grocery stores that have become community staples in Santa Barbara and Goleta, ratified a new contract with their employer.
Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 770, representing clerks and meat department workers from both markets, were threatening to strike during the busy Thanksgiving weekend if they did not reach a fair agreement with management. A strike was averted with this new three-year contract, which delivers “wage increases, improvements in sick and bereavement leave, protection of health and welfare benefits, and more,” the union announced. It comes after months of negotiations.
“We stood together in solidarity with our co-workers and customers through every step of this campaign, and that unity delivered a contract that reflects the respect and value we bring to our stores every day,” said the Santa Cruz Markets Bargaining Committee in a statement. “This agreement belongs to all of us, and it shows what workers can accomplish when we stay organized, engaged, and committed to each other, our customers, and our communities.”
