{"id":2089,"date":"2020-08-19T17:52:11","date_gmt":"2020-08-19T22:52:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ufcw663.org\/blog\/?p=2089"},"modified":"2020-08-20T08:50:56","modified_gmt":"2020-08-20T13:50:56","slug":"seward-co-op-workers-ratify-three-year-contract-for-a-better-life-and-better-wages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ufcw663.org\/blog\/2020\/08\/19\/seward-co-op-workers-ratify-three-year-contract-for-a-better-life-and-better-wages\/","title":{"rendered":"Seward Co-op Workers Ratify Three Year Contract for a Better Life and Better Wages"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 19, 2020
CONTACT: Jessica Hayssen
jessicah@ufcw663.org, 651.261.8559<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Collective Bargaining Agreement leads the Twin Cities\u2019 unionized grocers locking in $15 starting wage <\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Minneapolis –Today, members of the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 663 at Seward Community Co-op ratified their second union contract, solidifying a $15 an hour starting wage scale that goes into effect on August 21, 2020 and additional paid time off (PTO) for members beginning on January 4, 2021. This is a significant win for grocery workers, who are essential workers during the COVID-19 global pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The impact of the $15 an hour wage scale at Seward means that upon ratification, approximately 56% of current employees will receive a pay raise of $1.50 an hour, and about 20% of current employees will receive a pay raise of $1 an hour or more. To help balance the increase in cost of living per year, the agreement includes guaranteed pay increases for members based on years of service every year of the three year contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another achievement Local 663 members gain is three additional days of PTO. Beginning on January 4, 2021, sick and safe time (SST) will accrue separately from PTO. SST accrual will cap at 80 hours and excess accrued SST will be transferred to PTO accrual. All PTO will be carried over year to year with a cap at 320 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
UFCW Local 663 member Anna Goranson voting on union contract at the Franklin store location.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Annesah Amatullah, a part-time cashier at the Friendship location, is happy about the pay raises and said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I enjoy working at the Co-op and I’m really happy about our vote. Raising the minimum wage at Seward shows me that my work is important and that I’m valued as an employee. It also helps with less turnover because we’re making enough and don’t have to look elsewhere for better pay. Making more means I don’t have to pick up extra hours and allows me to spend more time with my son.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon Houston, Production Data Analyst, and a member of the union bargaining committee, said, \u201cThis contract is a big win for all of us! Personally, I will enjoy three more days of PTO. I’m thinking about next summer, and planning to take a whole month off. I’ve never done that my whole adult life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthew Utecht, president of Local 663 said, \u201cI applaud our union members at Seward that served on the union bargaining committee and Seward management for arriving at the $15 an hour starting wage two years<\/a> ahead of becoming the law in Minneapolis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur Union is proud to have partnered in a large community coalition while working together during the citywide push for $15 in 2017 because we believe everyone deserves a higher minimum wage. The collective bargaining agreement with Seward Community Co-op builds upon that work, and sets higher minimum standards to protect and value each other at work, and that is important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe new wage scale will change workers\u2019 lives, especially since Minnesota grocery workers have been on the frontlines of COVID-19 since day one, and continue to put their lives on the line every day at work to serve their communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCongratulations again to our members for affirming their pursuit for building better lives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

###<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UFCW Local 663<\/a> represents more than 13,200 hard-working retail, meat packing and processing, food preparation and manufacturing, healthcare, and other workers in Minnesota and Iowa. We strive to improve the lives of our members and of all working families by fighting for economic, political, and social justice in our workplaces and communities. UFCW Local 663 is part of the 1.3 million-member United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEWednesday, August 19, 2020CONTACT: Jessica Hayssenjessicah@ufcw663.org, 651.261.8559 Collective Bargaining Agreement leads the Twin Cities\u2019 unionized grocers locking in $15 starting wage Minneapolis –Today, members of the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 663 at Seward Community Co-op ratified their second union contract, solidifying a $15 an hour starting wage scale that goes into … Continue reading Seward Co-op Workers Ratify Three Year Contract for a Better Life and Better Wages<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":1308,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6,62,61,59],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nSeward Co-op Workers Ratify Three Year Contract for a Better Life and Better Wages - UFCW 663<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ufcw663.org\/blog\/2020\/08\/19\/seward-co-op-workers-ratify-three-year-contract-for-a-better-life-and-better-wages\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Seward Co-op Workers Ratify Three Year Contract for a Better Life and Better Wages - 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