{"id":810,"date":"2018-03-05T17:33:22","date_gmt":"2018-03-05T17:33:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ufcw653.org\/blog\/?p=810"},"modified":"2018-09-05T14:07:22","modified_gmt":"2018-09-05T19:07:22","slug":"ufcw-local-653-members-at-supervalu-cub-foods-kowalskis-and-independent-grocers-approve-multi-year-union-contracts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ufcw663.org\/blog\/2018\/03\/05\/ufcw-local-653-members-at-supervalu-cub-foods-kowalskis-and-independent-grocers-approve-multi-year-union-contracts\/","title":{"rendered":"UFCW Local 663 Members at Supervalu Cub Foods, Kowalski\u2019s, and Independent Grocers approve multi-year union contracts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Local 663 Leads Unionized Grocery Industry in Variable Annuity Pension Plan that secures futures for thousands of working families<\/em><\/p>\n

BROOKLYN CENTER- Today, UFCW Local 663 members of Supervalu Cub Foods, Kowalski\u2019s Markets, and independent grocers approved multi-year contracts with their employers that builds better lives for more than 4,000 families in the Twin Cities.
\nBenefit highlights include the creation of an industry-wide groundbreaking Variable Annuity Pension Plan (VAP). Employees from Supervalu and the independent grocers will transition benefit accruals from the current defined benefit plan to the VAP beginning in January 2019. Significant new employer contributions were negotiated into the current plan which is underfunded. The VAP plan is a defined benefit pension design where the accumulated benefit accrual is adjusted up or down each year based on an investment hurdle rate of 5.5%. A pre-funded stabilization reserve was negotiated to protect VAP benefits in years when assets underperform. A VAP plan is attractive to workers because it reduces investment risk and offers upside in terms of benefit improvements. Employers like VAP plans because the design limits their liability.
\n\u201cI\u2019ve been in the industry a long time, and I\u2019m pleased that we stabilized our legacy pension and will be investing in a VAP. It\u2019s a giant step for our employers and us to work on and solve together because it is not only expensive but affects so many peoples\u2019 livelihoods. I have peace of mind knowing we solved it together,\u201d said Doug Dehmer of Knowlan\u2019s Festival Foods in Andover.
\nWorkers at Kowalski\u2019s who qualify for the 401(k)-retirement program will continue to receive contributions that were negotiated between the union and the company. These include full-time contributions from $1.85-$4 an hour and part-time is $1.35 an hour. Kowalski\u2019s withdrew from the union pension plan two years ago.
\nTerms of Agreements
\n\u2022 Employees at Supervalu Cub Foods have agreed to a 5-year contract.
\n\u2022 Employees at Kowalski\u2019s have agreed to a 3-year contract, as well as employees from Haug\u2019s (Cub),
\nRadermacher\u2019s (Cub), King\u2019s Andover, Jubilee Foods in Mound, Oxendale\u2019s and Driskill\u2019s.
\n\u2022 Employees at Almsted\u2019s Fresh Market and Knowlan\u2019s Festival Foods will enjoy a 2-year agreement.
\nAll of the contracts provide wage increases for all workers. Wage highlights among the contracts include both part-time and full-time workers at Supervalu Cub will receive raises each year of the 5-year contract. The average wage increase over the three-year contract for all workers at Supervalu is $8,582.03.
\nAdditional economic highlights of the contract include improved quality of part-time positions at Supervalu and Kowalski\u2019s including: 3 weeks paid vacation after 8 years, six paid national holidays, paid bereavement, and Jury Duty leave. Additionally, Supervalu will provide ancillary benefits to all part-time workers that include dental, vision, life, accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
\nAll eligible workers will enjoy a secured employer commitment to pay the increase true cost of the Health &Welfare plan across contracts.
\nThe total worker compensation of the Supervalu contract is over $102 million in the first year alone.
\nAll workers covered under the approved contracts will enjoy improved treatment and worker protections in the workplace with new and improved language including: Respect and dignity in the workplace, bereavement leave for domestic partners, Victim, Witness, and Domestic Abuse leave, student seniority, and automation language that gives notice to employees and training opportunities if any technology will be implemented in the store.
\n\u201cOne of the things that sticks with me is that all of the agreements added respect and dignity in the workplace language. That language levels the playing field for workers, and affirms we are the most valuable asset. I\u2019m proud of that,\u201d said Elizabeth Johnson of Kowalski\u2019s in Uptown.
\nThe approvals today follow on the heels of the contracts UFCW Local 663 members ratified at Lunds & Byerlys on February 11 and Jerry\u2019s Enterprises who runs Cub Foods and Jerry\u2019s Foods on February 25.
\n\u201cI\u2019m inspired by our members today who said yes to improving the quality of their livelihoods and future. We\u2019re continuing to build better lives for our retail grocery members and elevate the industry while doing so.
\nThe Variable Annuity Pension Plan is the vehicle to reach the retirement security that our members earn and deserve. Together, we\u2019re leading the industry in pension solutions that establish the goal of a dignified retirement,\u201d said Matt Utecht, UFCW Local 663 President.<\/p>\n

###
\nUFCW Local 663 is a private sector union over 10,200 Minnesota workers strong in the grocery, food processing, healthcare, retail, and other industries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Local 663 Leads Unionized Grocery Industry in Variable Annuity Pension Plan that secures futures for thousands of working families BROOKLYN CENTER- Today, UFCW Local 663 members of Supervalu Cub Foods, Kowalski\u2019s Markets, and independent grocers approved multi-year contracts with their employers that builds better lives for more than 4,000 families in the Twin Cities. Benefit … Continue reading UFCW Local 663 Members at Supervalu Cub Foods, Kowalski\u2019s, and Independent Grocers approve multi-year union contracts<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1308,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[62],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nUFCW Local 663 Members at Supervalu Cub Foods, Kowalski\u2019s, and Independent Grocers approve multi-year union contracts - 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\/2018\/03\/05\/ufcw-local-653-members-at-supervalu-cub-foods-kowalskis-and-independent-grocers-approve-multi-year-union-contracts\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UFCW Local 663 Members at Supervalu Cub Foods, Kowalski\u2019s, and Independent Grocers approve multi-year union contracts - UFCW 663\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Local 663 Leads Unionized Grocery Industry in Variable Annuity Pension Plan that secures futures for thousands of working families BROOKLYN CENTER- Today, UFCW Local 663 members of Supervalu Cub Foods, Kowalski\u2019s Markets, and independent grocers approved multi-year contracts with their employers that builds better lives for more than 4,000 families in the Twin Cities. 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