Will they or won’t they? Fort Bragg Safeway Workers Face Midnight Deadline to Avert Strike
Medical facilities in Fort Bragg have been told that strike or no strike at Safeway, prescriptions will continue to flow.
Safeway employees across Northern California, including those in Fort Bragg, are facing a midnight deadline tonight in their push for new labor agreements. Represented by UFCW Locals 5, 8, and 648, workers are demanding cost-of-living wage increases, expanded healthcare benefits, and improved scheduling protections. at 10 pm, worry on several sites that Safeway workers post to were getting more worried:
Susan Arana
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“I feel like I’m on pins and needles waiting for this decision to be made. Anyone else feeling anxious??”
Want to cross the picket lines in Fort Bragg? Safeway has ads for replacement workers up on various sites . Here is one from Indeed: Safeway (part of Albertsons) is seeking temporary grocery workers. at 660 South Main Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437 Pay $27.73 an hour – Full-time.
According to Indeed, that’s $10 per hour more than what courtesy associates make now. Indeed said the average courtesy associate makes $17.97 per hour.
Union representatives claim that Safeway—owned by Albertsons—has yet to offer a comprehensive wage proposal despite months of negotiations. “We’re done waiting,” said UFCW 8 in a public statement, expressing frustration over a lack of meaningful counteroffers.
If no agreement is reached by midnight, more than 25,000 workers statewide could strike as early as Saturday morning. Locally, the Fort Bragg Safeway could see immediate disruption, raising concerns over essential services.
In response to growing strike concerns, Safeway issued a statement emphasizing its continued engagement:
“While we are disappointed that the unions have indicated the possibility of a strike, we fully respect our associates’ rights to engage in collective bargaining.”
MendocinoCoast.News contacted Safeway’s Customer Service counter directly to inquire whether strike activity would affect pharmacy access. A representative responded that Safeway is working to avoid disruptions but said the official answer to that question will be available tomorrow morning. Patients are expected to be able continue to come and pick up their prescriptions too, although online sites suggest carrying a sign that says “pharmacy” if one objects to crossing picket lines.
As the clock ticks down, both sides remain under pressure to reach a resolution that supports workers, customers, and community stability.
Safeway and its parent company Albertson’s have been making increased profits over the past two years.
Securities and Exchange Commission files show that Albertsons’ fiscal first quarter saw a profit of $236.4 million, with earnings per share of 41 cents. Sales rose 2.5% to $24.88 billion, driven by pharmacy and digital sales growth, offsetting lower fuel sales. The company now expects comparable sales to increase by 2% to 2.75% for the full fiscal year.
Stay tuned to MendocinoCoast.News for the latest updates as this story unfolds.
