Safeway workers in Alberta avoid job action: union
Posted October 5, 2026 7:56 am.
A union representing Safeway workers in Alberta says employees have accepted a new five-year deal with the supermarket’s owner, Sobeys.
UFCW Local 401 says 91 per cent of 6,000 eligible workers voted in favour of the agreement. The deal averts a strike that would have begun just after midnight on Wednesday.
The union says the deal includes several improvements for workers, including better pay, benefits and job security.
The company has agreed to consult with a committee of Safeway workers and the union if considering closure of any Alberta locations to look at alternatives.
“Additionally, this contract brings new language that ensures workers are treated with dignity and respect, as well as new provisions for paid time off for Truth and Reconciliation Day,” a UFCW news release states.
The union says the agreement also includes a condition in which the company will withdraw its Supreme Court of Canada action against workers.
The change means staff will keep the 10% wage increase agreed upon during the wage reopener process, under which most workers will receive a $2,000 signing bonus and a cumulative wage increase of 18% over the life of the agreement.
“The contract also includes a new provision for an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) and protections for freedom of expression in the workplace. Recognizing the largely female workforce, the new contract guarantees access to free period products, an important recognition of the needs of workers who menstruate and a benefit that is currently guaranteed by law only in Manitoba.”
