Gelson’s Negotiations Updates 2025
August 21, 2025
Our Gelson’s Contract Has Been Ratified!
Our new three-year agreement with Gelson’s has officially been ratified! Thank you for taking the time to vote and make your voice heard. Because of our solidarity and commitment to fighting for the contract we deserve, our new contract includes:
- Wage increases for EVERY worker
- A new supplemental pension plan to help workers in their retirement
- Increased healthcare benefit contributions and faster healthcare eligibility requirements for new hires
- Staffing language that includes the union in evaluating reasonable staffing levels that address efficient operation of the store, the health and safety of employees, and the quality of customer service.
Our journey to contract ratification saw a record turnout of grocery workers, customers, and community members, all fighting for the same thing – better stores, better lives, better communities. We fought to ensure our jobs would be sufficient to feed our own families and afford health benefits and a dignified retirement at the end of a long career. We also fought for more staffing to improve the customer experience at our stores.
Only by rising up together in solidarity – from wearing buttons, signing petitions, and pledge cards, to standing with our coworkers and our fellow union siblings at Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, Pavilions, and Stater Bros. – were we able to win changes in our workplaces that will benefit us, our coworkers, and our customers in the future.
Our fight isn’t over though. Members at El Super are also still without a contract, and our pharmacist siblings at Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions are gearing up for their fight next year. They all stood by us to get this contract, now we must stand by them.
WE are the union, and we’re only as powerful as we make it. Our win in this campaign proved that solidarity works, and it’s the key to building strength for our next contract campaign. So continue to stay engaged with your stewards, coworkers, and your union throughout these next three years. That campaign starts now.
If you have any questions, please contact your Steward or Union Representative.
In Solidarity,
Your Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee
August 19, 2025
August 13, 2025
VICTORY: We’ve Reached a Tentative Agreement on our Gelson’s Contract!
Agreement delivers higher wages for ALL, and improvements in pension, healthcare, and staffing
We’re excited to announce that after today’s bargaining session, we reached a tentative agreement with Gelson’s!
This new three-year contract delivers higher wages for ALL of us, including those at the top rate and those in the progression steps. We also won improvements to our pension, healthcare, staffing, and more that we deserve. But nothing is final until we all have the chance to review the details and cast our vote.
This victory was only possible because of our hard work and solidarity with our co-workers, our customers, and our union siblings at Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, Pavilions, and Stater Bros. Every pledge card and petition we signed, button we wore, social media post we shared, delegation we joined, customer we engaged, and action we attended helped get us to this point. Our victory sends a powerful message to workers everywhere – when we band together in solidarity, we win.
Our fight isn’t over though. Our fellow members at El Super are also still without contracts, and our pharmacist siblings at Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions are gearing up for their contract fight next year. Their support helped us get this win, it’s our turn to support them now.
Remember, this is a tentative agreement. It’s not final until you vote to accept it.
You’ll have the opportunity to review the deal and ask questions before casting your vote. Join a webinar on Wednesday, August 20 at 8:30am or 7:00pm to hear more before we vote on Thursday, August 21.
August 20 @ 8:30am Webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/X7B1T9dTRwGekIaVuVhP3A
August 20 @ 7:00pm Webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/6BmyhhKxSm6KdM_2fSzIoQ
More info about voting times and locations will be coming soon, so please look out for updates.
If you have any questions about anything that happened at the bargaining table, reach out to your Bargaining Committee Member, Steward, or Union Representative.
In Solidarity,
Your Gelson’s Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee
Rob Launius, Local 135 Store #27
Alba Goens, Local 324, Store #6
Jeanette Sanchez, Local 324 Store #21
Jackie Knox, Local 770 Store# 3
Leilani Koki, Local 770 Store #16
Lawrence Martinez, Local 770 Store #108
Mayra Perez, Local 770 Store #114
Matt Plotkin, Local 770 Store #2
July 29, 2025
Gelson’s Doesn’t Get It
Gelson’s didn’t come prepared to make a deal
We met again today with Gelson’s for our second round of negotiations, and it’s clear they just don’t get it.
We know – and our customers know – that Gelson’s provides a higher level of customer service. So why are they trying to give us LESS than what our union siblings won at Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, and Pavilions? Make it make sense!
While our proposal delivers a raise for everyone, including “red-circled” over scale employees, Gelson’s is proposing to shortchange the nearly 10% of us that have historically been paid more than the contract rate.
Even though we successfully negotiated tentative agreements on everything else, we told them to their faces that there’s no way the bargaining committee will recommend a deal that doesn’t give respectful compensation to everyone.
What’s next?
We’ll meet again with the company for another bargaining session on August 13. The way to get the best contract possible for ALL of us is to wear your Grocery Workers Rising buttons and let your manager know that we are united and we won’t accept a deal that doesn’t give fair raises to EVERYONE.
Continue to be in solidarity with your co-workers, your customers, and your union siblings, including our fellow Stater Bros. members who just voted to authorize an unfair labor practice strike if the company continues to break the law and disrespect their workers. Let’s show them the support and solidarity they need to push back on their company’s illegal behavior by showing up at their rally on Friday, August 1, at 11am in Long Beach.
If you have any questions about what’s happening at the table or anything else, reach out to your Bargaining Committee Member, Steward, or Union Representative.
In Solidarity,
Your Gelson’s Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee
Rob Launius, Local 135 Store #27
Alba Goens, Local 324, Store #6
Jeanette Sanchez, Local 324 Store #21
Jackie Knox, Local 770 Store# 3
Leilani Koki, Local 770 Store #16
Lawrence Martinez, Local 770 Store #108
Mayra Perez, Local 770 Store #114
Matt Plotkin, Local 770 Store #2
July 15, 2025 – 1st bargaining session
What happened during our first bargaining session?
Gelson’s management and customers expect the best – we should too!
Today, we met with Gelson’s for our very first bargaining session. The bargaining committee showed up as a strong, united force, ready to fight for the contract we deserve.
We began the bargaining session by presenting all of our proposals, including fair wages and benefits for the work we do, increasing staffing in the store, and protecting union jobs from outside vendors. We heard from management that “Gelson’s is different,” but we shared that we are facing the same understaffing and safety issues as our Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, and Pavilions brothers, sisters, and siblings.
We reached a few tentative agreements, but we are still waiting for them to respond on the critical issues of wages and staffing.
What’s Next?
We’ve scheduled another bargaining date on Tuesday, July 29, where we’re hopeful that we’ll reach an agreement on our full contract.
As always, make sure you’re staying engaged and informed. Talk to your co-workers. Wear your union merch. Follow Grocery Workers Rising and UFCW 324 on social media. Only by banding together in solidarity will we get the contract we’ve earned and deserve.
If you have any questions about what’s happening at the table or anything else about bargaining, reach out to your Bargaining Committee Member, Steward, or Union Representative.
In Solidarity,
Your Gelson’s Grocery Workers Rising Bargaining Committee
ESPAÑOL
Julio 15, 2025 – 1era Sesión de Negociaciones
What happened during our first bargaining session?¿Qué pasó en nuestra primera sesión de negociaciones?
¡Los Jefes de Gelson’s y los clientes esperan lo mejor, nosotros también!
Hoy nos reunimos con Gelson’s en nuestra primera sesión de negociaciones. El comité de negociaciones se presentó como un grupo fuerte y unido, listo para luchar por el contrato que merecemos.
Comenzamos nuestra primera sesión de negociaciones presentando todas nuestras propuestas, incluyendo sueldos justos y beneficios por el trabajo que hacemos, aumentar el personal en la tienda y proteger los empleos de unión frente a proveedores externos. Escuchamos de parte de la gerencia que “Gelson’s es diferente”, pero nosotros compartimos que estamos enfrentando los mismos problemas de falta de personal y seguridad que nuestros compañeros de Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons y Pavilions.
Pudimos lograr algunos acuerdos tentativos pero todavía estamos esperando que respondan respecto a los temas importantes de sueldos y niveles de personal.
¿Qué sigue?
Hemos programado otra fecha de negociaciones para el Martes, 29 de Julio, cuando esperamos lograr un acuerdo completo de nuestro contrato.
Como siempre, asegúrate de mantenerte activo e informado. Habla con tus compañeros de trabajo, ponte camisetas y otra vestimenta de la unión. Sigue a Trabajadores de Supermercados Luchando y UFCW 324 en redes sociales. Solamente luchando unidos en solidaridad podemos lograr el contrato que nos hemos ganado y que nos merecemos.
Si tienes alguna pregunta sobre lo que está pasando en la mesa de negociaciones o cualquier otro asunto sobre las negociaciones, contacta a tus compañeros del Comité de Negociaciones, Delegado o Representante de la Unión.
En Solidaridad,
Tu Comité de Negociaciones de Trabajadores de Supermercado Luchando de Gelson’s
