PORTLAND, Ore — Fred Meyer and QFC workers have ended a strike over unfair wages and benefits after reaching a tentative agreement with the companies Saturday morning.
UFCW Local 555, which represents thousands of grocery employees, said the deal includes "significant wage increases, added workplace protections, a secure retirement and quality health care."
The union said details of the tentative agreement will be made public after union members review and vote on it. The deal won't be in effect until it's ratified, which is expected to happen at a later date that has yet to be set.
"What I will say, it’s an exceptionally good deal," said Miles Eshaia, communications coordinator for UFCW Local 555, "We could not have done it without the support from the community, and we really appreciate them coming out and having our backs."
RELATED: Weeklong Fred Meyer strike starts
The strike started at 6 a.m. Friday after union members claimed Fred Meyer and QFC were engaging in unfair labor practices, including refusing to give workers the pay increases they deserved.
"Almost a year-and-a-half ago, Fred Meyer and QFC stopped paying hourly hazard pay. In the time since then, workers have continued to deal with the pandemic, while the company has enjoyed record profits. The hazard never ended," the union wrote ahead of the strike.
Employees walked off the job and picketed outside stores throughout Oregon. The strike impacted more than 7,000 union members, said Eshaia.
The strike was scheduled to end at 12:01 a.m. on Christmas Eve unless a deal had been met.
“We are so grateful to our Fred Meyer and QFC associates for everything they do for our customers and our community. That’s why we’ve invested in their wages, healthcare, and retirement," Fred Meyer president Dennis Gibson said in a statement Saturday. "We will continue to do everything we can to balance investments in wages and overall well-being while keeping food affordable for our customers. We remain committed to our people and our Oregon community.”
All stores remained open during the strike.
Fred Meyer made another statement on Sunday and shared holiday hours.
“After 99 years of serving the community, we are so excited to have our great associates return to work, and we thank them for what they do every day,” said Dennis Gibson, president of Fred Meyer. “We look forward to providing a great holiday season for our customers and the community we call home.”
- Sun, 12/19 – open until 11pm
- Mon, 12/20 – 6am to 11pm
- Tue, 12/21 – 6am to 11pm
- Wed, 12/22 – 6am to 11pm
- Thu, 12/23 – 6am to 11pm
- Fri, 12/24 – 6am to 6pm
- Sat, 12/25 – close
Fred Meyer and QFC are both owned by Kroger.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Video above aired on Friday, Dec. 17, while the strike was still happening.