New Mexico Smith’s and Albertson’s workers get the changes they deserve!

New Mexico Smith’s and Albertson’s workers get the changes they deserve!
The mood was set by the Pandemic and the hard work of Grocery workers.  The timing was perfect for Smith’s, John Brooks, and Albertson’s workers to be negotiating a new contract this year.  Several things added to the perfect storm such as a ten-day strike in Denver against Kroger, just three weeks before the New Mexico agreements would expire. 
New Mexico began working and coordinating with Colorado about six months before Colorado began negotiations with King Soopers.   President Greg Frazier attended Denver Kroger negotiations and the two sides shared much of the same goals and projected outcome.   Both were also helped with the soured conditions with Kroger in the Houston and Little Rock areas as they were ready to fight back.  Also, coming into the picture was a quick approaching of large California and Seattle areas, who also shared the same frustration and badly needed improvements.  The work and media exposure were so helpful in reminding and exposing the compassion of customers, who remain supportive and appreciative of the Grocery worker for helping them through the pandemic over the last two years.   
Ultimately, it was you, the Negotiating Committee and workers at the store standing united and demanding more that led to the results in the Smith’s contracts, followed by Albertson’s, and then leading over to the John Brooks contracts. 
All three employers were forced to provide a new benefit level starting on July 1, 2022 for Sick Pay.  The Companies wanted sick days to come from your personal holidays and vacation bank, but the new benefit will stand alone, so employees kept their holiday and vacation days for their own enjoyment.  Wages were a huge piece as well with many of these members seeing $3 to $4 per hour over the next twenty-four months in addition to the new sick leave benefit.   Albertsons was in line with getting money into the workers’ hands as quickly as possible, where Smith’s Kroger pushed the process as far as a scheduled Unfair Labor Practice Strike before the all-night winter storm blew the ice in and made leaving not much of an option.  Both sides were forced to stay and work it out, and we did just a few days before the ULP Strike Vote.  We had not announced the ULP strike but the ULP strike vote was going to take place during Super Bowl week.  Looking ahead the wages that were reached are due and payable, regardless of prosperity or regression.  Special thanks to the Negotiating Committee and all workers for standing tall and not being frightened. 
 
Sick Pay| Healthy Workplaces Act | Highlights 
·Effective July 1, 2022, your Employer is required to provide their employees with paid Sick Leave. 

• Provides for up to 64 paid hours per year for qualified leaves (very broad).

 
·Qualified Use Employees can begin to use accrued sick leave immediately after accrual for qualified purposes:

• Mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition
• Medical diagnosis, care, or treatment
• Preventative medical care
• Same uses as above for family members
• Meetings at employee’s child’s school or day care related to the child’s health or disability
• Closure of place of business due to public health order
• Absences due to domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking

·Accrual   All employees accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave per thirty hours worked:

• Employees may use a maximum of sixty-four hours of the paid sick leave per year. Unused hours cannot be cashed out but can be carried over into the next year. 
• Please note: Smith’s and John Brooks are using the anniversary year, and Albertson’s/Safeway is using the calendar year.

·Procedure 

• Employee must provide oral or written request for Sick pay. 
• Employer cannot require employee to find replacement worker before granting leave. 
• Documentation on use of leave can only be required if employee uses two or more consecutive days of sick leave.
• All such records must be maintained as confidential.

·Protection of Rights

• Employer must post Notice of Rights under the Act.
• Employer is prohibited from retaliation against employee for using paid sick leave, for complaining about violations, or has raised concerns to the employer or the public.
• Employer may not require employees to sign contracts waiving rights.

 
Tips to remember-

• You accrue sick pay by working! It is based on hours worked, and does not include hours paid such as vacation, holiday etc.  More hours worked results in more Sick Pay hours available.
• Sick Pay is for sickness, safety, and caregiving and applies to both employee and the employee’s family. This includes mental or physical illness, injury, or preventative medical treatment.  You can use Sick Pay to care for a family member.
• You can accrue and build up more than 64 hours in a year, but you can only use 64 paid hours in a year.  You can carry over accrued hours into the next year.
• Your anniversary date for Sick Pay will be July 1st of each year.  It will work differently and separately than personal holidays or vacations for those hired prior to July 1, 2022.
• Must be used in one-hour increments, so no half hours.
• Employer must pay for time used, even if employee has not yet provided documentation, so no one should be denied pay, because you have not brought the paperwork.
• New Mexico law requires your Employer to track earned and used Sick Pay.  We encourage you to track your own hours worked and sick pay time used so you can verify your benefit.
• Sick Pay time will count toward Health insurance hours, and Pension time as if worked.

 

President's Message Archives+August 2021 - Contract Negotiations

+March 2021 Bargaining Update

+October 2020 Corporate Greed and Profits Before Essential Grocery Workers Needs

+Feb 2020 - Union Shop Stewards sharpen skills on supporting members!                               ​