UFCW is the union for Grocery Workers.
UFCW represents 835,000 grocery store workers at major employers such as Kroger, Albertsons-Safeway, and Ahold Delhaize (Stop & Shop and Giant). We work with people in grocery stores all across the country to get them the wages and benefits they deserve — all backed by a union contract.
We believe that ALL grocery workers are essential and always have been. From butchers to produce clerks to cashiers, the people working in our grocery stores and distribution centers are on the front lines, keeping our families fed.
Despite their importance to our communities, some grocery companies have turned the industry into a race to the bottom leaving workers with low wages, lack of benefits, and inadequate schedules.
The UFCW believes it’s time for these employers to do the right thing and provide the kind of wages, benefits, and schedules that help strengthen workers, families, and communities.
We believe that one good job should be enough to live on — that grocery workers should never have to struggle to pay rent or meet basic needs. We know that when we all come together, we have the power to get the respect and dignity we deserve and hold employers accountable.
Start a Union at Your Grocery Store
Union Healthcare Means a Better Life for My Kids
“My union healthcare benefits take care of my daughter and my special needs son. We ran the numbers, and my union insurance plan was a better value for our family. The low copays and premiums mean that I can provide a better life for my kids.”
Mike Watts, UFCW Local 227
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the value of unionizing my grocery store?
By starting a union at our grocery stores, we’ve been able to win union contracts that give us higher wages, better scheduling, plus health care plans that work for us and not just our employers. And with clearer access to full-time status, we can have a real path to careers at our groceries.
Our contracts give us a voice in our stores: with fair discipline standards, we can stand up for each other and protect our jobs. That lets us focus on doing the work that we love. And whenever there’s an issue that management won’t budge on, we have our union representatives to back us up.
What grocery store companies are unionized?
There’s a wide range of grocery companies that UFCW helps represent across the country! From national employers like Kroger, Albertsons-Safeway, and Ahold-Delhaize companies like Giant and Stop & Shop, to regional favorites like Raley’s, Piggly Wiggly, and ShopRite.
Not everybody who works at these companies has a union though — if you’re a non-union worker at any of these companies, click the links above to learn more about how to be a part of our grocery union!
What grocery store companies aren’t unionized?
There are plenty more grocery chains that are coming together for a union at their stores across the U.S. — UFCW is supporting the workers at groceries like Wegmans, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and more to make sure every grocery clerk, meat cutter, and fulfillment specialist has the chance to make their work better with a union.
How can I unionize my grocery store?
Fill out the form above and get in touch with a UFCW organizer who can help you get started!
We’re here to answer any questions you have about the process of starting a union. And as you begin, visit our Union 101 library where we lay out all the best info to help you and your coworkers get organized.
