February 22,  2005

We just completed one more round of bargaining with your Employer on February 16th, 17th and 18th, 2005. We went into this set of bargaining with the mandate that you gave us, by almost one hundred (100%) percent, from our meeting on January 16th, 2005, to get Bargaining moving and take the legal steps necessary to reach a conclusion.

 Although we did make some movement this time, we still are having a hard time getting some of the more important issues resolved. We are still trying to deal with the issue of the ?Lead Person? and your Bargaining Committee has made it clear to the Company that this issue must be resolved. The issue of maternity and parental rights is like trying to reinvent the wheel. These are just a couple of examples in a long list of issues.

We informed the Company that we need to get things moving as per your instructions and have applied for Mediation as of February 22nd, 2005. It is our intention to have the Mediator at Bargaining the next time we meet which is March 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th, 2005. We are hoping to have something for you, the members, to vote on shortly after this set of bargaining. Please watch your bulletin boards and check the Web Site www.ufcw401.ca under the heading on the home page, ?No Way! Safeway?. In addition, stay in touch with your Union Representative or make sure you come out to any Union meetings. We will be posting information as soon as we have it and it is very important that you attend these meetings as this is where the decisions will be made on your contract.

This is a very important time and your absolute solidarity and attendance will be required in the near future so please plan on attending the meetings when they are posted.