Raley’s Reaches Tentative Agreement with Pharmacists
Raley's supermarket chain and its pharmacists, who are represented by the Independent Pharmacists Association, on Monday announced a tentative four-year labor agreement, the Sacramento Bee reports (Ferraro, Sacramento Bee, 9/10). The pharmacists have been without a contract since Sept. 1, when an extension of the previous contract expired. The union voted on Aug. 4 to authorize a strike but then called the strike off on Sept. 3 after representatives from Raley's and the union agreed to resume negotiations. A federal mediator joined the negotiations last week (California Healthline, 9/6). The tentative agreement would increase staff pharmacists' wages by $2.50 an hour to $46.65 per hour in the first year of the contract and to $48.65 in the second year. Wages for the third and fourth year of the agreement have "yet to be determined," according to Raley's spokesperson Carolyn Konrad. The contract also calls for Raley's to match employees' 401(k) contributions, as well as for an improved pension plan and a medical savings account plan for retirees. The agreement still must be ratified by the chain's more than 180 pharmacists. Union President Michael Ureda said of the agreement, "Is it everything we wanted? No. But it's a start" (Sacramento Bee, 9/10).
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