As of January 1, 2021, all UFCW 1518 members at Safeway will be receiving a well-deserved raise. The wage increases resulted from a re-opener decision issued by Arbitrator Vince Ready in December 2018.

As of January 1, 2021, top-rate employees (Grid A and Grid B) will receive an hourly wage increase of 35 cents.

Effective the same date, January 1, 2021, Safeway employees who are NOT at the top rate will move to the next highest rate on the wage scale. After completing 520 hours, they will move to the next highest rate and continue climbing the wage scale. Members will no longer be frozen at the next highest rate, as had been the case when the minimum wage increased.

On June 1, 2021, the Provincial minimum wage will rise to $15.20/hr.

On January 1, 2022, top-rate employees (Grid A and Grid B) will receive an hourly wage increase of 40 cents.

Effective the same date, January 1, 2022, Safeway employees who are NOT at the top rate will move to the next highest rate on the wage scale. After completing 520 hours, they will move to the next highest rate and so on as they continue to progress up the wage scale.

To help our members make sense of these increases and the timeline of rate changes over the next two years, we created this infographic.

These hourly raises will begin to take effect on January 1, 2021. Members will likely see the increase on their paycheques later in January, including retroactive pay to January 2, 2021.