Union leader Doug O’Halloran hopes the weather warms up in Alberta because he foresees a prolonged strike against Canada Safeway.
Picket lines are holding up during this record cold spring and more support is planned as the work stoppage continues.
Leaders representing the United Food and Commercial Workers in Canada and the United States are talking about extending pickets in other provinces and states. Further, they are urging a boycott of the grocery store by its employees and their families.
“I believe it will happen,” said international UFCW vice-president David Barry, who came to Calgary to show support for the more than 10,000 retail, meat cutters and bakery workers on strike since March 26.
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The Western Producer Livestock Report – September 25, 2025
The U.S. national live price average for barrows and gilts was $81.21 Sept. 17. It was $78.37 Sept. 9. U.S. hogs averaged $106.71 on a carcass basis Sept. 17, up from $106.10 Sept. 9.
“If 100,000 Safeway workers stopped shopping in their stores, Safeway would understand that,” Barry told reporters.
Later Safeway management said there is no need to bring in muscle from the international union because this is an Alberta dispute that will be handled here.
“The issue we are facing is not an international situation. The issue we need to address is an Alberta issue, a Canadian issue,” said Canada Safeway president Grant Hansen.
Safeway said its final offer was just that and it refused to offer a revised package. Last week workers across the province rejected the offer for a five-year contract that included a 50 cent an hour increase and $1,000 signing bonus for full-time employees.
In 1993 when Safeway stores in Alberta faced closure because of dwindling profits, workers agreed to wage rollbacks of as much as $2.85 an hour. They want a return to the salaries they earned four years ago.
Lethbridge workers voted to accept the company offer by a narrow margin of 52 percent, but the bakery workers and meat cutters are still out and picket lines continue, said O’Halloran, who represents Local 401.
Other locals are willing to hold out for a better wage offer and guaranteed hours of work, he said.
The strike has cost the union about $2 million so far in advertising and strike pay of $100 per week, said O’Halloran.
The union argues the strike is costing Safeway as well because business has dropped off by about 75 percent.
