ANNAPOLIS, MD - Officials from both Safeway and Teamsters Union, together, announced that the decision to close Safeway’s Collington Distribution Center has been reversed.
As we previously reported, C&S Wholesale Grocers and Safeway had planned to close the Upper Marlboro, Maryland, facility this year, laying off 700 Teamster warehouse workers.
"By putting our heads together, we were able to collectively achieve a solution and preserve these good jobs," Phil Giles, Vice President of Local 639, said in a press release.
The agreement forged between the two sides not only saves those 700 jobs, but also adds 25 more at the center.
"Today, more than ever before, I am proud to represent the men and women of Local 730, and I'm thankful that Senator Muse and Delegate Braveboy could bring together Safeway's corporate leaders with our unions to save these jobs," Tyrone Richardson, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 730, said of the turnaround.
Jim Hoffa, Teamsters’ General President, reached out to Albertsons’ CEO, Robert Miller, in October, in order to try to reverse the announcement that would result in laying workers off the week before Christmas.
With the additional help of both Maryland State Senator C. Anthony Muse and former State Delegate Aisha N. Braveboy, Esq., those layoffs were postponed until mid-February to give them time to reach an agreeable alternative.
According to Teamsters, local and state officials have pledged financial incentives totalling in almost $1.5 million to keep the warehouse operating in the county.
The agreement, which entails Safeway assuming operations of the Collington Distribution Center and adopting current C&S employees represented by Teamsters Locals 730 and 639 in Washington, D.C., guarantees that Safeway will not outsource the jobs per the terms of the contract until its expiration in May, 2022.
The union added that this also paves the way for possible expansion in the future as Safeway's parent company, Albertsons, continues to grow its footprint on the East Coast.
