700 UNFI Teamsters in California are organizing to win a contract that delivers wage parity with Southern California Grocery Teamsters and an end to unfair discipline policies.

UNFI Teamsters in four different California locals bargain together in a patterned agreement that expires on September 20th. Those Locals are 630, 848, 495 in Southern California, and Local 439 in Stockton.  

The top issue is winning pay parity with Teamsters covered by the Southern California grocery agreements negotiated last year that cover 7,000 grocery Teamsters.

Teamsters at Ralphs, Albertsons, Stater Brothers, and more members won record raises of more than $10.00 per hour over the life of their contracts.

“For decades we negotiated together with the Southern California Grocery contracts,” said Robert Campos, an assistant steward at UNFI in Santa Fe Springs. “The company split us off last cycle, and now we’re $5.00 behind. At my local’s proposal meeting, members and leaders were united around getting the same economics or better.”

To build support for these demands, TDU members and other UNFI Teamsters are turning out members to contract proposal meetings, hand out informational leaflets, and participate on bargaining committees.

Members are borrowing tactics used in the UPS contract campaign and the 2025 SoCal Grocery campaigns to build unity on the shop floor, including wearing pins, buttons, and discussing strike issues.

Coordinated Strike Action

UNFI Teamsters work under dozens of separate Teamster contracts with UNFI. But picket line protect language lets Teamsters striking at one facility and extend picket lines across the country.

Local unions in the Midwest and other areas have already pledged to honor strike lines if they are extended from California facilities if UNFI does not offer a fair agreement.