Dennis Sato

What’s your name?

Dennis Sato

What would you say to anyone thinking of joining UFCW 1518?

“One of the biggest benefits is when you get employed and join a union there is a lot more job security and overall security knowing there is help and lots of resources available to you.”

How has the union helped you personally?

“Personally, I’ve gained a lot of knowledge on how the union works and the relationship that it has with the compnay. Being a part of a union has allowed me to get to know more about what happens behind the scenes and how things are going.”

What is the biggest change in a union?

“The benefits of being part of a union are job security and the good package of benefits we’ve earned. We are also treated more fairly at work without being picked on, disciplined or singled out.”

Ashad Ali

Name: Ashad Ali
Occupation: Pharmacy Technician

Originally from Fiji, my mom and I migrated to Canada in 1991 after the tragic death of my father. I have worked for Safeway as a pharmacy technician for the past 10 years, and over this time the union has supported me and helped me maintain my job.

It wasn’t until later on that I realized what being part of a union really stood for and what it meant to an ordinary union member.

The union helped every time I got into trouble for standing my ground against aggressive and unnecessarily demanding management who would use all the tricks in the book to intimidate me.

Today, at the age of 31, I am enjoying my 10th year of employment at Safeway and believe the union plays an important role for our survival in an industry where financial gain sometimes tends to exploit humanity. Whenever needed, the union is willing and ready to fight for their members’ rights in the workplace.

Some of the advantages of being part of the union are job security, better wages, and 90 per cent dental and medical coverage for not only me, but my wife Eden and two-month-old son Arzan.

When I first started working for Safeway I was only being paid $13 an hour but after bargaining and negotiations the union helped us receive steady wage increases over the past few years. Today, I get paid $18 an hour.

I am grateful for all the support I’ve received from the union. These years of experience have led me to realize how helpful and supportive the union is to its members and they ensure our rights are respected in the face of overzealous employers