IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT JOHN T. NICCOLLAI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2026

ACME CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE

*FINAL PROPOSAL TO BE SUBMITTED FOR RATIFICATION*

President Niccollai reported today that a tentative settlement has been reached with ACME Supermarkets which along with monumental pay increases will guarantee no co-pay medical and proper funding for our Non-Contributory Pension Plan for the entire term of this five (5) year Agreement. These accomplishments are unparalleled anywhere else in our Industry and come with substantial cost to the Employer.

The noteworthy highlights include:

• Beating back all concessions and givebacks from the Employer.
• The continuation of our outstanding no co-pay medical plan for both full-time and part-time members for the five (5) year term of this Agreement.
• All contributions to our Non-Contributory Pension Plan will be paid by the Employer for all full-time and part-time members which will provide the funds needed to be assured that we remain well funded.
• Substantial raises for full-time members between $160.00 to $185.00 per week over the term.
• All Managers and Department Heads will receive $185.00 per week over the term.
• All full-time employees currently on Progression shall have their hourly rates increased to the new Top Rate for their Classification. Thereafter, all full-time and all part-time employees on the payroll as of 2/21/26 shall receive the new General Wage Increases for the term of the Agreement.
• Established new Managerial Classifications, Department Heads, Top Rates, and Progressions.
• All Part-time members will receive substantial raises of three dollars fifty cents $3.50 per hour over the term of the Agreement with a seventy-five cent ($0.75) per hour raise in the first year for all part-time members.
• All raises for full-time and part-time members are front-loaded providing the largest increases up front.
• All part-time members hired after 2/21/26 shall receive substantial increases of twenty cents ($0.20) per hour every six (6) months. Thereafter, they shall receive the General Wage Increases upon reaching thirty-six (36) months of service.
• Side Letters increasing premium pay have been incorporated into the CBA.
• Employees who voluntarily work on Christmas Day shall be paid at the rate of double time (2X) their regular hourly rate for all hours worked on Christmas day. Those employees that are eligible for the Christmas Holiday and who voluntarily work on Christmas Day shall be paid at the rate of double time (2X)   time and a half (1/2) for all hours worked on Christmas day.
• The premium for employees whose shift starts before 7:00 A.M. has been increased to three dollars ($3.00) per shift.  The premium pay for an employee running the store has increased to one dollar ($1.00) per hour.
• The premium pay for full-time employees who work on the Night Shift has been increased to six dollars ($6.00) per hour for the person in charge and three dollars ($3.00) per hour for all other employees.
• Part-time employees hired before 12/31/16 will now receive 3 paid days off for bereavement.
• The premium pay for employees relieving a Department Head for a period of a week has been increased to twenty-five ($25.00) per week for all departments.
• The minimum rate for Pharmacy Clerks and Pharmacy Technicians shall be nineteen dollars ($19.00) per hour. Pharmacy Technicians who obtain their State (NJ or NY) Pharmacy Technician Certification shall receive a minimum rate of twenty dollars ($20.00) per hour. Pharmacy Technicians who obtain their National Pharmacy Technician Certification shall receive twenty-two dollars ($22.00) per hour.
• All qualified Pharmacy Technicians who are willing to give COVID-19 vaccinations and flu shots, current and new hires, will receive a two-dollar twenty-five cent ($2.25) per hour premium for all hours worked once they have been trained to give immunizations and immunizations are available at their store.
• The parties agree to establish a new position called the Full-Time PM Deli Lead. The rate of pay for this position shall be the Top Rate for a Clerk, plus a premium of one dollar and fifty cents ($1.50) per hour.

It is obvious that this contract proposal is outstanding and we extend our heartfelt thanks to all our Contract Committee Members for a job well done. In addition, we would be remiss if we failed to thank our militant membership who helped the Committee carry the message to store management that we would fight tirelessly to attain the contract we deserve.

Our Union delegates will be in the stores with ballots, ballot boxes, and additional information on Saturday February 21^st and Sunday February 22^nd for the ratification vote. We urge all our members to “Vote Yes” on this outstanding contract proposal and we will post the results once officially tabulated.