Surrey – August 10, 2026 – UFCW Local 247 members working at FG Deli Group in Langley, BC, have voted in favour of accepting a new collective agreement. The new five-year collective agreement features the largest annual wage and premiums increases achieved in the collective agreement in years. Members at the plant, which produces familiar brands such as Grimm’s and Freybe, will also see major improvements in terms of benefits, seniority, and vacation selection processes.

UFCW Local 247 members fought hard for these improvements. On May 19, 2026, FG Deli members overwhelmingly rejected the company’s offer for a renewed collective agreement. Then, on June 20, 2026, they voted 96% in favour of authorizing UFCW Local 247 to take strike action if necessary.

With this strike mandate, the union bargaining committee pushed the company back to the bargaining table and reached an improved offer with the assistance of a mediator. With the ratification of a new agreement, a strike was averted, but members also sent a strong message to the company to improve their offer. That offer was approved by a membership vote on August 8, 2026.

Major features of the new collective agreement include:

• Wage increases that far exceed any increases achieved in previous collective agreements
• Premiums based on job functions that will increase between 20% and 100% as well as new premiums for certain job functions
• Retroactivity for all wage and premiums for current members going back to December 7, 2025
• Members will continue to enjoy industry-leading paid sick leave and accumulated paid time off provisions that are now harmonized with the injury and illness leave provisions of the BC Employment Standards Act
• Benefit improvements to increase vision maximums and major dental coverage, modernized access to mental health coverage, and sustainable benefit coverage levels for employees
• Boot and tool allowance increases
• A better vacation selection process and a shorter “prime time,” making it easier to book vacation time off
• Better access to overtime based on plant-wide seniority
• Integration of a maintenance apprenticeship program

“Our members at FG Deli have worked hard over many years to steadily improve their collective agreement,” said UFCW Local 247 President Dan Goodman. “This has included difficult rounds of bargaining where committees had to grapple with differences related to the merger of a unionized and non-union facility.”

“In this round of negotiations, whether it was rejecting an agreement they felt wasn’t good enough or voting strongly in favour of taking strike action to get the job done,” Goodman continued, “FG Deli members were consistently strong. They showed up in big numbers, were attentive to the key issues, and most importantly, they made their collective decisions through the democratic processes of their union. That is something to be proud of and to build upon.”

“I want to thank all FG Deli members and especially the bargaining committee, who demonstrated strong leadership and solidarity throughout the process.”

UFCW Local 247 is now working to ensure the smooth implementation of the new agreement. Members with questions are encouraged to contact their UFCW Local 247 Shop Steward or Union Representative for support.