Union Workers at Bangor Harding’s Grocery Store Ratify New Contract

Union Workers at Bangor Harding’s Grocery Store Ratify New Contract

Contract includes significant wage increases for all workers

  GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 951 voted overwhelming on Friday, May 1 to ratify a new contract at Harding’s Store #383 in Bangor. The three-year agreement features significant wage increases for Harding’s #383 employees, which greatly benefits both veteran employees and newer hires at the Southwest Michigan grocery store.

This contract features an immediate significant wage increase for all members with another considerable bump in pay coming before the end of 2026. From 2027 through 2029, nearly all current members’ wages are guaranteed to exceed minimum wage, with the specific amount above minimum wage tied to length of service.

“I like that seniority was recognized, and people are seeing more for the years they have put in and worked hard,” Leigh Jenkins, Harding’s #383 employee and member of the bargaining committee, said. “I am also happy we secured such good raises. Securing the best Harding’s contract for everyone was really exciting!”

Along with the increases in pay, a new paid time off (PTO) policy secures Michigan Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) protections for existing PTO, enabling members to take a sick day, or care for a family member, and still get paid. Members will also be able to carry over up to 72 hours of accrued, unused PTO from one year to the next. Members are now also protected from involuntarily working shifts longer than 10 hours, back-to-back closing and opening shifts, and nine consecutive days without a day off. The company also significantly improved its pension contributions for members with more than six years of service.

“This contract honors the dedication, experience, and work-life balance of the members at Harding’s #383,” Courtney Phillips, UFCW 951 president, said. “Thank you to our bargaining committee members for their time and effort spent helping negotiate the contract. Their dedication and commitment played a key role in securing major gains for everyone at the store.”

The new contract went into effect on May 3, 2026 and is scheduled to expire on May 5, 2029.

UFCW 951 also represents Harding’s #400 in Kalamazoo and Harding’s #965 in Hartford. Those contracts expire in August 2026 and January 2027, respectively.

UFCW 951 is a progressive labor union representing over 31,000 workers across Michigan in a variety of industries including
grocery, retail, food processing, and cannabis, who are employed at a variety of companies including Meijer, Kroger, JBS, JLL, Sunberry Beverages, Polly’s, Harding’s, Grandville Roasting & Packaging Plant, and ZenLeaf. The UFCW is the largest private
sector union in the United States representing over 1.3 million UFCW members nationwide and UFCW 951 is the largest private
sector union in Michigan.

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