For 29 years, Pedro showed up to work before Lucky supermarkets opened. While others were still asleep, he was already cleaning aisles, preparing stores, and making sure everything was ready for customers.
Pedro never looked for recognition. He only wanted something simple: a dignified job to support his family. Like many janitors, his work was invisible to most people. But his impact was enormous. Because of that job — and the benefits he secured through his union — Pedro was able to do what mattered most to him: give his children a future.
Together with his wife, he dedicated his life to his family. He worked long hours, sacrificed weekends, and endured difficult years to make sure his children would have opportunities he never had.
Today, one of his sons serves as a sheriff in the City of Alameda. His other son serves the country in the United States Navy.
Pedro speaks about them with pride. But also with the concern of any father, especially in times when the world faces conflict and the possibility that his son could be sent to war weighs heavily on his heart.
And now, on top of that emotional weight, another blow has come:
Pedro lost his job. After nearly three decades of service, Save Mart decided to switch to a non-union contractor, leaving Pedro and 40 other janitors without work.
Workers who dedicated years — and in many cases decades — to keeping those stores running.
Workers who, during the pandemic, continued cleaning those spaces when many people were afraid to leave their homes. He risked his health like many other essential workers. Because he knew his work mattered. Because he knew his family depended on him.
But today, as he approaches retirement, he faces a reality no worker should have to face. He lost his pension. He lost his stability. He lost the future he spent decades building.
On March 11, 2026, Pedro stood in front of the California State Capitol in Sacramento and shared his story — not just for himself, but for the 40 families affected.
He spoke about how working families continue to struggle while corporations continue to grow their wealth. He reminded everyone listening that behind every corporate decision are real workers, real families, and real lives.
It is about whether workers who give decades of their lives deserve security at the end of their careers.
Corporate decisions made in distant offices may look like numbers on a spreadsheet. But for workers like Pedro, those decisions mean real lives being affected.
This is an ongoing fight. USWW members were out flyering the public about Lucky on No Kings Day, and they are asking all USWW members to reach out to Luck with this online action: https://secure.ngpvan.com/ePxgz3MTqE6oP0t8o5PiNA2