SoCal Grocery workers 'paving way for a strike' give 72-hour notice

[villager]

Source: KPCC

Grocery workers 'paving the way for a strike' give 72-hour notice


After eight months of negotiations, grocery workers at Southern California's three biggest chains on Thursday night issued a 72-hour notice canceling its contract extension and "paving the way for a strike" according to a statement.

A strike isn't guaranteed, but canceling the contract removes the final barrier to a strike. The union says contract negotiations are stalled because supermarkets are unwilling to compromise on health care contributions for 62,000 grocery workers.

“We returned to the bargaining table ready to compromise and make a deal that keeps our employers profitable but protects the jobs of our members,” said Rick Icaza, president of the grocery workers union Local 770 in a written statement. “They are unwilling to compromise and are more concerned about hoarding their billions in profits than reaching a fair deal for their employees. We don’t want to strike, but if they won’t negotiate, we have no choice.”

A Vons spokesman said in a countering statement that the store is "disappointed" and said the 72-hour notice "needlessly alarms our employees and our customers. The notice does not mean a strike is imminent or that a strike will necessarily occur at any point."

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Read more: http://www.scpr.org/news/2011/09/15/28885/grocery-workers-strike-seventy-two-hour-notice/

[Liberty Belle]

1. Good for them. I've already stocked up

on the handful of items I can't buy elsewhere and look forward to taking my business to the competitors of these stores.

I honored the picket line during the last strike. Unfortunately we have no union stores within 15 or 20 miles of my home, however we found we could do quite well shopping at Costco and Trader Joe, which treat their employees decently, as well as Henry's which has a great array of natural and organic products at reasonable prices. I've continued doing more than half of my weekly shopping at those other outlets ever since then, as well as farmer's markets. We grow most of our own vegetables and many fruits, too -- another step taken during the last strike.

I wonder how many more customers these piggish stores will lose this time around?

[udbcrzy2]

3. I love Costcos

I hope they don't have to be out too long.

[Mosby]

24. almost all costcos are non-union

And trader joes are all non-union. 

Fyi - non union companies like TJs can pay really well, TJs
are the masters of sales/SF.  

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Henry's and traders. Yup

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[wundermaus]

4. Are you for real?

What an incredibly calloused thing to say about people who work for a living and want a better life for them selves and their families.
I suspect your making something more than minimum wage.
If so, you can thank the unions for that.
If it were not for unions the business owners in India and China (among others) would be making slaves out of us here.
Study history and learn something. Henry Ford paid his employees a living wage so they could afford to buy the cars they manufactured.
Do you understand that concept?
Unless you are one of the lucky 1%'rs, you'd be a slave in your twisted, myopic little world.
Grow up. Those people who are putting their jobs on the line are courageous.
You, on the other hand, are nothing of the sort.

[Name removed]

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[kestrel91316]

7. They are fighting against what amounts to a pay CUT, at a time when

stores are making phenomenal profits and corporate CEOs are living like kings.

How long have you been a RWer??

[Name removed]

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[left on green only]

9. Greed is what is destroying America, not unions

And greed is the pig that suckles on the teat of capitalism. It doesn't have to be that way, but unfortunately far too many of us exist in the lower state of consciousness that worships at that altar. (Sorry, I didn't mean to go all zen on you.):hippie:

[JayhawkSD]

17. I'm probably with the workers, but..

I think the workers have some valid points, but stores are NOT, repeat NOT making "phenomenal profits."

Safeway makes 2.14% profit, Abertson’s 1.45% profit, and the largest, Kroger, makes 2.45% profit. These numbers are from their SEC 10Q filings and business making that level of profit are just barely staying in business.

What I do value tremendously is seeing these men and women on the job during these negotiations, dedicated to quality job performance and interacting cheerfully with customers. They are a credit to themselves as indivuals with this display of personal integrity, and a credit to the institution which they represent. I cannot say how much I admire their response to these difficult times.

[kestrel91316]

20. I am not a union member, being a business owner/manager. But I

am TOTALLY with these workers, and other unions which are facing assaults these days.

A rising tide floats ALL boats, and because my client base is the middle class and not the 2%ers, what helps middle class workers by extension helps ME.

I just wish all businesses saw it that way. By trying to cut their employees' compensation/benefits, they are shooting themselves in the foot in the long run. Hell, Henry Ford understood this a hundred years ago.

[Mosby]

23. i work in retail mgmt

So I see both sides. Fact is retailers are not getting rich and never have. This year we might see a couple more major retailers fail like best buy and possibly kroger. Even the best run outfits like walgreens makes a couple pennies per dollar of sales, my store loses money all through the summer though my landlord and employees will get paid of course.

The winners in retail are the manufactureres, wholesalers and commercial real estate people, I wonder if kelloggs, mcneil labs, colgate pamolive etc are unionized? I don't believe they are and they are the ones making billions of dollars in profits. Truth is that retailers are easy targets while the manufacturers and wholesalers fly under the radar.

What we need in this country is not more specialized unions but a federal living wage that is paid by EVERYBODY. That and a simpified corp tax system so large companies that are doing well pay their share of taxes.

[Sherman A1]

12. +1, Agreed & Well Said!

Support the Unions & the working people of this country. :thumbsup:

[kestrel91316]

6. I for one plan to honor the picket line. Plenty of other groceries to shop at.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Off to other places with me

[golfguru]

13. The Winco store is killing Safeway & Albertson here

I understand Winco is not unionized, and they have
lower prices on almost everything.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

15. Winco is employee-owned

WinCo Foods is proud to be employee owned…

We believe our employees should share in the success of our company in a tangible way. That’s why we created an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”) more than 25 years ago. Participating in the ESOP program means employees are part owners of the company and benefit financially from a job well done. In this way, there is direct incentive for employees to work hard and take pride in what they do. Additionally, being employee owned means WinCo Foods is owned by members of the local community.
How our program works:

Each employee owner becomes a participant in this program after:
1. Working at least 500 hours in the first 6 months of employment
2. Reaching 19 years of age
3. Accumulating 1000 hours a year
http://www.wincofoods.com/about/an-employee-owned-company/

I get 95% of our food there, family of 5+, $150 a week... and we eat very well.

I love Winco!

[golfguru]

21. We shop there also when possible

Winco is a bit longer distance, but worth the drive.
I mainly like their open bins which is the only store where I can find raw almonds, dates, figs, walnuts, spices, candied ginger & mango etc. all in open bins and I can get as much or as little at a very good price.

[KamaAina]

26. We need more of those in the Bay Area!

I only saw a couple way out in Contra Costa.

There are plenty of locations around since Albertsons pulled out of the area. Some, but by no means all, were bought by Save Mart and renamed "Lucky".

[SemperEadem]

14. I remember the last strike there... I didn't cross

I went to Smart and Final and to Costco to do my shopping.

[SoapBox]

18. Ditto...we have multiple alternatives.

We support the workers...period. And we will never cross a picket line...and no, we do NOT belong to any unions and have no family members in them.

We ARE sick and tired of these businesses that think that they can run rough-shod over workers.

Does everyone need to "give" stuff? Yup. BUT, seems these days, the corporate crooks and liars simply, like the GOPBaggers, say NO.

...last go around, I would stop by some local stores and give the picketers water and goodies.

[bemildred]

16. Aw shit, not this again. nt

[Trillo]

19. What is the position of workers who may strike regarding in-store banking?

Will crossing a picket line to go to the in-store bank be construed negatively by any striking workers (even one)?

[pinboy3niner]

22. Last time, picketers had no problem with anyone just doing banking in stores nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. kick

[Raine]

27. I didn't cross the picket lines last time and I won't this time. There are plenty of other

places to get groceries.