Teamsters Will Honor Picket Lines Should Washington State Grocery Workers Strike

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/Channels/Story.aspx?ID=1314033

Grocery stores in Northwestern Washington might be facing both a worker and turkey shortage come Thanksgiving. Jesse Russell reports:

The Teamsters have said they’ll respect strike lines if they go up at grocery stores in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. Twenty five thousand members of the United Food Commercial Workers have authorized the negotiating team to call a strike if they run out of other options. They are in discussions with Albertson’s QFC, Fred Meyer, and Safeway. If the pickets go up and the Teamsters respect the line the stores might find they aren’t only short workers during the busy Thanksgiving holiday, but also groceries. The union and the Allied Employers are sitting down for negotiations today. The current negotiations revolve around better coverage for medical benefits, but it also includes pay cuts for workers. The stores have been shopping for temporary workers to in the event a strike does occur.

[Celtic Raven]

1. I've done very little T'giving shopping

but if our grocery workers go out on strike then we'll make do with what's already in the house.
We won't cross the lines.

K&R

[senseandsensibility]

2. Of course

Glad to hear it, but if Teamsters don't honor a picket line, we are really in trouble.

[customerserviceguy]

3. Just another reason

to buy my wine in tax-free Oregon on my upcoming holiday trip. When you can get a $30 bottle of the delicious 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir for $20 with your frequent shopper card, and a 10% discount for buying six or more, plus no sales tax, it really does pay to shop there.