Apr 06 2007
Grocery Workers Brace for a Possible Strike
GUESTS: Greg Conger, President of UFCW Local 324, Monica Garcia, served on the Commission on the Los Angeles Grocery Industry and Community Health, LAUSD Board member
Nearly three years after a large-scale strike by grocery workers in Southern California, members of the United Food and Commercial Workers are bracing for another possible strike. Instead of bargaining with the large grocery chains as a group, as was done in 2003, the union decided to negotiate with them separately. On March 25th, Albertsons’ employees voted to authorize union leaders to call a strike if necessary. In response, Albertsons, Ralphs, and Vons formed an agreement to lock out all union members if a strike is called against even one of them. This was the same tactic used by the corporations three years ago, and legally challenged by then-California Attorney General Bill Lockyer on grounds of anti-trust violations. Union leaders want to end the two-tier system of employment agreed to three years ago where new hires are not allowed to earn the same wages and benefits as senior staff. Union leaders have now walked away from negotiations upon hearing of the grocery chains’ cooperation agreement. The 2003-2004 strike lasted 20 weeks and cost the chains about $2 billion.
Read the report by the Commission on the Los Angeles Grocery Industry and Community Health here: http://www.lagrocerycommission.org/docs/
070321IndustryAtaCrossroads.pdf
2 Responses to “Grocery Workers Brace for a Possible Strike”
During the 2003-2004 strike and lockout, KPFK, and, in particular, Uprising, provided the absolute best coverage of the situation by any media outlet anywhere in the world. Hearing your frequent and sensitive coverage certainly helped boost morale as my colleagues and myself stood on the picket lines and I thank you for it. Today, with these new negotiations, little that the companies do will surprise or shock me. They have already shown themselves to be completely without morals. I do know that progress is being made and that having people like Greg Conger on our side is a real plus. You do a great show. Keep up the good work
what are the possibilities that the strike will coincide, or feed off of, the gran boicott 2 this may day?