Southern California Grocery Workers Vote for Strike
By Kat Russell, Staff Reporter & Photographer
Daily Sundial
August 30, 2011
http://sundial.csun.edu/2011/08/southern-california-grocery-workers-vote-for-strike/
Union members representing 62,000 Southern California Vons, Ralphs, and Albertsons employees voted in favor of a strike on Saturday, Aug. 20, after six months of contract negotiations.
“We don’t want to strike,” said spokesman for UFCW Local 770, Mike Shimpock. “Last time it was terrible for everybody. It’s a terrible position to put everyone in, but if these markets won’t negotiate with us we don’t have much of a choice.”
Jacob Holmes, a part-time Ralphs employee and CSUN student, stated that the atmosphere at the Granada Hills store where he works is tense and anxious as employees wait to hear if a strike will take place.
For the Holmes family, a strike could mean serious hardship since Jacob, his mother and his sister all work for Ralphs. Ultimately, Holmes doesn’t think there will be a strike, but if there is, he hopes he can continue working and not be forced to join the picket lines as the result of a lockout.
The vote to strike passed by an overwhelming 90 percent, well above the necessary 2/3 vote. The possible strike would affect more than 1,500 Vons, Ralphs and Albertsons stores stretching from Santa Maria to the Orange County border.
Kendra Doyle, spokeswoman for the grocery chains, stated in a public statement that the strike authorization vote does not mean a strike is imminent. Doyle was not available for further comments. However, Shimpock said that if an agreement cannot be made to the satisfaction of both sides, in a timely manner, the unions will be forced to strike.
The contract between the grocery workers unions and the markets’ parent companies (Kroger, Safeway Inc., and Supervalu) expired on March 1st. Since then both sides have been struggling to reach an agreement on a new contract. The major source of disagreement within the negotiations is centered on formulating a new employee health care plan.
“The health care plan that the employers have offered,” said Shimpock, “is going to increase costs for the employees, if they choose to participate, to as much as half of their take home pay.”
In 2003, the region suffered one the longest employee strikes in history. The four and a half month dispute proved to be detrimental for all involved. The markets lost over a billion dollars in revenue and the union members lost tens of millions of income.
Currently both sides are working with a federal mediator in the hopes of coming to such an agreement. However Mickey Kasparian, president of UCFW Local 135, stated to the media a strike could be called as soon as the end of August or the beginning of September if there are no reassuring developments.
“Negotiations continue and we still believe a peaceful settlement is possible as we work through challenging issues, such as escalating health care costs,” said Daymond Rice, Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations for Vons, said in an email statement for the market.
In the meantime, tensions remain high as the possibility of strike hangs in the air. “We are all scared,” says union steward and Ralphs employee Irene Gonzales. “The last time when we went on strike, we lost a lot. I don’t want to strike, but I am prepared to strike if I have to.”
Gonzales supports a family of six, including her disabled husband. The 2003 strike devastated her family financially, forcing them to give up their home and move in with her parents. “It’s extremely scary for us. I hope that they keep on negotiating in good faith on both sides and come to an agreement.”
Customer reactions to the news of a possible strike have been supportive of the grocery workers. Many have stated that if there is a strike, they will go elsewhere to shop.
“I’m not too familiar with unions,” said Ralphs customer Betty Hamer, 84, “but I know they do a lot of good. I don’t like anybody striking, but we all have to make money so I support it.”
“We don’t want to strike,” said spokesman for UFCW Local 770, Mike Shimpock. “Last time it was terrible for everybody. It’s a terrible position to put everyone in, but if these markets won’t negotiate with us we don’t have much of a choice.”
Jacob Holmes, a part-time Ralphs employee and CSUN student, stated that the atmosphere at the Granada Hills store where he works is tense and anxious as employees wait to hear if a strike will take place.
For the Holmes family, a strike could mean serious hardship since Jacob, his mother and his sister all work for Ralphs. Ultimately, Holmes doesn’t think there will be a strike, but if there is, he hopes he can continue working and not be forced to join the picket lines as the result of a lockout.
The vote to strike passed by an overwhelming 90 percent, well above the necessary 2/3 vote. The possible strike would affect more than 1,500 Vons, Ralphs and Albertsons stores stretching from Santa Maria to the Orange County border.
Kendra Doyle, spokeswoman for the grocery chains, stated in a public statement that the strike authorization vote does not mean a strike is imminent. Doyle was not available for further comments. However, Shimpock said that if an agreement cannot be made to the satisfaction of both sides, in a timely manner, the unions will be forced to strike.
The contract between the grocery workers unions and the markets’ parent companies (Kroger, Safeway Inc., and Supervalu) expired on March 1st. Since then both sides have been struggling to reach an agreement on a new contract. The major source of disagreement within the negotiations is centered on formulating a new employee health care plan.
“The health care plan that the employers have offered,” said Shimpock, “is going to increase costs for the employees, if they choose to participate, to as much as half of their take home pay.”
In 2003, the region suffered one the longest employee strikes in history. The four and a half month dispute proved to be detrimental for all involved. The markets lost over a billion dollars in revenue and the union members lost tens of millions of income.
Currently both sides are working with a federal mediator in the hopes of coming to such an agreement. However Mickey Kasparian, president of UCFW Local 135, stated to the media a strike could be called as soon as the end of August or the beginning of September if there are no reassuring developments.
“Negotiations continue and we still believe a peaceful settlement is possible as we work through challenging issues, such as escalating health care costs,” said Daymond Rice, Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations for Vons, said in an email statement for the market.
In the meantime, tensions remain high as the possibility of strike hangs in the air. “We are all scared,” says union steward and Ralphs employee Irene Gonzales. “The last time when we went on strike, we lost a lot. I don’t want to strike, but I am prepared to strike if I have to.”
Gonzales supports a family of six, including her disabled husband. The 2003 strike devastated her family financially, forcing them to give up their home and move in with her parents. “It’s extremely scary for us. I hope that they keep on negotiating in good faith on both sides and come to an agreement.”
Customer reactions to the news of a possible strike have been supportive of the grocery workers. Many have stated that if there is a strike, they will go elsewhere to shop.
“I’m not too familiar with unions,” said Ralphs customer Betty Hamer, 84, “but I know they do a lot of good. I don’t like anybody striking, but we all have to make money so I support it.”