Ever since the gas pipeline disaster in San Bruno, the Utility Workers at the Gas Company have been working tirelessly to make sure we never face such an accident in California. They worked to pass a safety bill, SB 705 that is on the Governor’s desk. They have taken action before the Public Utilities Commission. They have raised safety issues directly with the Gas Company at the bargaining table.
The Gas Company continues to reject the utility workers efforts to work cooperatively to insure the safety of our communities. Instead, the Gas Company’s response is to downgrade middle-class jobs.
Just like our recent battle with the grocery companies, the Gas Company is being greedy, Even though it is making billions in profits, the Gas Company wants to cut wages and benefits of the workers, just like us. UFCW Local 770 joined with Labor and community to rally in support of Gas Workers.
Last week, Walmart announced a plan to roll back health care coverage for part-time workers and raise premiums for full-time employees. As the world’s largest retail employer, this plan will lower standards for all American workers and have repercussions throughout the retail industry, particularly for part-time workers. Listed below are talking points that UFCW Locals can use to address this latest development:
The Occupy Wall Street movement has been growing and gaining momentum across the country and worldwide. This battle against corporate greed on behalf of the 99% of Americans who have been struggling economically is what our labor movement is all about.
L.A. Labor, along with the AFL-CIO and several international unions, has endorsed and is supporting this movement.
Tomorrow, October 15, is a Global Day of Action. Occupy L.A. is organizing a major march through the financial district in downtown Los Angeles to be followed by an afternoon rally at L.A. City Hall.
WHEN: Saturday, October 15, 11:00AM - Gather; 12:00PM - March; 1:00PM - Rally at L.A. City Hall WHERE: Meet at Pershing Square, 5th and Olive Streets, downtown Los Angeles
Earlier this month, grocery union workers made picket signs in preparation for a potential grocery strike in Los Angeles. Now, as a tentative labor deal has been reached, such signs aren't going to be needed. Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times
Officials with the United Food and Commercial Workers confirmed Monday that they had reached a three-year labor contract with Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons, averting a grocery strike that would have idled more than 54,000 workers across Southern California.
Representatives from three supermarket chains and the union representing 62,000 grocery store clerks held contract negotiations early today to avoid another supermarket strike in Southern California.
"They really are looking at every possibility," said Todd Conger, spokesman for United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 324 in Buena Park. "We really don't want to strike."
Conger said supermarket jobs have been "good middle-class jobs," but the big three chains are trying to make them "Burger King" jobs.
Employee Battiste Johnson, right, bags groceries for Sharon Weeks at Ralphs in Malibu in May 2010. Ralphs is one of the grocery chains owned by Kroger, which reported a 7.3% increase in second-quarter earnings. (Allen J. Schaben, Los Angeles Times / September 10, 2011)
Ralphs operator Kroger Co. said its second-quarter profit and sales rose, but the nation's largest grocery store operator said shoppers are feeling bleaker about the economy.
SAN FRANCISCO -- Alcohol Justice (formerly Marin Institute) is calling on California Governor Jerry Brown to quickly sign AB 183 to ban alcohol sales through self-serve checkout machines in California. The bill, authored by Assembly Member Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco), passed through the state Senate last week on a vote of 21 to 16 with 3 abstentions.
On August 26, around 140 workers at Farmer John Food Service in Vernon, Calif. (Los Angeles) voted to stand together for a voice at work with Local 770. The workers at the plant, wholly owned by Hormel Foods, mostly make pre-cooked sausage and bacon.
“We needed a union because there was no respect in our workplace,” said Maria Alonzo, who works in the pre-cooked sausage department at Farmer John Food Service. “All of us that believed and wanted a union stood strongly together although the company tried to intimidate us.”
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Southland grocery workers and union officials staged a rally Monday in another push for a new contract, stressing they do not want to go on strike, but they will if they don’t believe they are receiving fair labor offers from the owners of Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Union leaders announced on Monday that there will be no supermarket strike this week. The union and representatives of Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons stores have agreed to go back to the bargaining table next Monday.
Negotiators for the grocery workers union and the major supermarket chains are set to go back to the bargaining table next Monday, as directed by a federal mediator.
Union representatives expressed hope Sunday that Southern California's major grocery chains would return to the bargaining table as a strike over health care and wages looms.
Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers voted by more than 90 percent over the last two days to reject Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons latest contract proposals. The vote sets the stage for a possible strike.
(Reuters) - The union representing 62,000 grocery workers in southern California has received the go-ahead from members to call a strike if an acceptable contract deal cannot be reached with Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons supermarkets, officials said on Sunday.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Supermarket union workers have voted to authorize leaders to call a strike, if necessary. A possible walkout could happen as early as the middle of next week.
The vote to authorize a strike passed with 90 percent approval.
Employees have overwhelmingly rejected a contract proposal from Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons management, setting the stage for a possible walkout. Thousands of employees cast ballots Friday and Saturday, with the focus on whether to accept a more costly healthcare plans.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Thousands of Southern California grocery workers have voted overwhelmingly to reject a health care proposal from major supermarket chains and authorize their union leaders to call a strike, a spokesman said Sunday.
More than 90 percent of voters from the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770, which has about 62,000 members, rejected the proposal from Vons, Ralphs and Albertsons stores.
Members of a union that represents 62,000 grocery workers at Vons, Ralphs and Albertsons supermarkets in Southern California voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if an agreement on a new contract can't be reached.
The strike authorization won the backing of more than 90% of the United Food and Commercial Workers members who voted, easily more than the two-thirds majority required, the union said.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Supermarket union workers have overwhelmingly rejected a contract proposal from Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons management, setting the stage for a possible walkout.
The results of the strike-authorization vote by union grocery workers were expected to be released Sunday.
LOS ANGELES— Leaders of the seven Southern California locals of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union told SN Wednesday they plan to ask members to reject the employers' contract proposal.
Will Southern Californians face another grocery store strike? Depending on what happens in the next few days, the answer could be yes.
Labor negotiations are dragging into the sixth month between the United Food and Commercial Workers and Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons. Both sides, which are meeting this week, are trying to hammer out a complete contract offer to present to workers. Healthcare benefits remain a divisive issue. So are wages and staffing levels.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Rev. Jesse Jackson has joined Southern California grocery workers who are fighting proposed health care hikes in a contract struggle with major supermarket chains.
Jackson and other activists met with local Ralphs executives Wednesday at a Los Angeles store to express their concerns. Jackson says he’ll hold another meeting with supermarket higher-ups.
Signs of a work stoppage were on display Sunday as both sides involved in grocery worker contract negotiations prepared for a week that might end with a strike vote.
Local 770 members met Sunday at Pickwick Gardens in Burbank. Picket signs were on conference room tables during meetings at which members discussed what to expect this week.
Ever since the gas pipeline disaster in San Bruno, the Utility Workers at the Gas Company have been working tirelessly to make sure we never face such an accident in California. They worked to pass a safety bill, SB 705 that is on the Governor’s desk. They have taken action before the Public Utilities Commission. They have raised safety issues directly with the Gas Company at the bargaining table.
The Occupy Wall Street movement has been growing and gaining momentum across the country and worldwide. This battle against corporate greed on behalf of the 99% of Americans who have been struggling economically is what our labor movement is all about.
Will Southern Californians face another grocery store strike? Depending on what happens in the next few days, the answer could be yes.
Signs of a work stoppage were on display Sunday as both sides involved in grocery worker contract negotiations prepared for a week that might end with a strike vote.
