Los Angeles (AP) — Thousands of grocery workers in southern and central California began voting on Monday to allow unions to strike against several major supermarket chains.
Approximately 47,000 workers are eligible to vote in hundreds of Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilion stores this week. Results will be announced on March 27th.
The possible strike involves a grocery store clerk, a meat cutter, a pharmacist, and a pharmacy technician represented by seven locals from the United Food and Commercial Workers’ Union.
Negotiations between Kroger-owned Ralphs and Albertsons, owner of Albertsons, Vons and Pavilion stores, ended without agreement before the latest three-year contract expired on March 6.
The union said the next day that the company’s wage proposals were “surprisingly low”, reaching a 60-cent increase that far fell short of workers’ living needs. Employees were asking for a $ 5 hourly salary increase, among other proposals.
“The two companies have refused to agree to expand the store’s safety committee and have not yet negotiated meaningful health and welfare benefits,” a statement from the United Food and Commercial Workers’ Union said. ..
The union said on the final day of the negotiations that it emphasized the important role that grocery workers played during the coronavirus pandemic.
The union was told by Erlene Molina, an employee of Ralphs and a member of the negotiating committee, to the company’s negotiators: We knew that our community had obligations, so we appeared every day. “
The Los Angeles Times said the vote, according to a Ralphs statement, “provides unnecessary concerns to employees and the community when they need to negotiate in good faith to find solutions and compromises.” I reported. Ralphs continues to focus on resolving transactions with the UFCW. “
In a statement, Albertsons Companies said the goal of the negotiations was “to provide employees with a competitive comprehensive compensation package for wages, health, benefits and pension benefits.”
“We are committed to reaching a fair and customer-friendly agreement for our employees and working together to help Albertsons, Vons and the Pavilion remain competitive in the Southern California market.” The statement states.
The union has not yet reached an agreement with other supermarket chains such as Gelson’s, Stater Brothers and SuperA.
In 2019, Ralphs, Vons, Pavilion and Albertsons employees voted to approve the strike, but eventually the deal was signed without a strike.
A 2003-04 strike and lockout put nearly 70,000 workers in a grocery store in Southern California on the picketing line for more than four months.