Grocery Store Showdown: Workers' Strike May Come Next Week

Photo by nathanielperales via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr

Grocery workers in Southern California have been threatening to strike since April, but according to a statement from the worker's union, the time may be at hand. This week, they say, meetings are being held with picket captains, and a strike could come as soon as next week.

Workers are protesting their contracts, the negotiations of which have been going on for six months. Specifically, they're unhappy with the company's suggestion on healthcare.

"Management proposals to cut workers’ pay by 50% or more to maintain health care access, despite billions in profits by the corporations that own the supermarkets," says the statement.

In a statement issued by officials at Ralph's, Vons and Albertsons in June, the company described their initial proposal as increasing the cost of individual healthcare plans from $7 a week to $9 a week, and family plans from $15 a week to $76 a week. It's unclear what changes have been made since then.

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By Jessica Pauline Ogilvie in News on August 9, 2011 10:40 AM

Comments [rss]

RGATES

WITH YOUR HEAD UP YOUR ASS AND FOOD STAMPS IN HAND

Guest

Looking forward to crossing that picket line!

RGATES

WITH YOUR HEAD UP YOUR ASS

MrEFQ

Cheap grocerys may come next week. Woot.

Mark C. Upshaw

Why are the food company executives forcing the poorly paid and compensated grocery workers into a strike. They collect their fat checks, benefits and pensions while a grocery clerk doesn't make enough to support their families above the poverty line in SoCal. If the exec's personal assistants make more than these clerks, then something is wrong here. They want cuts, show leadership and cut their own benefits and salaries first.