By the end of this weekend, Southern California might be in the midst of another union strike. They are trying to extort grocery companies into turning over their finances to a union.
“The unions said their negotiations with Kroger and Albertsons have lasted four months and the parties have failed to reach agreements that address their concerns with working conditions and staff shortages. The unions also made claims not verified independently by NBC 7 that the grocery chains used threats and surveilled employees for their participation in union activity.
“This strike authorization vote means that we expect the companies to return to the bargaining table, negotiate a deal that works for everyone, and desist from their unlawful tactics, before we walk out and hit the picket lines,” the statement read.
UFCW Local 135 in San Diego County said over 90% of voting members authorized a strike.”
When they get their way, watch as the cost of food goes up. Inflation? Look for the union label.
Grocery Strike Approved by Union Members
By City News Service, 6/13/25 https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/southern-california-grocery-worker-unions-ok-strike-authorization/3846197/
Workers at Albertsons, Pavilions, Ralphs and Vons grocery stores will begin preparations Thursday for a possible strike.
Local 770 of the United Food and Commercial Workers union, representing approximately 45,000 workers at the four stores in Southern California, announced Wednesday that its members had voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike.
“Our message is clear: We are fed up with these corporations’ union-busting tactics designed to intimidate us and prevent us from getting the fair contract that we’ve earned and deserve,” according to a statement from the Bargaining Committee of Locals 324 and 770 of the United Food and Commercial Workers.
The unions said their negotiations with Kroger and Albertsons have lasted four months and the parties have failed to reach agreements that address their concerns with working conditions and staff shortages. The unions also made claims not verified independently by NBC 7 that the grocery chains used threats and surveilled employees for their participation in union activity.
“This strike authorization vote means that we expect the companies to return to the bargaining table, negotiate a deal that works for everyone, and desist from their unlawful tactics, before we walk out and hit the picket lines,” the statement read.
UFCW Local 135 in San Diego County said over 90% of voting members authorized a strike. The vote, held electronically from Sunday to Wednesday, saw participation from thousands of grocery workers across 87 stores in San Diego County, according to the union.
A vote count was not released.
Local
A Ralphs spokesperson told NBC 7 the grocer is continuing its negotiations with the union but stands behind its latest offer.
“We remain actively engaged in bargaining with the Union because we believe the best outcomes are achieved at the table, not through disruption. Our current offer reflects that commitment, including market leading wage increases for associates over the life of the agreement, and continued investment in industry-leading healthcare and a pension. These are benefits that many non-union competitors do not offer,” the statement read.
Albertsons, which is also the parent company of Pavilions and Vons, echoed the sentiment in their own statement:
“We respect the rights of workers to engage in collective bargaining and remain committed to negotiating in good faith to reach an agreement that is fair to our employees, good for our customers and allows our company to remain competitive.”
A strike authorization vote does not necessarily mean there will be a strike if a deal can be reached before the scheduled start date, which has not yet been set.
Negotiations are scheduled to resume on June 25, according to the union.
Union members approved a three-year contract in 2022 after a threatened strike, including wage increases of $4.25 per hour for most workers, while some classifications received higher pay raises. The workers’ contracts expired on March 2.
The union said it is seeking “living wages, affordable healthcare benefits, a reliable pension, and more staffing and better working conditions for a better customer experience.”
