031028 UFCW Set to Strike California SupermarketsOctober 11, 2003Victorville, CA - Federal mediation efforts sputtered and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union said it will launch a strike today. The announcement follows the union's 98% vote to reject the supermarkets' latest three-year contract offer. Local 1167 President Bill Lathrop, representing High Desert workers, said the union would target one of the three supermarkets to strike. "We have not picked the time or the store," he said. "We should have a decision by Friday night, or Saturday morning at the latest." Union officials said they plan to strike today at either Albertsons, Ralphs or Vons stores. In Barstow, the strike may affect the Vons supermarket, but not Stater Brothers or Food 4 Less, Lathrop said Thursday. "Strike to protect our families," the union said in a statement Friday. "Strike to save health care coverage for the next generation of workers." The current impasse primarily concerns health and welfare benefits, pension funding and wage rates. The supermarkets argue that their proposed contract is necessary to remain competitive in a world of low-cost, big-box retailers, warehouse retail stores and skyrocketing health care costs. "What we're seeking is some relief in the form of asking our employees to share in the cost of health coverage," said Ralphs spokesman Terry O'Neil. "This is certainly not unusual, in that most Americans share in the cost of their coverage." The union is protesting a proposed two-tier pay structure that caps wages for new hires at lower levels than current union workers. Union spokeswoman Ellen Anreder said 75% of grocery store employees work part time. Salaries currently range from $17.90 an hour for experienced meat cutters to $6.75 an hour for clerks bagging groceries with no experience, according to Albertsons spokeswoman Stacia Levenfeld. The average cashier clerk makes between $12 and $14 an hour, Anreder said.
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