Grocery Union Threatens Pickets Across U.S., Canada

Reuters (via Yahoo News) ^ | 16 December 2003 | Sue Zeidler

[cake_crumb]

I didn't say a small minority of unions ruined our economy. I said police and fire were a small percentage. The UAW, Teamsters, AFLCIO were examples of large unions that ruined our economy. Here's one more, which opened my eyes to unions in the '70's : Steelworkers unions. If you don't know what caused the demise of our steel and auto industry, I suggest you do some research.

Don't take it personally. You obviously have far less experience with unions than I have. 9 years ago, the employees at a small company were talking about joing a union...for the protection they would have. They were asking me about it. I dredged up cases as examples to explain they would pay dues but they weren't big enough for the larger union to bother with and would eventually get screwed.

I was speaking from experience.

Two years ago, in December of 2001 they were screwed.

[philetus]

The next generation of the scanners will be better.
The one's in the Glendale Home Depot don't lack people wanting to scan their own. People are lining up to use them now.

[Ignored]

Right after college I recall a grocery workers strike for higher wages. I had just spent 4 years of self deprivation and hard work while I watched my friends from high school, some of them grocery workers, enjoy weekend trips, parties, and relaxation that I couldn’t partake in because of classes, studying, and lack of funds. When I got out, the only job I could get was paying $3.40 an hour and my old friends working in grocery stores were making 4 times that much. In the face of all my sacrifices and hard work the grocery workers were striking because $14.00 an hour wasn’t enough to work at a job that was never intended to be made into a career. After postponing my life in pursuit of a college degree, it was several more years before I earned more money than a grocery-bagger who had spent the equal amount of his life in relative ease and joy. It was hard to swallow the fact that all of my hard work was worth less than some under-achieving can-stacker’s collective bargaining resources. Could I ever count on these strikers to support me if I approached my boss for a raise?

So now the grocery workers want another strike. These are jobs that were never intended to be made into careers. These are jobs for young people trying to make a start or for people who have some spare time and want to earn some extra cash. In fact grocery store chains even offer tuition benefits to help employees move on with their lives. If you were a store manager and somebody came up to you and said, "I want to be a grocery-bagger and can-stacker for the rest of my life," you would think he was crazy and refuse to hire him. Yet these people are picking one of the easiest jobs in the country and complaining because it doesn't pay enough to raise a family on. Like all strikers, they ask us to support their demands for a raise in spite of the fact that they don't support us when we ask for a raise. The strikers say that the company made a profit and that it should be passed on to them. Is that what this country has come to? Trying to dig in to each other's profits? Picture this, the kid who mows your yard coming to you and saying, "I know you just got a raise, I demand a piece of it. Fork me over a chunk of that money or I'll slander you in front of your neighbors and make sure your yard doesn't get mowed for weeks."

[sonofatpatcher2]

Many years ago here in my small hamlet of Corsicana, Texas, we had a Safeway. The union checkers went on strike for higher wages. Today, there is not any Safeway here...

Or in Texas that I know of. The unions were a good idea when they began, but between the Mob and the DemocRats, they have become a festering sore...

[SauronOfMordor]

For one thing there is no place to build "Super Wal-Mart's" in metropolitan Los Angeles. You can't even build a decent grocery store there. For another thing they face vastly more competition here then they do in other states.

Perhaps not Super Walmart, but they may be able to find a place for a Sam's Club or a BJ's Club. There are lots of people who will change their shopping patterns in exchange for significant savings on large-quantity items. We tend to make trips to BJ's once a month, stock up on non-perishable and frozen items, and go to the local supermarket just for meat, milk, and bread

[justa-hairyape]

Union goons are probably getting marching orders from Democrat party operatives. The only chance the Democrats (and therefore the unions) have to safe their party now is to tumble the economy. A landslide for Bush will spell doom for their party. Look for strikes from Unions in all sectors and in all states, eventually.

[Smogger]

I said police and fire were a small percentage.

Police and fire are not a small percentage in this state. Along with their teacher, prison guard, and court employee brethren I would say they constitute the majority of Union employees in this state (not to mention the former gov's biggest contributors). And they are constantly on strike or threatening to strike.

[BurbankKarl]

oh, sure there is....


>>>>For one thing there is no place to build "Super Wal-Mart's" in metropolitan Los Angeles.

[snopercod]

The Cincinnati-based supermarket chain is the first company to experiment with the U-Scan Express in Houston.

The high-tech automated checkout system lets diehard do-it-yourselfers scan their own groceries, pay for them with cash or a credit card, and bag the items all without the help of a cashier.

We've had self-checkout here in North Carolina for about a year now. No limitations on items. For the most part, they work well.

They accept coupons, accept cash and coins for payment, accept food stamps, and give cash back if you want. There is one "checker" to support four checkout stations.

[snopercod]

...so what the hell do i know??

A lot. I read that margins are 1-2%. I understand that getting (white) people to actually show up for work reliably is a major problem. And then, there is "shrinkage".

[Don W]

I absolutely LOVE Albertson's fried chicken. I actually make it a point to bring back at least 100 pieces (minimum) whenever I have opportunity to visit one before I cross the border to get back home (Canada).

On my last return, you should have seen the look on the border guard's face when she opened the carton of (still HOT) chicken and asked me what was in the box.

My buddy's kid sister is a customs agent, and SHE heard about it!

[Uncle Hal]

For every city that bans these "big box" retailers there is another city down the street that will gladly welcome the Wal Marts of the world and their sales tax paid to the city. The cities that have banned these retailers are obviously bending to union pressure. They are certainly not looking out for the welfare of their citizens who would benefit from these stores lower prices and increased revenues to the cities coffers.

[CdMGuy]

Well, if you are talking about downtown LA, I would agree. However, if you consider the San Fernando Valley, and plenty of other parts of LA, the space is available or it can be acquired.

We are not just talking Wal-Mart superstores. There is also Costco and Sam's Club (owned by Wal-Mart). Both currently are here, and both are beating the supers. However, both do not carry the full line of groceries a super does, but the Wal-Mart superstores do.

I can tell you that in the Coachella Valley, (Palm Springs area), one Wal-Mart superstore just opened, and two more are about to be built, (Palm Desert and Palm Springs). The CEO of Jensens Market, a local upscale supermarket chain, has already stated that Wal-Mart superstores will force the closing of several valley supermarkets.

This is what has happened in the Southeast US. The major supermarket chains have taken a beating from the Wal-Mart superstores, and they have had to close a significant number of their stores. I have read where prices in Wal-Mart are 20 to 30 percent below the supers.

Wal-Mart has plans to open numerous stores in CA. This is a matter of survival for the supers. The handwriting is on the wall for them. Shoppers are fed up with the ridiculously high prices in these stores. Money talks, and people will walk and shop elsewhere when given the chance.

[CdMGuy]

That striker should be thankful that those people, who likely are her customers, are not yelling at her to go F herself.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Apologies if you're already here - I don't have time to check, but thought you'd be interested in seeing this.

[gipper81]

I think I'll stop at Safeway tonight and pick up a few items.

[Central Scrutiniser]

I sure hope they do, nothing is more satisfying than pissing off a bunch of uneducated people who feel they should get a huge salary for doing something that can be done by a small computer. The stories I've heard out of LA on KFI have been hilarious! Bring it on low-tech entry level clerks!

[Jennikins]

** Bust the Unions*
I can't tell you enough how I wish this strike was over!
The union leaders are not getting shorted in their pay, but the strikers are getting only strike money. Personally, as much as it would be wonderful to have free health care for all, it is NOT possible. We have to pay approx $400.00 a month for ours (hubby and me).

[HapaxLegamenon]

A little History... Strikes by UFCW led to the closing of all Kansas City area Krogers (1978), A&P's (1983), and Milligrams(1985). Because of a strike vote, Safeway sold its area FoodBarn stores (1987). All Foodbarns closed after a strike by UFCW in 1995.

[HapaxLegamenon]

Great point!