The last time I went loaded for bear and waiting for someone to approach me...musta thought I wasn't a good customer to try to intimidate...hope someone will make my day this time...:oP
Posted on 09/18/2011 6:14:11 PM PDT by newzjunkey
No breakthroughs were reported as round-the-clock negotiations approached a 7:10 p.m. strike deadline set by the union representing 62,000 grocery store clerks in Southern California.
Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons officials continued to meet with the workers' representatives at an undisclosed location, while union stewards spent the day passing out picket signs.
No grocery chain official would comment, but a union spokesman said no progress had been made today.
Clerks at a pair of Ralphs and Vons supermarkets in Santa Monica today said both chains had not reduced their deliveries of fresh baked goods, produce, milk and meat to the stores. The clerks, who did not want their names publicized, said the fresh deliveries of perishables may indicate that management at the Kroger's and Safeway chains, which own the grocery brands, are not anticipating closing their stores.
"We've heard that, and I think that does mean something," said union spokesman Mike Shimpock. "And if they start to move in the negotiations, we intend to stay at the table" and not call a strike, he said.
Union locals from Santa Maria to the Mexican border served notice at 7:10 p.m. Thursday that workers would walk off their jobs in exactly 72 hours -- tonight at 7:10 -- if they do not see movement from the national chains.
Health insurance benefits are a major point of contention, with the company offering an insurance package that union officials say would run out of money in 16 months. Under the most recent offer, workers would pay about $36 per month for individual health insurance, or $92 per month for family coverage, but the company contribution to that share has not been disclosed.
Negotiators are also reportedly far apart on pay rates.
"They're sitting on their piles of cash, and they're throwing us quarters," Shimpock told City News Service today. The union claims the three chains made $1.5 billion in profits last year, and distributed $500 million to their shareholders.
All three chains continued to solicit replacement workers today. Ralphs has said it would close its stores if a strike is closed, but Vons has not made it clear if it would try to keep stores open with replacement workers and management.
A spokeswoman from Albertsons today clarified an earlier statement that the Minnesota-based chain might close up to 100 stores in the event of a strike. Christie Ly told CNS that the fate of the chain's 124 remaining stores "cannot be discussed," and said she could not answer if the chain would try to keep the 124 remaining stores open during a possible strike.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told a KNX reporter today that he is "absolutely against" a strike, but also said "I certainly understand the needs of the workers."
Unions scheduled a 7:30 p.m. candlelight vigil tonight outside a Vons Pavilion's store in Beverly Hills.
During a 141-day lockout in 2003-04, the stores hired temporary workers, and some of the chains were fined for rehiring regular employees under aliases. The replacement workers all lost their jobs when a new contract was signed, and the lockout cost the stores an estimated $1.5 billion.
Not totally sure of the name. I just knew him as Mr. Von Deray (sp?) He was a nice guy. I was a box boy in one of his stores. He and my dad would go out to lunch and the families would get together for dinner once in awhile.
Good— let’s hope the UNions get the raw end if they decide to strike and folks out of work get some employment. Thats a Lose-Win-Win-Win scenario. And the Losers (Unions)deserve it if they strike.
I find all of the supermarkets excellent in our area.
I have noticed the stores just don't put up with non productive or poor attitude employees. They have their ways to get rid of them.
No in store unions here.
Store managers seem to switch stores about once a year.
I loved going into the stores during the last strike in Los Angeles. The workers loved screaming at me and I had a few words for them. There were no lines and I was in and out - I loved grocery shopping!
I often shopped at the Pavilion’s in Beverly Hills and it’s not that great - old and small. I am curious as to why they picked that store.
Sounds a bit like Trader Joe’s. Non union and GREAT to their employees. They also like hiring older folks.
Fire them all. They’re performing unskilled labor and could be replaced in a day. With the level of unemployment in CA, there would be dozens of applicants per job in the first day. Meanwhile, service and cleanliness would improve.
Meanwhile, there are now more unionized government employees, than private sector employees in the U.S.
Of course, the big difference is, you're paying for 100 percent of the government employees salaries, and most of their lottery style government retirement benefits.
Fire them all.
It's hard to generate sympathy from folks who have contributed to their health insurance for decades.
It's doubly hard to expect sympathy from the tens of millions who don't have a job at all or the prospects of one at any salary.
It was a mess during the strike. There were always angry picketers screaming, fighting, and trying o block shoppers from entering the stores. The police were always being called. Often they just parked in front as a warning to the picketers.
My sister used to work in a travel agency in another town. There was an Albertsons in the same shopping center. Her clients would call and say they were afraid to come in because they were being threatened by the picketers. I told her that her boss should go to court and get the picketing shut down at that site. Pity they didn't do it.
The stores themselves were pretty bare. Many of the aisles were filled with 2 liter bottles of coke in a pathetic attempt to disguise how empty the place was.
I'm not looking forward to a new strike but you can bet I'm crossing the lines. No union is going to tell me where I can shop.
Since I do 95% of my grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s, they can strike until hell freezes over. I will make sure I cross all the picket lines I can whilst doing the other 5% of my shopping. Grin.
The Union Stewart Probably lives in Beverly Hills.
most of the time the cashiers don’t have to even make change...”
Schools no longer require knowing how to calculate change so most cashiers couldn’t do it unless their register tells them exactly how much you have coming back. Lot of stores in our area have automated machines that pump out the change. Pretty much idiot proof.
The idiots (rent a mob) just appeared at Pico & Beverly in Los Angeles as I was returning a movie.
Police EVERYWHERE.
Press obviously told they were going to have a made for Left Wing media event because all the news vans were there.
Picket during a depression, really?
Over paying $37 a month for your insurance, really?
My wife can’t get better than almost $700 a month and these jokers say, “Oh, it’s a depression. Our job isn’t that important and money comes in hand over fist, so lets strike?”
Fire these numb nuts and get other people happy to get a job.
I was from the EAST coast and a part of one of my grand father's family were all mobbed up and owned basically the Teamsters.
Unions are evil IMO, they close businesses down.
I don't converse with the bad wing of the family and though unions did good in the beginning, IMO they are a cancer in America today.
The BH store was remodeled maybe a year and a half ago. Looks nice but it’s still small! Possibly chose that store for the potentially high sympathy quotient what with so many Lefties in this town.
The last time I went loaded for bear and waiting for someone to approach me...musta thought I wasn't a good customer to try to intimidate...hope someone will make my day this time...:oP
I have noticed shops closing up, true. I haven’t noticed an unusual number of for-rent signs on my street and any vacancies we’ve had in my building lately have been quickly filled.
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