Bracing for grocery strike

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-bz.grocery22mar22,0,5035973.story

Bargaining stalled, Safeway, Giant Food seek temporary workers

By Andrea K. Walker | Sun reporter
March 22, 2008

Union leaders representing workers in contract negotiations with Giant Food and Safeway said yesterday that they are bracing members for a strike as talks with the area's two largest grocers stall.

Safeway and Giant Food, meanwhile, have begun advertising for temporary workers as contracts covering 23,000 workers near expiration March 31.

The companies said hiring additional staffing is standard during contract negotiations. Safeway said in a newspaper advertisement that the hiring of temporary employees was in "preparation for a possible labor dispute." The grocers said they plan to keep stores open if there is a strike.

Safeway and Giant referred calls about the labor bargaining to attorney Harry Burton, who is leading negotiations for the two grocers. He declined to comment on specifics.

Leaders of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 400 in Landover and Local 27 in Baltimore said the supermarkets are seeking concessions that they are not willing to give.

"At this point there very likely could be a work stoppage," said Tim Goins, vice president and director of legislation for UFCW Local 27. "There hasn't been a whole lot of movement from the company."

FULL story at link.

These companies have to compete with Walmart. You know that company with the largest discrimination against women suit ever. No benefits. But Kroger found after the California strike that it needed to raise pay and benefits to get good workers. When you shop at Walamrt, you really support sending jobs to China etc...

[uppityperson]

1. Thanks for the notice.

I very seldom shop at our local Safeway due to personality conflicts with the manager (not just treatment of me but of several people I know). I've been considering them again since some of there stuff was less expensive, nice to get notice of this. Costco is becoming my major store.