Grocery strike avoided; deal called 'win-win' for both sides

[nadinbrzezinski]

Officials with the United Food and Commercial Workers confirmed Monday that they had reached a three-year labor contract with Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons, averting a grocery strike that would have idled more than 54,000 workers across Southern California.

Officials from the union and the three grocery chains reached the deal after spending more than 24 hours in continual negotiations.

The talks, which have dragged on for months, grew more urgent after a deadline for a possible grocery strike passed Sunday evening.

In a joint statement, Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons said, "We are pleased to have reached a tentative settlement agreement with the union that continues to preserve good wages, secure pensions and access to quality, affordable healthcare -- while allowing us to be competitive in the marketplace."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/09/grocery-strike-albertsons-vons-ralphs.html

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I'm really looking forward to hearing the details!

I hope it truly is a win-win...

Strikes can be very damaging for both sides.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. And in this case I suspect the corporations also realized

that like 2002 the people were behind the Unions... that must be jarring

[SoapBox]

2. Cool!

...yup, the devil is always in the details.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Yup and we will see

still the support they got from the general public and lack of scabs I think surprised them

[Booster]

5. I hope the 'win-win' favors the employees. Just sayin'.

[Booster]

6. I also wanted to add that these big grocery companies don't

seem to realize how special their employees become to us shoppers. They almost become our friends as they help us find what we're looking for, greet us at every turn, and check us out with true sincerity for how we feel. These folks are absolute assets to the companies they work for. I have a feeling if we all had the chance to have a beer with the CEO or the cashier, we would all pick the cashier.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. The husband of one of my baggers died

a while ago... I felt the need to put some money in the jar to help... as you said, we know them.

[Booster]

9. And I just know that bagger cried when she got the jar. There's

just something special about grocery workers and I can't pinpoint it, but they always make me feel like they care about me and if there's anything they can do to help me, from finding something to actually putting my groceries into my car. I'm sure there are some assholes, but I have never met one in my store.

[Fire Walk With Me]

7. Good news. It was so difficult for the workers, that last time.