UFCW Worker. Photo Courtesy of Los Angeles County Federation of Labor Website.

LOS FELIZ—On June 14, clergy and community members joined grocery workers in a march for better conditions for grocery employees.

The march began at 10 a.m. at the Vons supermarket on 4520 W. Sunset Blvd. and ended at a Los Feliz Albertsons at 1 p.m. The unionized grocery workers are allegedly fighting for a fair contract at Vons, Albertsons and Ralphs supermarkets. The rally and march were held in an attempt to avoid a strike, which they have already authorized and might utilize if negotiations are not settled.

The latest union contract was reached in 2007 but expired on March 6; however, the contract was extended to the end of the month by which time a new contract benefiting both parties was never developed, leading to the day-to-day contract now in place. This contract may be canceled by either side so long as they provide notice of the desire to cancel within 72 hours.

President of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 770, Rick Icaza, said in a statement: “We are asking our members to authorize negotiators to call a strike if negotiations do not proceed in a timely manner. Management cannot continue to insult their employees and customers in this way.”

On June 10, the UFCW Local 770 posted a contract update on their website, ufcw770.org. According to the webpage, management and the union reached a tentative agreement regarding employees’ trust funds. The health care costs to employees have not changed, and this is reportedly a problem for the union as the workers are being expected to pay more than in the past.

“[Management’s] plan would shift an estimated 80% of future cost increases to you by increasing premiums, cutting benefits, and limiting your access to certain benefits. These changes will increase the cost of your health care to unaffordable levels,” states UFCW in a prepared statement.  

“We’re so far apart, if something doesn’t happen soon, we will have a strike,” said Icaza.  

According to UFCW, state assembly members are visiting stores in their districts in support of the grocery workers. Also supporting the grocery workers is the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO. On June 14, the L.A. County Federation of Labor stated that “delegations of clergy and grocery workers will deliver letters signed by over 400 local clergy demanding a fair contract for grocery workers to Vons and Albertsons management.”

In 2003, 70,000 Southern California grocery workers went on strike and lockout against salary and benefit cuts. The strike cost the supermarkets about $2 billion in profits. Contract agreements were not settled until a few months later the following year, in 2004, creating a two-tiered system both sides apparently consented with for the lapse of time the contract was in place.

In 2007, a four-year contract agreement was settled without the need for a strike.

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