Grocery Workers’ Union and Supermarkets Remain Far Apart on Wages and Medical Benefits

 

Los Angeles, CA -- After more than five months of contract negotiations, the Union representing Southern California grocery workers and the parent companies of Albertsons, Ralphs, and Vons/Pavilions remain far apart at the bargaining table. Despite media reports to the contrary, an agreement on health care has not been reached.
 

Rick Icaza, President of the United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 770, released the following statement:
 

“We have not reached an agreement on health care. The employers have proposed an unacceptable scheme that will bankrupt the grocery workers’ health care fund and leave workers and their families vulnerable to unaffordable premiums and significantly reduced benefits during the term of the contract and in the years to come.
 

“Further, grocery workers haven’t had a cost of living wage increase for nearly five years and are slipping further and further behind. We have been at the bargaining table for more than five long months and have yet to see a proposal from the supermarkets on wages. This is a violation of federal laws governing collective bargaining.
 

“Meanwhile, supermarket profits have continued to grow at the expense of workers, exceeding $8 billion in profits last year alone. Southern California grocery workers are suffering while corporate shareholders are profiting. There is no question that these multi-billion corporations can afford to pay a fair wage that keeps up with the cost of living and fund an affordable health care plan for workers and their children. If it takes a strike to secure these basic worker rights, then we will. We don’t want to strike but we will if forced to by the corporations.”

 

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