At their March 28th bargaining session, employers of Puget Sound grocery workers said they wanted to establish a tone of mutual respect with Puget Sound bargaining committee members. However, their first non-economic proposals told a different story.
 

Meyer and QFC are Fortune 50 companies.  And Kroger Chairman David Dillon said recently, “Our associates' commitment will continue to enable us to deliver the service and value our customers expect.”

Dillon and Safeway's CEO, Steve Burd, have both made public claims that their financial success is due to the commitment of the workers.  And it's true: union members' dedicated performance on the job earns strong customer loyalty and solid profit margins.

These companies talk a good game — but actions speak louder than words. It's time for these profitable companies to deliver on their commitments at the bargaining table.

Below are some highlights of what they proposed. The employers' proposals include:

• Future stores would open non-union.
• Take away 5 holidays and convert them to paid personal days. This would eliminate holiday pay and time-and-a-half pay on every holiday but Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• Eliminate overtime after 8 hours worked in a day.
• Expand Courtesy Clerk duties to include stocking shelves.
• Take away workers' right to stand together with fellow union members by honoring picket lines.
• No Sunday pay for new hires.
• Eliminate evening and night premiums for new hires.
• Eliminate language that requires workers to receive at least 10 cents above State Minimum Wage
• Extend probationary period to 90 days
• Increase helper clerk hours from 12% to 20% of total hours scheduled
• Allow management to operate any store on Christmas day

Some of the proposed meat language changes include:

• Allow management to operate any store on Christmas day

• Eliminate meat cutter on duty language

• Eliminate 40 hour guarantee for meat employees

• Eliminate overtime over 8 hours in a day

• Convert 5 national holidays to personal holidays eliminating holiday pay and the holiday premium  for all holidays except Thanksgiving and Christmas

• Reduce the holiday premium to 11/2

• No Sunday premium for new hires

• Increase probationary period to 90 days

• Expand management rights clause

• Allow each employer to decide who works the service deli departments---  (meat employees or grocery employees at a much lower rate)

• New language to prevent employees from exercising rights granted under the National Labor Relations Act

• Eliminate language that requires workers to receive at least 10 cents above State Minimum Wage

The negotiating committee will respond to the companies’ proposals at the next meeting, which is scheduled for April 4.