As British retailer Tesco prepares to debut its Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market stores on Nov. 8, a coalition of labor groups is mounting what it calls an "education campaign" calling attention to the grocer's use of non-union workers.

Members of the California Food and Drug Council met this week in Los Angeles to discuss a united response to Tesco's arrival in California, Nevada and Arizona. The retailer plans to open more than 100 stores by 2009, including 48 in the Inland region.

The food and drug coalition has been in place for the past three decades and focuses on public education programs touting the benefits of working and buying union. It has about 30 affiliates, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the United Food and Commercial Workers, the International Union of Operating Engineers and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.

The group says its affiliates represent hundreds of thousands of union workers in the retail food and drug industries. Grocery workers at more than 180 Inland Stater Bros., Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons stores are represented by the UFCW.

The coalition's director, Ellen Anreder, said Friday about 100 labor leaders, from all three states where Tesco plans stores, met Monday in downtown Los Angeles to discuss strategies for the coming weeks. She said the group has met several times since Tesco's 2006 announcement of its first U.S. stores.

"Tesco's stores in the United Kingdom are staffed by union employees," coalition president Paul Kenny said in the statement. "But they seem to be determined to make their American operation non-union.

In a statement Friday, Simon Uwins, chief marketing officer for Fresh & Easy, responded that the company is "committed to being a great place to work."

"We conducted extensive research in the U.S. market and we listened," Uwins said. "What we heard was, above all, employees want to be treated with respect. We believe growth opportunities, flexibility and providing competitive rewards are key to a positive workplace."

Reach Lou Hirsh at 951-368-9559 or lhirsh@PE.com.