As the UFCW president and director Shaun Barclay says, "This pact fits the same pattern of their actions three years ago when they forced UFCW members and their families into the streets and disrupted shoppers for nearly five months in a grab to end meaningful health care coverage for employees."
UFCW] the pay hikes that the CEO's of these supermarkets received last year attests to their improving profitability proving that the supermarkets are crying wolf. [UFCW]
However, the situation has turned around and currently the workers are once again bargaining with the supermarket chains. Unlike three years ago, this time the Union is negotiating with the supermarkets individually. [Uprising] the plan seems to workout better for the Union. As a positive trend, the UFCW has successfully negotiated good contracts with Stater Bros and Gelsons, two comparatively smaller supermarket stores. [UFCW]. If these two smaller supermarkets can do this without the luxury of economies of scale that the big Supermarkets enjoy, it is fair enough to expect them to come up with similar agreeable contracts for their employees. As a positive precedence, the UFCW Local 204 in North Carolina has reached an acceptable contract (improved pay and health benefits) with the Kroger supermarket chain in the region. [UFCW] it is only expected that the three big Supermarkets in California would follow suit and avert a crisis which would invariably be a lose situation for everyone concerned.
Bibliography
Abigail Goldman, "Grocers lose their Wal-Mart leverage,"...
Accessed May 8th 2007, Available online at, http://www.groceryworkersunited.org/walmart_excuse_not_working.htm
UFCW, "Supermarket Workers Nationwide Call for Good Jobs and Affordable Health Care," Accessed May 8th 2007, Available online at, http://www.ufcw.org/press_room/index.cfm?pressReleaseID=305
UFCW, "Talks Break Off Between Grocery Workers and Southern California
Supermarkets," Accessed May 8th 2007, Available online at, http://www.ufcw.org/press_room/index.cfm?pressReleaseID=304
Alex Veiga, "Southern California Grocery Workers Aim to Reverse Contract Setbacks," Accessed May 8th 2007, Available online at, http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003558504_supermarketlabor06.html
5) UFCW, " SOCal Workers Demand Fair Treatment," Accessed May 8th 2007,
Available online at, http://www.groceryworkersunited.org/campaigns_socal.htm
Uprising, "Grocery Workers Brace for a Possible Strike,"
Accessed May 8th 2007, Available online at http://uprisingradio.org/home/?p=1385
UFCW, "Local 204 Reaches Tentative Agreement with Kroger,"
Accessed May 8th 2007, Available online at, http://www.groceryworkersunited.org/Bargaining%20Updates/ufcw_local_204_tentative_agree.htm
Amaris White, "Safeway Grocery Workers May Strike," Accessed May 8th 2007, Available online at, http://www.dailycal.org/sharticle.php?id=17090
UFCW, "Supermarket Profits," Accessed May 8th 2007, Available online at, http://www.respectufcw.com/profits
