Vanity: Who here has (or will) cross the grocery store picket lines?

[ambrose]

Vanity: Who here has (or will) cross the grocery store picket lines?

[ambrose]

How do you feel about the fact that unions spend millions trying to elect anti-American socialists?

[mommadooo3]

Krogers, here in Ohio. THIS family WILL be crossing that picket line. AND it will be because we were a former UFCW member.

The UFCW is as dirty as the day is long.

Someone needs to do a search on Food Lion, New Riegel, Farmland Foods.

[goldstategop]

I don't necessarily agree with the union's leadership's view of politics. Nevertheless my sympathies are with the people who work hard, pay the bills, and live by the rules. And I will honor their resolve to get a fair contract at the bargaining table.

[WaterDragon]

My suggestion is that people not cross the lines as any kind of group, but singly, as Americans protesting the unions and the Democrats determination to tank our economy.

[WaterDragon]

Chains stores, yes, but many small shops and stores are being hit by strikes.

[MetalHeadConservative35]

wait? kroger's picketing again?

the last time this happened one of them was yellin at my mom she was like "ok fine you wanna settle this? i have the right to shop as much as you have the right to strike so shove it"

ill go and get some pepsi from my local kroger tomorrow see if they hassle me

[stands2reason]

my sympathies are with the people who work hard, pay the bills, and live by the rules.

And managers don't work hard?

[stands2reason]

I'm shocked to find pro-union posters in this forum.

[goldstategop]

They have the right to run their stores and workers have the right to collectively withold their labor. The free market has checks and balances that prevent too much disruption to the orderly functioning of our society and it works well enough left alone.

[goldstategop]

Unions made the middle class possible. They helped to elevate the standard of living and provide a better of life for millions more who don't belong to unions. It might shock you, but there's no contradiction between being a conservative and being a union member.

[kingu]

Just curious. How are small businesses affected? Aren't these chain stores?

Most Vons, Albertsons and Ralphs are located in strip malls, and the picket lines at all the driveways has been having a serious effect on small businesses. In my area, even the small businesses located near Stater Brothers is having a problem - due to the number of people coming to shop at Stater's, there is no parking left over for their customers.

I'd expect that come November, there will be a number of store closings from small businesses driven under by the union troubles of the big box stores.

[CyberAnt]

I shop at a Ralphs normally, but the Teamsters are helping the strikers and are refusing to deliver the supplies.

I've been told I can go to Food 4 Less. That's okay, but you can't always find what you need.

[goldstategop]

Stater Brothers signed a contract with its unions and has beem free of labor troubles and is open for business.

[goldstategop]

Teamsters truckers won't drive across picket lines. When supplies in the stores start running low every one will get back to talk on how to get back to work.

[bitcon]

$18 a day? That's nothing, here in BC it's $8 an hour minimum for whatever you do and a minimum of 4 hours per day you work. The UFCW union here for Safeway was ready to strike when it's some of it's workers make $26+ an hour.

[ambrose]

And what do you think of the union thugs who attempt to terrorize and intimidate people who want to buy some groceries?

[goldstategop]

I disapprove of violence and intimidation. Your past and future customers don't deserve to be manhandled even if you feel what they're doing is wrong. But no one in the labor movement likes a scab.

[kingu]

I don't necessarily agree with the union's leadership's view of politics. Nevertheless my sympathies are with the people who work hard, pay the bills, and live by the rules. And I will honor their resolve to get a fair contract at the bargaining table.

What is a fair contract? Is a fair contract one that includes free health care for part time employees? I can think of no job I can get outside of a grocery store that offers free health care for employees that work less than 30 hours a week.

Let's be honest: Why do insurance rates go up every year? It is because people pay the rates.

In the case of the MTA strike, and apparently in the case of the Vons strike, Unions are running the health insurance benefits fund and are charging the stores on average of $1,000 per month per employee. Go price insurance - take a look at what you can buy with $1,000 per month.

These strikes are over the refusal of the stores to continue paying 14% increases every year, and instead are willing to pay 8% increase. Which makes the fund short, which is what everyone's yelling about.

So, yes, I am crossing these union lines without a bit of guilt, because these people are overpayed.. Not in hourly salary (though $17.90 an hour to run a price scanner is a bit stiff) but in benefits they insist they have a RIGHT to. Benefits which are costing the store an average of $11.36 an hour in excess of the employee salary.

[AlaskaErik]

Unions made the middle class possible. They helped to elevate the standard of living and provide a better of life for millions more who don't belong to unions. It might shock you, but there's no contradiction between being a conservative and being a union member.

Unionism is nothing more than organized thuggery designed to extort money by threatening to withhold services. I believe people should have the right to strike, but I also believe management should have the right to fire those strikers. I belonged to a union once and the harassment and intimidation they used to pressure people to strike was unbelievable. You do not raise the standard of living by striking any more than you do by raising the minimum wage. Wages should be a function of supply and demand, not extortion or social engineering.

PS...come strike day, I crossed the picket line and kept my job. The strikers were fired and life was much better.

[WaterDragon]

Very good point.