Safeway CEO stands firm (SoCal grocery strike)

CONTRA COSTA TIMES ^ | 10/17/2003 | Janet Adamy

[Snerfling]

Safeway's chief executive said Thursday that striking Southern California grocery workers won't get a better contract offer as the Pleasanton grocer reported another quarter of lackluster sales.

The nation's third-largest supermarket chain said it is willing to take a temporary hit at its 289 Vons stores -- where picketers are turning customers away -- in exchange for cheaper labor costs in the long run.

[sarasota]

Stand tough against unions.

[socal_parrot]

I'll be shopping at Ralph's tomorrow.



Actually it will be my wife. I don't want to get beat up.

[Agnes Heep]

These supermarket employees are trying to make a full-time, high-paying career of something that can be done by teenage school kids working part time for minimum wage. The only way they can do it, apparently, is by force.

[Roughneck]

-- in exchange for cheaper labor costs in the long run.

And lower prices for consumers!

I have repect for businesses that will stand their ground, it's better for us all in the long run....

Down with UNIONS!

[lady lawyer]

The regular grocery chains are getting killed by WalMart, Target, Costco, and the like. These strikers are hurrying the process along and killing the source of their own livelihoods in the process. This is especially stupid because grocery jobs have always been pretty well-paying jobs for people without education and skills. But then, I guess you expect people without education and skills to do stupid things.

[Snerfling]

I've made a point of crossing the picket lines and shopping each day of the strike so far. I've only had one instance of a worker saying anything to the effect of 'I hope you're not buying much'.

I think it's a joke that people are enduring X-mas shopping like parking situations, empty shelves and long lines at Trader Joes, Statler Bros, etc when the majors are fully stocked and ready to go. (The strikers' nightmare of the temp workers quickly learning their monkey skill jobs is also quickly becoming a reality.)

Whatever reticence shoppers may have had to avoid any confrontation seems to be dissipating. The first day I was the only person in the store; yesterday there was maybe a dozen. This weekend will be the breaker.

One Ralph's has gotten smart and put out a security guard; not to really protect anyone (the guy was 70), but to provide an independent witness in the case of assault, etc. It seems the strikers' tactics are already reflecting this reality as they move more towards cooperation (leaflets, etc) rather than beligerance.

The most inane part of this whole thing are those that support the strike as if higher wages will add more money to the local economy. If that's the case, why not treble their pay and unionize Home Depot, et al while we're at it?

We'll all be rich through the magic of economics. (/sarcasm)

[Smogger]

These supermarket employees are trying to make a full-time, high-paying career of something that can be done by teenage school kids working part time for minimum wage. The only way they can do it, apparently, is by force

Your wrong. Many of the picketers I have seen ARE teenage school kids. Anyhow I will goto Food 4 Less, and Stater Bros rather then cross the picket lines at Albertsons, Vons, or Ralphs. Vons and Ralphs are outragously expensive, and I never shop there anyhow, and I don't have much sympathy for them since it's not a strike but a lockout.

People have a lot of choices for grocery store shopping in So. California at least here in the IE where I live so don't expect people to start crossing the picket lines anytime soon. Also the Food warehouse employees walkout soon in a show of support, so it's going to get a lot worse before it gets beeter.

[Snerfling]

Try the Albertson's at SeaCliff Village. I think the stikers have already given up - they're very complacent now handing out their little leaflets. Between the kids coming over from HB high school and the upper income make-up of the area, people aren't taking any guff.

Did note that all the women had their husbands/boyfriends with them. My wife is enjoying having me run all the errands this week.

[Snerfling]

Food4Less is yucky - they always seem to be in the barrio. Reminds me of going down to Norwalk or Santa Ana to file any county paperwork. TJ all the way.

[socal_parrot]

Thanks. That's not too far from my house (My kid HBHS '95). I am going with my wife to play bodyguard and make sure nobody messes with the car.

[Roughneck]

Did note that all the women had their husbands/boyfriends with them.

Women should not be afraid to cross picket lines. Not crossing is a courtesy only - to show support for higher wages for thse un skilled workers.

There are laws in this country that are supposed to prevent physical violence - if a picketer hurt a shopper - Hoo Boy! law-suit city for the union worker. . . .

[laotzu]

"The strikers' nightmare of the temp workers quickly learning their monkey skill jobs is also quickly becoming a reality"

Good news, beautifully worded. Thanks for the update.

[riri]

Never go there anyway.

[showme_the_Glory]

All except for the most violent of the picketers, usually all the membership is offered amnesty to return to work (no matter how much property they defaced or customers they drove away). It just makes me sick to see all the damage they cause and then to have to welcome them back with open arms when the finally get hungry enough to do what they were already overpaid to do. Unions make me want to puke.

[diotima]

On Wednesday, I went to Pavillion's to pick up some groceries and I heard the sign-holding kids talking about how much they are getting paid to hold the signs. (Shouldn't this union money be going to the poor dis-enfranchised workers?)

The people outside the store are not the employees, they are people hired to "strike."

I doubt people will be able to stay away much longer. I gladly cross the picket lines, but even if I decided not to cross, there are no other stores near me where I can shop. It will just be a matter of time. Plenty people pay a co-pay on their health care plan, I can't imagine there will be much sympathy.

[Smogger]

They're not strikers. They are locked out. The unions originally planned only to picket one store at a time starting with overpriced Vons. (I don't shop at any store that requires me to carry an ID card in order to take advantage of sales so they can track my purchases and build a database of what I buy) So management decided to lockout all employees out of all stores. No prob. I'll just goto Stater Bros and Food 4 Less (owned by Ralphs and covered under a different contract)

[Hildy]

Top grocery store employees earn $17.65 hr. plus benefits including full medical, dental and pension. Their replacements this week are earning $19 here in San Diego. And you wonder why you pay $4 for a loaf of freakin bread.

[Smogger]

Food4Less is yucky - they always seem to be in the barrio. Reminds me of going down to Norwalk or Santa Ana to file any county paperwork. TJ all the way.

Yes Food4Less's do tend to be in lower income areas, but SINCE I AM NOT ALLERGIC TO POOR PEOPLE I have no problem shopping there. Not to mention their prices on are unbeatable. No other grocery store chain even comes close to matching their prices. How can any other store compete when Food4Less doesn't have baggers or stockers?

Their meat is kinds of yucky though so I goto Albertsons for that.

[Smogger]

$4 for a loaf of freakin bread.

You pay $4 for a loaf of bread in San Diego? What is their only one grocery store there? Your getting robbed.