Grocery chains in SoCal form strike-lockout pact

AP via SFGate ^ | 4/4/7 | ALEX VEIGA

[SmithL]

Time to shop at Wal-Mart?

[Smogger]

Here we go again. Another calamitous strike/lockout. No problem. I can still goto Stater Bros which somehow manages to deal with it’s union and make money. Then there is Costco and Wal-mart.

It's the unions and the grocers in this state are engaged in a a suicide pact.

[Smogger]

Here we go again. Another calamitous strike/lockout. No problem. I can still goto Stater Bros which somehow manages to deal with it’s union and make money. Then there is Costco and Wal-mart.

It's the unions and the grocers in this state are engaged in a a suicide pact.

[Smogger]

Here we go again. Another calamitous strike/lockout. No problem. I can still goto Stater Bros which somehow manages to deal with it’s union and make money. Then there is Costco and Wal-mart.

It's the unions and the grocers in this state are engaged in a a suicide pact.

[discostu]

Didn’t Safeway in Cal just have a strike? Pretty bold move by the grocery chains to align against the unions like that.

[markman46]

you got that right, Stater bros and sam’s club for me

[SmithL]

Unionized grocery workers in Southern California will never recover all the money they lost during the last strike. Nevertheless, they’re going to surrender their paychecks, again.

Union officials will continue to be paid, just like last time.

[KarlInOhio]

Is it legal for companies to make pacts like this? I would have expected it to be a violation of anti-trust laws.

[Smogger]

They did the same thing a few years ago with disasterous results for everyone involved, well everyone but Costco, Wal-Mart, Stater Bros, and a ton of Mexican markets.

[SevenofNine]

I go to Staters bros and local Mexican grocery market here in SO CAL they sell good hot sauce there LOL!

[Fiji Hill]

I almost hope there’s a strike. At unionized supermarkets, only a few of the checkstands are usually manned, so shoppers always have to stand in line, but during the 2004 walkout, all of the checstands at the strikebound stores were manned by strikebreakers, so there were virtually no lines, and customer service was actually better.

By the way, I usually shop at Stater Brothers and Trader Joe’s because they don’t have “club cards.”

[winodog]

Good question. My guess is the rule of law in America is becoming a thing of the past especially in El Norte Mexico.

[NathanR]

Stater Bros will make a mint. Last strike, they were not affected, and when it ended we never went back to our old stores.

[SmithL]

I shop at Trader Joe’s for things I can’t find elsewhere, but it does get annoying being surrounded by so many people who know they’re so superior to me.

[TexasCajun]

Hope the union members don't roit and burn cars like the "Don't take my job" youths in Paris.

[miliantnutcase]

We just voted through our new contract here in MN. Everything went smoothly as usually, the general feeling we have is nobody wants to bite the hand that feeds them.
I work for Cub Foods here in the Twin Cities which is owned by Supervalu and we put up record profits from our stores the last consecutive years. Our employer was just fine with the new contract, but as usual the smaller less profitable companies don’t want to be bent over as easily-such as Rainbow Foods and the mom&pop stores. That’s the problem with so many companies dealing with one union and one contract. Just doesn’t make much sense.

[rottndog]

It’s completely legal. They did the exact same thing during the last strike.

I hope they do strike again...I like crossing picket lines.

[Smogger]

That’s the problem with so many companies dealing with one union and one contract. Just doesn’t make much sense.

Sure doesn't, which is why I assume Stater's has a seperate contract. They never have a strike.

[Smogger]

By the way, I usually shop at Stater Brothers and Trader Joe’s because they don’t have “club cards.”

Albertson's reward to customers who resumed shopping there after the last "lock-out" was to force them to get a club card, and to make them check out and bag their own groceries using kiosks.

[AirForceBrat23]

See, I went TO Trader Joe’s because the air at Whole Foods was too thick with smugness.