Tens of thousands of grocery workers have approved a strike over wage demands in Southern California.
The majority of grocery workers at stores from central California to the Mexican border voted to authorize a strike after local lawmakers failed to finalize a new contract by the end of the most recent agreement.
95% of those voting on the strike across seven unions approved the strike, according to a Saturday announcement from the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. The unions account for more than 47,000 grocery workers across 540 stores, according to the Los Angeles Times.
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The strikes arrive weeks after a three-year contract between the unions and select Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, and Ralphs grocery stores expired on March 6. Employee negotiations began in January but stalled out in early March. Workers are seeking higher wages, more hours for part-timers, and store-level health and safety committees, according to ABC 7.
“These companies can either come to the table ready to negotiate a fair deal, or we’re going to have to take this fight elsewhere,” Kathy Finn, the secretary-treasurer of UFCW Local 770 in Los Angeles, told the Los Angeles Times. Negotiations are scheduled to continue on Wednesday.
“Bargaining committees composed of front-line grocery workers and union leaders came prepared with proposals that would fairly increase wages and improve store conditions to reflect the needs of workers in a pandemic and post-pandemic world,” the union said in a statement on March 10 after authorizing the vote. “The corporations representing the stores offered pennies, a proposal that would ultimately be a pay cut due to inflation.”
“A strike authorization vote doesn’t mean a strike will happen, but it does create unnecessary concern for our associates and communities at a time when we should be coming together in good faith bargaining to find solutions and compromise,” grocery chain Ralphs said in response. “At Ralphs, we remain focused on settling a deal with the UFCW.”
“We have three very clear objectives; to put more money in our associates’ paychecks, keep groceries affordable for our customers, and to maintain a sustainable future for our business. By working together, we win together,” the company added.
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While every state in the United States has been affected by rising gas prices and inflation, California has seen notably higher prices than other states. Gas prices reached $6 a gallon in Los Angeles on March 22. These rising prices led California lawmakers to propose a $400 rebate to offset rising prices within the state.
