The local unions representing grocery store workers said Thursday that they've authorized a vote to strike after contract negotiations with Southern California grocery store chains faltered.
Members of seven local grocery store unions will vote March 21 to March 23. The vote will determine whether a potential strike will commence. A strike in the region has not occurred since 2003.
The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 770 said the contract for about 60,000 Southern California grocery store workers at more than 500 stores expired at midnight Sunday. After 12 days of negotiations with the owners of Ralphs and Albertsons/Vons/Pavillions, talks have now stopped said Bertha Rodríguez, a spokesperson for the union.
"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. "The corporations representing the stores offered pennies, a proposal that would ultimately be a pay cut due to inflation."
While the three-year contract has expired and a new one has not been agreed upon, "all terms and conditions of the contract remain in effect," according to an update earlier this week by UFCW Local 135, the union that represents grocery store workers in San Diego County and Imperial Valley.
Todd Walters, president of UFCW Local 135, told the Union-Tribune that they want an increase in pay from their new contract.
"Our members went through hell for the last two years," Walters said in a phone interview. "They deserve a living wage to survive in San Diego. We've shown the community that they are essential workers. Now it's time we treat them as such."
The cost of living in Southern California has only gotten more expensive from gas prices to essentials at the grocery store. San Diego's inflation has soared to its highest point in 40 years.
Walters said that many of the union's members are making $2 to $4 above minimum wage and also working a second job and living with roommates to make ends meet.
In addition to an increase in wages, Walters said they are negotiating to increase the minimum number of hours that part-time workers can be scheduled. He said they are also close to locking down language in the contract that protects workers from being kept after their scheduled hours.
Negotiations with the grocery store companies have been going on since January. In previous remarks at rallies, Walters has said the union will not accept going months without a fair deal, which was the case in 2019 when workers came close to walking off the job.
Ralphs said in a statement that the company remains focused on reaching a deal with the union and that "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."
Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions also said that the company is committed to reaching a collaborative agreement with the union "to ensure that we reach an agreement that is fair to our employees, good for our customers, and allows Albertsons, Vons, and Pavilions to remain competitive in the Southern California market."
The UFCW Local 135 website says that walk-through voting will take place at three locations in Escondido, Chula Vista and San Diego.
