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U.S. supermarket employer is taken to court:
Recruited workers with false names and social security numbers

A lawsuit was filed Monday in federal court in Los Angeles under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, following a similar suit filed Friday in state court accusing Ralphs markets of racketeering.  According to economists this is "serious business' and could have major implications in this strike.

Ralphs is a division of Kroger, one of the three supermarket companies engaged in the U.S. labour conflict.

Both lawsuits allege that Ralphs - which locked its employees out Oct. 11 - has recruited UFCW members to work at its stores using false names and Social Security numbers.

In addition, Ralphs allegedly coerced some workers - particularly immigrants - by telling them the only way they would have jobs after the strike would be if they crossed the picket lines now.

Those workers then were sent to stores other than the ones where they normally worked so that they would not be recognized by co-workers or customers.

According to the chief economist with the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. "If this is true, it's a definite violation of the law, and could move the situation.  It's obvious they are going for the gold here and they are not just looking to win the strike, but to break the union as well."