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UFCW Locals in Southern California: Listen to the workers: 'Our Story: Why We're Holding the Line'--VideoWorker
Testimonials In Their Own Words--Video Clips
Download (mp3)
or listen to
the picket line song made by UFCW member Phillip Meza, aka 'Mr. Picket
Man'
Affordable
health care coverage is the difference between life and death - striking worker
Cathi Schafer at the AFL-CIO Rally to endorse John Kerry Pictures from UFCW Local 135 Rally in San Diego on 4 February Links to brief audio reports on negotiations at UFCW Local 135 website:
Video made by member of UFCW Local 1428 (Link to picture slide show)
Real Player File
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UFCW supermarket workers saved their health care, return to work after 20 weeks on strike
UFCW members in Southern California voted 86 percent to ratify a new agreement affecting 70,000 grocery workers at almost 900 stores, with three supermarket companies, Safeway, Kroger and Albertsons, on February 26, 2004. "The Southern California grocery workers took a courageous stand - and they were able to save affordable health care and maintain pension benefits for tens of thousands of grocery workers and their families", says AFL-CIO president John Sweeney. (3 March 2004) Workers were
given no choice but to fight:
"UFCW members have never faced, nor has any UFCW-represented employer ever made a more extreme or drastic demand—a demand that would have effectively eliminated affordable health care benefits, as did the supermarket employers in Southern California. The UFCW, its local unions and its members rose to the challenge." (1 March 2004) John Kerry
visited UFCW picket lines:
Press reports
in California: According to press reports, a tentative agreement has been reached to end the strike and lockout of UFCW supermarket workers in California. KCAL9, an independent TV station in Los Angeles, said in its evening news last night that the UFCW Locals did not immediately want to disclose its contents, but that their members could start voting on it as early as on Friday (today). This morning, Los Angeles Times says that voting could take three or four days, after which the pickets would be removed, if the deal is accepted by the workers, as predicted. (27 February 2004) Unions advise
responsible investors not to hold Safeway shares:
Commerce trade unions around the world are closely following the supermarket workers' strike in Southern California. They are well aware that a similar situation could emerge in Europe, Asia, Australia or any part of the world unless UFCW and its members succeed in defending grocery workers' healthcare insurance, wages, pensions and other benefits. (24 February 2004) California trade unions plan state-wide boycott of Safeway:Workers of all professions close ranks behind UFCW supermarket strike The entire labour movement in California will enter the active fight for affordable healthcare, which UFCW members in Southern California have waged for almost five months. Lead by the California Labor Federation, a broad movement of trade unions and community organisations plan to launch a boycott and to extend picketing of Safeway stores to the entire state. (24 February 2004) Intensive negotiations between UFCW and supermarket employers, workers and supporters arrested at rallies Negotiations to end the supermarket workers' strike and lockout in Southern California continued into the weekend. No statements were made on their progress, as requested by the government mediator, but local press comments expressed some optimism as the efforts to solve the conflict went into its 12th consecutive day on Sunday. More than 40 striking supermarket workers and supporters were arrested on Friday when they blocked the entry to Vons and Pavilion stores. (23 February 2004) Wall Street analyst says Wal-Mart threat to Safeway & Co. is overestimated A leading stock market analyst says that Wal-Mart's threat to the large supermarket competitors is "being greatly overestimated in big cities". In his report on Wal-Mart, Merrill Lynch analyst Mark Husson says that Safeway, Kroger and Albertsons are competing successfully in these areas and actually gaining market share, at the expense of weaker retailers. (23 February 2004) Will parents
afford a doctor when a child gets ill?
The 70,000 striking and locked out supermarket workers in Southern California receive growing support and sympathy from consumers and community leaders. Last Thursday, religious, political, trade union and community leaders linked arms in front of Vons and Pavilions stores in Santa Monica, San Pedro, Los Angeles and Mission Viejo, effectively shutting them down. This is not only the largest strike in UFCW's history. The future of the American way of life is at stake. Will the supermarket workers succeed in defending their right to earn a decent living through their work, and to go to a doctor when a child gets ill? For all workers in the United States, and indeed around the world, it is important that the power of corporate greed is stopped now and here. John Kerry is now being supported by the U.S. trade union movement to be the next president of the United States. He has pledged to send George W. Bush back to Texas and to restore fundamental human values, among them workers' right to join a trade union - and to quality healthcare. (21 February 2004) Negotiations continue in California, Ahold's Stop & Shop signs collective agreement with health insurance Negotiations to resolve the supermarket strike and lockout in California are continuing. According to Los Angeles Times, negotiators spent eight hours at the collective bargaining table yesterday, and will continue today. Altogether 70,000 supermarket workers are on strike, or locked out, since more than four months. In New England, a collective agreement has been concluded between UFCW Locals and Ahold-subsidiary Stop & Shop. The 42,000 workers in 220 stores, who were prepared to strike if necessary, successfully defended their health insurance. (19 February 2004) Full storyStriking supermarket
worker's open letter to customers: "I am the one 'they' promised if I give up all my evenings, all my weekends, and all my holidays with my family, 'THEY WILL REWARD' me with a decent pension and benefit plan, so I won't need to go on welfare when I am old." On the UFCW Local 324 website, a supermarket worker on strike writes an open letter to faithful customers, calling for their support. (19 February 2004)
"We
see the strain on their kids every day"
Archdiocese
calls for 'personal commitment': Cardinal Roger Mahony asks the parties to the US supermarket strike to commit themselves to 'creative compromises' that could end the four month old conflict. This follows the employers' uncompromising 'NO' to last week's offer from the UFCW locals to end the strike and to accept binding mediation. Negotiations are, however, expected to continue this week under the leadership of a government mediator.
UFCW offers to end
strike and accept binding mediation:
UNI Commerce affiliate UFCW made an offer yesterday to end the supermarket workers' strike in California and move into binding mediation instead. This offer was immediately turned down by the three retail giants Safeway, Kroger and Albertsons. More than anything, this proves that the three employers have set their sights on copying Wal-Mart's low-wage and no-benefits concept, and are not prepared to seek a fair solution to the conflict. (5 February 2004)
Supermarket
strike goes to Wall Street:
California
Attorney General sues the three supermarket giants:
Defending
health care and respectable living conditions:  Standing
united to save affordable health care, workers, community members,
public officials and leaders in the faith community came together
throughout California this weekend, on the 100th day of the strike/lock
out of the 70,000 Safeway/Vons, Kroger/Ralphs and Albertsons workers, to
show their resolve and to commemorate the memory of Rev. Martin Luther
King Jr."We will win this strike for all California families and all working families," said John Burnett, 25-year Kroger/Ralph’s employee and a member of UFCW Local 1167 at a San Jose rally. (20 January 2004) Huge
bonuses to bosses, workers denied affordable healthcare: As if the grocers' attack against their workers was not enough, Californians are beginning to feel what it means to have Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor. He has initiated cuts in public healthcare funding and wants to limit the number of children who receive state-financed medical coverage. (19 January 2004) Supermarket
strike continues: U.S.
supermarket employer is taken to court: UFCW
agreement in Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia: UFCW
members are fighting for all commercial workers: UFCW
members are fighting for all commercial workers: Wal-martize
wages and employment conditions at any cost: California
Congressman to Safeway's CEO:
Striking
supermarket workers get political support: Dick Gephardt, a leading member of the United States Congress, has come out strongly in support of the 80,000 striking UFCW members in Southern California and other parts of the country. The well known Missouri congressman, who is competing for the democratic presidential nomination later this year, visited a California picket line yesterday (Wednesday 3 December). Together with his wife, Gephardt briefly joined the picketing workers, carrying signs and chanting "scabs out, union in". (4 December 2003)
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UFCW supermarket workers saved their health care, return to their jobs after 20 weeks on strike (03.03.2004) John Kerry told UFCW pickets he will repeal Bush's tax cuts for wealthy and use money for families' health care (01.03.2004) One of the most successful strikes in history - UFCW supermarket workers were given no choice but to fight (01.03.2004) International support for UFCW supermarket strike - unions advise investors not to hold Safeway shares (24.02.2004) UFCW supermarket workers' strike - Wall Street analyst says Wal-Mart threat to Safeway&Co. is overestimated (23.02.2004) Intensive negotiations between UFCW and supermarket employers, workers and supporters arrested at rallies (23.02.2004) UFCW Local 135 message to its members on how negotiations are proceeding - link to audio file (23.02.2004) Will parents afford a doctor when a child gets ill - UFCW strike a confrontation with corporate greed (21.02.2004) Letter from UFCW Locals to supermarket CEO's explaining the issue and calling for fair resolution (13.02.2004) Los Angeles Cardinal calls for personal commitment to end supermarket strike and lockout (09.02.2004) UFCW offers to accept biding mediation - employers 'NO' proves they want to crush the workers (05.02.2004)
You're heroes, hang in there, you're going to win this thing, Gephardt tells striking supermarket workers (04.12.2003) US supermarket strike soon into its third month (02.12.2003)
UFCW continues to hold the line for health care - Teamsters refuse to cross picket lines (25.11.2003) UFCW members spearhead union fight to save US health care (Updated 10.11.2003) (09.11.2003) UFCW Local 770 in Los Angeles, California (PDF files): (09.11.2003) Safeway boss Burd sold company shares for 20 million USD before attacking workers' health insurance (08.11.2003)
"Hold the line for America's healthcare" (07.11.2003) |
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Uni Commerce and Uni-Europa Commerce, Geneva jan.furstenborg@union-network.org
frieda.gazzini@union-network.org
Go to: About Us - News Desk - Affiliates Only - Welcome |
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"In
Southern California, workers were given no choice but to fight."
Commenting on the agreement which will now put an end to almost five
months of supermarket workers' strike, UFCW President Doug Dority
said that the strike was "also one of the most successful
strikes in history."
