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Organizing, Press Releases, Retail Food, Southern California Bargaining, UFCW Industries

Raley’s Nob Hill Division UFCW Local 5 Members Authorize Strike by 96%

May 18, 2012

(San Jose, CA) – United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 5 membersworking for Raley’s Nob Hill division have voted by a 96% margin toauthorize a strike.

Coming on the heels of Raley’s threat to submit a last, best and final offerto the union on April 30, Local 5 immediately set up meetings throughout itsjurisdiction to hold strike vote meetings. Members attended in large numbersand authorized the union’s bargaining committee to call a strike.

Subsequent to Raley’s move to scuttle bargaining the parties agreed to enterfederal mediation.

“”Raley’s actions led the union to call a strike vote in the Nob Hilldivision. When a company threatens to submit a last, best and final offer itsets off a sequence of events that inevitably lead to either accepting aterrible offer or a strike. Both options are bad, but since we alreadycancelled one strike vote in a sign of good faith to further bargaining, weweren’t going to cancel this one. This overwhelming vote will send a strongmessage to the company and hopefully move negotiations to a successfulconclusion,”" stated Ron Lind, President UFCW Local 5.

Negotiations resume with Raley’s-Nob Hill on May 18 under the auspices ofthe Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in Oakland.

Southern California Bargaining, Uncategorized

Union gives back to community

Nov 16, 2011 (0) Comments

from Liset Márquez, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

MONTCLAIR – From packaging food for holiday distribution to helping decorate for Thanksgiving, nearly 150 members of United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1428 were volunteering at various Inland Empire locations on Monday for a “Day of Service.”

The day of action was to thank local communities for their support during the union’s recent eight months of negotiations, said Connie Leyva, president of UFCW Local 1428.

“We wanted to give back with a day of service for our community who supported us,” she said.

In Montclair, about 18 union members occupied two classrooms at Kingsley Elementary School where they helped pack socks and toiletries for up to 100 people. They also helped pack bright yellow bags of food as well as gift certificates for shoes. Flu shots were provided for children and family members.

Ron Dietzman, the school’s assistant principal, said UFCW Local 1428 has partnered with Kingsley for nearly 15 years, providing pre-packaged meals for Thanksgiving and toys for Christmas.

“They’ve been helping us for years, and it’s fantastic,” he said.

Rachel Almazan of Rancho Cucamonga was among the volunteers at the Montclair site.

Almazan, who works for Rite-Aid and has been a union member for 39 years, has volunteered at the school site before.

“We sort of adopted this school,” she said. “We just want to give back to our community for their support.”

Almazan, who was helping hand out food, said she enjoys volunteering.

In Pomona, members also assisted in similar services for family members at Trinity United Methodist Church.

Members of UFCW Local 1428 also decorated a facility for a Thanksgiving celebration at Ability First in Claremont. Families in Ontario were able to receive food for the holidays from union volunteers who were at Feed the Children.

Collective Bargaining, Kroger, Press Releases, Retail Food, Safeway, Southern California Bargaining, UFCW Industries

UFCW MEMBERS REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GROCERS

Sep 19, 2011

(Los Angeles, Calif.) – Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union working at Ralphs (Kroger), Vons (Safeway) and Albertsons (Supervalu) in Southern California reached a tentative agreement today with the companies.

The tentative agreement was reached after 8 months of negotiating and strong involvement and activism by the 62,000 grocery workers and widespread support of customers and allies across the region.  The UFCW is grateful to Scot Beckenbaugh, Deputy Director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services, for his guidance through the bargaining process.

UFCW members will vote on the proposals in meetings over the coming week. The agreement increases wages, protects health care and pension benefits throughout the life of the 3-year contract.

The new contract, once ratified, will cover 62,000 UFCW grocery workers, the largest bargaining unit in the UFCW.  An additional 28,000 grocery workers at regional chains like Stater Brothers, Food 4 Less, Gelson’s Market and other markets are covered by the successful resolution of the Southern California contract.  The contract covering 45,000 grocery workers in Northern California expires in October.