Update on California grocery strike, including violence

I discovered some reporting on this strike in the Palm Springs Desert Sun, including this story: “Shoppers find their way back to Ralphs.”

“Slow lines, active cash registers and busy parking lots Monday continued to set local Ralphs grocery stores apart from its Vons and Albertsons counterparts.”

“While all three stores have hired replacement workers during the Southern California grocery strike, Ralphs is the only chain that does not have picket lines outside its doors.”

“Leaders from UFCW pulled the picket lines from Ralphs and had those strikers join those in front of Vons and Albertsons about three weeks after the strike began.”

“Edna Bonacich, a professor of Sociology and Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Riverside, said she believed the move was meant to divide Ralphs from Vons and Albertsons.”

“‘I think they wanted to put pressure on Vons and peal Ralphs away from the other stores,’ said Bonacich. ‘But it doesn’t look like it’s going to work.’ ”

“The Associated Press reported Saturday that the three grocery chains had agreed to share revenue earned during the strike, but [Ralph's] would not comment on the report.”

This union “divide and conquer” tactic is familiar, and could put some added pressure on the stores still being picketed, but a revenue sharing arrangement would be sensible in presenting a united front. These stores are hanging tough.

The Palm Springs Desert Sun also has an index to other stories on this strike here. Check out this story about violence, including the firing of a gun, apparently initiated by replacement workers, probably in retaliation for threats or namecalling. (Hmm, maybe “scab” is “fighting words,” not protected speech).

See also this letter to the editor on health care costs: “Union leaders need a reality check”:

“I was challenged by picketers today. I wanted to say to them, our personal HMO health care insurance went up this month from about $800 a month to $1,200 a month for my husband and me and we are healthy. Our deductibles are similar to what they are being asked to pay — yet they are resisting $20 a month out of their pockets. . . . I certainly don’t want to see us resort to state run healthcare like Canada or Sweden or Norway where they have to wait months or years for attention or surgery, but it may end up that way if we don’t all pay our fair share.”

If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed or Subscribe it directly to your email inbox.