NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE: March 30, 2011

Negotiations have been proceeding slowly and it now appears that Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons are not prepared to seriously negotiate a contract which you can accept.

After more than 20 days of negotiating sessions, on Tuesday March 29, the three companies finally presented their proposal.  The changes proposed would devastate many of your contractual protections and surely lower your take home pay. 

Your managements continue to blame their need to strip the contract of many of its protections on their decrease in market share.  Unfortunately, they refuse to recognize their role in the changing patterns of Southern California shoppers.  These include the strike/lockout; their refusal to open stores in the inner city food deserts and the selling of existing locations to non-union competition.

We have negotiations scheduled for the remainder of this week and the next two weeks.  If your managements’ attitude does not significantly change, we may need to ask for a strike vote.  Your militancy expressed through a vote may be the only action your managements understand.

Our goal is to continue negotiating to avoid this option.  However, if we need your support to achieve the best possible contract, we know we can count on it.

We will keep you updated on this site, through your Union Representatives and through text messages.

Stay strong, stay united and we will prevail.