SoCal Grocery Update: Divide and Conquer

When a tentative agreement on health care benefits was reported a couple weeks back, it looked as if a Southern California grocery strike along the lines of the crippling 6-month strike back in 2003-04 would be averted. But the latest shenanigans by Ralph's and Vons and Albertson's have forced the UFCW to set a June 21 deadline for a comprehensive offer they can bring to their workers, or else they will vote on a walkout.

Here's what the chains did. The major goal of the negotiations on the labor side has been to eliminate the two-tier wage system for employees. Under the current contract, workers hired before 2004 make more (and receive more benefits) than workers hired after 2004, even if they do exactly the same job. This has given the chains an incentive to turn over their workers in favor of lower-paid new hires, and sure enough, over half of all current employees are in the lower tier.

This "divide and conquer" strategy worked so well last time that the chains are trying it again. From an email to supporters:

...we were shocked when the employers finally put the following wage proposal on the table: NO pay increases for anyone, and THREE wage tiers.

That's right. Despite the negative impact the two-tier system has had on grocery workers and their families -- not to mention the moral implications of creating inferior classes of workers -- Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons' contract negotiators proposed slashing wages even further with an additional third tier.

So if the employers have their way, grocery workers would be divided into the following three tiers:

One for employees hired before March 2004.

Another for employees hired after March 2004 but before the coming 2007 contract.

And yet another for everyone hired after the new contract.

And each one pays less than the one before.

These negotiations have gone on for six months, and now the chains are attempted to cut their wage outlays even FURTHER by adding a third tier. This is absolutely unacceptable, yet the union, reeling from the unsuccessful 2003-04 strike, has little room to maneuver. Only through collective action, and punishing these chains economically for their attempts to disrespect their employees, can there ever be any success. And that includes not only refusing to shop at their stores; after all, most Southern Californians stayed away the last strike. I'm talking about stock divestment, solidarity with other labor groups (like those who supply the stores through trucking) and any other means to ensure that the suits, who have the upper hand because of their size and flexibility, are permanently impacted.