In weeklong balloting that concluded on March 26, grocery union members voted to strike for better wages and conditions. The grocery store workers cited "unfair labor practices" as well as high profits by the grocery industry during the pandemic while they worked in difficult conditions, with illness and even some deaths among union ranks. Ralphs, Albertons, Vons, and Pavillions markets may see picket lines, though negotiations resume March 30, according to a union press release.
"After all the hard work we’ve done through the COVID pandemic serving customers so they can feed their families, we deserve to be able to feed ours,” Rachel Fournier, a cashier at a Ralphs grocery store in Los Angeles and a member of the union Bargaining Committee, is quoted as saying in the union statement. Seven union Locals for the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) demanded a $5 an hour increase for food clerks over three years, and by the time talks had ended, the grocery stores had offered $1.80.
In a statement, the Albertsons/Vons stores — which merged in 2014 — said: "Our goal with every negotiation is to provide our employees with a competitive total compensation package of wages, health, welfare, and pension benefits. We are committed to working collaboratively to ensure that we reach an agreement that is fair to our employees, good for our customers, and allows Albertsons, Vons, and Pavilions to remain competitive in the Southern California market."