United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 770 of Los Angeles County filed a lawsuit Monday against grocery corporations Haggen, Vons, and Albertsons, alleging the companies illegally laid off employees and reduced their hours, neglected to inform workers about job protections, and violated previously negotiated union protections.
The allegations come after Haggen announced ten days ago that it plans to close 27 of the 146 stores it acquired throughout California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Nevada in the January 2015 merger between Albertsons and Safeway — 16 stores will close in California.
The lawsuit points to Haggen, Vons, and Albertsons's termination of both disabled employees and employees with seniority, and claims that the corporations had planned to close and sell many stores shortly after Haggen acquired 146 Albertson’s and Vons locations. "The union believes Haggen planned all along to shut and sell those stores, thus deceiving their employees and depriving them of their livelihood,” stated UFCW in a press release.