Raley’s employees OK strike, but don’t set date to walk
By Dale Kasler, Sacramento Bee
Raley’s union workers have voted to authorize a strike, the union and the company said today.
With the company’s contract with the United and Food and Commercial Workers scheduled to expire tonight, the vote brings the two sides closer than ever to a walkout, which would be the first in the company’s history.
Still, a strike doesn’t appear to be imminent. Both sides said contract negotiations are set to resume Friday.
The outcome wasn’t a surprise, but both sides quickly tried to put their own spin on the results.
Jacques Loveall, president of UFCW Local 8 in Roseville, said 80 percent of the workers voted to authorize the strike “in an overwhelming turnout.”
But Raley’s spokesman John Segale said store managers believe the “yes” vote was around 70 percent. – which he called a sign of tepid support for a walkout.