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.
If they were smart, they strike on the 4th holidays,the stores will be closed for 72 hours regardless.
When the longshoremen would strike, the ships packed the coastlines, with millions lost in revenues, someone got get it in high gear to move the products.
No matter what,money lost passed along to someone.
I feel bad for the local employees up here, I do hope it turns out OK for you and you get a new contract before you have to walk out. A strike will only cost you money and maybe your job, a strike is also a good way to break a union.
The decision to strike never comes easily and I don’t agree that strikes break unions. I put my support behind the union workers. If they walk, and Raley’s hires scabs, show your support by not crossing the picket lines.
I have never crossed a picket line, and never intend to, but we fill our numerous prescriptions at Raley’s. Any suggestions for how to support the union and still get our medications?
As the wife of a current Raleys employee our day is filled with continuous pre-recorded phone messages from Michael Teal and the Union, both spinning their sides of the issue. It is my opinion that each side should wear flip flops to the next meeting on Friday to avoid “digging in their heels” and refusing to move on negotiations. What Raleys is demanding are changes that are too much too soon. I’m am sure the economy has reduced the bottom line for the company, but they should look to changing their business plan. A 3 yr wage freeze coupled with a 13% decrease in pay to go to health care is unreasonable. Phase in changes over time please. Raleys keeps saying they value their employees but their demands at this point show they don’t value the loyalty employees have had to the company enduring 24 hr/week work schedules for months. Make changes to retiree benefits for newly hired employees makes sense, not stripping benefits now of employees that have worked many years and bargained in good faith over the years. There are some changes Raleys is asking for which are entirely reasonable but the Union fears if they give in to anything they will lose leverage on the bigger demands. Both sides need to set their egos aside and realistically return to the table with proposals that they can agree on. Neither side can afford a strike especially if it occurs over the July 4th holiday. Compromise seems to be considered a “dirty word” nowadays, but is key to all relationships and is the only way this situation will be resolved.
Know Bears – it’s my understanding that the pharmacy is not part of the union and you would therefore be true to your values if that was all you went in to get.
Thanks JoAnn. I hope the picketers see it that way!
And Judy, I totally agree with you about the importance of compromise. I keep hoping to see common sense (and common courtesy) come back into fashion, but I’m not holding my breath.
Know Bears – you’re welcome.As President of the South Tahoe Chamber, I “get around” a lot. I have talked to some of these employees and it apparently was an agreement that they did not want people to go without their medications. I would just show my prescription bottle, or something like that, if it would make you feel better to let them know why you are going in.
Our bank is inside Raley’s @ the “Y” not sure what were doing yet!? Plus my brother union fire fighters union Sacramento city have been in negotiations over retirement benefits for well let’s say a very long time and his union is supporting this strike and and asking family and friends to not cross the picket lines! Of course we support my brothers union.. And we won’t be crossing the line at raley’s
I think it would be good if Raley’s management thought about that. Doesn’t matter how many “replacements” they bring in, people locally have a lot of friends and neighbors that work there and there are a lot of unions in Tahoe. Visitors have connections too. Your bank does have a branch at Stateline, but if you had to go in, I’m sure you could “show the checkbook” and the people on the line would appreciate your stance.
Not to be a defeatist but the company I worked for did the following. Cut pensions for decade long employees to 50% of original. Cut salaries 10% for all employees. Increased health care premiums by 400%. Cut 401K match by 50%.
The CEO of this company is an advisor to our President and a member of the Presidents National Commission on Fiscal Responsiblity and Reform. The policies he uses to run his oompany along with the thousands of jobs he’s moved to India and Eastern Europe and the $100s of Millions of company dollars he’s investing overseas are the policies he is recommending to the Executive Branch of our government. When he was confronted with a Union strike in Illinois, he just locked them out and replaced them. Why should Raley’s take any other stand with their employees????
By the way, his compensation in 2011 was $37,842,723.