Raley’s, union back at negotiation table
By Dale Kasler, Sacramento Bee
Raley’s and the United Food and Commercial Workers on Sunday announced they have resumed negotiations in San Francisco as the two sides seek an end to a week-old strike.
UFCW Local 8 in Roseville said Raley’s initiated the talks, a move that Raley’s spokesman John Segale confirmed.
“It is abundantly clear to us Raley’s desire to return to the (bargaining) table has been driven by the success of our picket lines and consumer support for our members,” the local told members on its website. “Raley’s chief negotiator contacted your bargaining team with a request to resume negotiations.”
Union officials urged their members to continue picketing despite the resumption of talks.
“While this is a positive development, it is no time to let down our guard,” UFCW Local 5 in San Jose said in a message posted on its website.
Few details were available about the new negotiations.
“Both parties have agreed to not discuss the progress of these talks while the current negotiations are ongoing,” Raley’s said in a prepared statement.
Raley’s workers went on strike a week ago rather than agree to the company’s demands for wage and benefit concessions.
The main sticking point is Raley’s proposal to alter the health insurance plan, including the elimination of health care for retirees eligible for Medicare.
Both sides have been claiming success so far. Raley’s has said sales, while reduced, have improved day by day, and that some union members have returned to work.
Union officials say they’ve kept picket lines intact and persuaded the vast majority of Raley’s customers to shop elsewhere. About 80 stores are affected.
This is a tough call. I was a union member of two different unions in the same profession. I am a union member in a new profession. I paid/pay a lot of dues, my unions definitely strong armed the employers and my unions and myself reaped the benefits. Being an employee with a strong union agreement was great for me. My employer even had to pay my union dues, match 401k payments, no cap health insurance…the works.
To be objective…How much can we expect from the employer when times are not profitable? Is the employer who creates the business and takes all risk, provides a job, and writes you your check the enemy?
I understand the employees side, they have committed themselves to work for agreed compensation and benefits.
The employees essentially work for the union which supplies labor to Raleys.
Unions are big business holding all the control of the money of benefit and retirement accounts in a general fund. The union is sort of a investment firm having a lot of power and flexibility of how they invest these monies. One can definitely understand that the union itself has a huge vested interest and the salaries of union bosses at hand.
I’m trying to understand Raley’s view. What I have read is that Raley’s would like their employees to work for Raley’s and have their benefits through their own HR department which supplies benefits to their union exempt managers and employees of non-union Raley’s stores in NV.
This would be high cost saving for Raley’s, the costs of administration of the union could be kept in house and be more efficient for the company.
It’s tough out there for most, not taking sides, but it is disheartening to see employees wanting to hurt the business that they work for, deter and intimidate the customer from shopping. It’s strong arm tactics led by the union bosses.
Maybe the employees alone should organize and negotiate directly with Raley’s? Or might they end up in some of the NV shallow graves ;)
Our family is in support of the strikers and have not crossed the picket line. We believe in a strong middle class to keep America strong.
We have enjoyed shopping at GRASS ROOTS which is right across the intersection and has much of what Raley’s has in their new, larger store (where Blockbusters used to be).
I had to do some shoping at a store in the Raleys shopping center at state line i was held up getting in to he parking lot by a Raley picket i dont mind them stopping people from entering the Raleys store but they have no right blocking people who are shopping at any of the other stores in the complex. They are not making any friends with these actions It will be a long time before i shop at Ralies again.
hiker chick. i have always loved grass roots, back to when they had the cafe, doug ‘big wave’ swenson and all, but i especially love that they are NON UNION…
David, not only do they have no right to impede your progress in the parking lot, they have no right to try to stop you from going into the store either. The Raley’s at the Y has security guards to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Let’s all go over to Raley’s just so we can show our solidarity with the “lower wages create prosperity” willfully ignorant Union haters. It makes you feel real good when you know you’ve helped your neighbors and fellow citizens realize that giving up all worker rights and bringing them down to poverty level is the new American Way!
Strike as long as you want. I bought $37 groceries yesterday and paid only $22 due to specials to get me inside.
The other day they had:
Free
2lbs bananas
Bag of Chips
Orange Juice
Loaf of bread
Don’t know if it’s the same everyday, I don’t think there was a minimum to spend to get it, but I could be wrong.
How about an army of people for Christmas Cheer go in, and collect a bunch of food for the food bank ;)
That’s the spirit Bob! It’s wonderful citizens and fine examples of the human spirit like you that make this new American Way possible. You’re #1!
You people crossing the picked line must be proud. Do you look for products made in China too? These people are fighting for descent jobs, MIDDLE CLASS JOBS!!!
Funny, Concerned. I just went to scope out the new TJMaxx today, just to see what they had. The parking lot was full, the store was full, check-out line overflowing, and EVERYTHING I looked at was made in China. Cheap junk. I bought some “made in America” dog biscuits.
When many Americans are losing their jobs, taking cuts in pay and benefits, why can’t the Raley employee’s? Most unions are pro Obama, so why isn’t Obamacare good enough for the unions? The White House has exempted many large unions from Obamacare. The fact that Raley’s is willing to pay retired employees insurance until the age of 65 when they can go on Medicare, like most Americans, is generous.
Very good grasp of the facts Raley’s Shopper, especially that union exemption from the death panels and all, you get it too! Let’s all bend over at the waist for the new austerity that will hasten our new happy future, the new American Way!
I question how much unions even do. I think they skim money off the middle from the struggling worker, who can ill afford to lose more.
The union gets very little, for the union member anymore. Ive seen them behave as if they are in cahoots with management, and just string the workers along, than have management throw a bone, and the union claim it was all because of them. When they were the one being played.
Unions are big business, and not the great supporter of workers rights, that they were of the past.
Supply, demand, skill level, and education, this is what should drive wages, IMO.
Seniority should count for something, but we all have heard stories of the ineffective senior worker being protected by the union. It’s not right, and not fair.
if its a long strike, lots of people will go bankrupt
the thing that Ive learned in the last 37 years is
no matter how busy it is the checkers always work at the same pace
Tea total, and others…I understand the threat of change, of being forced to change with the economy. Unions throw a great deal of power around, and prove very expensive to both employers, and employees. Look back at when unions were formed, who formed them, and how they have/have not evolved with the country.
Example..Typical pensions are merely “promises”…made by the union and or employer for retirement benefits. These “promises” are usually funded by the employer/union. This system is not possible to continue in this day and age! Back in the day, a person retired at 50, and was dead by 60-65 yrs old! Now, a pension plan (merely a promise : ) ) is looking at supporting a retired employee for not 10-15 yrs, but 20-30+ years. It is financially impossible.
Approx 6 or so years ago, the airline pilots’ union (for Delta, etc.) completely took away their pensions! POOF! GONE! As well as 30% of the pilots’ pay!! This is only one example. Raleys is late to change…late to face the changing market.
I am not convinced that the concessions made by Raleys are completely unreasonable.
Though I feel for my friends and neighbors that work at Raleys, I also have made concessions with regards to benefits,and pay over the last 4+ years. I also work for one of the largest employers in SLT. I also know that there are many folks waiting in line to take my job.
I live very close to Safeway and could shop there. I chose to go to the Y last week to shop at Raley’s. I had a very difficult time just getting into the parking lot.
As I entered the store, I was greeted with the usual very friendly and polite Raley employees. Some of the “daring” employees had crossed the picket line to work and support their long time employer. Greatly appreciated from the customers prospective.
I was talking with a manager from Reno who was helping out when an elderly woman, about 85, said she was called and old bag when entering the store. I could not believe the disrespect being shown customers and I certainly hope it was not a LOCAL who called her that. The strike is giving some of our fellow residents a very bad name. Remember strikers, you will go back to work and have to face the customers you have been rude to. Please be respectful-this is America and we as customers have the right to CHOOSE as much as you do.