Grocery Workers Authorize a Strike

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Grocery workers at Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons supermarkets across Southern California have voted by more than 90 percent to reject the chains' latest contract proposals, setting the stage for a possible strike, union officials said late Saturday.

Union leaders contend the stores are trying to take away the workers' health care benefits. The stores deny the claim.

A 141-day strike in 2003-04 led some customers to make long-term changes in their shopping habits by going to independent grocers and specialty outlets. "We don't want another strike, but we need to protect our health benefits for ourselves and our families,'' said Mario Frias, a Ralphs employee.

Mickey Kasparian, the president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 135, said a federal mediator has asked for the vote totals and expects more negotiating sessions in the future, but he said if there is no positive movement after about five or six days, a strike could be called.

"If we don't get a deal, we'll take this fight to the streets,'' Kasparian said.

Officials of the grocery chains said recently that their proposal would limit employees' costs and raise company contributions to a health care fund.

They would also maintain the current prescription drug co-payments and the annual deductible and out-of-pocket maximums in the PPO plan.

The companies also proposed to continue offering an HMO option, with no change to medication co-payments.

Kasparian called the proposal inadequate.

"Like most supermarket workers, I work part-time and make around $24,000 a year,'' said Victoria Frantz, who works for Albertsons. "I can't afford to pay thousands more so I can bring my kids to a doctor.''

The grocery workers' union has more than 60,000 members in Southern California. Union members turned down an earlier offer from management in April, at the same time giving their leaders the authority to call a strike should they determine that one is necessary.

-- City News Service