So. Cal Grocery Strike (Week 16)

[redlover1]

Nicole,

I know that you told me once that you are Pro-Union but after 16 weeks of this inane strike/lock out action, are your feeling still the same on this issue? Lots of you live in California and I wiould like to know if you cross or not. Do you even care anymore?? I started crossing when I heard that the Union Executives were still getting their full pay when the Union worker had their strike pay reduced to $25 a week.

Red

[Nicole Marie]

Umm Devin... I'm in CT not CA so I don't know enough on this strike to comment. Anyone else?

[redlover1]

Nicole,

I just wanted to see if your views on Unions have changed since you stated you were Pro-Union before. I didn't know if you heard of anything new regarding the strike since it seems to be national news. Just wanted to hear your take on the whole healthcare vs. two tier system since you seem to follow current events quite well.

Devin

[Nicole Marie]

Nope sorry not following the CA strike. Can't know everything.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Strike still on. Independent grocers still doing well.

No settlement in sight.

Advice - if affected find a Stater Bros., IGA, or other independent market.

If sympathetic to grocery chains, ignore advice above.

If sympathetic to union, drop off donations at union local offices. Strike fund could use donations.

Me, I shop at the local independent and have noticed a dramatic improvement in the store with the increased business. The produce, particularly, is fresher because it sells faster. There's a local bakery that's doing better, and I've found other sources for specialty items. Life goes on.

[piqaboo]

Trader Joe's rocks!

Yesterday was in LA, needed food, didnt know where the independent markets etc were. There wre pickets at the Vons I found and none at the Ralphs 4 blocks away. Go figure.

[Nicole Marie]

Hi Devin-

Did some digging on the So Cal strikes... so how do I feel about it? I blame Wal Mart.

The grocery stores have asked the employees to pay more for medical and have developed a two level pay scale. Newer employees will get a lower pay scale then employees that have been on board before the strike. So the employees are ticked about the unfairness of the whole thing. Can't blame them.

I also feel bad for the grocery stores. They cannot afford to pay their employees fair wages and assist with the cost of medical. Why? Because Wal Mart has come into these communities and so under cut their prices that the smaller stores are loosing business and can't pay fair wages.

Sure consumers love the lower cost but I feel being a responsible consumer is more important. It is well known that Wal Mart cuts their prices so low, often taking a loss on a product just to get people in the store. This type of practice drives consumers away from other stores, closes them and then consumers have no choice but to shop at Wal Mart since it's the only store left in town. Then they raise the prices back up and make a profit.

Support your community and don't shop at Wal Mart. When you shop in the grocery stores you give them a profit. They can then pay their employees a fair wage and you've in turn helped your neighbor make a fair living, which also increases your community. Because now the grocery employee (your neighbor) can be a healthy part of your community.

In CT we almost had a similar situation. The Stop and Shop employees (over 40,000 in CT) wanted to strike due to an increase of health care costs. The union and the store were able to come up with a deal all sides agreed on. But the CA strike, to me, is beyond a union issue. It's about one corporation.

[OperaTenor]

I think we need to bump the "Let's hear it for Wal-Mart!" thread.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

No, I don't think we can blame this on Wal-Mart. This is San Diego, LA, and surrounding areas; we've had Wal-Mart for quite a while. The three grocery chains involved in this dispute have been posting very nice profits, too, while we've had WalMart. These are not mom-and-pop grocery stores, they are three nationwide major chains. They are publicly traded corporations and have reported very healthy profits in the last few fiscal years; but apparently they think they can boost profits a little further.

The Stater Bros. chain, and the independent markets, are doing very well in the "struck" market. Smart & Final and Food4Less seem to be staying open, too.

Neither the union nor the market chains have been very forthcoming in the local press as to the exact details of the contract negotiation but I do know that the union asked for binding arbitration, and the stores rejected arbitration. Further negotiation seems not to be occuring. I'm far more annoyed with the market chains than I am with the union, and may continue shopping my IGA store when the strike is over. (I assume it will someday be over.)

I know that NM and some others really really dislike WalMart. OK, I'll grant you that their business tactics are, um, not all that lovable. But if you really want to annoy WalMart, help some union organize the work force there. That, WalMart would notice and really hate.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

A double post. Have no idea how that happened.

Maybe WalMart did it.

<small>[ 02-17-2004, 05:20 PM: Message edited by: Selma in San Diego ]</small>

[Jeff Dutton]

I just realized what is causing the periodic problems with helicoptering in the music stream...


WALMART!!!



<small>[ 02-17-2004, 05:50 PM: Message edited by: Jeff Dutton ]</small>

[Nicole Marie]

Hey Selma - thanks for the info. From the articles I read and the info I found online, they all featured some aspect of Wal Mart in some way. That was the one common thread I found. Yes you are right that the stores and unions are not very good with the why's and how's on this.

[piqaboo]

Also,
the San Diego WalMarts are not really in the grocery business yet. They stock a selection comparable to 7-11 or Circle K.

[Shapley]

Selling below cost is called "dumping", and is illegal. If Wal-Mart is actually doing that, they can be prosecuted.

But I don't believe their actually doing it. They buy cheap by buying volume, and sell cheap.

I don't think it is responsible consumerism to pay 1.50 for an item that can be obtained for 1.25. I don't owe mom & pop that quarter. Don't forget, Sam Walton was the pop half of a mom & pop when he started, he just decided he could do better than run a coner grocery his whole life.

[The Great Carouser]

Here's a link that may help clarify the unions position in this strike. The link takes you to an online petition but I only post it for its informational value

Socal grocery strike

[The Great Carouser]

....And while we're on the subject, here's a link to an article that just scratches the surface of "Pop" Sam Walton's legacy and how it affects the issues involved in the SoCal grocery strike. As a concerned consumer, sometimes the price I pay for "always low prices" is a lot higher than the price tag. Maybe it is cheaper to pay mom and pop the extra 25 cents.

Wal Mart

[Shapley]

While it's fun to beat up on Wal-Mart, corporations of all types are looking at reducing health benefits in order to reduce costs. The issue isn't to "bolster profits" but to combat the dramatic increase in the cost of health care coverage. The lack of success on the tort reform front has left consumers (i.e. corporations providing benefits burdened with skyrocketing premiums.

V/R
Shapley

[Nicole Marie]

Wal Mart does price items below cost. Ask Kay B Toy stores, when they filed in bankrupcy court one of there issues was Wal Marts under pricing. That issue is being looked into, along with the class action lawsuits from female employees and the lawsuits from employees that were locked in stores.

To clear this up a bit: My use of the word independant means anything besides Wal Mart. Many of you are saying mom and pops. Ames, Kmart, Kay B Toys, Toys R Us, FAO Swartz, Caldors, supermart chains (yes Wal Mart does sell grocery items) have all faced bankrupcy or less then expected growth due to Wal Mart under pricing. And none of those chains are mom and pops.

[Shapley]

There is a difference between selling below mom&pop's cost and selling below Wal-Mart's cost. If Wal-Mart sold below their cost, and KB can prove it, there is legal recourse to be gained there.

Increased buying power buys better prices. keep in mind that Sam's Clubs are selling to retailers, often cheaper than the retailers regular jobbers prices.

[Nicole Marie]

As I said it was a claim that was made by Kay B and it's being investigated. Add that to the other lawsuits and investigations the chain is currently involved in.