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After five months on strike, workers at Safeway (Vons), Kroger (Ralphs) and Albertsons are set to vote on a tentative agreement this weekend. "Our 70,000 brothers and sisters in California made incredible sacrifices to hold the line for health care," says James Lowthers, President of UFCW Local 400 (DC Area). "But they couldn't have done it alone. The support they got from activists here across the country made all the difference and we can't thank you enough."
Now the battle lines shift east, as contract negotiations covering 30,000 supermarket workers in the Washington and Baltimore areas begin. That contract is set to expire on March 27. Contracts in Philadelphia and Washington State are also set to expire later this year. "The bargaining relationship between the food industry and UFCW has been poor of recent vintage," Lowthers told BNA on Feb. 20. "The talks will be difficult, I'm sure." Local unions representing area supermarket workers in DC/Baltimore met recently to coordinate support for the negotiations. "We're ready to stand strong with our brothers and sisters," says Teamsters 639 President Tommy Ratliff. Action Teams were formed in DC to support the striking workers in California, and they will be visiting neighborhood Safeway Stores this weekend to let Safeway workers know that they have the support of the community. Read UFCW President Dority's Statement: |
