A union battle has erupted in the Central Valley, pitting a reform movement of rank-and-file members of the United Food and Commercial Workers against the current leadership of UFCW Local 588 (Roseville). The outcome will be decided soon, perhaps as early as next week.

The campaign to replace the officers of Local 588 was initiated more than a year ago, impelled by what members viewed as a substandard contract negotiated with the national grocery chains, the retirement of the long-time Local President, Jack Loveall, and the appointment of his son, Jacques Loveall, to that position. With a grocery contract that effectively lowered wages and benefits, including health and medical coverage and pensions, and altered work rules for thousands of union grocery clerks and meatcutters, the members also perceived it officers as more interested in elevated salaries, the staffing of union positions by multiple family members, and a wholesale disconnection of the officers from the realities of working members.

As the election campaign for reform in Local 588 gained momentum among members and as deadlines for holding a vote approached, the administration of Local 588 responded with a proposal to merge itself with UFCW Local 1288 in Fresno. The merger proposal, which has been approved by the UFCW International, has been explained to members as a means to increase bargaining and political power. Members must vote to approve or disapprove the merger, with results to be determined next week.

Apart from enlarging the successor union, to be named UFCW Local 8, from 23,000 members to 30,000 members, the merger agreement effectively cancels the scheduled election of Local 588 officers by the membership and retains the current officers for at least three years.

Reform candidate for President of UFCW 588, Doug Slaydon, responded: "The current officers are simply afraid of an honest election, they are afraid of their members. Given the salaries of hundreds of thousands of dollars every year, staffing of union position by Loveall family members, given ineffective negotiation of contracts and questionable business practices - they have reason to be afraid."

"Bigger does not, by necessity, mean better," said Slaydon, a career meatcutter. "The addition of a few thousand workers who are already UFCW members does nothing to increase our strength.Strength derives from the quality of the leadership, its energy and focus, its determination to do the best by its members, not for itself. If bigger was better, we would have the best grocery contract in California - and we do not."

Slaydon continued: "This merger proposal will fail by vote of the members. The count next week will be closely observed and supervised. It will be followed by an honest election of officers dedicated to the welfare of Local 588 members."

Ironically, the UFCW is a member of the new "Change To Win" coalition of unions which broke away from the traditional AFL-CIO last year. It remains to be seen what form of change will occur in UFCW Local 588 and who will win.