Call To Boycott N Cal Safeway Stores

Safeway Inc. is the supermarket chain most responsible for the Southern California labor dispute, labor representatives say. They're asking for support in this region to put more pressure on the company.

Beginning this week, an undetermined number of strikers will conduct informational picketing at selected Safeway stores in Sacramento and the Bay Area, Anreder said.

Informational picketing is different from picketing during a strike. Workers are expected to cross the picket line and go to their jobs, but picketers will encourage customers to do their shopping elsewhere.

Grocery clerks in Southern California went on strike against Vons, which is owned by Safeway Inc., on Oct. 11 after both sides were unable to agree on a new labor contract. Albertsons Inc. and Ralphs Grocery Co. then locked out their union workers in a show of solidarity. The key issue has been how much money the roughly 70,000 grocery workers would pay toward their health care coverage.

Grocers say they need the concessions to stay afloat in an increasingly competitive field.

Union officials say they think the chains might ask for similar concessions when Sacramento area grocery store workers' contracts expire this summer -- possibly leading to another strike. They anticipate the same possibility for Bay Area contracts when they expire next fall.

http://www.kron.com/Global/story.asp?S=1516662