More Pictures From Rally At Castro Safeway

The job action was limited Von's in order to reduce any inconvenience to customers but the other chains responded by locking workers out of their jobs.

Even though operating profits for Kroger, Safeway, and Albertson's over the past decade have risen ten times faster than their contributions to worker health care in Southern California, the companies insist on what amounts to a 50 percent cut in medical benefits that would shift almost a billion dollars in health care costs onto employees over the term of the proposed contract.

"I'm fine with paying my fair share for health care coverage," says Angelica Medina who works at Albertson's. "But they are demanding to reduce our benefits while making us pay more. I'm really upset because they know how hard we work, and that we need to support our families."

Safeway President and CEO, Steve Burd has responded to the strike saying, "this is an investment in our future."

The striking and locked out members belong to San Diego Local 135, Buena Park Local 324, Hollywood Local 770, Camarillo Local 1036, Bloomington Local 1167, Claremont Local 1428, and Santa Monica Local 1442.

These workers are on strike for all workers—union and non-union—here and across the country knowing if these three supersize, super-profitable, supermarket chains can cut benefits here, then every worker is at risk.

http://www.ufcw.org/workplace_connections/retail/strike_updates/southern_california/