31Jan - Photos from Safeway Picket & Direct Actions

solidarity and boycott from Vancouver Canada!

For the forty or so cyclists who arrived Friday night for the monthly critical mass ride, the route was easily agreed upon. "Vons tour, we need to support the strikers!", yelled an unidentified women on a bike. Before the ride was over three stores owned by the parent company of the striking workers, Safeway, were visited including two where the cyclists entered and rode through the store.

http://www.indybay.org/news/2004/01/1669279.php

the caption that reads "safeway security" is actually a picture of an undercover oakland police officer. there were several in attendance, and the cops and the union leadership were VERY on edge the whole time because they were worried about the demonstrators screwing up their "script". at times it seemed like they were more focused on working together than on the energy of the crowd. shame.

Thanks for pointing that out. There was some confusion as to what exactly his role was in the security/police for the rally. We figured he was security because of the ways he reacted towards peoples actions.

Yes, I would have to also comment on the orchestation of this rally. From the splitting up of marchers (not taking it to the street - where we clearly had enough folks to take the street, were people were even yelled at by security people if they didn't follow the humdrum planned in advance by the leaders), to the arrests, to the sit-down were clearly set up between the union leadership and the police well in advance. Even though the arrests got great coverage in the evening news, one has to take a step back and question whether or not the leadership are there to win struggles for workers or make a good photo op for the evening news making the unions look good.

Also, what really struck me as ironic, was the fact that the union leadership kept yelling over and over, "This was not part of the agreement" when folks entered the store. The decision to enter the store from my standpoint was decided the day of and had nothing to do with any "agreement" but instead with a democratic decision.

From my viewpoint (albeit, more from an activist standpoint and not a paying union member but lower working class nonetheless), I would be very hesitant to allow these leaders to have decision-making powers over my working struggles.

On another note, why don't we start doing these actions on a larger level -- atonomous of the predefined union rallies. From what I have read, the situation for SoCal workers is getting dire. We have already realized that this struggle will not be won by the union leadership alone. They also need community action. Why don't we make it a priority to go out at least once a week to leaflet safeway customers?

-Janky