3/1: Over 70,000 members of the Union of Food and Commercial Workers who had been on strike or locked out of their jobs at Safeway (Vons), Kroger (Ralphs) and Albertsons grocery stores since last fall voted this weekend to accept a settlement from the stores. Current workers won a significant prolonged battle over health and pension benefits which the stores had wanted to lessen or do away with, but the final deal includes a two-tier wage scale which will give new workers lower pay and benefits.
Concerns About Costs To Future Workers | Peril In UFCW Strike | Missed Opportunity
Coming soon: The Communications Workers of America are struggling to hold on to their health benefits. Contracts for grocery workers in the Bay Area and Sacramento Valley are set to expire later this year. The UFCW International President said, "2004 is the year to put health care reform on the political agenda and demand that every candidate for office commits to comprehensive, affordable health insurance for every working family."