Supermarkets Still Feel Pain of Long Strike and Lockout [View All]

[bemildred]

Ralphs, Vons, and Albertsons. They all lost me for good.
I hope they enjoy their "lower cost structure".

Nearly 10 months after the end of the bitter Southern California grocery strike and lockout, the three companies and the union that waged the longest labor standoff in U.S. supermarket history are still in turmoil.

Profits at Albertsons Inc., Safeway Inc.'s Vons and Pavilions stores and Kroger Co.'s Ralphs are being pinched by the price cuts they've made to woo shoppers alienated by the 4 1/2 -month dispute.

The stocks of all three companies have fallen since a new contract was signed in February.

The chains maintain that they'll rebound, largely because the two-tier contract allows them to give new hires significantly lower wages and benefits than veteran workers.

LA Times