Should I boycott my grocery store?

[pippin]

The grocery store in my neighborhood has hired scabs to cover the store during the current strike by grocery store clerks. Should people who support labor unions and who hate the way corporations are paring away the wages and benefits of workers boycott the stores? I also hate the way companies pit workers against workers by hiring scabs as they are now doing for $19 an hour.

[snoochie]

1. Not only would I boycott them...

I'd also call the manager every time you shop somewhere else and let him/her know how much you spent somewhere else due to his anti-worker policy.

[HFishbine]

26. Or

mail or bring him your receipt from the other store.

[inthecorneroverhere]

51. save up receipts....

from the entire strike period or from a couple of weeks. Then mail 'em in to Kr*g*r or Alb*rtson's or whichever is your local market that is on strike.

[HEyHEY]

2. I went through this recently

And I'd say it comes down to if you agree with the union or managment first. I don't automatically side with unions, I look at the story and make up my mind.

[acmavm]

3. $19.00 and hour? Where do you shop?

.

[Bozita]

4. Scab labor? Take your money elsewhere.

[salin]

5. Had to do that for months

about ten years ago. If I recall it was as much over benefits (health insurance) as it was wages (very low to begin with). I think it took three or four months for the sides to come to agreement and back to normal.

[Syrinx]

6. What are they striking for?

$19/hour sounds like pretty good pay.

[pippin]

10. Scabs were offered

$19 an hour. Ads for the scab jobs were posted all over the store before the strike. The regular workers at the store make $17 an hour.

[maggrwaggr]

16. Southern California, payscales are much higher

than in the rest of the country. Cost of living is, uh, just a bit higher than elsewhere too.

[LTR]

23. $17/hr...

..adds up to $680 per week, and over $35,000 per year.

Not bad.

That's more than some public school teachers.

Why are they striking?

[Sephirstein]

43. Here it would be excellent...

But in SoCal?

[Gore1FL]

54. that is what the scabs are making

they don't get health care. In St. Louis they want to give the baggers $0.05 an hour raise and increase their helthcare costs.

When you can't buy a cola with your COLA it is time to strike.

[Bozita]

18. Here are the issues -- These workers are fighting health care take-aways

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20031012-1049-groceryclerks-strike.html


-snip-

The companies operate about 900 stores from San Diego to Santa Barbara and control 60 percent of the Southern California market.

-snip-

Grocery clerks work a minimum of 24 hours a week, with 70 percent working part-time. They earn, on average, about $15 an hour, said Rick Icaza, president of UFCW Local 770 in Los Angeles and one of the negotiators.

Vons president Tom Keller said the chains' contract proposal does not call for wage reductions and asks employees to pay $5 a week for individual health care coverage and $10 to $15 a week for an entire family.

The union wants the companies to maintain health care plans and provide raises of 50 cents an hour the first year and 45 cents an hour the following two years, Icaza said.

more...

-snip-

[LTR]

25. I can't feel sorry for them

$5 per week single coverage, and $10-15 per week for family health insurance?

I pay AT LEAST twice that, and I live in the midwest.

I'm all for striking for unreasonable working condidtions, but I don't feel much pity if this is what they're protesting.

[Bozita]

32. Feelings like that will lead to the Walmarting of America

These are $30,000/yr jobs with health care as a paid benefit...for those fortunate enough to work 40 hours for 50 weeks. Note that 70% of the workers are part-time.

Management offers NO wage increases to compensate for inflation and health care take-aways.

If that sounds tempting to you, ....

[Gore1FL]

56. The deductable is higher so is cost of living

The end result of their new contract is less money. In a day when Bush has unloaded Billions to "trickle down" asking workers to take what amounts to a pay cut is worth striking over.

In St. Louis, they were locked out. I don't know tha CA story. Locking out workers because they won't accept a contract that doesn;t address inflation costs, while simultaniously asks for more healthcare payout AND higher deductables hardly seems to fault of the workers.

[frank frankly]

7. from what I've read, sounds like a big Hell Yes!

support the union! boycott the store!

[Clete]

8. Definitely boycott them and let them know you

are doing so.

[jiacinto]

9. If you can, go somewhere else

IF this is the only grocery store in a 100 mile radius then you have no choice but to shop there. But if it's only one out of many then I would go elsewhere.

[claude raines]

11. boycott!

Why shouldn't a person make a decent wage? Don't shop in a scab store.

[eleny]

12. When we had strikes here in Colorado....

I went to some different stores. And it turned out great because I found some small independently owned little markets. I still shop at them after all these years. Sort of helped me to branch out and try some new things. The personal touch was nice, too. Just a thought.

[Terwilliger]

13. should we boycott these chains across the state?

Safeway, etc. ?

[Booster]

15. I'm union in a very large TV network and...

before I became union, I worked in the Labor Relations dept. What management people (lower mgt that is) in large corporations don't realize is that whatever the union people get done to them most always goes for them down the road. The union people are testing points to see how far they can push people, the mgt gets the same treatment later. Hell, yes boycott the stores - don't ever cross a picket line to save a few pennies - you'll pay a lot more later when your company sees what Wal-Mart and the grocery stores can get away with. We need to stick together or we all end up with no benefits, lower wages, and the CEO gets it all, as they do now.

[Capn Sunshine]

38. YES! GREAT IDEA!

The chains:

Vons--parent Co. Safeway Corp

Alberstons- Albertsons Corp.

Ralphs-parent company Kroger Corp.

[Gore1FL]

57. AND

Schnucks
National
Shop and Save
Dierbergs

[rucky]

39. Not if they're union shops...

Each union branch negotiates different contracts. The ones who reach agreements with the union should be rewarded, IMHO. Even though the policies are corporate wide, and we all know that they'd love the UFCW to go away, they need to know that the union benefits both labor and corporate.

Wild Oats and Whole Foods are non-union shops who "pull a Walmart" every time the workers try to organize. I'd shop at Safeway before these hypocrites who market a progressive message.

Trader Joes treats their employees fairly and there have been no attempts to unionize to my knowledge.

www.ufcw.org website keeps you up to date on all the latest issues.

[oustemnow]

14. I plan on going to Trader Joe's for the indefinite future

a shame, as I pretty much live on Albertson's roasted chicken and French bread, but I'm sticking with the workers on this one.

[maggrwaggr]

17. I love Trader Joe's. Go there all the time but

I'm worried they're gonna be PACKED and running out of everything.

I've got a Whole Foods that just opened in Santa Monica, that's where I'll probably be going mostly.

[catzies]

34. My Trader Joe's was mad-crazy busy yesterday!

I already gave up corporate grocery stores. I support labor in this and other issues and will of course honor the picket lines.

[Clete]

47. I'm on my way to Trader Joe's right now.

I need some snacks and booze for the football game. No I'm not a fan. DH is. A couple of drinks mellow me out enough so I don't care. A new convenience store also opened up in the area too with lots of grocery items if we get desparate. Oh, also there is CostCo if you have one in your area.

[gulliver]

19. Yes. In St. Louis, three major chains...

...are involved in a strike/lock-out combo. Our family won't shop at any of them until the dispute is resolved. Local news says that people are flocking to other stores.

[John_Shadows_1]

20. Hell yes ...

... we're Democrats, remember? And throw a damn tomato at one of those scabs, if you see him walking around outside.

[oustemnow]

21. I doubt that's necessary

the scabs are the bottom feeders in this whole situation; I certainly don't approve of them, but with the economy being what it is I can understand them trying to make a living. Either way, the only thing assaulting people will do is turn sympathy away from the union cause, and possibly get you arrested.

It's probably sufficient to spend your dollars elsewhere, and perhaps let the companies know that you are doing so.

[DoNotRefill]

58. great...encourage illegal behavior....

Ever hear of the term "assault and battery"?

[Bozita]

22. kick

[Perky]

24. Trader Joe's rocks.

You have alternatives. I pass 6 Groceries stores on my way to work. Gonna wear out my car horn at this point...LOL

[ElsewheresDaughter]

27. YES!

[RetroLounge]

28. Stop shopping there

and send the manager a copy of your total spent elsewhere every time you do so.

They need to see the $$$$ going out the door...

[brainshrub]

29. Damn Right

Not only should you boycott the grocery store, you should donate money, food, or anything you can to help those folks.

[leftofthedial]

30. absolutely!

never support a business that hires scabs.

[ronnykmarshall]

31. I went to Trader Joe's

My store is on strike and I don't cross picket lines.

[cmd]

33. Yes

If you are handicapped or if it puts an extreme burdon on you to shop elsewhere, I understand. But if it is possible for you to shop elsewhere, please do.

[rasputin1952]

35. YES!!!

I would ask that anyone who believes in the rights of the worker, and the right to negotiate contracts for labor, to respect the picket lines.

Whether it is a strike, a lockout or a sympathy strike, Please do not cross that line, and let others know how you feel about it. It is only through the consumer that these companies will realize that they cannot walk all over the employees.

Union, YES!

:kick:

edited for lousy spelling

[dflprincess]

36. Democrats do not cross picket lines

I worked at a union grocery store through high school and college. I started out making $2.07 and hour - pretty good when you consider at the time minimum wage was $1.30. I was actually able to support myself on that and pay tuition (of course, that was much less then too).

I know in the Minneapolis area the union wages - at the grocery stores who are still union - sound good but aren't what they were compared to how far $2.07 would go in 1970 dollars. They're also hiring more part timers because even with the union they can provide fewer benefits to them.

Unions help set the bar for all of us. Support the union and boycott the store.

[Capn Sunshine]

37. ABSO-F**CKIN-LUTELY

I have re-educated myself after working with organized labor in the recall campaign. The debt we owe to Union organization as a society is HUGE and I respect everything they stand for.

Look it might come as a shock to those of you who live elsewhere but that "pretty good " wage of 35k a year wont qualify you to buty a home around here in So Cal. They need a spouse for that; and healthcare is a line in the sand too.

The largest non union employer in America, Wal Mart, subsidizes their employee base with OUR taxes. They actually have the HR guys hand out federal forms to their employees if they need assistance.
So who pays? WE do.

Without organized labor to hold the line the outrageous practices of the avaricious multi-nationals would be even worse.

in So Cal; Trader Joes, Bristol Farms ,Whole Foods, and Gelsons are available. You may shop there and not cross a picket line.

[tokenlib]

40. Yes, before its too late..

Even without strikes, the unions are in danger in the grocery business. The pressures from the Wal-Mart Supercenters and the like are putting downward pressure on wages and benefits every renegotiation.
Unionized grocery labor is under threat. Support them while you still can. And in addition, don't shop the non-union supercenters.

[JVS]

41. Go to another store.

[sistersofmercy]

42. Show your support for your local workers, don't cross the picket line!

Here in St. Louis, our three major grocery stores are on strike, I have a video I need to return to the video department of one the stores and I'm not even crossing the picket for that. It'll be a huge late fee but oh well.

[Padraig18]

44. Boycott!

"Solidarity forever, solidarity forever..." :thumbsup:

[oasis]

45. Unions or greedy,corrupt, capitalist, cannibalistic corporate pigs.

I say YES to union brothers and sisters, and NO to scabs.

[knight_of_the_star]

46. Just don't cross the picket lines

anywhere where there is a strike. You're only hurting us in the union if you cross it.

[onebigbadwulf]

48. Several layers

This problem has a lot and lot of layers.

1. Workers comp is horrendous in California which means everyone loses. There is less money for benefits etc.

2. The stores are trying to charge 5 dollars a week for health insurance, 15 dollars a week for families when they did not charge before.

3. This strike isn't about a pay raise ( as far as I know)

4. Grocery stores are being hurt badly by the Wal-Marts, Cost-Cos, and each other. Keep in mind their profit margin is 0.5%-2% of gross income.

5. Most people who work at a grocery stores aren't allowed full-time and therefore don't make as much total as someone who earns less money per hour.



Just some things to keep in mind when you're trying to decide what to do. Cheers.

[Bozita]

49. a well deserved kick

[inthecorneroverhere]

50. yes

do boycott....

shop at a store where there is no strike. Either choose a competitor with no strike or, if you're in an urban area with access to farmers' markets/delis or a whole foods market, temporarily switch to them.

Participate as part of the solution to overpowering corporations....not as part of the problem.

The alternatives are Trader Joes (great place!), farmers' markets, produce stands, delis, ethnic groceries (usually independent), and whole foods markets. Check 'em out.

[REP]

52. Yes

One store's workers are on strike, the others are LOCKED OUT by management. Union workers don't get killed by management as they used to, but they still take big risks. I always feel the least I can do is honor their picket and shop elsewhere until the strike/lock out is over - then I shop there again to do my small part to support Union jobs!

[tishaLA]

53. Damn right you boycott it

I'm going to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's like others are. During the past 10 years, the profits are up 91% for these companies and they wanna break the backs of workers with health care? And make them wait a year to get coverage for themselves? That's some bullshit.

The teamsters who deliver food to the stores have stopped delivering, so there's nothing there anyhow. Stay away and maintain your dignity.

[Zorra]

55. You bet.

Try to shop at a co-op if you have one in your area. You will be supporting small alternative businesses and farmers, and giving zero cash to republican corporations.