At LAT, "Ralphs says it will close stores if workers go on strike. Albertsons may follow."
The labor fight between union officials and grocery employers spilled outside of the negotiation room Friday as Ralphs announced that the company would “initially” close all 250 of its Southern California stores if workers go on strike.Another reason to hate unions.
How long these stores would remain closed is unclear.
About 18,000 employees are covered by the contract currently being negotiated between Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons and the United Food and Commercial Workers union. Ralphs has an estimated 22,000 employees in Southern California.
“During a strike, it is difficult to create a good shopping experience for our customers and a good working environment for our employees,” Ralphs spokeswoman Kendra Doyel said in a statement Friday. “We will evaluate the situation as it progresses.”
See also: "Statement by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Regarding H.R. 2587: Republicans in Congress Put Corporate Interests Ahead of Job Creation." Well, jeez, where have I heard that before?
Its interesting that unions have become the very thing that they were developed to fight against. Greedy people seeking power with no thought to the workers, customers or the businesses that employ them.
ReplyDeleteThe companies mentioned basically serve those on the lower end of the economic ladder who are at the survival level.
As much as I would hate to see a lot of these people out of work, I would close down and put my money else where. The niche will be filled by large multi-national businesses that do nothing to aid the local economy.
In the seeds of advantage that unions first provided were the seeds of disadvantage that are now providing a bitter harvest and slowly degrading fields.