3 Food Industry Locals Will Merge

The merger of three major Los Angeles-area food industry union locals into what will be the largest United Food and Commercial Workers local in the western United States has gained approval of all three locals, a spokesman said Thursday.

This week, members of Butchers Local 274 voted 99.3% in favor of the merger and members of Meat Cutters Local 421 voted 86.4% to adopt the new structure, according to Dan Swinton, a spokesman for the Food and Commercial Workers. Last month, members of Retail Clerks Local 770, largest of the three units with 25,000 members, voted approval by 86.4%.

The merger is expected to be consummated by July 1, Swinton said. The new local will have 33,000 members, he said.