Market Clerks Voting; Strike Possible by Friday

Retail clerks at six Southern California supermarket chains began voting Tuesday on whether to strike amid signs that a walkout could come as early as Friday.

A spokesman for the six market chains and union leaders for the clerks swapped public denunciations Tuesday, but all agreed that a strike seems likely. A strike could hit Albertson’s, Lucky, Ralphs, Safeway, Stater Bros. and Vons. Other major chains would not be affected.

Bargaining talks ended Monday and no new session is scheduled.

At a series of meetings Tuesday, union leaders urged members to reject the supermarkets’ contract offer and approve a strike.

Call for Action

“Let them know you’re militant,” Rick Icaza, president of United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 770, beseeched members at the Shrine Auditorium.

Late Tuesday, the local announced that its members rejected the employers’ proposal and authorized a strike by a vote of 5,968 to 630--a 90.5% margin.

Members of seven other Food and Commercial Workers locals also met, but voting will not be concluded until tonight, and the count will not be finished until Thursday. This means it is likely, union officials said, that a strike would not begin until Friday.

It takes a two-thirds vote of union members casting ballots to authorize a strike. Icaza predicted that authorization would be granted and that a strike would start later this week, but he would not specify when.

Before union members packing the auditorium, Icaza and other leaders of the local denounced the contract proposal of the Food Employers Council as “full of take-aways.” The council represents the six affected chains, which operate 850 supermarkets from the Mexican border to San Luis Obispo.

Abe Grunstein, a member of Local 770’s negotiating team, asserted that letters the stores had sent to employees describing their proposal were “misleading--a sleazy attempt to turn members against the union.”

Icaza asserted that the union is in a good position to win a strike because several major chains are not represented by the council in bargaining talks. He stressed that four chains--Alpha Beta, Boys, Hughes and Mayfair--would not be struck and said this would put pressure on the others to settle.

“We have divided them, and we will conquer them,” he said.

Last week, the union reached interim agreements with Boys, Hughes and Mayfair in which those companies agreed to accept whatever contract is reached between the union and the six Food Employers Council chains. On Monday, the union reached a separate agreement with Alpha Beta, granting that chain of 200 stores an extension on its contract until 10 days after a settlement is reached with the council.

David Willauer, spokesman for the council, disputed Icaza’s characterization of the contract offer.

“There are no take-aways or reductions in this contract,” he contended. “The unions have done everything they can to fan the flames.”

Willauer said that he does not see any way a strike can be averted.

The two sides are divided on several major issues. The union has asked for a 96-cent wage increase over the next 15 months. The employers have called for a three-year wage freeze but would pay lump-sum bonuses of up to $500 in each of the three years. The employers want to reduce the amount of money they are contributing to the employees’ health and welfare and pension plans. The unions maintain that the proposed reductions are excessive.

There also is a major dispute over what constitutes the work of a “food clerk,” as compared with a “general merchandise clerk.” This is significant because a journeyman food clerk currently receives $12.55 an hour, while a general merchandise clerk makes a maximum $8.20 an hour.

Employers are attempting to broaden the lower-paid category to reduce costs. The union says it is resisting on grounds that that would threaten the standard of living of many of its members.

There seemed to be overwhelming support for a strike among those at the Shrine Auditorium.

“The customers in line support us,” said Robert James, a clerk at Ralphs. “They know the stores are raping us.”

However, interviews with clerks at two Los Angeles stores Tuesday indicated uncertainty about a walkout.

“I just want to keep on working,” Lucky clerk Joe Santana said.

“Why mess around when I already have a great deal?” said the 15-year veteran as he sprayed celery stalks at a Highland Park Lucky store. “I have to pay my mortgage somehow.”

But other clerks expressed loyalty to the union.

“I’ll be out on the picket line if a strike is called,” said Kathy Dail, a 13-year veteran at the same Lucky store. “There are a lot of people coming up in this industry who need job guarantees. There should be more 40-hour-a-week workers.”

About 70% of the clerks work part-time. In the negotiations, the union has proposed that the stores guarantee more work for veteran workers, but the stores have balked, saying that would hinder their operating flexibility and cost more money.

Shoppers interviewed Tuesday showed little concern over the possible strike, and store personnel said there were no indications of hoarding in anticipation of a walkout.