Ring One Up for Infighting

Meijer Inc., a big Midwest retailing company, has declared Army personnel unauthorized--Salvation Army bell ringers, that is.

The grocery and department store chain said it was forced to ban the bell ringers and their Christmas donation kettles after a labor board ruled earlier this year that if it allowed bell ringers, it would also have to allow striking union pickets.

The dispute stems from a 55-day strike over wages at four Toledo, Ohio-area stores. Meijer imposed a ban on solicitations in front of its 86 stores in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana to keep pickets away.

The company said the real Scrooge is the United Food and Commercial Food Workers. The union’s complaint prompted the National Labor Relations Board ruling.

“Because they do not want us in front of their stores, they have refused to allow any charitable organizations in front of their stores,” countered John Mulkey, organizing director for UFCW Local 954 in Toledo.