Markets Closed Today Because of Strike

The three major supermarket chains in Southern and Central California will be closed today, canceling Christmas hours because of the strike and lockout that have idled 70,000 union workers.

The chains -- Safeway Inc.’s Vons and Pavilions, Kroger Co.’s Ralphs and Albertsons Inc. -- have been operating with temporary workers since the dispute began Oct. 11. The stores will reopen Friday, but talks are not expected to resume until after Jan. 1.

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Ronald D. White

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On February 12, 2004 the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which had stated repeatedly that 70,000 workers were involved in the supermarket labor dispute in Central and Southern California, said that the number of people on strike or locked out was actually 59,000. A union spokeswoman, Barbara Maynard, said that 70,000 UFCW members were, in fact, covered by the labor contract with supermarkets that expired last year. But 11,000 of them worked for Stater Bros. Holdings Inc., Arden Group Inc.’s Gelson’s and other regional grocery companies and were still on the job. (See: “UFCW Revises Number of Workers in Labor Dispute,” Los Angeles Times, February 13, 2004, Business C-11)

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