Grocery Strike in Southern California: Logistics & Data

2022

• Union: United Food and Commercial Workers
• Geography: Southern & Central California
• People: Upward 47,000+ members will vote on striking 
  • Ralphs 19,000
  • Safeway group 29,000
• Stores: 500 
  • Kroger*:  190 stores   Ralphs 
  • Safeway: 342 stores   Albertsons, Pavillions, Vons 
• Reason: 3-year contract expired March 6th.  
  • A Ralphs spokesperson said "its average hourly wage is just under $19 an hour & the(union request) rises to a rate of $25 an hour when you add in the health and pension benefits."
  • The stores proposed contract offers an additional 60 cents an hour every year — an extra $1.80 an hour over the life of the contract.

Note: Not all Kroger stores have union representation. This is the list of Kroger owned stores across the country: Ralphs, Dillions, Smith’s, King Soopers, Fry’s, QFC, Rulers, City Market, Owen’s, Jay C, Pay Less, Baker’s, Gerbes, Harris Teeter, Pick ‘n Save, Metro Market, Mariano’s, or Food 4 Less

2020

"Kroger, which is the United States’ largest supermarket by revenue and the second-largest general retailer, announced this week that they would be giving all hourly frontline grocery, supply chain, manufacturing, pharmacy, and call center associates a temporary raise of $2 premium above their standard base rate of pay.'  Source: Hourly Workers at Largest Grocery Chain in US Are All Getting ‘Hero Bonuses’ for Their Service Amid COVID-19 (goodnewsnetwork.org)

2003: (October - March)

• Union: United Food and Commercial Workers
• Geography: California; then after 6 weeks extended to ALL Safeway stores across the country
• People: 70,000
• Stores: 859
  • Kroger
  • Safeway (Albertsons, Pavillions, Vons)
• Reason: Affordable Health Benefits

Conclusion: New shopping habits were developed, Trader Joes and Costco increased market share as did Target,Walmart and WholeFoods.   Both Safeway & Kroger responded by enlarging their brand of Natural/Organic foods to a full selection on every shelf and aisle.

The UFCW represents 1.4 million workers in the following work segments

• GROCERY -835,000 grocery workers across the country
• HEALTH CARE - representing 55,000 under contract workers in an industry with 1.9 million workers
• PACKING AND PROCESSING - More than 70 percent of the beef and 60 percent of the pork consumed in the United States is processed in meat packing plants by UFCW members.
• RETAIL - 118,229 workers in an industry employing 29 million
• CANNABIS - undisclosed members out of an industry projected as $145 billion internationally by 2025 
• CHEMICAL - undisclosed members out of 544,000 employed in the chemical industry
• DISTILLERY - 5,000 members out of 60,500 employed in wineries and distilleries

More News from Calabasas

• Black Thumb Farm CSA Programs Community Supported Agriculture: Get ready for 6 weeks of fresh, organic, sustainably grown produce & bouquets. Your upfront payment helps buy seeds & other equipment needed.
• Urban Farm Flower Stand Saturday May 11th Looking for a unique gift for Mom? Black Thumb Farm will be running a Mother's Day flower stand this Saturday, May 11th. 9am-12pm! 8380 Ventura Cyn Ave, Panorama City