As grocery strike nears, each side has its own risks
Putting the lie to the idea that unions have their membership's best interest at heart. WHY would they schedule a strike RIGHT BEFORE the holidays, and in this economy? My store, which is part of one of the two chains being targeted, has already done a lot of provisional hiring - the store won't be that badly affected by a strike, but the union members sure will, as they try to deal with the holidays and day-to-day living expenses on $100 a week in strike pay (if they're members of the union). What's an extra two months - why not do it in January? And, since the stores (as the article goes on to say further down) have agreed to stand together so that the union can't try to play them off each other, ALL of the hourly workers will be affected, not just union members. The store that isn't struck (assuming they don't go after both, which is by no means a given) is going to lock out all of its hourly workers, even non-union members.
The union thinks it's going to get sympathy from the community for their "plight". But, frankly, with so many out of work now, I don't think the community as a whole is going to HAVE much sympathy for people who at least have work.
Of course, if they target Safeway instead, I suppose I'll have to shop there, even though I don't care for the store. But I crossed my first picket line when I was seven years old (I went to school during a teachers' strike), and I'm not about to stop now.
The companies hope to outlast the union by hiring temporary workers and eventually forcing the union, pressured by its cash-strapped employees, to accept their proposal, particularly a plan that could charge new workers for health benefits.
Grocery employees who could find themselves without a regular paycheck as the holiday season approaches also are strategizing. They're wondering if they can buy holiday presents for their families and make ends meet on $100 per week in strike pay.
Because Arizona is a right-to-work state, union employees could choose to cross picket lines and work alongside non-union employees.As grocery strike nears, each side has its own risks
The union thinks it's going to get sympathy from the community for their "plight". But, frankly, with so many out of work now, I don't think the community as a whole is going to HAVE much sympathy for people who at least have work.
Of course, if they target Safeway instead, I suppose I'll have to shop there, even though I don't care for the store. But I crossed my first picket line when I was seven years old (I went to school during a teachers' strike), and I'm not about to stop now.
The companies hope to outlast the union by hiring temporary workers and eventually forcing the union, pressured by its cash-strapped employees, to accept their proposal, particularly a plan that could charge new workers for health benefits.
Grocery employees who could find themselves without a regular paycheck as the holiday season approaches also are strategizing. They're wondering if they can buy holiday presents for their families and make ends meet on $100 per week in strike pay.
Because Arizona is a right-to-work state, union employees could choose to cross picket lines and work alongside non-union employees.As grocery strike nears, each side has its own risks