Contract talks resume Wednesday following last week's strike authorization vote by grocery workers in Southern California.
The vote does not mean workers are off the job or that they definitely will go on strike. It means that they have given union leaders the okay to call a strike if negotiations are unsuccessful.
The United Food and Commercial Workers union is asking for a 5-dollar an hour raise over 3 years, while the stores have offered a $1.80 cents. The previous 3-year contract for 47,000 union employees at more than 500 Ralph's, Vons, Pavilions and Albertson's stores expired on March 7.
During the last round of negotiations in 2019, grocery workers also voted to authorize a strike but talks continued for two more months, and a labor deal was eventually reached. In 2003-2004, there was a very divisive five-month long strike before a new agreement was reached.
(Photo Getty Images)
Photo: Getty Images