LOS ANGELES — Labor talks here and in New England were moving along slowly last week as previous contracts expired.
The contract between three Southern California chains and seven locals of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union was scheduled to expire at midnight last night, but the two sides were expected to continue negotiations.
A spokeswoman for the employers said that only Albertsons, which is owned by Supervalu, has met with all seven locals — for 30 minutes each — while Kroger-owned Ralphs and Safeway-owned Vons have each met with only a single union local since mid-January.
The spokeswoman said talks will continue beyond the expiration of the contract, although no talks were scheduled through the weekend, she told SN.
According to a spokesman for one of the UFCW locals, the only issues that have been discussed so far are related to health and welfare and pensions.
Each of the three chains is meeting with each of the seven locals separately.
Also, Stop & Shop, Quincy, Mass., was continuing to negotiate late last week with five UFCW locals in New England on contracts covering about 43,000 workers. In a statement on the website of UFCW Local 1445, the union said health care funding was the “major stumbling block.”