Union Drops Albertsons Complaint

ELLIOT ZWIEBACH

LOS ANGELES — Three weeks after it filed complaints charging Albertsons with employee intimidation, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union here said last week it was withdrawing the complaints.

The reason was further employee intimidation, union spokesman Michael Shimpock told SN last week. “We can't get anyone to testify, and without witnesses, there can't be a complaint,” he said.

Minneapolis-based Supervalu, which owns Albertsons, said last week it was pleased “that the unfair labor practice charges filed against Albertsons were withdrawn. We have consistently approached these negotiations in good faith, and Supervalu's approach has always been, and continues to be, both legal and ethical.”

The complaints alleged that Albertsons had sought to intimidate employees as they were preparing to vote on whether to authorize a strike in Southern California if contract negotiations were not successful. Union members ultimately voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike.