Southern California Grocery Workers Reach Tentative Agreement, Avert Strike

The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) bargaining team—negotiating for thousands of grocery workers at Kroger's Ralphs banner stores and Albertsons Cos.' Vons and Pavilions stores in Southern California—has reached a tentative agreement with Albertsons/Vons/Pavilions and Ralphs. The agreement, struck after several months of negotiations, averts a strike that union members had voted to authorize last week.

Workers represented by seven UFCW union locals between Central California and the border of Mexico voted to authorize their union to call a strike if an agreement was not met with the grocery retailers regarding wages and improved benefits.

The contract will be put to vote next week by members of Southern California’s United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Locals, UFCW 770 said in an April 4 statement.

“This member-led deal would not have been possible without the strength of the 60,000 members behind us at the table,” UFCW 770 said in a statement. “Your determination to stand up to the unfair labor practices that would undermine workers’ power to get a good contract made this possible. Please know that standing up for our rights works.”

Full details of the agreement will be provided to members as soon as possible, UFCW 770 said.

Robert Branton, VP of operations for Ralphs, said in an April 4 statement, “We are pleased that this agreement allows us to put more money in our associates’ paychecks and secures healthcare and pension plans.”

Albertsons Cos. confirmed April 5 that "We’ve reached a tentative agreement with the Southern California UFCW unions."