Why Grocery Store Workers May Walk Off The Job In Lake Elsinore

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — Some 45,000 employees of Kroger and Albertsons-owned grocery stores across Southern California are preparing to potentially walk off the job next week.

Local 770 of the United Food and Commercial Workers, which represents workers at Albertsons, Pavilions, Ralphs and Vons, announced Wednesday that its members had voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike.

The union has accused the two grocery giants, which operate the four markets, of breaking labor laws and keeping stores critically understaffed, which has resulted in poor working conditions for tens of thousands of workers.

Workers say that their customers are also frustrated. A recent analysis from Consumer Reports accuses Kroger of overcharging customers by 18.4 percent.

Here are the stores in and around Lake Elsinore that could be affected by the looming strike:

• Albertsons - 30901 Riverside Dr, Lake Elsinore
• Ralphs - 30125 Antelope Rd, Menifee
• Ralphs - 23801 Washington Ave, Murrieta

“We respect the rights of workers to engage in collective bargaining and remain committed to negotiating in good faith to reach an agreement that is fair to our employees, good for our customers, and allows our company to remain competitive," Courtney Carranza, a spokesperson for Albertsons, told Patch in an email.

The authorization does not immediately trigger a strike, but signals that workers are willing to orchestrate one if the companies do not collaborate with the union to draw up new contracts, as the workers' previous contracts expired on March 2.

“We're at the breaking point. We are disrespected, overworked, and undervalued by Kroger and Albertsons," the union said in a news release this week. "We’re tired of asking the companies to respect our labor rights and seeing our co-workers intimidated."

The union says more than 100,000 Kroger and Albertsons workers nationwide have authorized strikes in California, Colorado and Washington.

"If all these workers strike at the same time, it could become the largest grocery strike in modern history," UFCW Local 770 wrote in a statement.

For four months, union leaders say they have attempted to work with Kroger and Albertsons to create a new contract that addresses working conditions, customer service and the staffing crisis.

Additionally, the union said it is seeking "living wages, affordable healthcare benefits, a reliable pension (and) more staffing and better working conditions for a better customer experience."

“Kroger and Albertsons have pushed us to this point by trying to intimidate us into accepting less than the fair contract we deserve,” said Paszion Horner-Smith, a Vons worker and member of the Local 770 bargaining committee.

Negotiations for a new contract are scheduled to resume on June 25.

Members of the massive union participated in sign-making sessions and conducted picket captain meetings at union headquarters in Los Angeles on Thursday, according to the union.

“Today, we’re mobilizing — making signs, training for picket lines, and rallying our communities," Horner-Smith said. "This fight for a fair contract isn’t just about us; it’s also about every customer affected by empty shelves, long lines, and having to scan and bag their own groceries because these companies refuse to fairly negotiate around adequate staffing at the bargaining table.”