L.A. Union Votes to Authorize Potential Strike Against 3 Grocers

LOS ANGELES -- Members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770 have voted to approve a strike authorization stemming from unproductive contract negotiations with grocery companies, union leadership said Wednesday.

``Southern California grocery workers voted in large numbers, and overwhelmingly rejected the unfair terms that have been proposed by Ralphs, Albertsons, and Vons,'' said UFCW Local 770 President John Grant.

The voting was conducted Monday and Tuesday of this week; exact tallies of the votes were not immediately released.

The contract between the union and the companies expired in March. The strike authorization vote means union negotiators have the power to call for a strike, if deemed necessary.

Grant said the union plans to meet Thursday with picket captains to discuss ``various forms of economic protest'' to oppose the failure of negotiations and to try to ``get these companies back on the right path to provide a fair contract.'' The job actions could include asking customers to
boycott stores, Grant said.

Meetings are pending next week involving the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor to discuss authorizations for the member unions to honor possible picket lines, Grant said.

The next bargaining sessions involving the union and the companies are scheduled for July 10, 11, and 12, Grant said.

City News Service contributed to this report.