Catherwood LibraryILR School

Three of Southern California?s largest supermarket chains and the United Food & Commercial Workers have extended their contract to allow more time to reach an agreement. The union represents 60,000 workers from Albertsons, Vons, and Ralphs, and extended both of the previous contracts during negotiations as well. The union would have liked to started talks earlier than one month before the contract expired, but the companies were unavailable. In 2003, the two sides experienced two lock-outs, and in 2007 negotiations were extended for six months past the contract?s initial expiration deadline. Thus far, the companies and union have settled on three more rounds of talks.