Contract talks have begun between the union representing more than 120,000 West Coast grocery workers and major supermarkets, with disagreements over a two-tier wage system and health care. But both sides say they are bent on avoiding a dispute like the devastating 140-day strike and lockout of 2003-04 in Southern California. The first round is in the Los Angeles area, where the United Food and Commercial Workers will press for elimination of the two-tier system of compensation that members accepted in 2004. The union represents about 65,000 employees of Albertsons, Safeway's Vons stores and Kroger's Ralphs stores in Southern California.
See "Grocery negotiations begin", George Raine, San Francisco Chronicle, March 12, 2007