http://themilitant.com/2016/8031/803132.html
The Militant (logo)
Vol. 80/No. 31 August 22, 2016
—ON THE PICKET LINE—
Maggie Trowe, Editor
Militant/Bernie Senter
United Food and Commercial Workers members march in Los Angeles Aug. 2
in contract fight for southern and central California grocery workers.
Tentative agreement was reached Aug. 4.
Help make this column a voice of workers’ resistance!
This column gives a voice to those engaged in battle and building
solidarity today — including unionists striking US Foods, workers locked
out by Honeywell and construction workers demanding safe conditions. I
invite those involved in workers’ battles to contact me at 306 W. 37th
St., 13th Floor, New York, NY 10018; or (212) 244-4899; or
themilitant@xxxxxxx. We’ll work together to ensure your story is told.
— Maggie Trowe
Maryland Teamsters strike US Foods, win solidarity
SEVERN, Md. — Members of Teamsters Locals 355 and 570, on strike against
US Foods here, have won solidarity across the country. Wherever they
have shown up early in the morning with “US Foods Serves Misery” signs
to picket the company’s distribution centers, their union brothers and
sisters have honored the picket lines with one-day job actions. Close to
3,000 Teamsters at US Foods facilities in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,
New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and elsewhere have carried out such
actions.
The strike began April 27 when the 200 warehouse workers and truck
drivers walked out. The company had refused to bargain with the union
about its decision to shut the warehouse until the Teamsters members
agreed to major concessions. When the company started to move its
inventory out of state, the union members decided to strike.
“US Foods is threatening to close our facility because we refuse to let
the company slash our wages, abolish our retirement plan and destroy our
quality, affordable family health care,” driver Joe Schwabline and
warehouse worker Chris Price say in a Teamster fact sheet. “If we all
stand together, we can stand up to US Foods and its Wall Street owners
and stop their bullying.”
On June 8, Local 570 warehouse workers won an agreement that included
health care and severance pay. Local 355 truck drivers are still
striking, and job actions around the country continue.
— Arlene Rubinstein
Calif. unionists tell packing boss: ‘Bathroom break is the law!’
VERNON, Calif. — Around 200 people — members of United Food and
Commercial Workers Local 770 at the Farmer John pork processing plant
and supporters — held a rally and picket here July 27, four days before
the meatpackers’ contract expired. In a spirited picket, workers bore
the heat and got lots of honks from passersby.
“We are demanding respect and dignity, access to the restroom, wage
increases, and no cuts to our health insurance,” shop steward Pedro
Albarran said.
— Rebecca Williamson
Grocery workers rally for contract in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES — Over 400 grocery store workers marched and rallied here
Aug. 2 demanding a new contract. The United Food and Commercial Workers
organizes roughly 50,000 supermarket workers from central and southern
California. The pact with Albertsons, Vons and Ralphs stores expired in
March. Two days later a tentative agreement was announced and will be
voted on Aug. 8.
At the rally union member Rob O’Connell told the Militant workers are
sending the grocery bosses the message, “Do what’s right. Give us a fair
contract. You make billions of dollars, help us provide for our
families. Don’t touch our pensions and our retirement.” O’Connell has
been working at the Glendora Vons for 24 years in the dairy, deli, and
as a cashier, and was part of the grocery workers’ 141-day strike in
2003-2004.
— Bernie Senter
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