SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, June 13 — Bravely refusing to buy into the rhetoric of “shared sacrifice,” 62,000 members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike against the three major Southern California supermarket chains: Ralph’s, Albertson’s, and Vons.
The workers’ contract expired in March, and a strike could start in June or early July. It is critical for workers throughout Southern California, the United States and the world to support this strike. Progressive Labor Party should take the lead in organizing support from workers in other unions and from non-unionized workers, from community organizations, churches, schools…everywhere.
The supermarket chains are out to take another bite out of workers’ health benefits and pensions, as they did in 2003. That was when they introduced a two-tier wage system, which divided workers and gave the bosses an incentive to get rid of better-paid veteran workers. The workers’ willingness to strike is especially noteworthy given the defeat they suffered in the five-month strike/lockout in 2003.
When members of our church talked to workers at a nearby supermarket, they were excited to hear that we wanted to support them on the picket line and serve meals to striking workers at the church. Activities such as these could build class solidarity and create an environment in which we can win workers to the need for communist revolution, which would be the most important outcome of this strike.
This outlook is the opposite of the approach of the UFCW leaders. The union helped elect Jerry Brown governor of California by donating members’ money — which should have gone into their strike fund — and by organizing telephone banks. Brown wants to shore up the declining capitalist economy by pushing “shared sacrifice,” meaning working people sacrifice while bosses take more and more. (The LA Times reported that UFCW Local 770 President Rick Icaza was paid $273,404 in 2002—the last year his salary was made public.) Furthermore, it looks like the UFCW leaders, along with the Los Angles County Federation of Labor, are ready to replay the strategy that led to the 2003 defeat:
• No national union strategy to counter the national strategy of the supermarket chains, which used profits from stores throughout the U.S. to continue despite losses of $2 billion locally;
• Too little too late in organizing local support from other unions and community organizations;
• Allowing supermarkets to operate with scabs (who were paid almost double the wages of union workers). With mass support on picket lines, workers could have prevented access to the stores or even occupied them and shut them down;
• Returning to work despite the chains’ firing of over 600 militant workers for “misconduct” during the strike.
Icaza has repeatedly said that he thinks strikes are old-fashioned and should no longer be necessary. A few months ago he said in a radio interview, “I think the employers are gonna look at this and say to themselves, ‘We have the authority to go forward,’ and instead of what they’ve been doing in the past — stalling — they’re gonna sit down and bargain in good faith.”
On June 11, Icaza said, “We compromised on the pension issue. Now is the time for management to compromise on health care.” In other words, the union leadership has already agreed to give-backs on pensions in return, so far, for nothing. In fact, the supermarket chains are demanding give-backs in healthcare that could cost each worker $7,000 a year. No doubt Icaza is getting ready to announce a “victory” — workers will lose “only” $1,000 or $2,000 in healthcare benefits.
The average veteran full-time supermarket worker makes less than $30,000 a year — barely enough to live in high cost-of-living Southern California. Most workers make far less, as they get only 24 hours of work per week. Many keep their jobs only because of the health benefits.
This is a great chance for us to support and build class struggle and working-class unity. We can use this struggle to win workers to the real solution to their problems: dumping capitalism, with its profits and bosses, with communist revolution. Let’s get out to the picket lines (or supermarkets outside Southern California) — with our friends — and support our fellow workers!