Monday, September 19, 2011

No Strike This Time

LOS ANGELES, CA: NAACP members participating in the NAACP's 102nd annual national convention at the Los Angeles Convention Center join a labor march and rally in front of a Ralphs grocery store on July 27, 2011. Getty Images
We're more than a little sorry that Supermarkeageddon probably won't happen. Would have been especially amusing this time around, because Ralphs & Albertsons (NB: Ralphs, sans apostrophe, is correct: The chain was founded by George Ralphs, while Albertsons, also sans apostrophe, is incorrect, as it was founded by a Joe Albertson!) threatened to close their stores rather than hire scabs. Oh well.
Health insurance benefits were the major point of contention between the two sides. Under the original offer, workers would have paid about $36 per month for individual health insurance, or $92 per month for family coverage.
Let's hope the working people who keep us fat & complacent didn't get totally screwed by the contract, details of which have not been released as of this typing.

2 comments:

Glennis said...

Wuz curious about this.

On my way home from work tonight, I had a minor auto mishap that caused me to pull into a Ralph's parking lot and check out my car.

As I was there, a Ralph's cashier - obviously signing off her shift and going home - stopped by and sympathized with me. And then, from her car, she offered me some water to help me out with my task.

Nice person. About five minutes after she was gone, I remembered the strike issue, and realized I didn't know whether it was her last night at work or not.

M. Bouffant said...

Ahem: Apostrophe! Editor:

We're beginning to think you & automobiles shouldn't mix.

We also think that the $billion+ losses in 2004 made the bosses think twice.

And we wonder if the employees get a discount on store purchases.