We at groceryworkers.org would like to get peoples thoughts about the web site. Let us know what you think.

It's about bloody time, what tookya'!? Nice paint job btw.

Sorry we took so long Siggy! You know that I'm better with sharp power tools than puters.Hell who knows in a year or so maybe we will have a better paint job!Hehehehe

...and evra'thing for a reason right?

I do like the paint job. I've noticed lots of sites over decorate. That's great ifya' are dining out but if you're just looking for info, it distracts from the read - black and red or white and read.

I was beginning to wonder if we would ever get this thing up and running. We have the ball, now lets run with it.

Keep up the fantastic job, if we can help let us know!

Your website is very informatuive and is a wake up call. I'm a 21 year memeber of ufcw and when really think about it, THEY'VE had a free ride long enough......Kristine

Kristine:
Thanks for checking it out! If you want to get more involved, contact us.
In Solidarity
Doug Slaydon

The newsletter the union sent out was very informative. However paying co-pay on monthly insurance premiums or co-pay on medical, or co-pay on prescriptions is not what the retired members are complaining about. It is just the tip of the iceberg. There is more. And the only reasons the people at the union office hear everyone’s complaint is because “Who else can we talk or complain to??” You tell us who to talk to about the higher costs and we will be more that glad to talk to them. I will try and show you what most are complaining about using my personal experience.
1. I have received $1137.50 per month for the past ten years with no increase in payments.
2. My house taxes when I retired were 3,200.00 a year or $266 a month. My house taxes now are 4,000.00 a year. Or $333 a month. An Increase of 67.00 a month.
3. Co-pay for insurance is 70.00 a month.
4. Prescriptions co-pay increased to $300 a year. Or $25 a month.
5. There was no cost for prescriptions when I retired.
6. Now I pay between $15 and $45 a prescription. An increase of $250 a month
7. PG&E has gone up $200 a month I have 4 prescriptions a month and my wife has 10 prescriptions.
8. Food has gone up over $150 a month
9. Car insurance and home insurance $41 a month
10. Gas has gone up $200 a month.
11. Medical expenses used to be no cost and now are between $20 and $30 a month.
12. These are just a few of the higher costs of living I have
13. Just add these higher costs up and they come to about $1040.00 a month extra each and every month with NO INCREASE in pension. Which means since I have retired the money I get every month is just $100.00 away from my entire pension being taking by the higher cost of living.
_____________________________________________________________________________

Now I know that the cost of living is not something the union is responsible for but you should know that $375.00 or 33% of my pension a month is from the increase in co-payments. The co-payment contributes to the highest percentage of the cost of living increase that the retired have. Some have more and some have less. All I can speak to are mine.
I know that the working members have the same cost of living the retired have. But I also know that they are making more now that they did 10 years ago. retired members are not. Working members are not on a fixed income as retired members are. If the union members that are working made the same today that they did 10 years ago, and lost 33% of their salary to co-payments, I think they would be complaining more than the retired members are. And that’s why the burden of co-payments is worse for the retired members. If the retired members received the same cost of living that Social Security gives I think the union would not have so many people complaining. Because there is no cost of living increase, it wont be long and all the extra costs of co-payment for medical, prescriptions and co-payments for insurance will soon be more than the $1137.50 I receive each month for my pension. It climbed from 00% to 33% in just 6 years. This 33% of my pension being spent because of co-payments that we never had when I retired has just happened in the last few years, and if it grows at the same rate I would guess in 6 more years co-pays would consume my entire pension. At that point I will be forced to try and get some kind of employment to help pay for the extra money I am paying out of pocket. I am not sure this is what the union members are trying to accomplish. Some day the members who are currently working will retire and then it will be worse for them as they will have nothing. If we don’t do something about our retirement benefits now, soon it will be too late as it seems like the people working only want what they have now are not looking at the future. When I worked I always looked tat the future and always voted for things that would help all the retired members, knowing full well that would help me someday as well. If we don’t get the members working now to think of the future we will all be in the same boat. I wonder if Jack and his son will be in the same shape we will be in or are they set for life on our sacrifices? If they are then I guess one might say they are getting the FREE RIDE. I am 65 years old now and I know I will have trouble getting a job when I reach 70. So if you see me with a sign that says will work for food, don’t be surprised.

Well stated tL, it is a wonderful look from the inside out of just one of the segments of our worker poulation (retirees). Most of us plan our retirement based on commitments made, and as those promises are crushed and flushed by the boys in control, we are the ones to pay.

The strange thing is, the membership didn't sell anyone out. Hell, most of them got the same kind of crappy concessionary contractual outcomes that were shoved down your throat. It wasn't a matter of us or them, everyone ate the proverbial shit sandwich.

Well almost everyone. Jack walked away with over $200,000 a year in pension and the last year posted (2003) from the LM 2s a lofty $500,000 salary. We should see the 2004 report any day now and that will reveal whether he pigged out even more in his final year. It will also be interesting to see what his son will be receiving as the new heir to the throne.

I did see the glossy piece 588 put out regarding retirees. We call the pap spin-doctoring, and with the exception of the slam on those of you speaking out, it didn't do much in addressing the points you raised tL...it would have been nice to see how a person in your shoes is considered a free rider.

It truly is time for workers (and retirees) to start standing up and speaking out. The biz union model within institutionalized labor is killing workers. The goals you have as workers and retirees is wholly different than those running your locals. They need the gravy train to continue, and that may not happen if they don't "work with manangement."

To fight back, i would encourage every former and present member of 588 to get active in the coming election. The people currently in power count on you to do nothing. They know they can keep theirs if you simply sit on the sidelines. To be blunt, you can't afford to.

As a footnote, retirees can't vote in the election, but you can be invaluable helping pass out information and getting Doug and his slate elected. You were the ones who built this union, and you could well be the ones to help return it to where it belongs...to the members.

With cost of living keep on spial up, so thus the union due. The current rate is out of control. While the members is suffering from depleted living condition the local 588 reps & boses keeping their incomes high enough to have a decent living. I wonder whether they have to contribute the some amount of premiun in health benefit and receiving the type of pension like the rest of the brothers & sister. The local 588 is doing such a poor performance they should have their wages cut to alleviate part of the hardship which the members suffering in paying such a huge monthly due. By the way, isn't the union supposes to look after the welfare of their members instead of their own interest? May be it is better to screw the members as long as union bis can attend the hundreds dollars per dinner plate and no acountability of thier actions. Wake up brothers & sisters J Loveall just got an award in recruiting some more members to pay his high wages in the poutry business in Petuluma so that he can screw them also.

I think those members of the plan in canada should look at filling a class action law suit. against all of the trustees involved. The case law on The fudiciary responsibility of pension trustees was set in great britain When the leader of the mine workers union Arthur Scargill was found in violation of his fudiciary responsibility in the way that he missmanaged the pension funds of the Mineworkers the case went all the way to the house of lords in London Where they upheald the decision against Scargill and others involved in the mineworkers pension. So the precedent has been set . all that is needed now is for those members who want to nail the CCWIPP trustees to find themselves a competent lawyer who will work on a contingency basis.. Take care good luck!!

Any other retired out there I had to retire under Disabilty and and Despertly trying to find out what to do about vanishing benifits I only get $508. a Month Retirement and with the last GREAT CONTRACT I LOST AT LEAST TWENTY FIVE PERCENT OF MY RETIREMENT. Thats realy rough on my wife and I anybody have any ideas of what we can do about it. Thanks BWells

Texas loves it!

Safeway Brothers and Sisters:



This Friday 06/17/05 some of you have notified by management to report to a meeting in Concord.



VSP Voluntary Severance Package

Hilton Concord

1970 diamond Blvd.

Concord CA 94520

925 827-2000



If you feel you’re now expendable because your name has been placed on this list for “voluntary severance”; YOU’RE CORRECT! Steve Burd is telling you that the extra $6 per hour you enjoy for benefits to too much, and will pay you $10,00 to $35,000 to leave.



Before you do, please consider several things: taxes on the “severance” (up to 40%), how a “severance” will affect any unemployment claim you may need to collect in the future, the current job market, future health benefits (one illness or accident will easily wipe out your “severance”), affects on the pension plan.



Safeway has offered $50 million in Southern Cal for the severance with no regard for future impact on retirement contributions.



Remember: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. This is a boon for Safeway. Steve Burd just spent $100 million on the “Lifestyle” promotion. What’s $50 million to him?



In Solidarity



Doug Slaydon

You are the union...how many times have you heard this statement, or perhaps even said it yourself? I know I’ve said it. Or how about this one; “the union is only as strong as the membership.” Another really good, solid commentary on how it should work…but doesn’t even come close to portraying reality.

The trouble is, under the biz union model, it hasn’t worked like that for years. This will most likely get the hackles up on a bunch of you who have uttered these same words all too often. Sorry, but stay with me because this article will expose the MYTH of business unionism and why it will never work, and why if organized labor doesn’t change we will simply fade into obscurity.

Does anyone disagree? The labor movement is in trouble, has been neutered and has no clear-cut strategy for a rebirth. While the proposals floating around look like there may be some substance, the bulk of the suggestions are little more than retreads waiting to break down and blowout once hitting the open road. While some have admitted we are in trouble, a number of the apologists are refusing to accept any responsibility for where we are and how we got here.

On Andy Stern’s unitetowin blog, I have begged, chided and tried embarrassing them/him to answering this single question: Can organized labor be saved if it clings to the biz union model? Hell, I even asked those participating to just defend it, if they were uncomfortable admitting there was something wrong with it. No such luck, not even a nibble.

Alas, for our purposes we should examine at least a couple of reasons why these comments are little more than smoke and mirrors. If you were the Union (and in this case we’ll look specifically at the UFCW), would you in your wildest imagination have done the following?
· When Joe Tallirico was sent off to prison for embezzlement, would you have cut him a check for more than $900,000.00?
· When Doug Dority retired after watching some 50,000 members starved out in the streets of Southern CA, would you have awarded him a bonus of $500,000.00 plus for a job well done?
· Would you have kept it a secret that as an International Union with size, muscle and expiring contracts, you had no intention of using your collective strength to defeat the Big 3 using whatever means necessary to win?
· When the entire town of Jefferson WI supported the workers at the Tyson plant out on strike, would you have let the workers spend a year battling for their lives while allowing Tyson to walk scot-free of any national boycott actions?
· Would you have turned a blind eye as local union leaders took massive pay increases (including local 588’s president Loveall’s record $100,000 raise) that would erode the internationals benefit plans, and committed an enormous amount of the percapita to pay for them?
· Would you have swallowed five small International unions into the UFCW, all at the cost to UFCW members by offering the officers and staff of those organizations huge increases in their pension and retiree health care?

Let’s be honest, the vast majority of you reading this have never heard a word about these abuses. If you have, it’s been on the pages of websites similar to this, and certainly no one from Washington DC or even your local union has asked your opinion, or what you would do. It’s simply been a matter of the brain trust making these kinds of critical decisions. Your role has been to trust they are right because that is the basic foundation of the biz union model.


There’s a popular bracelet out with the letters WWJD? Most of you know it stands for What Would Jesus Do? I can’t help believe the leadership ought to be forced to wear one that says WWMD…or better put, What Would Members Do? Unfortunately, you won’t be seeing this surface anytime soon. Nope, not when the stakes are so high. We’re talking about whether they can keep their jobs and preserve the status quo. We’re talking about members who are becoming angry and frustrated over bad contracts forced on them while the leadership feasts.

There is no better place to start than at local 588, it epitomizes the worst of the biz union model. HUGE salaries, unbelievable perks, staff committed to stop any and all bottom up involvement, total disregard for what members are asking for and a blatantly bias by-laws making elections very difficult for members to challenge the seated officers.

It is all about preserving and protecting what they have. The question that has to be on your lips; at what cost, and to whom…and our goal is to try and get more members asking that in a very blunt and straightforward manner.

Some of you are aware of the recent picketing by retirees at the 588 union hall. These weren’t militant angry reformers; they were former members who paid their dues, built their union, fought for the great contracts that had been negotiated over the past forty years. They were the heart and soul of local 588. They felt abandoned and ignored by the local’s leadership. But hell, why shouldn’t they, many of the members felt the same way.

In an effort to support those retirees, a number of members started a petition drive. They knew those retired were on fixed incomes and the new health plan they had shoved at them was too costly for many. Signatures were gathered and members felt they were doing something proactive. It was opposite how the biz union model works, because it was the membership taking actions, rather than letting the leadership tell them what counts.

Then a strange thing started happening, the petitions began disappearing. Left in stores for workers to sign, they would just be gone. Unfortunately no one could prove what was happening to them. Suspicions were plentiful, but proving who was taking them was never at hand. That is until…

We’ll save that portion for the REST OF THE STORY, and we will tell it shortly. You will be dumbfounded as you read how ugly this gets, and you will see exactly why the biz union model only insures things never change. The boys will fight you to the death to keep theirs, and it will come at the cost to the members. Stay tuned gang, you won’t believe what you are going to read, hell, maybe even see. It will leave you wondering…ARE YOU REALLY THE UNION?

Pearson after reading this article and watching the pull out from the AFL-CIO this week the rumor that I heard today is all to clear! I was told by a very creditable sorce that local 588 is trying to become the local for all Northern Ca.
Isn't that Stern's thinking bigger is better? All this talk about
pouring all this money into organizing but what the hell does the UFCW have to offer?....Hey all you non union come organize with us we have a nice two-tier contract with a gutted benifit plan and a shaky penison! All those non union shops will be busting the doors down just to be part of 588......Ya right!
Can't wait to read more about the disappearing petitions!

Bill:

You and RankN'File have done a trememdous work, along with the support of the "geeks" setting up this site. I just came on board as an enraged "rank an file" member after this UFCW 588 contract was forced down our throats. I'm doing what I can and must to see the Lovealls out of their family business.

I feel the infrastructure is here, we just need to get the membership on the program. The key is overcoming fear. We members need to understand that the easy times are past and now we not only have to fight the employers for justice, but our own union local as well.

In Solidarity

Doug Slaydon

You have uncommon valor that I admire. Our reform movement needs people like you.

How about you start to organize the reform movement. I know there will be obstacles, failure & disappointments along the way. Can anyone take these kind of emotional abuse?

do we have a union? i'm from the mid west were they have REAL unions i have belonged to uaw-cio,afl-cio,the brotherhood of teamsters. I HAVE NEVER BEEN in a UNION LIKE UFCW 588. all they do is gave you bullshit,and take your due's.it's time for a reform or all kiss ass and become companymen. do you beleve that your brother's and sister;s that work with you can get you fired,well they can they call them manger's .when i ask the union Y she said we need all the menber's we can get. when i work for a company in detroit mi and was in the teamster's they had the same kind of sit up,i went to jimmy and he fried the agent,and kicked all the sup;s out of the union and they became ass kiss companymen. i have never been to a union meeting in the (4) year;s that i;ve been here,because we don;t have a union board or a union rep. i'm sorry for taking up your time. thanks nino

Nino, don't say sorry . We are glad to have you. We want people to get involved. Spread the word. Later.

Nino you are not taking up our time! We are glad to have you here.
Can I clear one thing up? Are you now a UFCW 588 member? When you said you haven't been to a meeting it sounds like you may be a member now.

We at local 234 got many names singed on petitions to run for office. But the Union officals came into stores and ask signing members to retreact their sighatures, then dumped many more, because they said the SS#'s were incorrect. The Union stopped us cold by using underhanded tricks.

I know it is very easy and sometimes soothing to talk about the issues at hand in the local UFCW 588, but if someone doesn't stand up and do something there will never be any sort of change. What the 588 is doing is not what we pay for every week and if we don't act soon to help reform our union it will be too corrupt to save and who knows what will happen in the next contract negociations if our union is still in a state of disunion. We have not voted on our Union leadership or represntatives for years. This solidarity that all of our representatives speak of isn't real if no one is willing to use it. I am a steward at a local store and what I express to my coworkers as my ideas seems to be the prevailing way of thinking. OUR UNION IS NOT FIGHTING FOR US LIKE THEY SHOULD BE FOR WHAT WE ARE PAYING THEM. THEY LIED TO US ABOUT THE NEW CONTRACT AND NOW THEY ARE PARADING AROUND SAYING THAT ANYONE WHO THINKS THERE SHOULD BE CHANGE IS MISINFORMED WELL EVERY WEEK I GET MY PAYCHECK AND SEE HOW MUCH I WILL NEVER MAKE AND HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE ME TO TOP OUT IT ANGERS ME A LITTLE MORE. THE UNION HAS TURNED INTO A DYNASTY WITH THE LOVEALLS PLAYING US ALL AS PAWNS. If anyone has any input or ideas as to how we can bring about some change and show what real solidarity is please email me at

saveufcw588@yahoo.com

Hey Mavericks, Welcome to groceryworkers.org! You already have taken a step for change just by visiting this web site. One suggestion I have is to print out articles from this site and other sites like this(check the resorces link)and get them to as many members that are willing to take the time to read them. Educating the membership is one of the most important things we can be doing right now,An educated member can't be fooled by a leadership that lies to its members! While your at it print out some of Bill Pearsons(retired UFCW local 789 president) articles and stick them in the 588 leaders face at the next union meeting(that's if we ever get one)and see if they can dispute the TRUTH! The more members doing these kinds of actions will put huge pressure on the current leadership(trust me on that one)Also contact Doug Slaydon and ask if there is anyway you can be of help to his campaign against Jacques Loveall in '06 The more members getting involved the faster this movement will grow.

Good to see you join in on the discussion. This is how change starts, members start talking. The fact is, it will take more than talk, ultimately it will be action that triggers changes. All in due time M.

I do want to say this. Corruption is a word that fits a select group of criminals. I can point you to guys who are in or have gone to jail. They were corrupt. They stole from the members.

588 and their leadership is arrogant, undemocratic and the poster child for biz unionism. Their salaries are outrageuos and they appear to care less what the membership and retirees think. Their perks are legendary in the business, and that's nothing to be proud of. Their history when it comes to local elections is an abomination.

Having said those things and more, i don't see them as corrupt. They need to be challenged and replaced if they fail to listen and respond to the needs of the members. By coming and posting here and doeing what you are doing in your store mavericks is the beginning. So keep talking and sharing and growing a network, you will be at the forefront of any pending rebirth.

Like r&f said, you are doing what we all should be doing. That is making contacts in other stores and keep comunicating. We need to do the things that our leaders (ha! ha!) should be doing.

We do need someone in charge to distrubit workload & request donation from members. What do you think?

I have this anger like you for many many years. I used to worked for a middle size chain store. And for the last 15 years I was working in the grocery bussiness we took concession after concession. Our wages and benefit were so far beind the big chains that it is frightening. Every time the union reps came along before the contract was verified without any repesentation from the workers, the rep would tell us how nice a job they did and the members should rectify the contract. One real arrogant young rep even implied that they worked so hard to get the contract done that if we did not rectify it, the union could not do much for us. When I asked for concession on union due the answer was no way. You see, the secret negociation has been going on for years, just not too many sisters and brothers know about it until the current event. Yes, we should join togother to reform this corrupted organization-local 588.

I have read most of the artiles on this web site but there is no contact person for the reform movement nor any significate loaction where the reform movement taking place. How can we, as concern members, get involve in such a giant step without any guidance.

Thanks for visiting the web site. If you want to contact someone reguarding reforming local 588 e-mail them at
info@groceryworkers.org

It's curious to me that few names are used on this site. There is a real trust issue which probably is well founded considering Loveall's treatment of members who dissent.

My name is Doug Slaydon check out my homepage on this web: dougslaydon. You will read contact information on the leaflets "UFCW 588 Isn't Working for Us!" or "What Needs to Change at UFCW 588".

Thanks for your interest.

In Solidarity

Doug Slaydon

The secrect negotiating have been going on for years. I was working in a local chain & had taken several concessions. Each time the union rep would tell us how great a job they did on the contract without members presence. The gap between the big chain and us was $3.00/hr plus a lower contribution health care from the employer. When we request for lowering our union due the answer is quick and blunt, "no". As one of arrogant rep implied we should rectify all contracts otherwise the union could not afford to help.

Can you pass a copy of your contract on to us? We would love to have it for study and reflection.

No, I wish I could. I left the grocery bussiness 5 years ago. I have been retiring 4 years and currently working for the state. If I can be another help I will do what I can.

Significant places and people are out there. This is a giant step for all and it is going to take time. Most of our work is done online and in the many stores of this vast jurisdiction.

There is much to learn and much to do. We are asking people to get involved, get informed, get educated on the issues and then discuss the issues with your coworkers, and then take action with others to make change.

Join our e-mail list at reform588@yahoo.com

Anybody can negotiate a concessionary contract. It takes great skill to educate and engage the membership with in real solidarity with other locals to take actions against the employer that results in gains, not concessions.

A family run local is run in the interests of its family first, the union employees second, the companies third and somewhere down the list comes us the membership.

Where we fit in in their plans past paying dues ontime I have yet to figure out.

We need to organize a reform movement, discussing is significate but not an action. Is there anyone out there can take the challenge? How about the retirees who have time to deal with the voluminus work?

Edd some of the work for forming a reform movement has already been done as well as some actions but I do agree with you about actions! I would to hear what you think good actions would be.I also agree about building a movement even though we have done some work we are definitly in the baby stages. I would love to hear any ideas you hve reguarding building a movement so please don't be shy! Blaze away.

When I was getting started in this someone told me the key was to build a group, then you have political power:because without a group "THE POWERS THAT BE" will ignore YOU. This is the secret: Consensus!
Ever since I have been going out to stores,leafleting,talking to members, getting contact information (phone numbers and email) and recruiting interested members to do the same.
Next year the political machine will rev and we will collect signatures for our slate to call an election.
Make Jacques Loveall run for office. THAT'S how you start reform.
Doug Slaydon

I love to be in the group to reform the local 588. I am also willing spend time to recruit or distribute literature to members of our union. However, all that work needs capital for material which hopely will be contributed by many menbers. We need to get together discussing strategies and plans. What do you think?

Edd thanks for the offer to step up and help.I agree we need to get together and discuss plans for reform.At some point some of us should get together and get to know eachother,build a little trust with eachother. E-mail us at the info@groceryworkers.org and lets dicuss this more you can also e-mail Doug you can get his email on his home page go to the members link and click on Doug Slaydons home.So far any moneys spent have come from members own pockets I agree that members will have to start donating to the cause to fund this movement.

I will be more than glad to ask for donation from my former co-workers in helping out on this movement. However, we need treasurer and/or controller to document all incomes & expenditures for members. I like the idea of getting together in knowing each other by face and ambitions. Hopefully, we will meet each other soon. By the way I have discussed some of my ideas w/ Doug.

May we can get Jim Hart to give us some form of history on thier reform movemnt which can give us some form of direction to go by. I heard it took them 10 years to success. They have a sharp dedicated lawyer to fight with them for pennies. All those histories are from second hand conversation. But I am sure that Jim would be willing to guide us to the right direction. Hope he will not be intimidated by local 588 since most of the local 1000 seiu offices know how corrupted 588 is.

Ralph’s Starts to Pull Out of Northern California

Albertsons Continues to Close Stores and Shrink Staff

Safeway is the Big Winner

Wal-Mart on Aggressive Super Center Campaign in Nor Cal


Ralph’s Starts to Pull Out of Northern California

Ralph’s (owned by Kroger) is throwing in the towel in Northern California again by putting up its Ralph’s and Cala Bell stores for sale. This is the second time Ralph’s has failed to execute its business plan in Northern California and pulled out.


They had grand plans for Northern California with hopes for 200 stores and a warehouse that is in place to supply the stores they never could acquire. Raleys was one hoped for acquisition that never panned out. The Raleys family could never come to selling out their profitable chain to Kroger.

The sweetheart deal given to Raleys by Jacques Loveall has made the chain even more profitable. The “complex” deal (they love to use that word complex, it makes them feel as though no one else can do the deal other than the family) reclassified all the clerks in the store. Jacques ended the food clerk classification by calling them senior clerks. He reclassified GM clerks as clerks and then allowed through contact language that clerks can do the work of a senior clerk.

Wow, what a complex deal. One would never know that driving wages down in California could be such hard work.

Kroger would have done to Raleys what Albertsons did to Lucky’s

In my opinion Kroger would have ruined the chain anyway by sucking it into their huge family of stores and forcing their own way of doing business on a company that seems to be doing well in California.


Albertsons Continues to Close Stores and Shrink Staff

As many of us know Albertsons has eliminated its Nor Cal region and has created one region for all of California. They have sold their San Leandro warehouse and are closing more stores in that area as we speak.

The word on the street is that every store that does not have the help yourself to free groceries machines installed on the front end will be closed. More store closings are imminent.

We are seeing district mangers being demoted to manger, managers being demoted to grocery manager, and grocery managers being fired outright. One manager oversees two or three stores under their new model to save money. They call this “creating more opportunities”.

Vendors are being told to keep the shelves thin. It appears like they are getting rid of all the old Lucky’s people. Some stores will be converted to a Food for Less grocery box concept.

All this are signs that they are going to shrink operations further in Nor Cal.


It takes a toll on the union

How? There will be less members contributing to our pension and H/W funds. These funds depend on that money coming in great quantities. We may see further cuts in benefits if we lose more union workers in our funds. That has been the trend across Republican America.

Workers lose in that if they have to reapply into the grocery industry and go under the C medical plan, give up their vacations, seniority and go back into an industry that is almost not worth going back into.

Your rights, something the union has a hard time helping you with


Worker Adjustment Retraining Notification (WARN) Act

In 1989 the federal government enacted the WARN Act, requiring affected employers to notify employees of impending layoffs and plant closures in advance.

WARN protects employees by notifying them in advance of the impending layoffs so that:

Workers have time to make necessary adjustments and begin looking for new jobs.

The free WIA services described in these pages can be made available to employees.

WIB staff can work with the employer to try and avert the plant closure or downsizing.

The WARN Act requires employers with 75 (in California AB 2957) or more full-time employees to take certain actions if they are about to:

Close a facility or operating unit is shut down for more than six months, or when 50 or more employees lose their jobs during any 30-day period at a single site of employment.

Lay off 50 to 499 workers, when the layoff constitutes 33% or more of the active work force at a single site.

Lay off 500 or more workers at any single site.

In addition, these employers are required to give 60 days advance notice of any layoff. Failure to give such notice can result in an employer liability to pay laid-off employees the 60 days worth of back pay and benefits they would have been entitled to receive had notice been given.

Safeway is the Big Winner

Safeway seems to be the big winner in all this in that they are going to gain a bunch of new business from its competitors pulling out of Nor Cal.

It seems like they are poised to pick up some new low wage workers. The timing of their VSP (Voluntary severance package) buyout with the closing down of stores of their competitors is more than just a coincidence.

It has been destructive on morale with many workers just plain giving up.

Wal-Mart on Aggressive Super Center Campaign in Nor Cal

Wal-Mart is working hard in cites across Nor Cal to enter the grocery market with a huge supercenter expansion.

Some Bay Locals have joined forces to build a huge cross bay coalition to combat every supercenter opening from their inception on the artists drawing board thru the big political pushes through city state and local government that must precede any supercenter opening.


Where’s Waldo?


As usual our UFCW local 588 leadership is on the sidelines in this important struggle. They have appeared for at least one photo op at a Nor Cal Wal-Mart protest. Their swooping in and snapping pictures was described as surreal.

Dressed neat as a pin they poised for the camera and went off on their merry way with their 588 yes signs and pictures to fool the membership into thinking that they are leading the coalition.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

As far as the important planning and pouring in of resources into this important struggle they are absent again.

When will this reign of lies and deceit end? When you will it to end.

One year till nominations for UFCW 588 office opens up.

Are you giving up or are you going to join?

reform588@yahoo.com

I am sure a lot of us like to join force with you but what are the instructions to dedicate ourselves to fight walmart & the sorry local 588 reps & repulsive 588 union bosses.

A really good source is manual printed by Teamsters for a Democratic Union called "Running For Local Office". You can call 313 842-2600 to order a copy. $10 for postage and cost.

I'm all for fighting WalMart, this can be done outside the union local by networking with a neighborhood group. The UFCW plan is a farce, we need to get out in our own neighborhoods to build political power to stop WalMart on the local level.

Thanks Doug, for the info, I have spread words and educated coworkers in my office, frieds and relatives not to shop at walmart. But I know I should do more. Nice to talk to someone who is so dedicated to working people.

Dear "Reform 588":
I passed this article on to members at Ralph's (Thanks to Rich S.) I spoke to on Friday. They seem very despondent and worried. A nonunion chain (Oliver's Market) is runored to be interested in the property (what about the employees?). Where can they go now that the (nonexistent) twotier structure is in effect? Ralph's and Cala-Bell were never in a good market position! Good people are being run through the system, this all started when American Stores bought Lucky's.

Dear "Reform 588":
I passed this article on to members at Ralph's (Thanks to Rich S.) I spoke to on Friday. They seem very despondent and worried. A nonunion chain (Oliver's Market) is rumored to be interested in the property (what about the employees?). Where can they go now that the (nonexistent) twotier structure is in effect? Ralph's and Cala-Bell were never in a good market position! Good people are being run through the system, this all started when American Stores bought Lucky's.

It looks like Ralph’s is giving their employees notice via the WARN Act. They will have to start over again near the bottom if they want to remain in union retail.

There is life after retail but it takes some time to get your wages up.

Without an education or a government job benefits like ours are about as close to us as the dinosaurs.

Anyway, the contract states:

Previous Experience: If an Experienced food clerk has been out of the industry between five (5) and ten (10) years, he will be allowed to start at the 6th Apprentice Food Clerk rate of pay.

If an Experienced employee has been out of the industry ten (10) or more years, he will be allowed to start at the 3rd Apprentice Food Clerk rate of pay.

The rates of pay are:

6th (3641-4680 $ 11.75
$ 10.88

5th (2601-3640 $ 10.00
$ 9.75

4th (1561-2600 $ 9.50
$ 9.25

3rd (1041-1560 $ 9.00
$ 8.85

2nd (521-1040 $ 8.70
1st (0-520 hours) $ 8.50

Starting at the 6th step leaves 4159 hours to make journeyman plus 7 or so years to get your family back up to plan A

There is a great deal of job growth in Sonoma County from what I have been reading. I would start looking.

Members at Ralph's in Napa are hearing the same rumors as the members in Sonoma. Any coincidence? The front runners are Oliver's Market and Wholefoods. Wholefoods is very antiunion! I spent many hours picketing the Wholefoods in San Rafael (which opened at an old Alpha Beta site). They have almost a cult mentality when it comes to management style. Oliver's likes to pick up stores that are doing poorly but have good locations. They are service oriented and carry alot of local items and more organic products. They've done real well in Cotati, but also nonunion. I wonder how much capital they have to buy stores?

Wholefoods as far as I know also has one store in Carmicheal, Sacramento area. In addition, rumors has it that the store is also doing very well. But, is our union doing some form of organizing their employees or picking the store informing buyers that such non union practice is not acceptable? Can someone let me know?

As far as I know the Bay Area UFCW locals have done NOTHING about Wholefoods for quite some time. They have many stores throughout the Bay Area. They are a Texas based company and are traded on the NYSE, and doing very well.

Then, I guess local 588 has not done anything to protect the members' job, health & welfare benefit. That is so sad and unfair to members in paying union dues. You have a great knownledge in grocery & union bussiness. Thanks for the information.

Wholefoods bills itself as the "worlds largest retailer of organic and natural foods" with 157 stores in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. with 26,000 employees and making $188 million in profits the last two years. Run by CEO and founder John Mackey a self styled "anarchist" who believes in allowing "team members" to vote on how the stores are run, but apparently not to vote on a union contract. The Union/Mamagement model is too advisarial for Mr. Mackey. How has all this slipped past the attention of UFCW leadership?

It is very informative. I didn,t know wholefood is an international company with so many employees. I thought it was locally own. How ignorant can I be? Thanks for the info dough. By the way are you a local 588 member or from some other locals?

What's more appropriate on this July 4th than to say congratulations to those of you running this site, and declaring your efforts to bring democracy back to UFCW local 588 than.

I could pontificate on the similarities of what our fore fathers did and what you are attempting to do, but that would be overly dramatic. The reality is, your challenges are easily defined and quickly remedied. The only question is, can you get the members of local 588 to care enough to change what is happening to them.

There is no more better example of the biz union model than what you have in local 588. The salaries, perks, nepotism and top down control is almost unrivaled across some 900 UFCW locals in all of North America.

Is it time for 588 members to declare their independence? Doug Slaydon thinks so, as do a host of others who have signed on and up for the battle to take back their union. On this special day, why not make a commitment, a decision to get involved and see why there are so many folks who resent how they have been relegated to second class status under the current leadership? Start asking why, how and what you can do...it is ultimately the way to change the crap you are mired in.

Happy 4th of July, and let the fireworks begin.

Pearson that is a damn good question! As you well know I have been at this heart & soul for quite a while now(Trying to get members to care enough about their own future to get involved)with little to some sucess. But I am completly amazed how most members are still so complacent! I get the feeling they just want someone else to do all the work so they can reap the benefits who knows maybe they're just doing what Fat Jack taught them to do all these years...be led like sheep with no say,no opinion,pay your dues and shut up! Its funny I hear the 588 members bitch and complain about this "Greatest Contract in The Nation" but very few are willing to do anymore than that "Bitch & Complain" Hopefully that will change.

It would be nice to think that on a day as this, people would really get what this day is all about. To be able to be independent in our thoughts and actions. You are right "buddy", people are still sitting around waiting to be led to the slaughter house. Well, we are in line now and it is only a matter of time before we reach the door and it closes behind us. What will people think then, "what happened"? I all ways hoped that members would get "p.o." enough after this contract. Will it take another whipping from corperate/union leadership to convince people. Some of us are getting tired of fighting for others.

Mr. Pearson, I can feel the fire inside of you to figt for the underdog. I have read the articles you wrote and there are excellent essays. Nevertheless, back in the day when you were in union office have you heard of Saul Linsky ( the last name may be incorrect), he was a very effective labor organizer, a man like you, totally dedicate to the cause of the common workers.

Thanks for the kind words fire. Here's the deal though, the fight for social and economic justice should be everyone's battle. Unfortunately, those that have it all tend to become complacent and are easily swayed to just maintain the status quo. That all too often is why the UFCW leadership isn't willing to "die in the streets." It's one thing for the members to, it's wholly different for the leaders to put it all on the line.

The famous union organizer you mentioned was Saul Alinsky. For anyone interested in picking up a great quick read on empowerment, get a copy of his Rules For Radicals. You can probably find it at any good used bookstore. His strength was his creativity and his willingness to open his mind and try different things.

Finally, this fight to win back local 588, and any other for that matter, is never about one man (woman). Nope, it is about workers/members taking an interest in themselves. It's about people being willing to step forward at some level and make commitments.

The fact is, you don't need 10,000 rabid members clamoring for change, you need a handful of the more vocal ones speaking out. You need ideas and agenda that will appeal to people. You need to be visible and articulate enough to get their attention. AND FINALLY, AND I AM SHOUTING THIS...YOU NEED TO LEARN TO LISTEN. Good communication skills is 85% listening.

The folks who are on board have done all the right things. They started early; they are building a strong team; they are educating themselves and others around them and they are doing it the right way...one member at a time.

Hope you climb on board with them fire, it's going to be a very interesting ride.

Did i mention good reading skills (grinning like an idiot). Damn, thought your nickname was fire, sorry bout that edd. Just shows ya, no one is perfect...course my wife reminds me daily. Later, Bill.

You are also a funny man, what an interesting combination. Hope I can meet you sometime.

Bill, thanks for the info about Saul Alinsky & I know I will purchase the book throught internet. Also thanks for the good advise I am climbing aboard to make changes. This is the kind of guidance I or many of the members looking for. Thanks again.

Harry Kelber, Veteran Labor Journalist and Educator, To Campaign for Seat on AFL-CIO Executive Council
HARRY KELBER has officially notified AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka that he is a candidate for a seat on the 51-member Executive Council. Kelber, a well-known labor journalist and educator, is the first, and thus far the only, candidate for a position on the Council.

Kelber's announced candidacy guarantees that there will be an actual election with a printed ballot and secret voting. In the last four elections for officers, the hand-picked Unity slate won all of the Council's 51 seats by default, even though they were unknown to most of the convention delegates who voted for them.

In the nearly ten years they've held office, Council members have maintained a remarkable silence, so that we have no idea what they did in those 10 years or where they stand on the critical issues confronting the labor movement. Nevertheless, they intend to get re-elected in their usual manner--by keeping their mouths shut, instead of campaigning.

Kelber will expose the plot of a group of international union presidents in both the Sweeney and Stern-Hoffa camps to seize complete control of the AFL-CIO's decision making powers, while they freeze out women and minorities from any positions of influence. He is urging qualified union leaders and members to join him by becoming candidates for the Executive Council.

Harry will also focus on a prime problem that has aggravated the AFL-CIO's current crisis: the failure to organize the millions of workers who say they'd like to join s union. In the 10 years that Sweeney and the Executive Council have been in office, they have failed to reverse the continuing decline in labor's membership and influence, so that unions in the private sector today represent only 7.8% of the nation's work force.

Unlike almost all 51 members of the Council, Kelber is uniquely qualified to provide new strategies for union organizing. Several thousand copies of his "Training Manual for Union Organizers" have been bought and are being used in recruiting campaigns throughout the country. His "Why Unions Are Good for You and Your Family" is a best seller, with sales from more than 1,000 unions.

Harry designed a 10-session course on union organizing and has taught more than a dozen classes attended by hundreds of organizers from a cross-section of the labor movement. His latest pamphlet, "A New Game Plan for Union Organizing," could be profitably used by unions seeking new strategies for their campaigns.

Kelber offers to debate any of the Council's 51 members on the future of the labor movement. "After a 10-year freeze on its membership, isn't it time for the Council to accept one new member with fresh ideas?", Kelber asks.

www.laboreducator.org

I think it is good that Harry Kelber is running against the AFL-CIO Executive Board. Even a blind man could see that the current union leadership is completely lost. This includes both the Sweeney and Stern factions. It is difficult to take seriously the idea (put forward by the Stern faction) that all that's needed is to put some more money into organizing and this will solve the problem. Well, this plus reorganizing the AFL-CIO to be even more top down.

This is what's been done in the carpenters union (headed up by Doug McCarron, one of Stern's allies even though he took "his" union out of the AFL-CIO). All that the result has been is that in the regional councils the hired staffers, "organizers" they are called, are nothing but bought-and-paid-for voices and votes. Although hundreds of them have been hired, the non-union construction continues to spread.

As far as Sweeney - well, he's been a miserable failure.

But let's not forget something: Sweeney came in as a rebel or something like that. His main issue was organizing theunorganized, just as Stern's making an issue of it now. And he did throw more money at it for awhile, only to meet with failure. There is no reason to think that Stern's approach will be any more successful.

But I must say, this is where I think Kelber, too, misses the boat. I don't think it's simply a matter of union workers talking with non-union workers. I think that the leadership has to come up with a powerful response to the terrorism of the bosses.

Well, that's not quite right - "come up with" isn't quite the right term, because it's not like they have to invent something completely new. All they have to do is look back at labor history to see what worked in the past. Back in the 30s, workers defeated just this sort of resistance from the employers by using their massive numbers. They occupied work places. They formed mass picket lines of the thousands and tens of thousands. They physically defended themselves where this was necessary.

I cannot see how we can reverse the union busting tide without returning to these methods.

But this is where I think Kelber falls short. I have not seen him raise these questions either.

But anyway, I think it's good that he's running, even if his program has some weaknesses.

John Reimann
expelled member, carpenters Local 713

Hey John, Thanks for visiting our site.I agree 100% about getting back to the way of the unions back in the 30's. But here is my question to you how do you get the average union member to think outside the "rules" that the companies and the current union leaders have set up to keep the working men and women in this country "In Line" God forbid that any of us workers step out of line and not play by "their rules" Most of these companies violate our contracts everyday and nothing happens to them! Most members won't even try and hold the companies they work for to the contact let alone the union leaders we pay to represent us! If these companies can break the "rules" Why can't we workers? One more thing John,why were you expelled from your union?

I was asked why I was expelled from my union.

I joined the carpenters union in 1970. I became active in my union soon after and was active and elected to different offices since then (including Recording Secretary three times). During all this time, I fought for the members, believing that the union officials did not fight for the members and enforce the contract and fight for better contracts.

From time to time, the officialdom would offer me jobs working for them. This is always a way of silencing members.

Anyway, in 1999, our Regional Council settled a contract which was quite poor. We also were denied the right to vote on this contract. Thousands of members were furious, and arising out of some meetings and protest rallies, there came a call for a wildcat strike. In May of that year, we had a five day wildcat strike which was tremendously successful. We shut down the SF airport International Terminal job, Pac Bell Park, and many other multi million dollar jobs.

I was the only elected officer who was really involved in this wildcat, and I was elected as the strike committee chairman. After it was all over, the International brought me up on the charge of "disobedience to authority" and, in a kangaroo court proceeding they expelled me for life from the union.

My present status is that I still work union, I receive all the union benefits and use the union hiring hall and am granted the great privilige of paying union dues. I'm just barred for life from ever attending a union meeting or participating in the union in any way.

But if I had to do it all over, I'd do the same thing again!

John Reimann

RACKTEERING LAWSUIT AGAINST ILA LEADERS MUST GIVE MEMBERS CONTROL

Reform-minded members of the International Longshoremen's
Association (ILA) want a say in how their union is cleaned up. It
is critical that members' concerns are heard and incorporated into
any agreement arising out of a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt
Organizations (RICO) lawsuit filed against the ILA by the U.S.
Attorney in Brooklyn.

Rank-and-file ILA members have been organizing against undemocratic
and corrupt practices within the ILA since 1999, when the Longshore
Workers Coalition (LWC) formed, a reform group composed of ILA
members and elected officers from ILA locals all along the East
Coast, from Canada to Houston.

"Unfortunately there has been corruption and the membership of our
union has suffered," says Leonard Riley, an ILA member from
Charleston, South Carolina, and co-chair of the LWC. "The members
are the only ones who can rid our union of corruption and chart a
course for the future. If we get an impartially-run membership vote
for top officers, we will clean up this union."

"Over 1,000 ILA members have signed a petition demanding direct
elections and an end to retaliation," says Tony Perlstein, an ILA
member in New Jersey and the other LWC co-chair. "We are in the
process of launching a union-wide campaign to make sure that members
are assured a place at the table. Longshore workers around the
world know that a democratic union is the only way members can fight
for safe workplaces, decent standards of living and benefits."

Demands put forward in past RICO cases, and which ought to be
considered, include:

* Hold direct elections of all top officers run by an impartial
election officer, and support fair local union elections with a
healthy, balanced democratic process and atmosphere open to