LABJ FORUM

Lining Up the Shopping Carts

Outsiders are playing a key role in the work stoppage involving unionized grocery chain workers and employers. Striking and locked out workers at Vons, Ralphs and Albertsons have asked patrons to avoid shopping at the affected stores. The chains, meanwhile, say they can’t keep up with rising health and pension costs, and competition from non-union chains. So the Business Journal asks:

Which side, if any, do you sympathize with in the supermarket strike?

Paul J. Crispi

Owner

Primo Sports Caps

I’m indifferent because I shop at Costco. But I think labor should be treated fairly. They provide an important part of our economy to the consumers and they need to be treated with respect. Hopefully both sides can come to a negotiation that everyone can agree upon because, in the end, we all need groceries.

Michael A. Stravino

Owner

Michael’s Epicurean Inc.

There are two sides to this issue. On the one hand, I sympathize with the strikers because they need better benefits. On the other side, I think the supermarkets are working on lower percentage rates because there are too many of them. When you have so many markets so close to each other, that’s why they’re hurting. That’s a lot of overhead. As a business owner, I can understand both sides, but the insurance premiums are out of hand right now and it’s really hurting everyone.

Mark J. Landay

Managing Director

Dynamic Synergy Corp.

I’m sympathetic to the strikers. However in the current economic climate, I don’t think it is a wise time to be striking. All businesses and employees have to deal with the rising cost of health care. (Supermarket employees) should be happy that they have jobs that pay fairly well in this market. There isn’t a brand loyalty to a particular store, but people go to the one most convenient to them, and now the strike causing an inconvenience.

Paula Stamp

Business Development Manager

PCL Construction Services Inc.

These people only make a certain amount of money, and medical insurance is expensive, for them as well as for the employers. But I’m not sure going on strike is the best way to address the problem. I can certainly sympathize with them if they don’t know what would happen to them and their families if their benefits were cut. I shop at Stater Bros., and until all this happened, I didn’t realize they were unionized. I went shopping last weekend, and the lines were really long. Maybe it would have been more effective if they had taken it to street and done some kind of petition campaign to get public support behind their cause.

Dan Avey

Co-Host

The Ken and Company Morning Show

KABC Talkradio 790

I definitely side with the employees. I think these three big companies, after gobbling up many chains, are suffering indigestion. They either bought them at the wrong price or the wrong time or both, and to alleviate or pay for all that, they’re trying to bust the union. With the reputation that big corporations have these days, the strikers are getting a lot of sympathy. I normally shop at Ralphs, but I don’t anymore. I have gone to a couple of the bigger stores, not to shop, but to see what they look like, and I was surprised to see more employees than patrons, and the shelves were well stocked. People are finding out it’s kind of fun to go to smaller stores.