The United Food and Commercial Workers, emboldened by its victory last month in organizing three Los Angeles-area grocery stores owned by the Mexican giant Grupo Gigante, is preparing to launch similar organizing drives at other fast-growing independent supermarket chains.
A handful of non-union chains are being considered for the follow-up to the UFCW’s intense, two-year campaign to wear down Gigante, but one appears most likely Superior Super Warehouse, which has 10 stores in L.A. County and two in Orange County.
“The one that has grown the most, over the last two years especially, has been Superior Warehouse,” said union organizer Rick Eiden, referring to the Lynwood-based company. “That could potentially be our next target.”
At a national meeting of UFCW officials in Las Vegas last week, local representatives also considered targeting other non-union supermarket chains in the Southern California area, said Eiden of Local 324, which has about 23,000 members in L.A. and Orange counties.
Those include Notrica’s 32nd Street Market, Northgate Gonzalez Market, Top Valu and Valu Plus Food Warehouse, he said.
L.A.-based Notrica owns four stores in the area. Carson’s K.V. Mart Co., which owns the Top Valu and Valu Plus chains, has 21 stores throughout L.A. County. Northgate owns 12 stores, most of which are in Orange County.
“Superior (Super) Warehouse has a format that competes very successfully against our union employers,” Eiden said.
But several owners of stores on the UFCW’s list, some of which have been picketed by the union for 20 years, assert that their employees are not interested in joining a union.
Morrie Notrica, president of the Notrica’s chain, which was started by his father, is another employer who challenged Eiden’s claims.
“We were one of the first independents to offer health and welfare (benefits),” he said. “We never paid (wages as low as) minimum wage. Even box boys got more than what the union offered.”
Consolidation among major grocery companies in recent years has allowed some smaller, independent chains to expand and compete for the area’s growing number of immigrant shoppers by offering specialty items and lower prices.
Independent stores are becoming an ever more formidable foe to unionized supermarkets, Eiden said.
“The dramatic increase in the Latino population allowed them to grow into a sizeable opponent and, therefore, they’re a threat to our market share,” he said.
The UFCW contends that non-union stores pay their workers lower wages and scrimp on benefits.
But executives at independent chains in the area challenge the union’s assertions, saying they provide their employees with good pay, health benefits and more.
“This is my family. We care about each other,” said Superior President Mimi Song.
The company’s more than 2,000 workers begin at $6.25 an hour, while in training, and can make up to $17 or more an hour. They are also offered medical, dental, vision and life insurance benefits, Song said. After one year of employment, employees are eligible for profit sharing.
Workers at unionized stores are guaranteed health insurance and earn between $6.75 and $17.10 an hour, UCFW officials said.
