Giant and Safeway bosses in the metropolitan Washington area are “going nuclear” in their attempt to ram through a contract that would push workers out of the middle class, cut health and retirement security, and squeeze even more profits out of union members’ hard work, grocery workers charged Friday, March 2. They condemned the companies’ decision to prominently post “help wanted” ads for “replacement” – or scab – workers and rapidly escalating efforts to silence workers as evidence that management wants provoke a strike or order a lockout when the current contract expires on March 31st.
“We’ve been meeting since January 11th and with our deadline less than a month away, Giant and Safeway management refuses to negotiate in good faith,” said United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400 President Tom McNutt. Instead, the companies are demanding dozens of concessions that would transfer thousands of dollars “out of the pockets of our members and into the already-overflowing wallets of top executives and shareholders,” said McNutt. “This is not about economic necessity …it’s about unvarnished corporate greed.”
Metro Washington Council President Jos Williams pledged the “full support of the local labor community for our brothers and sisters on the line at our local supermarkets. We’ll be there for them all the way.” Said McNutt, “Our members are empowered, we are united, and we’ve got each others’ backs. These companies will not trample on our members’ right to improve their lives through collective bargaining. The days of Giant and Safeway goosing their profits by driving down our members’ economic standing are coming to an end — and our members are ready to do whatever it takes to achieve their aspirations.”
- excerpted from a longer report on the Metro Council’s website; photo courtesy of Occupy Giant and Safeway facebook page