US shoppers join counter revolution

[T_i_B]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1095813,00.html

Normally, during Thanksgiving week, Vons supermarket in Santa Monica would be packed with shoppers waiting in long lines at the checkout counters. This week, however, the only lines are the picket lines outside the store as one of the largest and what is described as one of the most critical strikes in modern American labour history enters its eighth week.

More than 70,000 workers at 859 locations across central and southern California have been on strike in protest against plans by supermarket chains to cut their health and pension benefits. This week, the strike, called by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union, intensified as Teamsters union drivers refused to cross picket lines at depots. The strike's most significant backers, however, are the shoppers who are also refusing to cross picket lines, reducing turnover in some stores to a third of the normal volume.

The stakes are high. Victory for the strikers would accelerate attempts to unionise other big service companies, say union organisers; defeat could have a chilling effect on recruitment. Union leaders say the strike could be the first round in a fight in which major companies seek to reduce traditional benefits because they claim they are being undercut by vast non-union firms, such as Wal-Mart.

The strike is different from the traditional disputes because many shoppers have personal relationships with checkout staff, whom they often know by name. As a result, backing has been heavy, with the sound of honking car horns, as drivers signal their support, now part of the rhythm of life around striking stores. As a result, the companies are losing $40m (£23m) a week in sales to rival stores.

[Kenneth ken]

1. Way To Go

Californians! Keep it up till the stores back down.

Go Unions!

[brainshrub]

2. Go Unions! Go Unions! Go Unions! Go Unions!

Go Californians! Go Californians! Go Californians! Go Californians!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[0007]

3. Keep the pressure on - go go go union go

[wildmanj]

4. unions

without the unions we are spiraling ever downward spinning out of control---time to cut the head off EXCESSIVE CAPITALISM--and bring it back under the people's control--no way in hell we can ever pay taxes or compete with china and india based on their labor standards---its time we reinstituted an AMERICA FIRST policy

[Eloriel]

5. And once again

we have to read about it in a foreign source.

What would we DO without the Guardian? And when is it coming to the U.S.?

Eloriel

[Lorien]

13. I was thinking the same thing

I wish they had a daily paper here. My dad is a news junkie who reads the Columbus Dispatch (Disgrace), newsweek, and watches CNN-and I can't believe how uninformed he is!

Now if only we could unionize WalMart employees...

[T_i_B]

15. Oh I dunno

I've been hearing those exact sme words for as long as I've been on this board. Is the local CA press covering this at all or am I just being silly?

[Don_G]

17. I Was Thinking About Buying A Decent Television

I'm wondering now if my money wouldn't be better invested in a good Shortwave Reciever and a decent Broadband connection.

[benfranklin1776]

6. Outstanding!!

It shows people are waking up to the fact that the struggle of these workers is their struggle since they are realizing that this relentless race to the bottom in wages and benefits is a plague that will eventually consume them as well if not stopped. It is a statement that unrestrained corporate greed will be combatted and not rewarded. Two :thumbsup: :thumbsup: to the workers and their supporters both.

[Rose Siding]

7. My parents are so proud of this

Everytime we talk, they tell me how they won't cross the picket line. They're originally from WV where the unions were THE lifeline.

I hope the strike is successful. It's being conducted wisely- The unions agreed, over Thanksgiving, to work the Ralph's chain. It was already in some financial trouble, and they also are garnering some public sympathy because that move has been covered locally.

[Mr_Bleedingheart]

8. good news that people are supporting the union

but why is it that this news is reported in the UK and not in the US?
Amazing

[loudnclear]

9. Somehow we have got to support these people...even if it hurts.

A little pain now might prevent fatal pain later. Even if you don't agree 100% with unions, it's time to show our support through e-mails, donations, helping the families of striking members. Hell, Freepers can't even tell me they agree with Bush 100%, yet they support him with their contributions, lies, and propaganda.

STAY AWAY FROM WAL-MART!!

[neomonkey]

10. A cautionary word

A couple of weeks ago there were a couple of attacks on some strikers. One of the incidents tooks place in Orange County when some young punks took baseball bats to some of the picketers. Not sure how much of this was "politically" motivated and how much of it was just teenage stupidity. Around the same time, there was another incident (Inland Empire?, can't remember) where some idiot actually shot at some picketers.

As much as I'd like to think these were random, apolitical acts, somethings tells me they not have been. There is plenty of antagonism and anti-unionism out on the "street", I've heard much of it first-hand. We can't delude ourselves into thinking the grocery workers have the undying support of the public - and in fact, it seems some of that support has eroded with time.

The strikers need our continuing support before the media and the public at large lets this fade into the background, in which case the stores have won.

[loudnclear]

14. The same "Orange County" where a person was trampled at a Wal-mart?

Now that really does say something about many of the people in FL.

[bleedingheart]

11. Here is hoping they are Victorious!

Workers must unite together...all of us!

[Robin Hood]

12. Here is another perspective. It's not the fault of business.

Business and the workers are getting SCREWED by Insurance companies on Health insurance. Every year it goes up dramatically and there appears to be no end in sight.

I blame this mess on the political whores who have bent over backwards to give insurance companies whatever they want. It is disgusting what they have done to business and labor, we're all victims here.

[dArKeR]

16. Too bad Daschle couldn't lead the Senate like this uneducated union

leadership! Too bad the Sheeple didn't have enough sense to see Bush as what Vons strives for.