Safeway and Giant Interviewing Potential Scabs

Metro labor council's been following this developing story and I'm so glad they have.

REACHING OUT TO SUPERMARKET WORKERS: "I told a check-out clerk at the Wisconsin Ave/Newark St Giant that I did not appreciate Giant having job fairs and interviewing workers while (contract) negotiations were under way," says activist Brian Powers in his grocery worker solidarity action report back. "She replied that interviewing was not the same thing as hiring and she expected to get a contract. Her confidence in her union was clear and she was equally clear that she expected a contract." Powers is one of hundreds taking individual and group actions to support metro area grocery workers' fight for a good contract. Click here to find out more and get involved.

But there's more we can all do besides just telling the workers we hate it, there are actions we can take. From the AFL-CIO site...

Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400 who work at Safeway and Giant stores throughout the metro Washington area are in a fight for the future of retail jobs. Under increasing pressure from big-box stores and non-union groceries like Harris Teeter, Safeway and Giant are pushing for a contract that rolls back hard-won benefits such as affordable healthcare and pensions. Safeway and Giant grocery workers and their families deserve better.

The current round of negotiations at Safeway and Giant will impact over 15,000 grocery workers in the DC area. It's time to hold the line for good jobs with good benefits. You can take action to support their fight!

FOUR WAYS TO TAKE ACTION

Hand a Safeway or Giant checkout clerk a support card
1. Download and print worker support cards.
2. Stick them in your wallet.
3. Next time you're in a Safeway or Giant store, hand a card to the checkout clerk with your payment.

Send a letter to your local store manager
1. Download and print manager letters.
2. Cut them in 4.
3. Next time you're in a Safeway or Giant store, ask for the manager and hand them this card.

Organize a leafleting action outside your neighborhood Safeway or Giant
1. Set a date, time and location for your leafleting event.
2. Outreach to friends and family to see if they'd like to join you.
3. Print out flyers to hand out to customers...and of course, remember to take pictures.

If you'd like to join me on Wednesday I'll be supporting Safeway workers on Wednesday at 6pm at my neighborhood Safeway.

Where


Waterfront Safeway, 401 M St SW

Map


Click here for map

When



Mar 26
  starts at 6:00 pm

Labor activists leaflet to support local Giant and Safeway grocery workers in
their fight for a just contract. Workers - represented by UFCW 400 - are
currently in negotiations with Giant and Safeway but the negotiations have
stalled due to the grocery chains' demands to cut healthcare and pension
benefits. The current contract expires at the end of the month and Safeway has
already started advertising for strikebreakers. For more info, contact Ruth
Castel-Branco, rcastel@dclabor.org;
202-974-8281.

For updates on the negotiations, click here.