If you live anywhere that this strike is being carried out, I'm wondering
what the strikers are claiming as the reason(s) for their action.

The main reason people where I live are avoiding stores being struck is that
they are being intimidated by the picketers and this is likely to get worse
now that the maf......er Teamsters are involved.

If you'd like to see the contract that they are rejecting you can find it on
the KFI640 web site. I think you'll find it very interesting.

http://www.kfi640.com/main.html

Michael Mckelvy wrote:

If you live anywhere that this strike is being carried out, I'm wondering
what the strikers are claiming as the reason(s) for their action.

The companies make billions in profits and want the employees to start
paying for healthcare when it was already there for employees for decades.
(ie - a pay cut, but in a sneaky manner)

Trader Joe's(small chain in California) has literally half the markup of
Vons/Safeway and yet is planning on expanding 100 stores in the next three years.

Even with the current pay, the companies are still making money hand over fist.

The main reason people where I live are avoiding stores being struck is that
they are being intimidated by the picketers and this is likely to get worse
now that the maf......er Teamsters are involved.

Where I live, most of the town supports or was at one time a member of
a union and they refuse to shop and support the companies or scabs.

The Teamsters got involved because the companies decided to try to break
the union, so the employees called in the Teamsters to get some hurt on
by not delivering the supplies.

Obie said:

Trader Joe's(small chain in California) has literally half the markup of
Vons/Safeway and yet is planning on expanding 100 stores in the next three years.

Even with the current pay, the companies are still making money hand over fist.

They don't pay union wages, do they. And they only sell packaged
goods, which require less labor to display. No meat to cut, no produce
to uncrate and place in neat piles.

A more apt comparison is a bookstore.

They don't pay union wages, do they. And they only sell packaged
goods, which require less labor to display. No meat to cut, no produce
to uncrate and place in neat piles.


No, they sell fresh produce and many things that you can't get at the major
supermarkets.

S888Wheel said:

They don't pay union wages, do they. And they only sell packaged
goods, which require less labor to display. No meat to cut, no produce
to uncrate and place in neat piles.

No, they sell fresh produce and many things that you can't get at the major
supermarkets.

The ones in Maryland don't sell fresh produce. Except for *packaged*
foods. Nor do they have anything not in the supermarkets. They have
more choices of some stuff, particularly frozen fish.

I guess they tailored the east coast stores to what they thought would
sell here.

The ones in Maryland don't sell fresh produce. Except for *packaged*
foods. Nor do they have anything not in the supermarkets. They have
more choices of some stuff, particularly frozen fish.

I guess they tailored the east coast stores to what they thought would
sell here.





I didn't even know they were on the east coast.

S888Wheel wrote:

They don't pay union wages, do they. And they only sell packaged
goods, which require less labor to display. No meat to cut, no produce
to uncrate and place in neat piles.

I forgot to mention - it's all family owned, like In and Out Burger.
Both companies treat their employees well, pay the highest non-union
wages in the area, and generally run a fine, ethical business.

No shareholders, no board of directors, no earnings nonsense.

Unions really are only required when the management is unwilling
to run an ethical business, afterall.

In and Out is a good comparison. They pay $8-$9 an hour for the
exact same job that the other burger chains want you to do, yet
make enough money to expand roughly one new store every 2-3 weeks.
Oh - they charge less for a burger as well. Healthcare as well for
full-tiem employees(unheard of in fast food).

Compare that to McDonalds - minimum wage, pay increases every 6 months
of 25 cents(half what In and Out does every 3 months), a million rules,
more expensive food...

And they are closing locations in the U.S. Loosing money because they
are profit and shareholder driven. I'm amazed that they don't have a
union. The poor slobs working there certainly need one.

S888Wheel wrote:

They don't pay union wages, do they. And they only sell packaged
goods, which require less labor to display. No meat to cut, no produce
to uncrate and place in neat piles.

I forgot to mention - it's all family owned, like In and Out Burger.
Both companies treat their employees well, pay the highest non-union
wages in the area, and generally run a fine, ethical business.

No shareholders, no board of directors, no earnings nonsense.

Unions really are only required when the management is unwilling
to run an ethical business, afterall.

In and Out is a good comparison. They pay $8-$9 an hour for the
exact same job that the other burger chains want you to do, yet
make enough money to expand roughly one new store every 2-3 weeks.
Oh - they charge less for a burger as well. Healthcare as well for
full-tiem employees(unheard of in fast food).

Compare that to McDonalds - minimum wage, pay increases every 6 months
of 25 cents(half what In and Out does every 3 months), a million rules,
more expensive food...

And they are closing locations in the U.S. Loosing money because they
are profit and shareholder driven. I'm amazed that they don't have a
union. The poor slobs working there certainly need one.




In and Out also make a much better product than Mc Donalds. That doesn't hurt.

"Joseph Oberlander" wrote in message
nk.net...
S888Wheel wrote:

They don't pay union wages, do they. And they only sell packaged
goods, which require less labor to display. No meat to cut, no produce
to uncrate and place in neat piles.

I forgot to mention - it's all family owned, like In and Out Burger.
Both companies treat their employees well, pay the highest non-union
wages in the area, and generally run a fine, ethical business.

No shareholders, no board of directors, no earnings nonsense.

Earnings nonsense? It's earnings that pay the wages.

Unions really are only required when the management is unwilling
to run an ethical business, afterall.

Unions are never required. Every employee has the right to take what is
offered or go elsewhere. There is no hint of these chains being unethical.

In and Out is a good comparison. They pay $8-$9 an hour for the
exact same job that the other burger chains want you to do, yet
make enough money to expand roughly one new store every 2-3 weeks.
Oh - they charge less for a burger as well. Healthcare as well for
full-tiem employees(unheard of in fast food).

Compare that to McDonalds - minimum wage, pay increases every 6 months
of 25 cents(half what In and Out does every 3 months), a million rules,
more expensive food...

With oppurtunities for advancement and management and store ownership.

And they are closing locations in the U.S. Loosing money because they
are profit and shareholder driven. I'm amazed that they don't have a
union. The poor slobs working there certainly need one.

They are closing stores because they oversaturated the market. It's the
first time in their history that they ever lost money.

George M. Middius wrote:


Obie said:


Trader Joe's(small chain in California) has literally half the markup of
Vons/Safeway and yet is planning on expanding 100 stores in the next three years.

Even with the current pay, the companies are still making money hand over fist.


They don't pay union wages, do they. And they only sell packaged
goods, which require less labor to display. No meat to cut, no produce
to uncrate and place in neat piles.

Actually, they do have a bakery section and produce section. The meat is
pre-packaged, but it's not something they sell a lot of - it's there
mostly as specialty items like sausage and imported cheeses the grocery
stores don't carry.

The fact is, they operate a grocery store. They pay nearly the same
wages as the big chains. They operate on a 80-100% markup over cost,
as opposed to the local Ralph's at 225% right next door. The same
milk and eggs - half as much across the street. $2 a pound for butter.
Chicken Bullion $2.69 and $4.59(Ralphs) Same exact products.

Yet they make more than enough money to expand. That the large
chains are squabbling over a little pay when they are turning
billions in profits per year is silly.

"Joseph Oberlander" wrote in message
nk.net...
George M. Middius wrote:


Obie said:


Trader Joe's(small chain in California) has literally half the markup of
Vons/Safeway and yet is planning on expanding 100 stores in the next
three years.

Even with the current pay, the companies are still making money hand
over fist.


They don't pay union wages, do they. And they only sell packaged
goods, which require less labor to display. No meat to cut, no produce
to uncrate and place in neat piles.

Actually, they do have a bakery section and produce section. The meat is
pre-packaged, but it's not something they sell a lot of - it's there
mostly as specialty items like sausage and imported cheeses the grocery
stores don't carry.

The fact is, they operate a grocery store. They pay nearly the same
wages as the big chains. They operate on a 80-100% markup over cost,
as opposed to the local Ralph's at 225% right next door. The same
milk and eggs - half as much across the street. $2 a pound for butter.
Chicken Bullion $2.69 and $4.59(Ralphs) Same exact products.

Yet they make more than enough money to expand. That the large
chains are squabbling over a little pay when they are turning
billions in profits per year is silly.

It wouold be if it were true they were making billions.
Where are the figures for their profits, or are you just regurgitating the
union rhetoric?

"Joseph Oberlander" wrote in
message
k.net...
Michael Mckelvy wrote:

If you live anywhere that this strike is being carried out,
I'm wondering
what the strikers are claiming as the reason(s) for their
action.

The companies make billions in profits and want the employees
to start
paying for healthcare when it was already there for employees
for decades.
(ie - a pay cut, but in a sneaky manner)

Trader Joe's(small chain in California) has literally half the
markup of
Vons/Safeway and yet is planning on expanding 100 stores in the
next three years.

Even with the current pay, the companies are still making money
hand over fist.

The main reason people where I live are avoiding stores being
struck is that
they are being intimidated by the picketers and this is
likely to get worse
now that the maf......er Teamsters are involved.

Where I live, most of the town supports or was at one time a
member of
a union and they refuse to shop and support the companies or
scabs.

The Teamsters got involved because the companies decided to try
to break
the union, so the employees called in the Teamsters to get some
hurt on
by not delivering the supplies.

Check the earnings statements. The companies are making a
whopping 1.3 to 1.5% profit.
Walmart is the 400 lb gorilla that is breaking the union. I
believe Trader Joes is a non-union store BTW. What health
benefits do they provide their employees?

The real issue for everyone is, WTF is going on with health care
costs? Allow imported pharmaceuticals.

ScottW

"Joseph Oberlander" wrote in message
k.net...
Michael Mckelvy wrote:

If you live anywhere that this strike is being carried out, I'm
wondering
what the strikers are claiming as the reason(s) for their action.

The companies make billions in profits and want the employees to start
paying for healthcare when it was already there for employees for decades.
(ie - a pay cut, but in a sneaky manner)

They want them to pay $5.00 per week towards their own healthcare, $15.00
per week for family coverage.

The union is also claiming that the stores want to cut 50% of their pension
benefits. This is a lie.

Trader Joe's(small chain in California) has literally half the markup of
Vons/Safeway and yet is planning on expanding 100 stores in the next three
years.

Even with the current pay, the companies are still making money hand over
fist.

You've seen their books?

The main reason people where I live are avoiding stores being struck is
that
they are being intimidated by the picketers and this is likely to get
worse
now that the maf......er Teamsters are involved.

Where I live, most of the town supports or was at one time a member of
a union and they refuse to shop and support the companies or scabs.

The Teamsters got involved because the companies decided to try to break
the union, so the employees called in the Teamsters to get some hurt on
by not delivering the supplies.

The Teamsters are involved because they lend muscle. They are thugs, they
have been keying cars of people who cross the picket lines.

Michael Mckelvy wrote:

"Joseph Oberlander" wrote in message
k.net...

Michael Mckelvy wrote:


If you live anywhere that this strike is being carried out, I'm

wondering

what the strikers are claiming as the reason(s) for their action.

The companies make billions in profits and want the employees to start
paying for healthcare when it was already there for employees for decades.
(ie - a pay cut, but in a sneaky manner)


They want them to pay $5.00 per week towards their own healthcare, $15.00
per week for family coverage.

The union is also claiming that the stores want to cut 50% of their pension
benefits. This is a lie.


Trader Joe's(small chain in California) has literally half the markup of
Vons/Safeway and yet is planning on expanding 100 stores in the next three

years.

Even with the current pay, the companies are still making money hand over

fist.

You've seen their books?

Kroger had enough money to buy Ralphs a few years ago. Hundreds of millions
in profits.

The Teamsters are involved because they lend muscle. They are thugs, they
have been keying cars of people who cross the picket lines.

In a perfect world, they would pay well and have no need for unions. BTW, I
talked to a trucker who was there - they drive the truck there, then wait for
the temp to show up and drive it in/unload it. He said that he only makes
$40-$45K a year.

Imagine how little they would be paid if they didn't have a union.

"Joseph Oberlander" wrote in message
nk.net...
Michael Mckelvy wrote:

"Joseph Oberlander" wrote in message
k.net...

Michael Mckelvy wrote:


If you live anywhere that this strike is being carried out, I'm

wondering

what the strikers are claiming as the reason(s) for their action.

The companies make billions in profits and want the employees to start
paying for healthcare when it was already there for employees for
decades.
(ie - a pay cut, but in a sneaky manner)


They want them to pay $5.00 per week towards their own healthcare,
$15.00
per week for family coverage.

The union is also claiming that the stores want to cut 50% of their
pension
benefits. This is a lie.


Trader Joe's(small chain in California) has literally half the markup of
Vons/Safeway and yet is planning on expanding 100 stores in the next
three

years.

Even with the current pay, the companies are still making money hand
over

fist.

You've seen their books?

Kroger had enough money to buy Ralphs a few years ago. Hundreds of
millions
in profits.

IOW you have not seen the books.


The Teamsters are involved because they lend muscle. They are thugs,
they
have been keying cars of people who cross the picket lines.

In a perfect world, they would pay well and have no need for unions.

When is there a need for thuggery?

They do pay well, there is no need for unions. These people make approx
23,000 a year if they make the top pay rate for working 24 hrs a week. If
they don't think they are getting enough to live on they should retrain for
another line of work. There's no guarantee nor should there be that things
will stay the same.

BTW, I
talked to a trucker who was there - they drive the truck there, then wait
for
the temp to show up and drive it in/unload it. He said that he only makes
$40-$45K a year.

More than a lot of teachers. What's wrong with this picture.

Imagine how little they would be paid if they didn't have a union.

They also recieve full medical and pension benefits even though they aren't
full time employees.

You do realize that if they get paid more, your groceries cost more, don' t
you?

They are not being asked to take a pay cut.