Chicago, Mar. 5 - A contract covering about 65,000 Southern California supermarket employees is set to expire at midnight, and negotiations for a new contract are still in the early stages, a representative for grocers said Monday.
Negotiations are taking place between seven local United Food and Commercial Workers unions and three grocery chains: Albertsons, which is owned by Supervalu Inc.; Ralph's, which is owned by Kroger Co.; and Vons, which is owned by Safeway Inc..
The three chains came under scrutiny during a bitter labor dispute in late 2003 and early 2004, the last time the contract expired. A strike and lockout affected nearly 900 stores in southern California and was the longest work stoppage in the history of the U.S. grocery industry.
The seven UFCW locals are meeting separately with each chain, a spokeswoman hired by the three grocers said.
She said the first talks, between Albertsons and a union representing employees in the Orange County area, were held in mid-January. Some of the companies still have not met with a few of the locals, she said.
A spokeswoman for the UFCW could not immediately be reached for comment.