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UFCW: A Pimp and an El Dorado

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SharynS
Post Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 6:40 pm

Joined: 28 Jan 2006
Posts: 2881
Location: the 'puter 		Every day with UFCW is like a stroll through a sewer. I'm sure everyone's heard it said that where there's a will, there's a way. In the California retail saga between UFCW and it's corporate partners, the will seems to be to ram yet another less than stellar deal down members' throats and the way seems to be by prostituting union principles.

read more...

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Pearson
Post Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 3:17 pm

Joined: 03 Feb 2006
Posts: 1416
Location: Sun City AZ 		Nice article siggy, love the lead and the links; though i must say, one really set me off.

Maybe i'm just sensitive to the phrase "negotiations update." We used it, and we used it to a very pointed end. We wanted members to know exactly what was going on. Even if negotiations went till 3 am in the morning we went back to the office and emailed out a summary of the days events. We were explicit and detailed; it was the price we were willing to pay to keep members informed.

Imagine my curiosity when i saw a header on a link that read Negotiations Update. I always have wrestled with how contrived most of these talks in California appear. Once reading the "update" my curiosity changed to umbrage.

One of the things i learned first hand on the job was this...bullshit is bullshit, no matter how nice you word it. So just for the hell of it, lets play around with some of their horse manure.

Let's start with the most basic of premise: These negotiations have the potential to be some of the most contentious in the history of bargaining. They come off the heals of an ugly strike where anger greed and stupidity were all prevalent. This is key; the expiration date of this contract was March 5, 2007.

Anyone who has bargained contracts of this nature understands how slow this process is. Yet, from their update we see this pearl of wisdom:
Quote:
March 1, 2007 Update...
We are just five days away from our contract expiring on March 5th! Yet Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons have still not responded to the proposals UFCW presented to eliminate the two-tier wage and offer grocery workers fair wages and benefits.

Ouch, 5 days from the expiration and nothing has been accomplished; NOTHING!


This may well be the understatement of the century:
Quote:
With this lack of response from the employers, it is very unlikely that we will have a new contract by March 5th. But know that UFCW is working hard to advance negotiations and get grocery workers the respect they deserve. But the ball is in the employer’s court right now.

Working hard? Unlikely to have a contract? Indeed.


Then just before the weekend we get this awesome bit of info:
Quote:
March 2, 2007 Update...
We still haven't heard any response from Albertsons, Ralphs and Ralphs regarding the proposals that UFCW has presented. And no meetings have been scheduled. Stay tuned for further updates.

Too funny for words; not to worry though, they still have three days till expiration (of course two of them are the weekend).

Then out of nowhere we see the locals have hit the jackpot; hang on to your hats it's the big one:
Quote:
March 5, 2007 Update...
This morning, the UFCW locals and the parent companies of Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons agreed to extend the contract covering workers at their markets by two weeks. The extension will expire at midnight on Monday, March 19th.

Mind you, all of this on the date the contract expires.


There was more good news:
Quote:
We are encouraged the employers have finally agreed to hard dates for meetings, which will be scheduled by a federal labor mediator, and we hope to finally begin making real progress towards a fair contract.

Hard dates...damn, real progress.


Oops, guess it was one of those premature thingies:
Quote:
March 7, 2007 Update...
As part of the contract extension agreement, a federal mediator will soon begin choosing dates for meetings between the national chains and the seven UFCW locals.

See there weren't really hard dates yet, the mediator is going to select them...hopefully soon.


This one says it all, which by the way says nothing:
Quote:
March 9, 2007 Update...
Today, your union and Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons agreed to the ground rules for negotiations proposed by the federal mediator. In order to help keep negotiators focused on issues at the bargaining table, your union and the employers agreed to not reveal meeting times or the specific content of the meetings.

The Federal Mediator is responsible for scheduling meetings during this two week contract extension, but because of these media ground rules those dates will not be released.

UFCW is committed to negotiating a fair contract that eliminates the two-tier wage and includes fair benefits. We will keep you updated on the latest developments to the extent that we can given these ground rules.

Lets break it down, it always helps me understand what they are trying to say. You've gotta love the idea there are ground rules...simple things like we aren't going to tell you where or when the meetings are and we for sure won't tell you what we are talking about.

Better yet, they are going to keep you updated...at least as much as they are able...and according to their ground rules, they can't say anything. If this wasn't so painful i'd be rolling on the floor laughing.


The best is yet to come. Under the header we read this statement of purpose for this website:
Quote:
UFCW is in the process of negotiations with the supermarket chains to negotiate terms for a new contract. Check the details below for the most up-to-date information on the progress of negotiations. You can also get the latest updates by calling our toll-free Negotiations Hotline at 1-866-360-9414.

Negotiations Update my fat old white ass. These are nothing more than press releases that say nothing. Please, don't insult us with this stupidity.

Here's the bottom line: Contract talks of this size and scope should have begun a minimum of three months before expiration. Members should have some idea what the proposals said. Instead we see this happy horseshit about all of this coming together after the expiration date, slammed together in record time and the primary goal is respect. How dumb to they think we are?

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Last edited by Pearson on Mon Mar 12, 2007 4:43 pm; edited 1 time in total
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SharynS
Post Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 4:18 pm

Joined: 28 Jan 2006
Posts: 2881
Location: the 'puter 		Way to go! Bring a pig indoors.

Thanks BP, I'm glad you like the article. With an easy change of location, I'll be able to re-use it for ufcw 1518's retail saga when it all comes to it's pathetic conclusion in '08.

I'm not sure why no-one has said it out loud. Retail bargaining - in your country and in mine - are about the idiots - corporate and biz-u - getting around years and years of pension scamming with the least amount of prison time.

There are no proposals, negotiations will center around who gets what and who has to stand where in the responsibility department when the explosion takes place. If anything they're negotiating who stands where in the police line-up.

As much as corpheads have the upper hand, they still have to cover some big asses when it all goes down. There in lies the importance of this retail round. The very last bastion for the biz-u pig farmer boys is the employers' culpability.

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Laboryes
Post Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 4:28 pm

Joined: 29 Jan 2006
Posts: 1959
My prediction

We will hear all this happy horse shit...ummmmm! til about Oct of 2007 when the Nor Cal contract is up.

Then they(the UFCW) will tells us how So Cal locals dragged their feet to coordinate expiration dates with Nor Cal locals to put major pressure on the grocery chains. It was the BIG PLAN from the UFCW international all the time we will be told.

After some intense negotiating(chuckle..chuckle) the grocery chains back down and the two-tier is defeated! Loveall Jr. will stand in front of the media boasting “We have done it”! They will peacock how the multi local unity defeated the powerful grocery chains!

Members will be given little to no information about the contract except how the two-tier was defeated and that they get a whopping $1.25 raise over the next 3 years. Members will be given very little(if any at all) time to ask questions and get answers regarding their contract before they vote on it. The UFCW local leaders will have their cronies out mailing bogus ballots to make sure the contract passes! Of coarse it will be a mail in ballot! They won’t take the chance of members voting it down and disappointing their buddies in the corporate grocery industry.

The UFCW will spew it’s predetermined victory all over their bought media and use the spin doctoring to sell their new mergers to form two new California UFCW locals, one big local for So Cal and one big local for Nor Cal to be run by Loveall Jr. himself! That is if Loveall can afford to buy off the feds and get them to stop their investigation.

So this is my prediction for the up coming 2007 UFCW dog and pony show!

Anyone else care to look into their crystal ball and see what lies in the future for so many hard working rank n file grocery workers in Ca.?

So tell me Joe Hansen! Am I close?

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ross53
Post Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 5:18 pm

Joined: 24 May 2006
Posts: 1434
Location: california 		I cannot help wonder why some Locals go out of their way to keep the members informed and some other Locals simply like to keep the member on the need to know basis.

http://www.ufcw324.org/ Listen to Video
MARCH 9, 2007 KCAL REPORT (2:31)
10,000 CUSTOMER SIGNATURES SUPPORTING GROCERY WORKERS

Siggy Pearson LY, and all
Very true, your comments, your prediction right on the money IMO.

Did you know that Mickey Kasparian and Ted Leitner are best of friends

Word within the inner circle of the local is that Ted always gives Mickey Free Ticket to the Padre games.

Take care,

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loonietunes
Post Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:50 pm

Joined: 30 Mar 2006
Posts: 1210
Pearson wrote:

One of the things I learned first hand on the job was this...bullshit is bullshit,


Nicely said Brother Pearson!

Last week the UFCW Local Union brass didn't even bother to go to the Southern California Food and Drug council meeting.

They had some low level water boy give the negotiations update........ Confused

...say what.....

for those that don't know....this council meeting had "High Rollers from "many" Labor Organizations like the Teamsters etc. whose support you would need if there ever was another "Action"

Bottom line....if this current fiasco was not a "Done Deal" pile of horse dung....the UFCW High Rollers would have attended this meeting......IMO

....What say you Question

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wally
Post Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 11:08 pm

Joined: 12 Mar 2007
Posts: 8
Location: canada 		I'm pretty new to this union stuff . I just recently became a steward where I work. I just finished taking a labour law class as prep for being on the bargaining committee for the first time later this year. Some of the things we learned are quite different than what Pearson talked about in his post. we were taught that a Union can not even serve notice to bargain until 2 months before the contract expires and that everything in our current contract remains in place and inforcable until a new contract is negotiated and ratified.it seems like most of the contracts of the people in my classes from a number unions normally get done after the expiry date. are the rules different in different places
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Pearson
Post Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 2:07 pm

Joined: 03 Feb 2006
Posts: 1416
Location: Sun City AZ 		Welcome Wally, i suspect there are some differences in Canadian labor law and in the US. That said, there are no absolutes when parties start bargaining. If you check the threads here you will find ufcw locals who bargained new contracts mid term. The parties have the ability to open talks when they choose.

In the case of the grocery negotiations in CA, my point was simple. Given their possible contentious nature it would have made sense to begin them well before the expiration; which is perfectly legal. It also spares members the drama. In fact, the entire aspect of total transparency is what keeps people engaged and involved.

Thanks Ly for your look into the future. The fact is, dragging these talks out would be the right way for an aggressive union to behave. While having common expiration dates would be the best scenario; the ability to strike them all across the US would be the optimum and stalling to achieve that would be perfect.

It is exactly why i disagree with your assessment; leastwise on when this is settled. Clearly the goal is to establish one or two massive locals in each state. That's another story for another time.

Even the employer recognizes the danger in trusting their partner to do the right thing if they allow talks to percolate for till the end of the year. You will see a vote within two or three months and it will mirror what has happened on the East Coast with the Stop and Shop members.

The script has been the same everywhere they have bargained. Mutual win for both sides with each making concessions. Members are happy there was no strike. The leadership proudly proclaims they won because members stood tall.

The collective size of the ufcw will mean little; other than their website touting a national plan to win. The one thing that will be obvious should be how little participation there is from the membership. While the horn blowing and fanfare will talk about the membership's strength, reality will be far different. Voting numbers are down as the new ufcw process of total top down control will drive the masses even further away.

Congrats Wally, hopefully your participation here will prove at least as valuable as the time spent in the classroom. The best educational tool is the combination of book learning coupled with on the job training. We can accelerate the second piece of it, especially if you come here with an open mind.

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atuuschaaw
Post Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 2:42 pm

Joined: 29 Jan 2006
Posts: 780
Location: an ahwangan 		Great article siggy! You keep that up and before you know it, you'll have your own blog! Cool

Quote:
Clearly the goal is to establish one or two massive locals in each state. That's another story for another time.

I don't know BP. I'm thinking this is just as an appropriate time as any to mention the grand scheme of things. As a matter of fact...you just did! Mr. Green

This trend to circle the wagons and consolidate resources in a last stand isn't unique to the UFCW. It's been the direction organized labor has chosen over the last twenty plus years in my opinion. And understanding where they eventually want to "take" us is a beneficial piece of knowledge.

But maybe you're right...and it will only confuse the issues at hand. But I can think of no more qualified contributor than yourself to know the mindset of the old, fat, white guys we're paying! Wink

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SharynS
Post Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:12 pm

Joined: 28 Jan 2006
Posts: 2881
Location: the 'puter
Quote:
you'll have your own blog! Cool \
Oh ma'gawd, like for real? Like it's my dream eh.
Quote:
This trend to circle the wagons and consolidate resources in a last stand isn't unique to the UFCW.
Like oh ma'gawd, there's going to be a last stand? Anyone know which bar?

ed=Well I'll be damned! I just received an email with a link to no-pants leitner's radio spot. Telling me to:
Quote:
Listen to a UFCW radio spot in Southern California that applauds
the contract agreement with Stater Bros. at
http://www.ufcw.org/images/video/ufcw_radio_spot.mp3
I didn't know what else to do so, I replied and sent them a link to the Pimp and an El Dorado.

Look ma no union!

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Pearson
Post Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 3:11 pm

Joined: 03 Feb 2006
Posts: 1416
Location: Sun City AZ
Quote:
This trend to circle the wagons and consolidate resources in a last stand isn't unique to the UFCW. It's been the direction organized labor has chosen over the last twenty plus years in my opinion. And understanding where they eventually want to "take" us is a beneficial piece of knowledge.

You are dead on right A. This has been the path for years. The thing is, the boys are moving the mountain way faster than any of us expected.

Clearly Stern's influence is showing through. Perhaps the most brazen of consolidations was within the Carpenters. They literally stripped locals of any rights other than the collection of dues. Democracy has taken a backseat; members are secondary to the equation.

Joe Hansen's support of the mergers in CA and the refusal to help members who contacted him is more of the same. Sacrificing workers/members rights for the salvation of the organization is wrong.

The classic example of just how fucked up this is is the manipulation of these contract talks around the country. All show and no go is being very generous in my assessment. They bring a whole new meaning to the word contrived.

I guess my biggest frustration is in how members just accept it as the way it is. Sadly, the boys know they'll get by with it and the handful of us speaking out aren't enough to change it. Someday, someone will look back and say, damn what a stupid choice to cling to the biz union model rather than build a true worker movement.

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GRUMPY
Post Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 4:40 pm

Joined: 19 Feb 2006
Posts: 197
LY, you speak like you have heard this some where ? Wink I aggree.

Bill, do you mean that the locals are going to drag there feet like they did last round and then plunge the dagger in us ? I can't help but think the worse.

How many years have we heard about how strong the UFCW is with all these members. WOW !, we sure have shown the companies. Mad
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wally
Post Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:28 am

Joined: 12 Mar 2007
Posts: 8
Location: canada 		Thanks for the Feedback Pearson.I'm going to keep reading watching and learning.I am committed to doing a good job for the members who elected me
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catbear955
Post Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 5:36 am

Joined: 20 Feb 2006
Posts: 136
Location: Upland, Ca. 		O.K., O.K.---so there's been no progress in the talks. When there's nothing to say, should we make something up?

We made nice with the Federal Mediator and got the extension so that maybe the employers would get their heads out of their asses and show some true employee appreciation---but no. They were pissed off that Stater Bros. and Gelsons beat them to the punch and now they feel that we're ramming that agreement down their throats.

Many of you know that we opened negotiations as soon as it was legally possible. What you don't know, is that they (Vons, Ralphs,and Albertsons) refused to meet with the individual locals on equal footing---they would only schedule meetings with certain locals,and the authorized bargaining representatives would selectively attend them. All because we wanted to avoid the unholy alliance they formed three years ago.

Here's the rub. I can tell you that all the locals were represented and all the employers were represented at every single meeting---but only one local and one employer at a time were recognized at the table. So basically, everyone was there, we presented our proposals, they said thanks, we'll look it over, and left. Takes all of 15 minutes of opening statements and see ya! How about 21 of those unproductive, time wasting foot-draggers? No thanks. But are you going to leave the members unprotected?

This was not a problem with Staters and Gelsons, both of whom knew there would be no sweetheart agreements for them, and who were eager to get something real in place while the big guys slugged it out.

So if the remaining employers are surface bargaining and trying to hold on to their dear second tier for a little longer, what's to tell? When the Albertsons proposal comes out (and it's the same as in Oregon, as I understand it)when it comes to light on this Sunday when the members vote on whether or not to strike---we'll see.We know the customers don't want to see another strike!

If this is all a face-saving farce, the government should be ashamed for playing along. The members had better be able to demand a contract from their employers, and be ready to make them pay if they don't---and there should be no more niceties. This round of "negotiations" has been just so much crap; so much of the same pretense and insincerity from these employers.

At least there have been some employer concessions in the terms of the extensions, such as the retroactive raises.As long as there are talks, no member will have to suffer the fate from '03.I'll walk again if I must, but I won't be as kind or accepting---I'll be mad as hell and ready to go down in flames!

Let's see how the Albertsons strike vote goes, and see if the tone changes any. I'm not at the table, and I'm not a member of the media, so I'm not violating any agreement by sharing anything with you folks.

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Pearson
Post Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 1:50 pm

Joined: 03 Feb 2006
Posts: 1416
Location: Sun City AZ 		Honestly cb, i love you as a sister, but don't let the drama hook you. Every set of talks has gone this way: Let me repeat this and shout it so i am very clear; EVERY SET OF TALKS HAS GONE THIS WAY. Not once has there been a strike.

Are you seeing a pattern develop? Through all of the bluster, the head banging, the gnashing of teeth and the mandatory strike votes has always come a last minute, mediator driven settlement. Members have stood tall and won. It's a frigging miracle.

I hate to say this to a true believer, but this one could be made into a movie: The Miracle On K-Street. It won't have all the trappings of the John Monks Jr written Christmas story, but the way the boys are playing the throngs of ufcw members around the country, it will have much the same affect.

We've been telling many of you this for the past year. This isn't some unfounded crap we have been pulling out of our hats. It isn't just to make them look bad, we want people to see who this new model of unionism works.

I've written this before: In 02 they brought a hundred of us to DC from the US and Canada. The big 4 had gone to Dority and presented their game plan. The goal was to build second tiers, in essence take care of the senior folks all at the expense of those yet hired.

At that point there were still some of us old timers around who saw this as a fools game. The non union competition was growing and if we didn't organize them the future looked bleak. Non union employers were already paying higher starting rates, so any thought of destroying contracts (and the ability to organize) sounded way dumb.

We left DC with what we thought was a single minded purpose; a united front to preserve contracts, and challenge employers to RESPECT their employees; including those yet hired. I sensed even back then the boys hated what happened. We were asking old fat white guys to become warriors...what a mistake.

The results were the abysmal effort in Southern CA and the failed grocery strike. As you saw immediately after that, contracts were shoved down throats and up asses at every turn. The boys learned their lesson.

Throw into the mix the CTW mantra of top down control with an absolute eye on corporatization and walla, we get artificially inseminated unionism. We get this appearance of unions fighting for members...but what do they get out of it? Have you seen the actual proposals yet cb? Other than respect, do you know what they have given the employers?

I know the spin, they are masters at it. Hype isn't hope, nor is it how you win battles. A year ago i said if this was the real deal, the locals and the international need embrace it and face it in a fashion likened to Sun Tzu's Art Of War (it was one of the first books i read in preparing for my years in organized labor and was at the recommendation of a labor educator). Have you seen any signs of these guys girding up for a major labor confrontation?

Please don't insult me with this crap about petitions signed by customers and these stupid buttons. That is pure hype. Big deal, 10,000 names. Some of these stores have higher customer counts than that in a single day. Hell, members relatives should generate 5 times that number of signatures.

Truly, i hope they prove me wrong. I hope they are going to fight to the death to save members pensions, health care and restore decent wages. The good news is when the dust settles, we will be able to see if this was real or if it was memorex. Time will tell cb, but as a betting man my money would be on me rather than them.

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