Grocery store workers have voted to strike; however, negotiations are continuing. 

Below is a statement from United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 770:

“Grocery store workers were scheduled to hit the picket lines at a Koreatown Ralphs yesterday [Wednesday] as part of a week of practicing Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike actions, held by UFCW Local 770 members in Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo counties. 

“These actions follow last week’s overwhelming ULP strike authorization vote impacting 45,000 UFCW workers across Southern California and come just before critical contract negotiations scheduled to resume on June 25.

“Even though stores remain open during these practice strikes, workers are using the picket lines to prepare for a potential full-scale ULP strike if the union calls for one.

“Grocery workers are escalating their fight to protest ULPs by Ralphs- and Albertsons-owned stores across Southern California. The unfair labor practices include surveillance, threats and interrogation of employees. These union-busting tactics are designed to interfere with workers’ efforts to achieve a fair contract.

This week’s targeted actions serve as a clear warning to Ralphs and Albertsons. If the companies fail to honor the law and respect their workers, ULP strikes across Southern California could be imminent.

“For four months, seven Southern California UFCW locals and their bargaining teams have been negotiating with Ralphs and Albertsons for a new contract that addresses several issues impacting store operations, working conditions and customer service, including the severe staffing crisis.  

“Shoppers also face frustrations, with Consumer Reports catching Ralphs’ parent company, Kroger, overcharging customers by 18.4%. ‘Bullies at the Table,’ a study by the Economic Roundtable, found 92% of workers witness this practice, while a customer survey conducted by UFCW Locals 770 and 324, along with LAANE, shows customers report severe understaffing at Kroger and Albertsons stores leading to empty shelves, long lines and added burdens on shoppers.  

“UFCW Local 770 represents nearly 30,000 workers across Southern California in industries like grocery, cannabis, retail drug, healthcare and meatpacking, with over 20,000 grocery members in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties.”

Mary O’KEEFE contributed to this article.