Teamsters Stand with CA Food 4 Less Workers

CALIFORNIA —  Teamsters Joint Council 42 June 18 voted unanimously to sanction a possible strike by over 6,000 Food 4 Less workers in California, represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union or UFCW.

Grocery workers at Kroger-owned Food 4 Less stores across California are fighting for the preservation of work, fair wages, and benefits and have authorized a strike if negotiations break down.

“We stand united with our UFCW brothers and sisters in the grocery industry, fighting for fair wages and a union contract,” said Chris Griswold, Teamsters Joint Council 42 president. “It’s a travesty that these companies, reaping unprecedented profits, choose to undermine the very people who made their success possible. The Teamsters will combat corporate greed in all its forms, and our members are ready to honor their picket lines if they choose to strike.”

“Their fight is our fight,” said Lou Villalvazo, Teamsters Local 630 secretary-treasurer and Teamsters Joint Council 42 southwest food-warehouse industry chairman. “Teamsters are gearing up as Food 4 Less/Ralphs is one of the many grocery employers we will negotiate with next year. These employers profited from the COVID-19 pandemic, making record profits to the point that their parent company, Kroger, was able to purchase their competitor, Albertsons, for $24.6 billion. Meanwhile, other chains like Smart & Final continue to exploit their workforce, disregarding labor and state laws. It’s crucial that Food 4 Less and all grocery chains take responsibility for their essential workers and the community by agreeing to a fair contract.”

The potential strike by the UFCW is a significant development in the ongoing unrest in the grocery industry. As grocery chains continue to report record profits and the cost of food escalates, the workers’ demands for fair wages and better working conditions are more pressing than ever.

Teamsters Joint Council 42 consists of 23 affiliated Teamsters Local Unions representing nearly 200,000 workers and retirees in Southern California, Southern Nevada, Guam, Saipan and Hawaii.