Grocery workers union adds south state unit

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.sacbee.com/business/story/1866303.html

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Grocery workers union adds south state unit

Moving to increase its bargaining power, Roseville's big grocery workers union has gotten bigger by taking over a portion of a troubled local in Southern California.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 8-Golden State in Roseville said Friday it merged with a segment of a UFCW local covering Kern, Inyo and Mono counties. The merger has been ratified by members of the Southern California unit, Local 1036.

The deal will add 3,500 workers to Local 8's ranks. The Roseville local will represent roughly 34,000 workers from the Oregon border to Death Valley.

UFCW locals have been consolidating in an effort to bring more muscle to the bargaining table. The trend has taken on greater urgency as grocery chains have attempted to trim labor costs to compete more effectively against non-union grocers.

"This will be an important step toward marshaling all of our union's strength throughout California to win the strongest possible contracts for all of our members," Local 8 President Jacques Loveall said in a press release.

FULL story at link.