Next year, the United Food and Commercial Workers believe they will go into negotiations with northern California retailers holding a much stronger hand than they did in 2004. The reason for their confidence is that the union has gotten much larger after seven locals merged to create a mega local representing 26,000 grocery workers.
Mike Henneberry, communications director for Local 5, told the East Bay Business Times, "We can't take on these large nationwide companies in contract negotiations with small locals in Alameda County, Santa Clara County and other areas. We need to be bigger ourselves. What happened in Southern California was a bloodbath."
Richard Benson, secretary-treasurer of Local 5, said, "Any organization needs to examine the way it does business. It makes a lot of sense to be as lean as it can be and to consolidate efforts. The merger will give us a stronger voice at the bargaining table and greater ability to recruit new members."
Paul Staudohar, professor emeritus in industrial relations at Cal State East Bay, said a larger union will benefit it when it comes to hammering out a contract.
"The consolidation of locals should give them more muscle at the bargaining table," he said. "In this industry, unlike others, bargaining is handled locally. Maybe the union feels it should be more on a regional basis. There's no question in the event of a strike, there would be more employees out in a larger area, putting more pressure on employers."
Prof. Staudohar isn't looking for negotiations between the unions and supermarket chains operating in northern California (Sacramento Valley contract runs out in Sept., Bay Area in Dec.) to turn hostile. He said he has been impressed with the professional nature of the negotiators on both sides of the table.
Aside from the lockout/strike in southern California in 2003/2004, "The retail grocery industry has been on the leading edge of good labor relations. I don't think this merger signals a more militant stance on the union's part. For economies of scale and greater power, it makes sense for them."
Discussion Questions: What will a larger UFCW mean for labor negotiations in northern California? What effect will the merger of the seven locals in northern California have on UFCW operations elsewhere in the country?