New Talks Scheduled in Effort to Avert Strike at Supermarkets

Negotiators for six major Southland supermarket chains and 45,000 retail clerks will return to the bargaining table today in another attempt to reach agreement on a new contract and avert a strike that could start as early as Friday.

Larry Sooter, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1428 in Pomona, said mediators had summoned the union to a 1 p.m. meeting, after being asked to do so by representatives of the Food Employers Council, the organization that negotiates for Albertson’s, Lucky, Ralphs, Safeway, Stater Bros. and Vons.

“Apparently the vote at Local 770 and the mood of the people in the stores spurred this,” Sooter said in reference to the vote by 90.5% of Local 770 members who cast ballots Tuesday in favor of a strike. Local 770 is the largest of eight Food and Commercial Workers locals representing the clerks. The other seven locals are scheduled to report the results of their balloting at noon today.

“We are not necessarily optimistic that such talks will prevent a strike,” said Dan Swinton, a spokesman for Local 770. “We are proceeding toward a strike,” he added, noting that the union has made picket signs and will distribute them to various locales in Southern California today.

David Willauer, spokesman for the Food Employers Council, confirmed that the meeting would be held but denied that employers requested it. He said the session was initiated by the mediator.

The two sides are divided on several issues, including wages, job security, and health and welfare benefits.

A strike would affect about 850 stores.