[HaroldS]

Today's Republic has a story about a looming employee strike next Friday at Fry's & Safeway basically over payment for health care. Presently both stores pay employee health care, but now want the employee to pay weekly $5 single or $15 family toward coverage.
The stores will use store managers and other salaried workers to fill in, as well as bring salaried employees from other states AND they could hire temporary workers. With so many out of work, that shouldn't be hard to fill.
But I am wondering how this will that affect our shopping experience?

[chop]

if there is a strike.........new cashiers will have one day of training.........so it will be crazy with no one really knowing what is going on. and if one store calls a strike.........the other will do a lock out. if that happens..........i hope frys calls the strike cause at least then i can walk across the picket line and still be able to work.

[cocoadiva43]

I remember this happen in Cal About 3-4 years ago, I hope not shopping will be crazy

[HaroldS]

Big full page ad in today's Republic from Fry's to hire temp help. $9.50/hr. Not too shabby. Says to apply at each store. Can you imagine the existing workers watching the madhouse of people applying for their jobs? Great psychology there Fry's!

[chop]

Originally Posted by HaroldS

Can you imagine the existing workers watching the madhouse of people applying for their jobs?

even worse.........one of the bosses made a 8"x10" flyer for US to put into the grocery bags

yah well........we put them in the grocery bags...............the ones lining the trash cans

[aberzinski]

Should be an interesting week.

[GlueStick]

I've decided that I'm stocking up by Thursday then waiting to see what happens. I have a feeling that the impending holidays might have an impact on the length of the strike.

[HaroldS]

Haven't seen any news about the demonstration at the union hall this morning. I'm thinking there will not be a strike tho.

[Cavecreekguy]

Originally Posted by HaroldS

Haven't seen any news about the demonstration at the union hall this morning.

I heard about that. I think it's funny how the media is covering this. They report that Fry's employees were demonstrating, but I never heard how many. Nor was there any attempt to determine if the majority of employees favor or are against the strike. The media is making it sound like the union leaders aren't listening to the members. Maybe they are listening to the majority of the members rather than what could be a vocal minority. We just don't know.

If the strike happens, I, for one, won't cross the picket line.

[chop]

from what is going on at my store........WE DO NO WANT A STRIKE!!!!!!!!! i know a LOT of people.......who have been with the union for years......have quit the union. the union isnt listening to the workers at all. they have been basically telling us we dont "understand" anything. i hate being treated like i am stupid!

[pennyearned]

Originally Posted by chop

from what is going on at my store........WE DO NO WANT A STRIKE!!!!!!!!! i know a LOT of people.......who have been with the union for years......have quit the union. the union isnt listening to the workers at all. they have been basically telling us we dont "understand" anything. i hate being treated like i am stupid!

You know I had a feeling that more Fry's workers felt this way. There was an interview aired on the news a couple days ago in which a woman said that they did NOT want to strike, and that none of the employees were given any choice in the matter whatsoever.

From what I heard the strike is partially over Fry's wanting to charge it's employees $5/week for individual health insurance coverage ($15/week for family coverage) instead of providing it free of charge. I'm sure there must be more at issue than that though...?

Good luck to you guys. I hope the Union starts listening to those that they are supposed to be representing.

[chop]

the health care is one of the hottest issues. frys has now put on the table that we wont have to pay premiums for health.........but new employess hired after the contract is signed will. union dont want that either, saying the new employees wont sign up for health care since they will be making less. it is all crazy and mostly stupid.

[pennyearned]

How the hell do they know that new employees won't sign up for health care? Not to mention that if the prices I heard for the insurance were correct - that's an *insanely* good price for health insurance. Really.

I cannot believe that they are going to make current employees SUFFER for something that may or may not be annoying to people who aren't even employees yet.

Ridiculous.

[chop]

Originally Posted by pennyearned

How the hell do they know that new employees won't sign up for health care? Not to mention that if the prices I heard for the insurance were correct - that's an *insanely* good price for health insurance. Really.

I cannot believe that they are going to make current employees SUFFER for something that may or may not be annoying to people who aren't even employees yet.

Ridiculous.

the prices u heard were correct. $5 for a single person $10 for employee/child $15 for family............a week! so tops is $60 a month. my dh just had surgery in march.........his bill was $176,000 dollars and our share is $1,715.00.........so not just insurance.......decent insurance........good insurance............but FANTASTIC insurance!!!!!!!!

and why do the union people care if we suffer? they have and will STILL have a job..........their kids will be feed..........they will have their house, while we lose all.

[Cavecreekguy]

Yay no strike! As long as the union members vote to accept the latest offer...