Arizona Fry's workers to rally against union strike

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(I haven't worked there since '96 and I'm surprised that up until now employees paid $0 insurance premiums. They are covered under the UFCW, Local 99....a great union. It'll be interesting to see how this unfolds)

by Dustin Gardiner - The Arizona Republic

Fry's workers hoping to stop their union from calling a strike against the grocery chain will hold a rally Monday morning at 10 a.m.

Organizers said they plan to picket outside union headquarters on 2401 N. Central Ave in downtown Phoenix to show their opposition to member leadership, who they say have barred them from voting on a new labor agreement with the employer.

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 99, which represents most hourly employees at Fry's and Safeway, has threatened to call a strike if the companies and the union fail to reach a contract deal by 6 p.m. Friday. The union and the companies have been negotiating for more than a year.

While the two sides remain at odds over salary, pension and other benefits issues, the main obstacle in negotiations has been the companies' insistence that employees shoulder some health-care costs.

Employees currently pay nothing for health insurance, and the companies have proposed premiums of $5 to $15 per week, depending on the coverage.

Leona Melton, a Fry's employee participating in Monday's rally, said she wants the union to hold another vote since the contract has changed since members initially voted in favor of the strike deadline. She said most employees are opposed to a walkout.

"This is solely the employees trying to save their livelihood," Melton said. "We don't want to be out of work over the holidays."

Union leadership could not be reached for comment Sunday evening. A reordered update on their Negotiations Hotline warned members not to be divided by employers' "lies and rumors," saying that no substantial changes had been made to the agreement.

"All that would be gained by the revote would be to succumb to the employers' stall tactics," the recording states.

http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles...srally1108.html