Albertsons, Ralphs Face $600 M Lawsuit
Stores Lock Out Employees For Striking Vons
POSTED: 2:04 p.m. PDT October 14, 2003
UPDATED: 2:59 p.m. PDT October 14, 2003
SAN DIEGO -- Seven local chapters of the union representing striking supermarket workers Tuesday sued Albertsons and Ralphs for locking out employees in response to the job action against Vons.
The local chapters of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union claim the lockout is a violation of California's Mass Layoff Notification Law.
The law, passed in 2002, requires that every employee individually be given 60 days' notice prior to any mass layoff.
Calls to media representatives for Albertsons and Ralphs were not immediately returned.
In the current labor dispute spearheaded by seven Southern California UFCW locals, a strike against Vons is in its third day.
Ralphs and Albertsons have locked out their employees.
The lawsuit says that no notice of the intent to lockout was given by Ralphs and Albertsons and seeks the back pay and health care and pension payments for 60 days that is stipulated in the law.
The unions estimate that the amount owed their union members locked out by the two employers exceeds $600 million.
The employers have 30 days to respond to the lawsuit.
 GROCERY STRIKE LOCK OUT  VOTE: Cross Picket Line To Shop? DISCUSS: Share Your Thoughts EMAIL ALERT: Sign Up For Grocery Strike Major Development Emails LINKS:  UFCW135.comAlbertsons.comSafeway.comVons.com |
Previous Stories:
- October 14, 2003: Supermarket Strike Sends Shoppers Elsewhere
- October 13, 2003: Grocery Workers Strike, Locked Out
- October 11, 2003: Supermarket/Union Negotiations Continue
- October 10, 2003: Stock Up Before Supermarket Strike
- October 8, 2003: Supermarket Strike Around The Corner?
Copyright 2003 by TheSanDiegoChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
