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Grocery Union Threatens to Picket Nugget Markets

The UFCW grocery union plans to step up its protests at non-union stores once it wraps up contract negotiations with Raley's, Save Mart and other chains.

Shoppers at the stores in Davis could soon see picket lines and protesters–but they won't be employees of that store.

The grocery union United Food and Commercial Workers Local 8, based in Roseville, plans to picket all area Nuggets, according to the Sacramento Business Journal.

The union, which is in the midst of heated contract negoiations with , and Safeway, is encouraging shoppers to visit those stores instead of non-union alternatives like Nugget. And it "intends to establish picket lines at all Nugget stores after it wraps up current contract negotiations," the Business Journal reported.

Nugget, which has been repeatedly ranked in Fortune Magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work For, lags in pay and benefits, the union told the Business Journal.

“These lines are meant to inform the public of the need to maintain and improve standards in the industry, and they will continue as long as this need exists,” United Food and Commercial Workers Local 8 president Jacques Loveall said to the Business Journal.

Other local grocery stores, like and , do not have unionized employees.

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Disclosure: Cody Kitaura is a former Raley's employee and former member of the United Food and Commercial Workers union.

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What do you think of this dispute? Should all grocery stores be unionized, or is it OK that stores like Nugget are not? Would a picket line stop you from shopping at a non-union store? Tell us in the comments section.

Anon. July 4, 2012 at 01:52 am
Just what's needed, another union to mess up a good thing. Do the Nugget employees want it? Have they asked for it? If not, leave the store alone! Unions have far outlived their service. Nugget provides one of the best grocery shopping experiences a person can have. The employees are incredibly friendly and helpful. The staff in the meat dept are awesome. They must like working there and Nugget must be treating the employees right or I don't think they'd be so freakin' happy when I go in.
As someone who works in a unionized environment and is forced to pay into it, I will gladly cross the picket line, and tell them exactly why: Unions in this day and age do not protect workers rights, unions protect the employee that thinks doing a good job means merely showing up to work on time. “These lines are meant to inform the public of the need to maintain and improve standards in the industry, and they will continue as long as this need exists,” Really? These lines sound like a bullying tactic to me: If you're not unionized, we'll harass you until you are. This union says Nugget lags behind in pay and benefits. How much of the assumed pay increase that will happen if the employees are unionized will the Nugget employee be forced to pay up to support the union and all of its supposed altruistic activities? Unions don't care about the employee, they care about getting and keeping the money rolling in. That's been my personal experience and I will not support unions any more.
Michael Ann Riley July 4, 2012 at 12:31 pm
Totally agree with above comment. Why is it ranked so high as a good company to work for if employees are supposedly unhappy? This makes no sense to protest something the employees themselves aren't unhappy with. Even if Nugget does pay less and have lesser benefits, they are doing something right to retain their employees and be so successful in the industry.
Karen Kane July 4, 2012 at 03:38 pm
Not to mention the fact that the selection and quality at Safeway and Raley's sucks. I love the Davis Food COOP the most and Nugget second best. If Nugget's employees have a problem they can handle it themselves. But they sure don't seem to.
Lu July 4, 2012 at 05:13 pm
I guess it is time for everyone to step up and support these non union stores.
Bob Fry July 4, 2012 at 06:18 pm
Don't know how these grocery unions are, but it seems strange that workers from other stores would demand someone else join a union.
As a state worker I know the state worker unions are pretty near worthless. But, they still require up to $100/month union fees (amount depending on union). Members of state unions very definitely don't get what they are forced to pay for. Some counterbalance is needed for workers against businesses and corporations, but unions are no longer it.
Stephanie Perla July 5, 2012 at 12:30 pm
A friend's son has worked in the dairy department at Nugget for the past few years and he loves it. I will gladly cross the picket line to support Nugget Market!
And I too have been "unionized" from time to time and paid for a whole lot of nothing.
Jan Wolf July 9, 2012 at 02:00 pm
I usually refuse to cross a picket line but I'll be crossing this one if it happens. Unions are incredibly important when workers are being abused. That is NOT the case with Nugget. The grocery workers union should be putting their efforts into Walmart and other businesses who DO mistreat their workers.
Gary Crawford September 5, 2012 at 05:08 pm
Saw the picketers today and googled. I'm totally in favor of unions, but my understanding is that they are there to negotiate on behalf of discontented employees.
Seems like it's the Nugget employees' decision whether that store will become union or not. As it should be. Oh, and as a customer, Nugget wins hands down. They're a bit pricier, but they have great selection and excellent customer service.

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