Union to Giant workers: Get ready to strike

Holiday grocery shopping could get rough if Giant parent company Ahold can't reach a new collective bargaining agreement with their employees this week. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 400 has alerted its members who work for Giant to prepare to go on strike. An existing labor agreement expires this Friday, November 18.

Despite more than a month of negotiations, Giant has declined to accept an agreement similar to that recently reached between the UFCW Local 400 and Safeway. "Giant is still insisting on huge takebacks, including undermining our retirement security, taking away or capping Sunday premium pay for current members, and making Sunday part of the regular work week," a union spokesperson said Monday. "We will not give these things away. It is our hard work that has made Giant the number one grocery store in the region. We deserve to share in the success we have built."

Union reps will be in all Giant stores this week, advising employees on making personal financial arrangements ahead of a possible strike, and on tentative picket schedules. A contract meeting is scheduled for November 16, and the union is asking employees to attend.