The San Diego Democratic Club and Pride At Work are supporting the strike of union workers at local grocery stores Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons. The strike began late Saturday after negotiations between union representatives and store officials broke down over the issue of health coverage.

“Thousands of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender workers in San Diego are protected from discrimination and earn fair wages and benefits because they are members of labor unions,” said Brian Polejes, head of the San Diego chapter of Pride At Work, a labor organization that supports GLBT workers in the labor movement.

Over 70,000 grocery workers went on strike after rejecting the supermarket companies’ proposal to cut employee pay and benefits, including wage reductions, reduced holiday and vacation pay, reduced health and retirement benefits and shift premiums.

The three supermarket chains insist that without these cuts they will be unable to compete in the sluggish economy with the non-union superstore Wal-Mart. However, according to San Diego Democratic Club statistics, no Wal-Mart supercenters have yet opened in California, and in other states that do have the supercenters, union-based supermarkets continue to operate profitably.

“The companies’ proposal was absurd,” said Polejes. “Slashing employee pay and benefits hurts our whole community.… Labor unions have been consistent supporters of LGBT rights.”

Jess Durfee, president of the San Diego Democratic Club, agrees. “It is important that the LGBT community support the labor community during this strike. Unions have negotiated non-discrimination policies and domestic partner benefits for their LGBT members, and labor has been a key supporter of pro-LGBT legislation.”

California unions have successfully implemented legal protection and domestic partner benefits for same-sex couples, as well as transgender protection, in many counties. Many unions also support state legislation, such as AB 205, which strengthens registered domestic partner laws, and AB 196, which clarifies existing laws that forbid employment and housing discrimination based on gender identity.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 135 represents 10,000 local supermarket employees. The unions want the companies to continue health care coverage, provide 50-cent per hour raises in the first year, and 45-cent raises per hour the following two years. The last time grocery workers went on strike was in 1978, and the strike lasted a week.

The three grocery companies have hired temporary workers to keep the southern California stores open until the strike is resolved. The chains make up 60 percent of the southern California market, with 900 stores between San Diego and Santa Barbara.

The strike is expected to continue until negotiations are resolved and a new contract signed. No new negotiations have been scheduled. According to Von’s spokesperson Sandra Calderon, it will probably be a few weeks before both sides sit down again.

Both the San Diego Democratic Club and Pride At Work are asking their supporters to honor the picket lines until a fair contract can be negotiated. Alternative grocery stores include Food 4 Less, Stater Bros., Rite Aid, Costco, Sav-on, Super Saver, Henry’s and Trader Joe’s. For further information on the strike and alternative grocery stores, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com and click on this article for web links.