UFCW strike at Safeway and Fry’s averted; so who benefited?

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

h/tTedski at R-Cubed for the press release and graphic.

This fresh from the UFCW:

We are proud to report that a strike has been averted with Safeway, Fry’s and Smiths.

After 13 months of bargaining and a strike deadline just hours away, UFCW Local 99 and the grocery companies have agreed on a tentative new three-year contract.

In the coming weeks, you will have an opportunity to thoroughly review the tentative agreement and vote on your new contract.

Until then no details about the tentative agreement will be released.

We know that this had been a tense and difficult time for you and your families. It is because of your strength, your support and your united stand with your union that we were able to avert a strike and bring you a contract that you can work under with pride.

As the holiday season begins, we can all be grateful for the opportunity to work under a union contract that provides fair wages and benefits and dignity on the job.

Your union stands strong and proud with you. Thank you.

So who benefited from this potential labor strike? C'mon, think hard.

The lady in the back with your hand up. "The Arizona Daily Star?" Correct! Give the lady a grocery gift certificate.

The only entity to benefit financially from this potential labor strike was the Arizona Daily Star which accepted blood money from Safeway and Fry's to run full page ads seeking part-time replacement employees (or "scabs" in union jargon) over the past couple of weeks. This costs big bucks. The Star recently took a financial hit after losing some grocery-store inserts to a direct-mail outfit. 'Star' Buyout Rumors (updated): Layoffs on the Way? | Tucson Weekly

The editors of the Arizona Daily Star had the unmitigated gall to publish this editorial opinion today: All parties will suffer if grocery workers strike — except, of course, for the Arizona Daily Star which benefited handsomely from advertising revenue. That takes some serious chutzpah.

So I am going to suggest to the Arizona Daily Star how it can wash its hands of this blood money and to help the hundreds, if not thousands of desperately unemployed people who applied for these part-time replacement jobs to no avail, not to mention the Star's own employees that it is in the process of summarily laying off:

Donate every dime of the advertising fees the Star accepted from Safeway and Fry's for these employment ads to local community food banks to help feed the unemployed during this holiday season. This may ease your guilty conscience (I am giving you the benefit of the doubt).

You can write a letter to the editor of the Arizona Daily Star at letters@azstarnet.com