About 65,000 Southern California Grocery workers will decide Sunday whether they'll accept the last contract offer from the region's three largest chains. Union officials say they're asking members to reject the offer from Ralph's, Albertson's and Vons.
Union spokesman Mike Shimpock says members will probably also be asked to give negotiators the authority to call for a strike.
Shimpock : We've done everything we possibly can to get a deal at the table. We've been in negotiations for half a year. And all we ask in the past two weeks is have the dignity to give a comprehensive proposal to our members. And that did not happen.
Shimpock says union officials are hoping to eliminate the two-tier wage and benefits system, improve health care coverage, and protect pensions.
The grocers say they are trying to negotiate a contract that allows them to remain competitive in a crowded marketplace. They're asking the union to stop creating delays.
