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Safeway grocery workers voted late Wednesday night for a second time to authorize a strike if they cannot agree on a contract with the grocery chain.

Workers backed a strike by a more than 95-percent margin. The first strike authorization took place back on May 8. Workers are able to set up the picket lines at any time, but additional negotiation dates are likely to be agreed upon between the grocery workers’ union and Safeway officials.

Safeway spokeswoman Kris Staaf said she expects new negotiation table dates to be set in the next few days.

She added that while the company is disappointed by the workers’ decision to authorize a strike and not accept the most recent contract proposal, Safeway remains dedicated to finding a solution without having its employees strike.

“We again presented a serious, comprehensive offer that included periodic wage increases for all employees, pension funding that went above and beyond what we’re currently committed to pay, and also enhanced health and welfare benefits,” said Staaf. “So, we’re disappointed, but we remain committed to negotiating a new contract.”

Workers, however, say they are a vital cog in the Safeway machine and deserve the respect of a “fair” contract.

“We are proud, strong, united workers, and we are always there for the customers,” said 29-year Safeway employee Arlys Carlson, a member of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7. “The companies should take us seriously, bargain in good faith, and provide a last, best, and final offer that reflects our contributions to their profits.”

Holding out for a better offer

A spokeswoman for the union says Safeway is yet to offer a so-called last, best and final offer, which means a strike in the near future is unlikely. Safeway workers are operating under a current contract extension that expires on June 15. Staaf would not say yesterday whether the next offer will be Safeway’s last.

The UFCW Local 7 is also in the midst of negotiations with King Soopers and Albertson’s over similar contract requests.

At the heart of the negotiations is pension and health care issues. Workers are looking for preventative health care coverage to be added to their policies, and for their pension plan to be fully funded. The grocery corporations have proposed cutting pension funding, but have reached a tentative agreement to include preventative health care coverage.

Union members — about 17,000 grocery workers — are also seeking a “modest wage increase,” that equals about 75 cents per hour, said union spokeswoman Laura Chapin.

Also at issue is the two-tier wage system in which workers hired after May 2005 receive $1 less per hour and have to wait a year to get health care for themselves and three years for their families.

Chains: Consider the economy

The grocery chains, however, are asking grocery workers to consider the current state of the economy. Workers responded this week by pointing out that Cincinnati-based Kroger Co., operator of King Soopers and many other grocery chains, saw a first-quarter profit increase of 12.7 percent. Analysts attribute the profits to family’s eating home more as the recession continues.

“From our perspective, those kinds of profits means they can and should provide a fair contract for the people who are on the front lines of customer service,” said Chapin.

Also this week, a federal judge ordered pension negotiations to go to arbitration.

“If the corporation has its way, I stand to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars over my retirement,” said Carlson. “We should give the economy time to heal, and the corporation should reward their workers with the secure retirement they’ve earned.”

Workers are also up in arms about a lockout agreement between King Soopers and Safeway in which if workers from one chain go on strike, the other chain will lock their workers out.

“We want a fair deal, which means a decent wage, health benefits, and a secure pension,” added Carlson. “We voted to strike because the current proposals don’t meet that standard. All we’re asking is that the companies take care of us the way we have always taken care of the customers.”

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