UFCW official Publication of Local 1167, United Food and Commercial Workers Union december 2010 Wishing you President ’s r ePort the happiest and healthiest What are the real this holiday season! motives behind Ralphs’ From the officers and staff Culture Council gambit? of Local 1167 ave you ever played chess? In that game there’s a tac - Union offices will be closed Dec. 23 and 24 and Dec. 31. tic called a gambit in which H your opponent appears to offer you something, usually a pawn. He or she hopes you’ll be grateful for this generous gift and Retired Union Rep now snatch that pawn. a wrestling exec Of course, your opponent isn’t See page 4. really being generous. That pawn is bait for a trap that will be sprung on you down the line. Here’s the lesson we can learn from that experience: Always con - sider the motives of people when they offer you things. Gambits happen in the working world, too. Sometimes your em - By Bill Lathrop ployer offers you something that appears to be generous and public- spirited. But consider the real motivations before you accept it! Union members who work for Ralphs are being called on to par - ticipate in a company-sponsored program called the Ralphs Culture Council, which has the stated purpose of boosting employee morale The next Quarterly Membership Meeting and public outreach. Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010 The program enlists Ralphs employees to care for the homeless the meeting will start at 7 p.m. in the UFCW Local 1167 Auditorium, and clean public areas in their communities. 855 W. san Bernardino Ave., Bloomington Sounds good. But what’s the motive? Maybe Ralphs is really doing this out of this kindness of its corpo - rate heart, but the timing of this initiative is awfully suspicious. Why are Ralphs managers now being required to recruit people from all grocery departments? Why are they now asking for employ - ees’ cell phone numbers? Why are they doing these things just before contract negotiations begin? New Dave, same tactics For the answers to these questions, we can consider some recent history: Four years ago, shortly before the UFCW unions in Southern A C , o n i d r A n r e B n A s d e t s e u q e R e c i v r e S n r u t e R California sat down with the supermarket companies to negotiate our 5 8 2 2 . o n t i M r e P current contract, Ralphs President Dave Hirz started buying meals for 6 1 3 2 9 A C , n o t g n i m o o l B 7 6 1 1 x o B . O . P d i A P his employees. At these breakfasts, lunches and dinners, he took the 7 6 1 1 l a c o L n o i n U e G A t s o P . s . U opportunity to ask our members about their hopes and dreams. s r e k r o W l a i c r e m m o C d n a d o o F d e t i n U . G r o t i F o r P - n o n (Please see page 2) : o t s y a d 5 n i n r u t e R PAGE 2 DESERT EDGE DECEMBER 2010 Sept. 11. The wedding was at the Eagle Glenn Golf Course and the MAP newlyweds honeymooned in Maui, MembershipAssistanceProgram Hawaii. Congratulations to all of our eligible active or retired Food and Meat newlyweds! participants can call the toll-free MAP YOUR UNION number at the Health Management Center at any time, JUST BORN 24 HoUrs A dAY, seVen dAYs A WeeK. What ’s Heather Malagar , Rite Aid, gave Food division, call (800) 461-9179 birth to identical twin girls on drug division, call (866) 268-2510 Happening Sept. 15. Julieanna Elizabeth weighed 5 lbs. 10 oz. and Isabella (All calls are confidential.) by Maureen McCabe Joy weighed 4 lbs. 14 oz. … Alexandra Amador , Stater Bros., has a new son. Samuel Guitron was Yourduesare born on Sept.16 and weighed 8 lbs. 7 oz. He’s a “wonderful ball of joy,” nowpayable! his happy mother tells us. … Emily if you are one of the few members of the Baker , Albertsons, welcomed local who are not yet signed up for dues Kenadee Rose Henson into the world checkoff: deCeMBer dUes Are noW dUe JUST RETIRED Mark Schaedel worked for Vons on Oct. 4. Kenadee weighed 7 lbs. And PAYABLe. iF YoUr dUes Are not PAid The month of November brought and Safeway for 35 years. Susan 1 oz. … Olga Ramirez , Stater Bros., on or BeFore FeB. 1, 2011, YoU WiLL us several new retirees. Sandra Smith worked for Stater Bros. and gave birth to Austin Duong on AUtoMAtiCALLY sUsPend YoUrseLF. Aguilera , Albertsons, worked for 32 Lucky for 23 years. Ronald Oct. 22. Austin weighed 6 lbs. 11 oz. Williams worked for Ralphs for 33 With dues checkoff, all future dues can be years with Albertsons, Safeway, … Kathleen Calleros-Rodts , years. deducted automatically from your pay Fedco, Fedmart and Super A Foods. Albertsons, is pleased to announce Congratulations to all of our new check. if you do not have an authorization Patricia Albers worked for the birth of Jack Philip Rodts on retirees! We wish you many healthy, form, call the local and one will be sent to Albertsons and Gemco for 34 years. Oct. 22. Jack weighed 7 lbs. 8 oz. … happy years ahead to enjoy your you immediately. Eugene Bambusch worked for Lorena Raquel Alvidrez , Stater Albertsons and Lucky for 36 years. well-earned retirements. Bros., has a new son. Matthew non-payment or payment of the incorrect Linda Currier worked for Anthony was born on Oct. 23 and amount will automatically suspend you — a Albertsons for 26 years. Crystal JUST MARRIED weighed 7 lbs. 12 oz. … Lauren costly and inconvenient mistake. Although DeRosier worked for Ralphs and Leilani Gutierrez , Albertsons, Colunga-Newton and Daniel not required, the local, as a courtesy, nor - Alpha Beta for 32 years. Mary married Jorge Alrcaraz on Aug. 28. Newton , both of Stater Bros., are mally sends billing notices by first-class mail Rocha worked for Stater Bros. for The wedding took place at I Do pleased to announce the birth of to those not on dues checkoff. it is the mem - 23 years. Steve Rudder worked for Weddings and the happy couple hon - Sofia Rae on Oct. 26. Sofia weighed ber’s obligation to pay dues in a timely man - Vons for 29 years. Tom Foon Quon eymooned at State Line. … Ronnie 7 lbs. 12 oz. ner. not receiving a notice is not an excuse worked in the industry for 29 years Robles , Stater Bros., took Cami Congratulations to all of our new for failure to pay dues on time. with Ralphs and Market Basket. Ravellette to be his bride on moms and dads! Avoid suspension. Authorize dues checkoff today! President ’s r ePort DESERT EDGE Ralphs’ Culture Council gambit Bill Lathrop Editor (Continued from front page) Ralphs’ motivations. Our members need to be on Official monthly publication of On the surface, this appeared to be a kind and their guard against attempts by Ralphs management Local 1167, United Food and Commercial Workers International considerate thing for Mr. Hirz to do. Actually, it was to exploit this project to spread pro-corporate, anti- Union, San Bernardino, Riverside a pathetically transparent stunt to build loyalty to his union propaganda. and Imperial Counties, California. company while undermining solidarity with our The Ralphs Culture Council may be a genuine 855 West San Bernardino Ave. union. public outreach program with an honest mission Bloomington, California Hirz’s “Meals with Dave” gimmick failed to statement. Time will tell if it serves another purpose (Open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.) make anyone forget that his company, Ralphs, was altogether. (Closed Sat., Sun. and holidays) P.O. Box 1167 the same company that, during the labor dispute of We ask you to carefully consider the role of a Bloomington, CA 92316 2003-04, illegally locked out thousands of union company-sponsored organization like the Culture members in an effort to crush the UFCW in Southern Council as we approach the expiration of our current Telephone Hours: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. California. Master Food Agreement in March 2011. Business Telephone: This was the same company that was also indict - (909) 877-5000 In the coming months, we can expect to see com - ed on 53 felony counts for actions that extended the pany propaganda in many forms, both obvious and Toll-Free Telephone: (800) 698-UFCW duration of that illegal lockout, causing enormous subtle. The employers will use every trick they can suffering for tens of thousands of supermarket work - Food and Meat Division Insurance: to create divisiveness in our ranks and undercut our (909) 877-1110 ers. negotiators. For them, it’s all about holding on to as Drug & General Sales Division Now it is 2010, and as we prepare for our next much of their profits as they possibly can. Insurance: round of contract talks, a different Dave — Kroger Just remember that there is only one organization (909) 877-2331 CEO David Dillon — is trying yet another gambit to that has your interests in its mind and in its heart: win the affections of forgetful employees. your union. Publisher Your union has good reason to be skeptical about The gambit is in play.