Los Angeles—Mark Norton is one of 70,000 workers locked out or forced on strike in Southern California. Hundreds of thousands more may soon face the same difficult predicament. Across the country, the system for financing healthcare benefits for union workers is breaking down, as managed care drives up the costs of medical insurance. Some employers, like Safeway, which owns the Von’s… return to article
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Reader Comments (15)Page 1 of 1 pagesI worked a dozen years at one shitty job. Bottom rung wages, no benefits (except for one weeks paid vacation after 12 years).
That’s what shitty jobs are all about. Baggers make just above minimum wage? So what - they are grocery baggers.
If you don’t make enough money at your shitty job, you have two choices: take a second shitty job or get one better job.
Posted by Nus on Jan 27, 2004 at 7:21 PM Here in Sweden we got free healthcare for everyone, the poor and the rich. Even the dentist is free, until you’re 18 years. But on the other hand, we only have about 6 millions living in this country…
so it’s a different thing over here.
Posted by Baudolino on Jan 27, 2004 at 9:22 PM Here in Sweden we got free healthcare for everyone, the poor and the rich. Even the dentist is free, until you’re 18 years. But on the other hand, we only have about 6 millions living in this country…
so it’s a different thing over here.
Posted by Baudolino on Jan 27, 2004 at 9:22 PM What a surprise, another big corporation putting profit before its people. I live here in California. I was down in Southern California over Christmas and saw all the workers picketing out front. They didn’t say anything to me when I went into Von’s. I agree, the grocery chains should absorb the cost of increasing health care benefits. They aready make billions in profits. Most of the stuff in the store is usually overpriced. If they don’t like their jobs or employers, than the workers should quit. Grocery stores are shitty anyway. Walmart is even worst. The make billions each year and treat their “associates” like wage slaves. Unfortunetly, the people that work there don’t always have a choice to just quick and move on to another job. It’s a messed up situation. I think the grocery store workers should just cut their losses and move on.
Posted by Corbin Dallas on Jan 28, 2004 at 7:51 PM What a surprise, another big corporation putting profit before its people. I live here in California. I was down in Southern California over Christmas and saw all the workers picketing out front. They didn’t say anything to me when I went into Von’s. I agree, the grocery chains should absorb the cost of increasing health care benefits. They aready make billions in profits. Most of the stuff in the store is usually overpriced. If they don’t like their jobs or employers, than the workers should quit. Grocery stores are shitty anyway. Walmart is even worst. The make billions each year and treat their “associates” like wage slaves. Unfortunetly, the people that work there don’t always have a choice to just quick and move on to another job. It’s a messed up situation. I think the grocery store workers should just cut their losses and move on.
Posted by Corbin Dallas on Jan 28, 2004 at 7:51 PM What a surprise, another big corporation putting profit before its people. I live here in California. I was down in Southern California over Christmas and saw all the workers picketing out front. They didn’t say anything to me when I went into Von’s. I agree, the grocery chains should absorb the cost of increasing health care benefits. They aready make billions in profits. Most of the stuff in the store is usually overpriced. If they don’t like their jobs or employers, than the workers should quit. Grocery stores are shitty anyway. Walmart is even worst. The make billions each year and treat their “associates” like wage slaves. Unfortunetly, the people that work there don’t always have a choice to just quick and move on to another job. It’s a messed up situation. I think the grocery store workers should just cut their losses and move on.
Posted by Corbin Dallas on Jan 28, 2004 at 7:51 PM What a surprise, another big corporation putting profit before its people. I live here in California. I was down in Southern California over Christmas and saw all the workers picketing out front. They didn’t say anything to me when I went into Von’s. I agree, the grocery chains should absorb the cost of increasing health care benefits. They aready make billions in profits. Most of the stuff in the store is usually overpriced. If they don’t like their jobs or employers, than the workers should quit. Grocery stores are shitty anyway. Walmart is even worst. The make billions each year and treat their “associates” like wage slaves. Unfortunetly, the people that work there don’t always have a choice to just quick and move on to another job. It’s a messed up situation. I think the grocery store workers should just cut their losses and move on.
Posted by Corbin Dallas on Jan 28, 2004 at 7:55 PM Once again the EAST asleep at the wheel. Thanks P.A. don’t forget your no dozzzzzzz. Wake up people the DARK is on it’s way to making you it’s SLAVE. Once again people it’s easy to wake up just say NO !!!!!
Posted by the light on Jan 29, 2004 at 12:48 AM sure go out and get another job -only problems is-have you not noticed that most of those jobs are no longer here-they are overseas in other countries. have you not noticed that if things continue as they are that they only jobs here will be walmart, mc donalds, etc?
Posted by atlantaelaine on Jan 29, 2004 at 4:19 PM No, Nus, you have a third option: FIGHT FOR WHAT YOU DESERVE! That’s what our brothers and sisters in SoCal are doing. And the only way to win this kind of struggle is to organize.
Posted by Nick on Jan 30, 2004 at 12:05 AM I’m never surprised to read articles like this….big business, big profits, big disgrace!..Great leaders of the past are worth learning from…Che, Ceasar Chavez and Teddy Roosevelt Jr. had absolute insight into the plight of the “working class”,.....and devoted their lives to designing “the remendy”...I, also want to remind you readers to pay close attention to the poetry of Chris Cornell…..Truth, leading a revolution…Truth, leading thousnds of farm workers, Truth, leading a polital revolution and Truth heard in our music….Powerful stuff! Once we know it, we are obligated to act….as in the princple of “critical mass”..we must direct our energy, time and money to rectifying the laws that permit this vast miscarriage of justice….we can learn from the past…...many of these workers are the grandchildren of those who, along with Ceasar Chavez..MADE A DIFFERENCE. If you are reading this comment, then, you have a brain…USE IT!
Posted by lynage on Jan 30, 2004 at 6:23 AM Come on now! It’s un-American to up and quit. It’s all about the fight. Why, this country was founded on such principles. Then again, maybe it’s a better idea to give up and take a self-imposed pay cut for a job with little or no benefits…and then there’s that really cool, blue vest…
Posted by daniel on Jan 30, 2004 at 2:33 PM “you have a third option: FIGHT FOR WHAT YOU DESERVE”
Deserve? What does that mean?
Who decides who deserves what?
What do you “deserve” and why do you “deserve” it?
Do you and I “deserve” the same amount of dental care?
If my teeth are bad because of my lack of care for them, do I deserve more rehabilitative care than you? Why?
How about if they are bad because of genetics?
Posted by Nus on Jan 30, 2004 at 5:45 PM If planet earth is to survive then we need to learn that deserve- means human rights, with basic necessities - food, health care, shelter, ect. covered,and education and opportunities available for all who would use them. Now more than ever. “Workers of the World Unite.”
Posted by Jim on Feb 2, 2004 at 6:46 PM This article was helpful to me because it showed the terms of disagreement with the contract:
1) Lower Wages for future workers
2) Higher Health-Cre Costs on average of $100 a week when the average pay is $300 a week.
-and-
3) A fear that the company will “et rid of” the current employees soon after the contract is signed.Grocery Unions and workers: #1 I understand your feelings about these issues. #2 It may not be possible to make a living as a grocery clerk any longer. Do you study history? If you do, you may recall the “motor city” of Detroit. It used to be possibe for any 18 year old kid to go there and get a job to soonafter provide a house, and a fat retirement with no experience nd no education. That industry died, and so young men (and women) had one less option for a comfortable life. It may be your career choice cannot support a “living.” It may be a job only for those who can “swing it.” Likem for example, college students or other people working toward a job with more security and health benefits. Maybe it can’t be cheap, and maybe it’s not going to be a guarantee. I hope you don’t take offense at my analogy. I’m very sorry to hear you are losing what once was taken for granted. I think you should stop picketing and either go back to school, or work toward a job that will give you the benefits you seek. Don’t make another moth a big waste of time and preventing me from getting my bananas (pardon the heartless reference) If you believe in yourself and never give up, you will succeed. -
Posted by damien riley on Feb 23, 2004 at 3:03 AM Page 1 of 1 pages -
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