Raley's Workers Go on Strike

Shoppers at local Raley's stores may notice something new this weekend: picket lines.

Employees of the store and sister chain Nob Hill went on strike Sunday after rejecting a contract offer from the company.

“We look forward to returning to the bargaining table when Raley’s management has adopted a more constructive attitude,” United Food and Commercial Workers Local 8 Presidents Jacques Loveall and Ron Lind said in a statement. “Our goal from the beginning is to negotiate a fair agreement serving the needs of both Raley’s and its Union employees.”

Raley's this weekend offered its employees its final-offer contract including the elimination of extra pay for working nights, Sundays and holidays, and the creation "of two distinct classes of workers — those hired after the next contract is ratified and those hired before," according to the union. A federal mediator was involved in the negotiations.

The Sacramento Bee reported the strike is the first in the 77-year history of Raley's, and noted that Bel Air employees are not affected because they haven't ratified a strike vote.

The union said its members will urge customers to shop at Safeway, Save Mart, and other union stores during the strikes.

Raley's has three stores in the Fair Oaks-Carmichael area:

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Disclosure: Cody Kitaura is a former Bel Air employee and former member of the United Food and Commercial Workers union.

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