Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) Commends the Striking Grocery Store Workers and Calls for a Swift and Just Resolution to the Dispute

Washington, D.C. - Saying the grocery store strike has gone on "far too long," Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) urged both sides today to come together to resolve their differences in a fair and equitable manner.
Congresswoman Roybal-Allard participated in a Congressional panel today (2/13/04) at the Ahmanson Auditorium at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. The discussion, held from 10 a.m. to noon, provided an opportunity for representatives on both sides of the dispute to air their concerns.

After listening to presentations from industry representatives, workers and academics about the social and economic impacts of the strike, Congresswoman Roybal-Allard said the situation is hurting everyone involved.

"For the past four months, grocery store workers have been hurt by this labor dispute," Congresswoman Roybal-Allard said.

"Financially and emotionally, the store employees are enduring serious hardships in order to maintain living wages and affordable health care for themselves, their families and future employees. They are to be commended for their strength and perseverance. In many ways, this strike represents a battle on behalf of all employees in this country who strive for a better quality of life in the face of fierce industry competition that increasingly favors steep discounting and cost cutting to boost profits over the interests of working families."
Congresswoman Roybal-Allard also emphasized the strike's impact on area consumers.

"Consumers are also being negatively impacted by this strike, especially those living in minority communities where few supermarkets are located," Congresswoman Roybal-Allard said. "Even though many shoppers have had to travel farther to buy groceries, I'm heartened so many residents have honored the strike. This is further testament to the broad support and empathy for the workers throughout the community."

As for the industry, Congresswoman Roybal-Allard said, "It is also in the best interest of the grocers to resolve this dispute as quickly as possible. As the strike continues, the industry is losing the business of more and more loyal customers and, as a result, suffering from a steep drop in sales."

Congresswoman Roybal-Allard said she's hopeful a resolution will come soon. "I'm pleased that talks have resumed and my hope is that this strike will be resolved in a fair and equitable manner so that it does not contribute further to what has become a nationwide trend among employers of shifting the cost of health care to workers," Congresswoman Roybal-Allard said.
Hosted by Congresswoman Linda Sánchez (CA-39), other Members of Congress in attendance at the panel discussion included: George Miller (CA-7) and Grace Napolitano (CA-38). The Members heard presentations from representatives of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), the President of the California Grocers Association and academic experts from the University of Southern California and the University of California, San Diego.