The Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild

TNG-CWA, Local 32035

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(The following letter was sent by WBNG Administrative Officer Lori Calderone to a southern California newspaper following its recent article comparing UFCW's changes to its insurance plan for its Guild-represented employees to health-care cuts demanded by three large corporate grocery chains whose employees are represented by the UFCW.)

To the Editor:

Regarding Katherine Rowland’s Oct 30 article "Striking California Grocery Workers Union Cut Health Care to Staff", it is inaccurate to compare a narrow issue between the UFCW and its staff concerning changes to retiree health care to supermarket corporations cuts in health care benefits to all of their 70,000 Southern California employees.

Kroger, Albertson's and Safeway are Fortune 50 companies while the UFCW is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to serve its members. These supermarket giants and other irresponsible companies are bent on pressuring workers into taking drastic, permanent cuts to their health care benefits. These actions drive the increase in health care costs for not only for responsible employers, such as the UFCW, but for taxpayers as well.

Like in all employer and employee relationships, the UFCW and the Newspaper Guild do not always see eye to eye. However, the UFCW as an employer has been committed to the collective process of bargaining over reasonable proposals with its employees. Kroger, Albertson's and Safeway do not seem to have that commitment--all are placing their drive for profits over the essential needs of their employees.

The Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild Local 32035 and the UFCW staff members that it represents entirely support the Southern California workers who are striking not only to keep health care affordable in Southern California, but for all working families across the country.

Sincerely,

Lori Calderone
Administrative Officer
Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild