A union representing Stater Bros. Market employees is considering a strike against the popular Southern California-based grocery store chain.
According to United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1428, approximately 12,000 store employees voted on Friday to go on strike unless a deal is reached during a two-day bargaining session beginning July 30.
If the strike continues, nearly 170 Stater Bros. locations could be impacted, including High Desert locations in Adelanto, Apple Valley, Barstow, Hesperia, Phelan, and Victorville.
Workers “overwhelmingly voted YES to authorize an Unfair Labor Practice strike” against Stater Bros. for “breaking the law by surveilling, interrogating, and discriminating against union members,” according to the union.
“This vote sends a strong message to Stater Bros.: We’ve had enough of their union-busting tactics that undermine workers and silence our voices,” a union representative said. “And if they thought Stater Bros.’ members could be scared away from standing up for our rights, they found out tonight that they are very, very wrong.”
The union stated that the yes vote prepares employees to take action if Stater Bros. continues to engage in alleged unfair labor practices that violate their rights.
“It does not mean we are on an Unfair Labor Practice strike right now,” according to the union. “If you walk off the job before the union declares a strike, you may be disciplined or fired. Remember, you’ll be the first to know when we take action.”
Union representatives stated that a strike is always a last resort, and they will continue to press Stater Bros. to do the right thing.
Employees, according to the union, are “fed up with being overworked, disrespected, and undervalued.”
“An Unfair Labor Practice strike is always a last resort, and we will continue to push Stater Bros to do the right thing,” a union spokesperson said. “We’ve had enough of their union-busting tactics that undermine workers and silence our voices.”
In February, Stater Bros. laid off 63 clerks at four Southern California stores for the first time in the company’s 89-year history, blaming the decision on inflation and tariffs, according to the Daily Press.
During that time, Stater Bros. CEO Pete Van Helden stated in a video released by the Los Angeles Times that it is no secret that the industry has experienced “significant inflation” over the last four years.
In the video, Van Helden stated that the layoffs were to “hold the line on prices” and would not affect Stater Bros. customers.
He also discussed ways to cut costs at the 171-store chain, such as lowering labor and electricity costs.
Van Helden explained that Stater Bros.’ retail prices have risen by approximately 30% over the last four years.
He went on to say that with tariffs and “more to come,” inflation is likely to rise above the current 4.5%.
After paying labor costs, rent, utilities, and fuel, Stater Bros.’ gross profit margin is 3 cents per dollar, excluding taxes, he said.
As inflation affects customers, they are purchasing less at Stater Bros. and some have chosen to shop at “lower priced” competitors like Walmart, Aldi, Target, and dollar stores. Van Helden elaborated.
“The other common thing is that they’re all non-union, and frankly, that’s how they sell their products at a lower price,” Van Helden told me. “They pay their teammates less, they pay less benefits and they take that savings and they plow it into pricing.”
