Smart & Final warehouse workers strike; picket planned for Thursday
More than 600 workers at two Smart & Final warehouses in Southern California began a strike on Wednesday and planned to picket on Thursday to protest alleged mass layoffs and other alleged unfair labor practices, their union said.
The workers are represented by Teamsters Local 630, which says the grocery chain – owned by Commerce-based Chedraui USA – plans to close the unionized Smart & Final warehouses in Commerce and Riverside. They added that workers would be forced to reapply for jobs at a new warehouse in Rancho Cucamonga at $10 to $12 less per hour.
“The clock is ticking for Chedraui/Smart & Final to get things right,” said Lou Villalvazo, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 630.
“The company continues to engage in unfair labor practices with no regard for its workers. With the busy summer months approaching, the company is facing not only a moral crisis but also a logistical crisis. It must act now to guarantee our members their jobs, fair wages, respect and a fair contract. We will not stand idly by while these workers are exploited.”
In a statement, the company said: “The Teamsters’ claims are simply not true. We are currently integrating five outdated and overburdened facilities spanning 2,000 square miles. Our new facility will employ nearly 1,000 people and create hundreds more American jobs than exist today. This will significantly reduce our carbon footprint and allow us to continue providing affordable food to the California communities that need it most.”
“In addition, the claim that 600 workers are on strike is completely inaccurate. We are operating our distribution centers as usual without major disruptions to continue to serve our customers who depend on us to feed their families.”
Pickets were planned for Thursday in front of the Smart & Final distribution center in Commerce.
The two warehouses on strike serve as distribution centers for over 250 Smart & Final grocery stores in California, Nevada, Arizona and northern Mexico.
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