Rite Aid Workers Vote To Strike

Rite Aid workers all over Southern California voted overwhelmingly to reject the company’s proposals for concessions in their next labor contract.

The vote grants leaders of seven local unions of the United Food and Commercial Workers the authority to call a strike, if it becomes necessary.

Union members of UFCW Locals 8, 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428 and 1442 voted July 26-30 at dozens of locations between Kern County and the Mexican border.

Local 1167 represents the Inland Empire. Rite Aid has several locations in Southwest Riverside County, including Lake Elsinore.

According to the UFCW, Rite Aid is seeking 34 concessions from the workers. The proposals include, among other takeaways:

• effective elimination of health care for workers’ spouses and children

• out-of-pocket costs for health care benefits of up to $10,000 a year

• virtual elimination of all accumulated sick leave pay

• reduction of the number of hours workers are allowed to work

• elimination of the 40-hour workweek and 24-hour guarantee for part-time employees

UFCW leaders praised the workers for solidarity with the union.

“The members’ emphatic rejection of Rite Aid’s demands and their vote for strike authorization will push management toward negotiating an agreement the workers can ratify,” a UFCW statement read today.