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Nob Hill Contract Talks Resume

Picket lines continue as the union and management go back to the bargaining table.

Contract talks between striking grocery workers and the management of Raley's and Nob Hill Foods grocery stores resumed Sunday, a week after a strike began at stores across Northern California, according to union officials.

Talks re-started as of 10 a.m. Sunday, but picket lines continued, according to a statement posted on the web site of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5.

"While this is a positive development, it is no time to let down our guard," the statement read. "The strength exhibited on our picket lines and our success in diverting customers to other stores will bring the company to its senses and lead to our victory."

The strike, involving an estimated 7,000 grocery workers in Northern and Central California, started Nov. 4 when Raley's officials implemented the company's "last, best and final" contract proposals after 15 months of negotiations.

The changes included a two-year wage freeze and the elimination of the premiums paid for employees working Sundays, nights and holidays.

Raley's spokesman John Segale said at the time that Raley's urgently needed to cut costs in a "fiercely competitive" market. He said the Sacramento-based chain, which includes Raley's, Nob Hill Foods and Bel Air stores, has closed five stores in the past year and seen the opening or expansion of 240 non-union stores in its markets since 2008.

Steven Bennet, a Nob Hill employee in Capitola and captain of the strike at that store, said Friday he's had enough.

“This is the final straw for me. I can no longer continually concede to Raley's demands. In my opinion this is corporate greed," Bennet told Patch.

Raley's and Nob Hill Foods have more than two dozen stores located in the Bay Area.

—Bay City News contributed to this report

Cathy P. November 12, 2012 at 05:18 pm
I still support Nob Hill employees and I hope I don't have to do my Thanksgiving shopping at Safeway (shopped there over the weekend and it was nice but I sure miss my peeps at Nob Hill). In solidarity.
Steven E. Schieffer November 12, 2012 at 08:05 pm
I agree with Cathy. Nob Hill is a great place to shop. The employees are a lot of the reason I shop there. I also support these good people. I live and shop right here in the place I call home, Scotts Valley.
Jeannie November 12, 2012 at 08:53 pm
I also agree and I will continue to support Nob Hill employees walking the picket line. I do hope this is resolved before the Holidays so that everyone can get back to work and have a paycheck before Christmass. I sure miss the friendly, familiar superior customer service at the Gilroy Nob Hill.
Rebecca Tait November 12, 2012 at 10:53 pm
I hope this is over soon. In Wataonville, the Nob Hill parking lot is and has been empty. It is my understanding from reading that some are making under &10 per hour. I like the store due to the people as well as the stuff. Good luck.
C. Hart November 13, 2012 at 05:12 am
I sure hope that this strike doesn't jeopardize jobs in the long run. I don't know about the grocery business, but I do know hat he dollar continues to lose value, gas prices remain high, and compared to many, many employers of unskilled labor*, Nob Hill offers health benefits (and pays premiums, frrom what I've read and heard from an employee). I have patronized the store once since the strike; they need business to avoid folding.
Definition of 'Unskilled Labor' A segment of the work force associated with a low skill level or a limited economic value for the work performed (human capital). Unskilled labor is generally characterized by low education levels and small wages. Work that requires no specific education or experience is often available to workers who fall into the unskilled labor force. Investopedia explains 'Unskilled Labor' Unskilled labor provides a significant part of the overall labor market, performing daily production tasks that do not depend on technical abilities or skills. Menial or repetitive tasks are typical unskilled labor positions. Jobs that can be fully learned in less than 30 days often fall into the unskilled labor category. Read more: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/u/unskilled-labor.asp#ixzz2C5Uvic4e
Cathy P. November 13, 2012 at 12:50 pm
@C. Hart: you might want to educate yourself about what the strike is all about. If Raley's Management wants "to avoid folding," they need to treat their workers (aka their Bread & Butter) fairly. Here's a website to read before you patronize the store again http://supportgroceryworkers.com/
P.S. What does "Unskilled Labor" have to do with anything???
Adam D. November 13, 2012 at 02:45 pm
I think he means that they can hire anyone off the street to do the job. However the reason they are on strike is because they are union employees. The benefits they get are union benefits they have fought for over time. Also one reason they are striking is for benefits cause they want to cut healthcare. So pretty much your argument over Nob Hill/ Raley's offering healthcare is moot since if Nob Hill had it their way they wouldn't be offering that.
C.Shaw November 13, 2012 at 04:03 pm
I'm so glad to see our community standing behind our fellow townspeople.
Come on Nob Hill, you are nothing without your employees; No amount of free/discounted food will bring me or my family back until the strike it over.
Cathy P. November 13, 2012 at 04:12 pm
Capitola-Soquel Patch is reporting that the strike is over...
Dvera Saxton November 13, 2012 at 04:23 pm
It's really condescending to call any kind of work "unskilled". Every job requires skills. Not everyone is good at customer service...not everyone is detail oriented enough to stock shelves and check inventory...not everyone can cook or prepare foods. Not everyone knows how to pick strawberries the right way so that every berry in the box is perfectly arranged. Not everyone knows how to install an irrigation system. We need to value ALL workers, regardless of their status, because they all contribute to our collective wellbeing. Just because one does not have a 4 year + degree does not mean one is unskilled, unknowledgeable, unintelligent, undeserving, unworthy, etc. We need to stop taking the hidden workers in our lives for granted.
C. Hart November 13, 2012 at 09:30 pm
DS--your reply is EXACTLY why I pasted in the usage of the term; I didn't make it up. You're so riled up and derailed by terminolgy used to describe a job classification that you make it about me being condescending and get on your soap box.
Cathy--Their bread and butter are the customers, actually. And, if they ever fold, ALL employees become unemployed, but we can shop elsewhere. Adam--I may be mistaken, but my understanding was that only healthcare for retirees was affected, and even then, not eliminated, just not subsudized as much. Personally, I prefer Nob Hill BECAUSE of the employees. I'm not so guided by emotion, however, that I ignore the fact that benefits cost money and customers pay the money. In the end, I'm willing and able to pay a little more for items to be in that environment. Overall, however, Nob Hill argues that it can't be competitive if they're items cost more and the majority of customers can't pay it or won't and therefore shop elsewhere.
Edward Neikirk November 14, 2012 at 01:01 am
Funny to see a bunch of "supporters" attack someone with a cogent explanation of the situation. Grocery workers made their choice; they chose unskilled work. There aren't produce engineers or cash-register pilots. They stock, scan, and bag food. A high school kid can do the job. I'm personally stricken over the end of the strike. I would have preferred a lock out or to see Raley's close the store. People with actual skills and no union thugs to defend are the "bread and butter" of this economy, you know the 1% or the 3%. All you takers and whiners are gonna be sorry when we all check out and stop paying you to remodel, clean, mow, or bag our bananas.
Cathy P. November 14, 2012 at 12:35 pm
@Edward: "I would have preferred a lock out or to see Raley's close the store."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like THAT'S a well-thought out solution: add hundreds of people to the unemployment line, more housing foreclosures, another empty storefront in town. Get real! If you want to bag your own bananas go to Food Maxx!
Cathy P. November 14, 2012 at 12:37 pm
It IS condescending DS, keep telling the truth!
Mary Sullivan November 17, 2012 at 11:19 am
So, 97% of the population are worthless takers to you. The specious argument is always made that the 'takers' should have chosen a better line of work if they wanted a living wage, benefits, safe working conditions. To state the obvious, there simply aren't enough 'job creator' positions to go around, Ed. Each job, no matter how lowly in your view, is necessary to society. And workers should be paid
a living wage reflecting the local economy they're living in. Supermarket News reports Raley's sales of 3.4 billion in 2009, down in 2012 to 3.0 billion, citing the poor economy and increased competition. A privately owned, family owned company, not accountable to stockholders, choosing to pass on a relatively small loss to their employees who are also suffering in a economy. Abraham Lincoln said labor is superior to capital. It's a great quote you should look it up. There are lots of reasonable comments posted here, on both sides of the issue. But, I have to remark about someone with such obvious disdain for his fellow human beings. I can't imagine what it's like to pass thru life with such rancor in one's heart. Are you checking out soon? To quote our President...Please, proceed.
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