The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union is strongly against Walmart Neighborhood Markets coming to Northern California, the union said in a press release Wednesday.
Walmart is looking to bring its grocery store chain to Bay Area cities, including Pleasanton and San Ramon. There are currently 167 Walmart Neighborhood Markets nationwide, selling everything one would find in a regular grocery store, according to the Walmart website.
What concerns the union is, unlike Safeway and Lucky's, workers at Walmart Neighborhood Markets aren't unionized.
"Walmart's new move into the traditional grocery store sector is a departure in tactics on their part and a direct threat to our members in the grocery industry," said Ron Lind, President of UFCW Local 5. "Thousands of good jobs and the livelihood of tens of thousands of our members are jeopardized by Walmart's plans. We intend on fighting this threat with every ounce of our strength."
In Pleasanton, the City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday night to allow plans for a Walmart Neighborhood Market to move forward. If ultimately approved, it will go into the Meadow Plaza Shopping Center, where Nob Hill Foods once was. But that decision is expected to be appealed by Walmart opponents, which means a final determination isn't likely for a couple months.
The UFCW sees the move by Walmart to Pleasanton as symbolic, with the city being the home of Safeway's corporate headquarters.
"Walmart may be taking the fight directly to the center of the unionized grocery industry in Northern California but we will make sure the industry continues to provide good pay and benefits for workers," said John Roe, a Local 5 member and Safeway employee. "We're not going to let them waltz in and destroy a lot of good jobs and families in the process."
In San Ramon, the city learned last week that Walmart has reached out for construction bids to build a store in the approximately 55,000-square-foot vacant space in the Country Club Village Shopping Center.
"They are looking to end the bidding by the end of the month and open by the end of the year," said Marc Fontes, San Ramon's economic development director.
The Walmart Neighborhood Market in San Ramon has already faced resistance from the public. On Wednesday, a small group from San Ramon for Small Growth protested outside the empty storefront where the grocery store wants to move, the Contra Costa Times reported.
Let's BRING TRADER JOE'S to San Ramon !!!!!
Walmart is a low-life retailer. They are no comparison to Safeway, Trader Joe's or Lucky's. They are the bottom of the ocean scum feeding retailer and they get the same type of shopper. Stay where you are, Pleasanton and San Ramon do not want you here!
I can totally understand having to deal with limited financial resources, but, no one should have to sell their soul to the devil just to have a decent meal; and Wal-Mart is the retail equivalent of satan himself - particularly if you're unfortunate enough to work there.
People As of October 31, 2011 (End of Q3), the total number of Walmart associates in California is 73,733. The average wage for regular, full-time hourly associates in California is $12.69 hour. Additionally, eligible associates receive an annual incentive based on the company performance. Associates that contribute to the 401(k) Plan will receive a dollar for dollar match from Walmart of up to 6 percent of pay. Suppliers In FYE 2011, Walmart spent $21,942,455,652.00 for merchandise and services with 3,581 suppliers in the state of California. Walmart supports 215,430 supplier jobs in the state of California. Supplier figures provided by Dun & Bradstreet. Taxes and Fees Walmart collected on behalf of the state of California more than $961.6 million in sales taxes in FYE 2011. Walmart paid more than $180.3 million in state and local taxes in the state of California in FYE 2011. Community Involvement In 2010, Walmart stores, Sam's Club locations and the Walmart Foundation gave more than $29.1 million in cash and in-kind donations to local organizations in the communities they serve in the state of California. Through additional funds donated by customers, and Walmart and Sam’s Club associates throughout the state, the retailer’s contributions in California totaled more than $32.5 million.
All the stores suggested for the Nob Hill site have had the opportunity to reopen a market there and declined. We desperatetly need another alternative to the high priced stores in Pleasanton.
As far as Safeway and Lucky's, I take it you don't follow their treatment of union employees over the years and their known behind the scenes manipulation and abuse of CEQA laws to try and limit competition from developing new sites so they can continue to keep a tight grip on pricing. Oh yeah, those guys are just a bunch of big teddy bears...