Union Jobs, Seniority, Wages and Benefits Protected as the Chain Becomes Region’s Biggest Player

Save Mart Supermarkets

completed its purchase of 130

Albertson’s stores in Northern

and Central California on Feb. 23.

The transaction, which was

announced last November, makes Modesto-based Save Mart the largest industry player from Chico to Visalia and from the Bay Area to Reno.

UFCW 8-Golden State President Jacques Loveall said that no employees will lose their jobs or their Union negotiated

wages and benefits in the

ownership change.

“All Union contracts covering those stores will remain in full force,” President Loveall said. “In addition, all Union members at the stores will maintain their existing seniority rights and there will be no probationary period for former Albertson’s employees.”

He added: “I congratulate Save Mart for its constructive attitude during this transition. Working together, we ensured that our members will continue to enjoy secure jobs with good pay, benefits and working conditions.”

 A Save Mart spokesperson said the markets will be re-branded as Save Mart, S Mart or Food Maxx stores before the end of 2007.

Save Mart operated approximately 125 stores and employed about 10,000 workers before purchasing the Albertson’s stores from Cerberus Capital Management, a private hedge fund that acquired some of the assets of` Albertson’s Inc. last year.

With its acquisition of the Albertson’s stores, Save Mart’s Unionized work force now includes 20,000 employees.

Sales are expected to double to about

$5 billion this year, making Save

Mart the 28th-largest supermarket

chain in the nation, according to

Supermarket News.

Class-Action Lawsuit

Against Wal-Mart Upheld

In a Feb. 6 decision, the United

States Court of Appeals for the 9th

Circuit affirmed the class-action status of the largest gender discrimination case in U.S. history, Dukes v. Wal-Mart.

More than two million former and current female employees of Wal-

Mart are suing the company for gender discrimination.

In its ruling, the court cited “significant proof of a corporate policy of discrimination and ... that female employees nationwide were subjected to a common pattern and practice of discrimination.”

UFCW 8 President Jacques Loveall

said the ruling was “a huge victory not only for the women who work at Wal-Mart, but for all Americans who care about equal rights and a discrimination-free workplace.” He added: “With more than 57 wage and hour lawsuits against Wal-Mart, it appears more obvious every day that Wal-Mart suffers from a systemic pattern of ignoring labor laws that has resulted in the mistreatment and exploitation of its employees.”