Not Smart & Final Disaster

[Nevergvin]

The second workers successfully vote for union representation the clock starts ticking. Union busters know if they can successfully avoid signing a contract for a year their chances of defeating the union in a decertification election dramatically increases. That’s why it's mandatory for unions to have a well thought out plan and comprehensive contract campaign strategy in place to succeed. Unfortunately, the lack of a well thought out, comprehensive, plan and
strategy has doomed this once promising organizing victory. It appears Local 630’s Secretary Treasurer, Lou Villavazo and President, Frank Afoa have failed miserably in the fight against Smart & Final(Chedraui).

The Local 630 leadership shortcomings became painfully obvious when they pulled down the strike lines after a mere seventeen days(17) on strike. The strike was just beginning to have an impact on Smart & Final's ability to operate. Empty shelves were being reported on local television news broadcasts and owner operators were refusing loads because they didn’t want to deal with the delays entering and exiting the facilities caused by the picketing. This caused Smart & Final management to reach out to other companies for delivery help. Pulling down the lines prematurely is a perfect example of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. One of the biggest problems Teamster title holders have is when we are in a fight with the bosses and we have them on the ground we stop punching. We let them up and settle short.

Now Local 630 has called for a boycott of Smart & Final stores. Sporadic hand billing of stores has shown significant public support for the workers, but the boycott is not well known and the small scale of hand billing has no significant impact on Smart & Final’s bottom line. The 17 day strike and current store activity are not enough to win this fight and winning this fight is a must. This fight is critical to Teamsters everywhere and specially to the thousands of Teamsters in the Southern California grocery industry.

Lou Villavazo is the union chairman of the Southern California grocery committee. The committee consists of seven(7) Teamster Locals-63, 166, 495, 572, 630, 848 and 952. The contracts in the Southern California grocery industry expire in September of 2025. The Kroger acquisition of Albertsons is coming in early 2024 and Albertsons introduction of automation(Symbotic) in their Irvine distribution facility is happening now. With all these important issues facing Teamster jobs we can’t afford a loss to Smart & Final. The negative repercussions will be devastating. All the employers will challenge us because if Smart & Final can beat us then they will think they can too, not to mention the horrible effect it will have on future organizing attempts in the Southern California grocery industry.

To beat Smart & Final all the focus needs to be at the store level. Put the picket lines back up at the distribution facilities, run skeleton crews at the distribution facilities and move everyone possible to picket the stores. By establishing pickets at the stores we will deter customers from pulling in the lot and the ones that do will get the hand bills. This will have a significant impact on reducing customers and increasing visibility to the strike/boycott. All the grocery locals should donate money to fund this effort. The strikers will need resources to succeed. There are also many opportunities to involve other unions and community organizations in this fight. The ability to win this fight exists if we just do the work.

Photo opps and social media posts will not win this fight. Good old hard work and boots on the ground is what it’s going to take. Getting Teamsters on the picket line talking-to everyday people about everyday issues will bring us this victory. Let's get to work!!!

[admin415]

The above post "Not Smart and Final Disaster" was deleted due to a technical error. It is an important post that generated a lot of interest. If you posted in this topic previously, we apologize for the error and urge you to post your views again.

[OT+]

IBT press release announcing Smart and Final organizing victory, February 2023.

[OT+]

IBT press release announcing 2nd Smart and Final organizing victory, May 2023.

[working396]

I wondered what happened to this thread and I wonder how Villavazo got chairman of the Grocery committee. That usually goes to longer term guys but hey they always look for someone to blame. My point was its past time for Griswold to meet with the grocery locals and get a plan that they all committ to. They need to do something more than talk about a boycott

[Cali News]

Good question on how he got the grocery chairman of Southern California. What I do know is that Local 63 set the bar for wages for last negotiations and Lou has been taking credit for it ever since

[Teamster4Life]

I wondered what happened to this thread and I wonder how Villavazo got chairman of the Grocery committee. That usually goes to longer term guys but hey they always look for someone to blame. My point was its past time for Griswold to meet with the grocery locals and get a plan that they all committ to. They need to do something more than talk about a boycott

This is in Tom Ericksons wheelhouse, he's the IBT Warehouse Division Director. He had some good quotes in the press release after the organizing wins. Now its time to deliver on the promises made to those workers. Ya'll understand we'll never organize anything in grocery if we cut and run from this piss ant company?

[OT+]

Boycott Smart &Final
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Teamsters on X STAND WITH AMERICAN WORKERS! BOYCOTT SMART & FINAL! The #Teamsters are exposing Chedraui, the heartless cor.jpg

[Mr. Teamster]

I’m just throwing this out there but maybe it’s time to bring in a west coast leader and legend, Lindsey Doherty. The rumor on the street is that Shawn broke up with her. This would be a good opportunity with her using her leadership abilities and expert contract negotiating skills that has at least 80% of her members on unemployment. I think it’s time she could step up and save the day.

[Opus Dei]

I heard that same rumor about Sean and dickstepper. I also heard she was in a "entanglement" with a certain ST who for some reason is always around her at meetings and gatherings.

[Thisischange?]

That would be OZ/TDU Brilliant!

[BBeatle]

This is in Tom Ericksons wheelhouse, he's the IBT Warehouse Division Director. He had some good quotes in the press release after the organizing wins. Now its time to deliver on the promises made to those workers. Ya'll understand we'll never organize anything in grocery if we cut and run from this piss ant company?

Boycotts by themselves don't work. There better be more in the plan than a boycott.

[UPS909Strong]

The Smart and Final location that 630 organized was previously a Teamsters facility that decertified. Their Employer promised them the World and they fell for it. Now they want to be Teamsters again??? WTF

[Opus Dei]

That facility was union years ago probably 20-25 years ago.

[OT+]

Home X (31).jpg
Smart & Final Rally May 17

[TheMilitantTeamster]

Why does he always look like he’s going to a neo-Nazi rally or a proud boy bbq?

[Cali News]

What number is Smart&Final for Local 630. They are constantly taking new people and companies they organize out on strike, but never get a contract. Makes it hard to organize within the grocery industry when they see this local constantly failing to get contracts

[DanaCos]

I’m just throwing this out there but maybe it’s time to bring in a west coast leader and legend, Lindsey Doherty. The rumor on the street is that Shawn broke up with her. This would be a good opportunity with her using her leadership abilities and expert contract negotiating skills that has at least 80% of her members on unemployment. I think it’s time she could step up and save the day.

He got tired of that little muffin ass?

[Cali News]

Some of you may disagree with the woman Lindsay but I’m pretty sure some of you can argue your point with a little more class. Some men on here claim some leaders are thugs but the same men are disrespecting this woman like thugs. Just an opinion