Adopted by San Francisco Labor Council, February 23, 2004

RESOLUTION
 
FOR A ONE-DAY WEST COAST SOLIDARITY STRIKE
 IN SUPPORT OF GROCERY WORKERS AND AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE

Whereas:  On October 11, 2003, workers at Safeway-owned Vons and Pavillion grocery stores walked off the job against management demands for huge cuts in health benefits and wages of new hires; and

Whereas:  A day later, Albertsons and Kroger-owned Ralph’s markets, that are under the same contract, locked out all their employees; and

Whereas:  59,000 checkers, clerks and other low-paid store workers, primarily women and people of color, many with young children, are on the picket lines after four hard months, tenaciously fighting for basic workplace rights; and

Whereas:  Store owners unilaterally and maliciously stopped the medical insurance for the strikers on January 1; and

Whereas:  Wall Street is cheerleading and bankrolling the billionaire grocery chains in order to break this strike and deny affordable healthcare to all workers across a land where 40 million people already have no medical insurance; and

Whereas:  Other unions and grocery customers are providing needed support every day and could do more, given what is at stake for both organized and unorganized, public and private sector workers in fighting against the WalMart-ization of America; and

Whereas:  A one-day Solidarity Strike throughout the West Coast would demonstrate that the labor movement has the power and resources to defeat this vicious attack on the standard of living of all workers and to go on the offensive to win affordable universal healthcare for everyone.

Therefore be it resolved:  That San Francisco Labor Council endorse, promote and advocate for a day of labor solidarity on which workers stay off the job and organize solidarity gatherings in their locale to “Hold the Line for Healthcare” and win a fair contract for grocery workers;

And, Be It Further Resolved:  That San Francisco Labor Council calls on the AFL-CIO to use their resources to organize and coordinate a west coast solidarity strike to be held in March, 2004 or as soon as possible thereafter.
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Introduced by Nellie Wong, delegate from UPTE/CWA 9119 and Bay Area Freedom Socialist Party Organizer