By Leilani Albano

After six months of negotiations, Southern California supermarket workers with Vons, Albertsons and Ralphs stores say they are tired of waiting.

Since March 5, the region’s 65,000 supermarket employees have worked without a contract. Although they say they don’t prefer it, they say they are willing to strike, if they do not sign a new contract soon. Leilani Albano has more on the story.

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After months at the negotiating table, grocery workers earlier this month, threatened to walk out of labor talks for good.

Michael Strater is president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 1442.

Clearly enough time has elapsed for both parties to reach an agreement. However, the grocers are playing hardball.

But after a war of words, both the workers and grocery owners are back to labor talks, and announced last week that they are edging closer to an agreement.

In the mean time, the union is making preparations for a work stoppage, just in case. So far, they have collected 100,000 pounds of grocery for the workers food fund and raisied millions of dollars in strike money.

Says Chris Zazuweta a 20-year Ralph’s worker…

I can only hope that the corporate CEO’s have the common sense to come to the table… with something that is fair and equitable for the employees and not just something that serves their pockets directly.