By Doug Cunningham

65,000 southern California grocery workers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers union have won their fight for affordable health care and living wages. The UFCW’s Mike Shimpock represents the workers.

[Shimpock]: “This is a clear victory for grocery workers and middle class workers in southern California and across the United States. I don’t think the markets were ready for the resolve of our members. Nor were they ready for the reaction of the public, which was a critical portion in us being able to negotiate this agreement. We had over 50,000 people sign pledge cards and petitions saying if there was some kind of job action they wouldn’t shop at these markets.”

The workers will vote on whether or not to accept the agreements reached with the Kroger, Safeway and Supervalu supermarket chains.