Southern California Teamsters Demand Fair Contract from Ralphs as Negotiations Reach Critical Stage
TL;DR
Ralphs workers can gain leverage by threatening action to secure fair wages and job protections against Kroger's automation plans before the contract expires.
Teamsters are negotiating with Kroger-owned Ralphs for wage increases, healthcare benefits, pension security, and job protections against automation before the September 21 deadline.
This contract fight protects Southern California families by ensuring fair wages, job security, and community safety against unsafe automation practices.
Teamsters represent 250,000 members fighting Kroger's Ralphs for fair pay and to block autonomous trucks they claim endanger public safety.
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Southern California Teamsters are calling on Ralphs Grocery Company to negotiate a fair contract that reflects the value of the workers who keep shelves stocked, families fed, and communities moving. After more than two months of bargaining, negotiations are at a critical point with the contract set to expire on September 21, 2025. Teamsters Joint Council 42, representing 22 local unions and nearly 250,000 active and retired members across Southern California, Southern Nevada, Hawaii, and Guam, is demanding wages that keep up with the high cost of living, strong health and retirement benefits, and job security in the face of corporate automation threats.
The union emphasizes that Kroger, Ralphs' parent company and the nation's largest supermarket chain, is making billions with no excuse for shortchanging the workers who make those profits possible. Key issues at stake include protecting jobs from automation, with Teamsters opposing the use of autonomous semi-trucks without a qualified commercial driver due to serious safety risks to the public and communities. The union is also fighting for fair pay that reflects the soaring cost of living in Southern California, maintaining and improving healthcare coverage for members and their families, and strengthening pensions to ensure dignity after decades of service.
Lou Villalvazo, grocery chairman of Teamsters Joint Council 42, stated that members are the backbone of Ralphs' supply chain and deserve proper compensation. Chris Griswold, president of Teamsters Joint Council 42, emphasized that this fight is not only about protecting good union jobs but also about safeguarding community safety and the future of working families across Southern California. Unless the company reaches a fair deal by the expiration date, union members are prepared to take action. The negotiations underscore broader labor concerns in the retail sector, where automation and corporate profits often clash with worker welfare and public safety, as detailed in labor advocacy reports available at https://www.teamster.org.
Curated from 24-7 Press Release
