There are just five days until the DC United Food and Commercial Workers’ contract with Safeway and Giant expires. Of course, it doesn’t look good, as the month-long negotiations that have been going on without public success. At issue, according to the Post ^[1], are concessions concerning the employees’ health benefits (specifically, employees paying for a part of the premium) and wages.

I’ve received emails that many of the local area outlets are advertising hiring in case of a strike, something that at least one of the emails that I’ve received has taken issue with, as a form of “intimidation.” Some have suggested that patrons of these stores support their local grocery workers ^[2] in response and pledge not to cross picket lines.

Me? I’ll be continuing to shop at non-union shops like Wegman’s and Whole Foods. One thing I’ve found in my years is that the people at each of these stores are always glad to see their patrons, whereas the union shops…not so much. Of course, the Safeway and Giant by me are such shitholes, I wouldn’t buy anything that wasn’t frozen or canned, but I don’t think that’s the fault of the grocery employees.