California Safeway Workers Go On Strike

Thousands of supermarket cashiers, clerks and butchers began picketing Safeway stores on Thursday, chanting and urging shoppers to stay away.

The strike involves stores across Northern California from Fresno north to the Oregon state line.

Teamster truck drivers and bakery workers refused to cross picket lines, leaving bread, milk and produce on sidewalks.

The 16,000 members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union walked off the job early Thursday. Within hours, pickets were out at many of Safeway’s 208 stores in the region.

The union had asked for a wage increase and continued health benefits. But employers said they cannot afford a wage increase and had to cut benefits because of competition from warehouse stores. Union workers make $6.75 to $16.25 an hour.