BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Membership of United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1657 began taking steps to authorize a strike in the event that Bruno’s and Food World stores are sold to a company that won’t commit to rehiring workers under a new contract.
The union has tangled with Bruno’s over the retailer’s insistence that its contract should be voided in order to facilitate a sale. Bruno’s is operating under protection of Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and intends to sell itself at an auction next week.
Union members, covered by four separate contracts that all expire this summer, are voting this week whether to give union leadership authorization to call a strike.
“Bruno’s workers have given too much to this company to have their careers and livelihoods tossed aside in a fire sale,” said Elaise Fox, president of UFCW Local 1657, said in a statement.
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