Safeway talks moving slowly

Another piece on the Burd's feckless attempts to play the big-shot:

PLEASANTON -- Safeway still feels the pain of the Southern California labor strike that ended 10 months ago, and thus far negotiations to try and prevent a similar work stoppage in Northern California are progressing slowly.

On Wednesday, the third largest U.S. supermarket chain announced that earnings will be $1.50 to $1.60 a share next year, which is 17 cents below the average analysts' estimate. The lingering strike effects have a 20-cent per share impact on the earnings.

The dispute, which ended in February after an industry-record 20 weeks, has reduced Pleasanton-based Safeway's profit by $320 million, or 71 cents a share, through the third quarter ended Sept. 11, the company said in its 2005 outlook.

"I don't think anyone could forecast a strike of that duration and that it would be that bloody," said David Dietze, president of Point View Financial, who manages $80 million in assets including Safeway shares.

Oakland Trib

Unions still know how to fight! Too bad the bootlicking corporate appeasement crowd running the dem party doesn't understand what fighting is.

==="I don't think anyone could forecast a strike of that duration and that it would be that bloody," said David Dietze, president of Point View Financial====

Get used to it! People are finally starting to see that going along to get along just makes the suits richer and the workers poorer.

than freepland socal. They folded in 3 days I believe the last time in Nor cal.

That is why profits were down so much.

Albertson's and Vons were more or less shut down for months and months. You think it would convince the company to start negotiating!