Acme union workers reject contract proposal

Workers for Acme Markets Inc. poured into the Spectrum last night to reject a controversial contract, paving the way for a potential July 10 work stoppage at 41 Southeastern Pennsylvania stores.

Members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776 turned down management's take-it-or-leave-it offer in a 1,607-87 vote.

If Acme implements the rejected terms when the 4,500 workers' current contract expires July 10, union officials have pledged that members would not report to work.

"They're furious with the company," Wendell Young IV, president of Local 1776, said minutes after the vote had been tallied and announced to the crowd at 10:05 p.m.

Of the prospect of a potential job action next month, he said: "That's in Acme's hands. . . . We're going to encourage them to return to the bargaining table."

Given the resounding vote by his members, Young added: "The company has a lot to think about now."

Acme executives, who produced the plan two weeks ago after 18 months of unsuccessful talks, have said they would decide July 10 what to do but had no intention of locking out their workers.

In a statement issued last night, Acme expressed "disappointment" that the union had rejected "a very fair and reasonable contract proposal," said spokesman Seth Horwitz.

"After 18 months of fruitless negotiations, Acme put forward a final offer that provides our associates with the best overall wage-and-benefit package for retail grocery employees in this market, access to quality, affordable health care, and more secure pensions," the statement said. "We believe the union should ratify this fair final offer so we can secure the future of our associates and the future of Acme Markets."

The union had opposed Acme's "last best offer" for cuts decried as exploitative of recession anxieties.

Workers arriving yesterday to vote largely agreed.

"I haven't slept in three nights - and I'm not the only one," said Roxborough store produce manager Dennis McCabe, 60, a 42-year veteran who wanted to protect benefits and hoped the two sides would resume talks.

Acme said its offer was essential to hold its lead in local supermarket sales.

Acme's four-year proposal included annual lump-sum pay increases of 35 cents, 25 cents, and 15 cents per hour.

It also introduced medical co-pays and would make it harder for new hires to qualify for coverage. It also increased Acme's contribution to the pension fund.

Company officials said that, even with the changes, Acme would be paying "250 percent higher than the average competitor in the Northeast region" for health benefits.

But the union said the plan would let Acme cover pension shortfalls by dipping into wages and health-benefit contributions and leave workers without health insurance in a few years.