THE PROCEDURE FOR NEGOTIATIONS
Scope and Content Note: Forms for bargaining suggestions were sent to the members. The leadership would evaluate these responses and also compare good provisions of contracts from elsewhere in the country. At the bargaining table, there would be the local leadership, a rank-and-file representative from each chain, RCIA International representatives, and the chain store negotiators. At first, Local 1469 would always bring in an RCIA vice president to help negotiate. Almost always wound up taking a strike vote “to put a little scare into the companies.” Would hold big contract meetings in the ballroom of the Eagles Club. “They'd turn out a lot of people. That was the only time you saw them--once every three years.” Only got close to a strike one time. Kroger, which was anti-union, was holding up negotiations as the strike deadline drew near. The strike was averted at the last minute when the A & P negotiator announced that his company wanted to settle. Kroger was not big in Milwaukee, but it seemed “to run the show” in negotiations. This was probably because Kroger was so important in Chicago, and the two cities used to pattern-bargain.