2003: the grocery strike.

'GROCERS want unlimited use of lower-rated employees for higher-rated jobs without any pay increases," the Business Journal reported in September 2003. "Employers also called for the elimination of time-and-a-half pay for Sunday shifts and the establishment of different pay rates based on cost-of-living rates for different geographic regions within Southern California. The United Food and Commercial Workers, in turn, demanded pay increases and maintenance of all health and pension benefits in their contract proposal."

In predicting stormy contract talks and heated negotiations, the article was prophetic.

"The grocers proposed cuts come at a time when Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to build 40 supercenters with large grocery components throughout the state within the next four years," the Business Journal reported. "Grocery store chains said they need the pay and benefit concessions to remain competitive. Of particular focus have been possible employee contributions for health and pension benefits, which management has not yet outlined."

Vons workers went on strike on Oct. 10. Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons' sister chain Pavilions locked out the union the next day. Unionized workers pulled their picket lines from Ralphs, hoping to put more heat on Vons and Albertsons. But that move was neutralized by a revenue-sharing component of the chains' mutual assistance pact.

The strike and lockout, affecting 70,000 workers, dragged on for four and a half months. The chains won most of their key demands, including establishment of a two-tier salary system that lowers wages for new workers, and employee contributions to health insurance costs. By all accounts, the grocery workers' union walked away from the battle defeated.

Meanwhile, a proposal to allow Wal-Mart to open a supercenter in Inglewood was defeated in an April ballot. New zoning restrictions bar the chain from opening super centers almost anywhere in Los Angeles.