MARKET PICKETING TO EXPAND UNIONS PROPOSE TO GO NATIONAL.

Byline: Nicholas Grudin Staff Writer

A national expansion of supermarket picket lines is expected to be announced today when hundreds of union leaders convene in Century City to cement support for Southern California's striking grocery clerks.

Today's summit and rally - expected to draw thousands of union advocates - is a crescendo in the 10-week labor dispute, which has pitted 70,000 United Food and Commercial Workers members against three of the nation's largest grocers: Albertson's, Safeway Inc.'s Vons and Pavilions, and Kroger Co.'s Ralphs.

The purpose of the massive congregation is to raise funds for the Southern California UFCW locals to help sustain their labor action, which is focused on proposed cuts to health benefits, and to plan strategies on how to pressure supermarkets to bargain. All three chains have reported significant losses since the strike and lockout began Oct. 11.

``We, across North America, are going to hold the line for health care, and we're going to start to put into place a nationwide strategy to do that,'' said Greg Denier, spokesman for the UFCW. ``Picket lines will be erected in several locations throughout the country.''

The Century City summit comes during a recess in federally mediated contract negotiations between the union and the companies. Talks are scheduled to resume Friday.

Officials for Safeway, the company singled out as the unions' prime target, said the expansion of picket lines will be counterproductive.

``It's disconcerting, to say the least, that the union continues to stage these massive rallies when the real work to be done is at the negotiating table,'' said Sandra Calderon, a spokeswoman for Vons. ``They will accomplish absolutely nothing by doing that.''

The dispute, which centers around proposed cuts to health benefits and a two-tier wage system, has become a national symbol for unions in all industries and regions, according to labor experts. It is the longest and largest strike in UFCW history.

``It's all up for grabs,'' said Rick Icaza, president of the UFCW Local 770. ``There will be an escalation, but I don't know to what extent. We'll target select employers.''

The UFCW has already extended informational picket lines to Safeway stores in Northern California and Washington, D.C.

In Southern California, pickets surround about 600 Vons, Pavilions and Albertson's stores. Picket lines were removed from Ralphs on Oct. 31. Icaza said that the expansion of pickets to other regions, and possibly Canada, will likely focus on Safeway stores. ``I don't anticipate that we're going to spread the pickets back to Ralphs,'' Icaza said. ``We really wanted to give the consumer an opportunity for an alternative to the other supermarkets.''

Albertson's and Kroger have revealed massive third-quarter profit losses as a result of the strike, but Vons' Calderon said picket lines at Northern California Safeway stores have been less effective.

Union leaders from all 50 states and Canada will be in attendance today, including John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO, and Doug Dority, president of the UFCW International. Also expected are actors Martin Sheen and George Lopez, and leaders from the Teamsters, AFTRA, SAG and SEIU.

Today's summit begins at the Century City Plaza Hotel at 10:30 a.m., followed by a noon march from the hotel to a Beverly Hills Pavilions.

Nicholas Grudin, [phone]

nicholas.grudin(at)dailynews.com