RALPHS STRIKE HIRINGS PROBED.

Byline: Chris H. Sieroty Staff Writer

Federal investigators on Thursday declined comment on an admission by Ralphs Grocery Co. that some locked-out employees worked in stores using false identification documents.

The Justice Department has been investigating whether the grocery chain hired union members under phony names and Social Security numbers.

The federal probe was made public last month in a securities filing by Kroger Co., the parent company of Ralphs.

``We do not comment on investigations,'' said Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles.

Kroger also might be liable for claims under the National Labor Relations Act.

Anne Pomerantz, a supervisory attorney with the National Labor Relations Board in Los Angeles, said the United Food and Commercial Workers union had filed charges claiming the lockout was handled improperly.

``We have referred those charges to our (office) in Washington,'' Pomerantz said. ``There has been no complaint issued.''

Kroger stock lost 13 cents, or 0.82 percent, to close Thursday at $15.70 on heavy volume of 3.4 million shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

The letter, signed by Ralphs President John Burgon, said the company was cooperating with a federal investigation.

``We have now determined that some of the reports of misconduct are correct,'' the letter said.

Terry O'Neil, a Ralphs spokesman, declined to comment on the letter. He also declined to say how many employees had been reprimanded. During the strike, the company denied that locked-out workers had been put back on the payroll.

Burgon's letter said, ``Disciplinary action will be taken against management members who enabled, hired or allowed locked-out Ralphs members to work during the strike.''

Store directors were subject to two-week suspensions without pay, and operations managers to one-week suspensions without pay.

Managers above the store level ``will be subject to more severe disciplinary action up to and including termination,'' the letter said.

The letter blamed the misconduct on some managers ``who enabled, hired or allowed locked-out Ralphs members to work during the strike in violation of company policy.''

Charges of hiring some locked-out employees were brought by the union during the 141-day labor dispute.

``We got a copy of a letter the president of Ralphs sent to all our members, where they effectively admitted to it,'' said Barbara Maynard, a spokeswoman for Local 770. ``They tried to say it was just a couple managers run amok, but the practice was pretty widespread.''

The union filed a lawsuit against the grocer in January, but withdrew the lawsuit as part of the contract settlement.

Maynard said the union was now evaluating options on the belief that the company would be liable for not paying contributions to health and pension funds for workers alleged to have been rehired illegally.

Staff Writer Brent Hopkins contributed to this report.