And in Other Labor News . . .

The transit strike in the Big Apple is sucking up all the oxygen around reporting on labor issues these days, but this little gem was overlooked even before that strike started. In an era of waning union power and with an Administration at least indifferent, and arguably hostile, to labor interests, this story might be greeted with some surprise.

Well, "First in Southern California" may be just hype and hyperbole, but this probably is the first time a SoCal grocery chain has suffered a 53 count indictment for crimes related to a labor action. The crimes alleged here were allegedly committed as Ralph's allegedly tried to break the four-and-a-half month grocery workers strike in 2003-04 it is alleged.

Ralph's, says the 106 page charge, with the "tacit approval, if not encouragement" of senior management, created false identities, including false Social Security numbers, to rehire locked-out workers during the strike. Senior management denies everything and blames, you guessed it, a few rogue managers defying company policy.

We'll keep you posted.

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