Union That Picketed San Leandro's Walmart Pledges A 'Cease Fire'

On Black Friday the Walmart store on Hesperian Boulevard was at the center of a confrontation between the retail giant and the United Food & Commercial Workers Union.

That confrontation included a walkout by a few Walmart workers and a picket line of community supporters who were vastly outnumbered by shoppers.

Thurday the UFCW promised to cease such actions here and in other cities where it has supported OUR Walmart, a group of current Walmart employees who have asked for concessions like schedules that don't change week to week.

Among other things the union promised the National Labor Relations Board that it won't stage picket lines or strikes at Walmart stores for at least 60 days. (See attached PDF for a full list of UFCW promises.)

Walmart said in a statement that the settlement will end "the union’s unlawful tactics and disruptions towards Walmart, our associates and our customers."

Mike Henneberry, spokesman for UFCW Local 5 in San Jose, couched the settlement more along the lines of a cease-fire than a surrender.

He said Walmart had sought a injunction to permanently prohibit UFCW-supported actions outside its stores.

He characterized the union's promise as "a 60-day reprieve" from further demonstrations with the potential for more actions in the future.

Provided the union follows through on its promises, in six months the NLRB will drop Walmart's case, according to a press release from the federal body.

Read more Patch coverage of the Walmart union struggle in San Leandro.

Do you side with Walmart or the union? Do you shop at Walmart? Why or why not?