Union says LV store pays low wages, has health problems

Friday, Nov. 27, 1998 | 11:44 a.m.

Backed by several unions, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 711 rallied this week outside the King Ranch Supermarket, accusing the grocery store of substandard health practices and paying low wages.

UFCW President Roberta West cited Clark County Health Department documents citing instances of outdated meat; hams that should have been refrigerated being kept at room temperature for a prolonged time and ordered sent back to the distributor; and different types of meat being cut with the same slicer.

Such complaints from consumers are regularly investigated by the department. Upon investigation, the complaints mentioned by the union were found to be valid by the Health Department, which ordered the meat and the hams removed from the shelves and ordered that different slicers be designated for a particular type of meat.

Felix Havis, a supervisor with the health department, said all grocery stores are the targets of these types of complaints at some point.

"It can happen anywhere," Havis said.

The union also accused the store of paying employees less than union grocery stores do. While most grocery stores in Las Vegas are union, King Ranch is not.

"We want them to do the same thing and be responsible as other supermarkets in this town," West said.

The 17,000-square-foot store has been the target of rallies and pickets since early October. A store spokesman said the company had no comment.