THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, April 12, 1995              TAG: 9504120566
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: D1   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY STEPHANIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: NORFOLK                            LENGTH: Short :   40 lines

UNION SAYS SUPERMARKETS HAVE "THREATENED" WORKERS IN WEEKS LEADING UP TO VOTE

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union said Tuesday it has filed charges of unfair labor practices against Meatland and Food City - both owned by Camellia Food Stores Inc.

The charges were filed Monday with the National Labor Relations Board in Baltimore. They came three days before employees at Meatland and Food City supermarkets are scheduled to vote on union representation.

The union said Norfolk-based Camellia Foods has ``threatened, coerced and interrogated'' workers at Meatland and Food City stores within the past several weeks.

Walter Grant, Camellia president and chief executive, said he couldn't say whether any unfair labor practices had occurred. But he said union filings were standard in the weeks before elections.

``It's just common. It's standard procedure,'' Grant said.

On Thursday, elections will be held at 21 Meatland and Food City stores across eastern Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. The stores employ 450 workers.

The charges are the latest in a continuing clash between the union and Camellia. In 1991, the union lost an election by a 377-220 vote at Camellia's Be-Lo stores. The group accused Be-Lo of influencing the outcome illegally by pressuring workers and firing union organizers.

An administrative law judge ruled that the company acted unfairly by implying that stores would become uncompetitive or close if represented by the union.

Be-Lo has appealed a decision requiring it to bargain with the union. In the meantime, an administrative law judge ordered the company to post notices of its previous violations. by CNB