Picketers

Robert Chacon Glendale Police had arrested two striking members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union by Tuesday, and responded to more than 25 calls from shoppers claiming they were harassed by picketers. The phone calls began Sunday, police spokeswoman Officer Leticia Chang said. Police arrested Manuel Piggue, 43, of Los Angeles on suspicion of vandalizing an Albertsons delivery truck Sunday. The alleged incident occurred at the store at 1855 W. Glenoaks Blvd.

Ryan Carter Picket signs are tucked away in the homes of strike leaders while others wait nervously for the next move in a possible walkout that will affect Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons employees throughout the area, including those in Glendale and the foothills. Workers from the supermarkets are among the 98% of Local 770 of United Food & Commercial Workers International Union members who voted this week to reject management's offer in last-ditch talks, which today will include a federal mediator.

Gretchen Hoffman About 15 people circled outside Damon's Steakhouse on Wednesday night, calling for justice in English and Spanish and waving signs that stated "Our jobs are at steak!" Damon's, which has been on the market for a year, is in escrow, employees say. Its current workers, all of whom are members of the restaurant's longtime union, Local 11 Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union, fear their jobs are in jeopardy. Employees of the 65-year-old steakhouse joined with other union members in demonstrating in front of and in the alley behind Damon's, 317 N. Brand Blvd.

Marshall Allen GLENDALE -- Registered nurses from Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center picketed their hospital Thursday to publicize their demands for better patient-to-nurse ratios, a pension and higher salaries. About a dozen nurses chanted "We're RNs united, we'll never be defeated," and carried signs for their cause at the protest. More participated, organizers said, but they filtered in and out during lunch breaks. The nurses were part of a statewide protest against the Catholic Healthcare West chain, which operates Glendale Memorial.

Amber Willard SOUTHWEST GLENDALE -- An impasse in contract negotiations led to cries of protest among a group of picketing emergency services workers Friday. About 30 paramedics and emergency medical technicians carried protest signs in front of the American Medical Response dispatch office on Broadway. "They start EMTs at $8.46 an hour. That's why we're here," said Carlos Osorio, who has worked for the company as an EMT for 12 years and is a chief shop steward for their union.

Judy Seckler DOWNTOWN -- The Glendale Teachers Assn. turned up the heat in their push for more pay with a quiet demonstration at Glendale Unified's Administration building early Monday evening. Association President Ken Niemeyer and 10 teachers from the district stood at the southeast corner of the property and held signs that read "Rights, Respect, Raise." The teachers were part of the union's Rapid Response Team formed in May to draw more immediate attention to the stalled negotiations.

Claudia Peschiutta DOWNTOWN -- Los Angeles County employees in Glendale plan to hold their own union demonstration Monday to demand better wages and benefits. In anticipation of upcoming contract negotiations with the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, members of 45,000-strongService Employees International Union Local 660 began picketing May 8. The union members have been picketing during their breaks and lunch hours, and plan to continue doing so through Thursday.

Claudia Peschiutta GLENDALE -- Virginia Ascencio would rather be working. Instead of going to clean offices at 501 N. Brand Blvd. as she normally would on a Monday evening, Ascensio sat smoking a cigarette and waiting for someone to bring by the protest signs that have replaced mops and brooms for thousands of Los Angeles County janitors over the past week. "Sometimes people think this is easy but it's difficult," she said in her native Spanish.