The grocery chain plans to begin enforcing their rules more strictly<\/i><\/p>\n
by Brian Leubitz<\/p>\n
Safeway isn’t really a political ally to the left in any meaningful way. They could be worse to their employees, sure, but they could also be a lot better. But they are frequently the center of signature gathering operations. Not of their own free will, mind you, but just because that is where the traffic is. If you want to find a lot of people walking around, go to the grocery store.<\/p>\n
But the problem is that the signature gathering business isn’t really an activist operation anymore, if it ever really was. It’s a business, and the people gathering signatures are doing it for money. And while the sidewalks are public property, safeway parking lots are not. So Safeway is doing more to clear the entrances to their stores and ensure that gatherers are following the rules. Unsurprisingly, the signature gatherers weren’t so impressed, as Josh Richman explains:<\/p>\n
Safeway says the signature gatherers don’t abide by their corporate policies, block entrances and harass customers, and so has started a crackdown that, in some instances, includes seeking court injunctions against the worst offenders.<\/p>\n
Signature gatherers counter that Safeway is disrupting their free-speech rights. About two dozen political petition signature gatherers protested the crackdown Wednesday outside Safeway’s corporate headquarters in Pleasanton. (BayAreaNews<\/a>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
I actually have had a couple of awkward situations with the gatherers at the grocery store. But that is mostly because I like to hear what they say, and never sign. I have seen them get rather rude to some people as well. It is really hard to blame Safeway from blocking what is really a nuisance at their doorway.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The grocery chain plans to begin enforcing their rules more strictly<\/i><\/p>\n
by Brian Leubitz<\/p>\n
Safeway isn’t really a political ally to the left in any meaningful way. They could be worse to their employees, sure, but they could also be a lot better. But they are frequently the center of signature gathering operations. Not of their own free will, mind you, but just because that is where the traffic is. If you want to find a lot of people walking around, go to the grocery store.<\/p>\n
But the problem is that the signature gathering business isn’t really an activist operation anymore, if it ever really was. It’s a business, and the people gathering signatures are doing it for money. And while the sidewalks are public property, safeway parking lots are not. So Safeway is doing more to clear the entrances to their stores and ensure that gatherers are following the rules. Unsurprisingly, the signature gatherers weren’t so impressed, as Josh Richman explains:<\/p>\n
Safeway says the signature gatherers don’t abide by their corporate policies, block entrances and harass customers, and so has started a crackdown that, in some instances, includes seeking court injunctions against the worst offenders.<\/p>\n