We wanted to be sure to draw your attention to a recent op-ed in the East Valley Tribune from the Center for Union Facts offering some perspective on the lawsuit by an Arizona grocery chain against a union attacking the company. Basha’s, a local family-owned firm, has been in the crosshairs of the United Food and Commercial Workers union for quite some time, and the labor organization’s tactics have gotten aggressive — allegedly illegal, even. We thought we’d add the global view:

The union has an equally cynical campaign against Bashas’ — with an equally cynical name: “Hungry for Respect.”

But now UFCW’s hunger for member dues money has taken it to the courtroom. Again.

nstead of limiting itself to defending against UFCW’s endless smears on the publicrelations battlefield, Smithfield made the decision to file suit under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. So, too, Bashas’ has gone to court, charging the union with defamation and interfering with the company’s operations.

Click here to read the whole thing. Meanwhile, Bill Stanton of the Tucson Citizen is lauding Basha’s:

… for refusing to kowtow to a union and let its family name be slandered.

Bashas’ now is suing United Food and Commercial Workers, which has been trying to bully not only our Arizona original grocers, but also little markets in California.

UFCW is using the same claim on both chains that it also used on Food Lion in Virginia and North Carolina in the 1990s: selling outdated baby formula.

The union only makes that complaint about stores it has tried but failed to unionize.

UFCW should have listened to Eddie Basha in July: “They picked the wrong Marine.”