Union: Grocery said strikers will be replaced

NILES -- Striking workers at Macali's Niles Giant Eagle have been told they will be replaced, a union official said.
Store officials informed union bargainers of their plan Thursday when union officials offered a new proposal to settle the strike, said Gary Weitzel, area coordinator for United Food and Commercial Workers Local 880.
The 18 deli workers and meatcutters went on strike Wednesday.
Weitzel said they will remain on strike until a new contract agreement is reached and he expects support from the public to make the strike successful.
Store officials couldn't be reached this morning.
Weitzel said the two sides "are pennies apart" on wages to be included in a new contract. The union is seeking a 30-cent-an-hour raise, he said.
Workers have rejected four contract offers from the company. The company isn't asking for any concessions, he said.
The deli workers make between $5.15 an hour and $7.35 an hour, and the meatcutters earn $11 an hour.
The union's contract expired in January.