Newport a striker’s paradise

As thousands of grocery workers across Southern California sit

outside in the blazing sun, one might think conservative Newport

Beach is the toughest place to be.

No so. It seems being a picket in Newport is not so bad. Not only

are people not crossing the picket line in droves and throwing

disapproving looks and phrases, faithful customers of the Lido Aisle

Pavilion’s are bringing the pickets cold sodas and water. Newport

customers are making sure that the men and women who normally cut

their meat and bag their groceries don’t suffer in the unseasonable

warmth.

One customer, Benjamin Tew, even went out and set up a grill to

tailgate with the locked-out employees. He spent hours grilling

hamburgers and hot dogs for them and he went all the way to Smart &

Final to buy supplies for the picnic.

Wait a minute -- sitting outside in the sunshine, people

delivering cold sodas and food. Maybe we should go on strike over

here at the Pilot. No, no wait a minute. We wouldn’t be getting that

same treatment, would we?