City’s action on supermarkets unneeded

Re “How not to save jobs,” editorial, Dec. 27

The Los Angeles City Council’s decision to require 90 days of job protection to employees of supermarkets that are sold represents alarming meddling in the private sector. It’s dangerous to our regional economy and unfair to taxpayers.

Labor unions are necessary; without them, history teaches us that business management often takes unfair advantage of employees. But it’s also clear there must be a fair nexus where neither management nor labor has unrealistic power.

In the case of Los Angeles, both public- and private-sector unions have far too much power given them by the city. The council’s love affair with local unions has little to do with employee and community well-being. To the contrary, it has everything to do with self-interest to be elected and reelected.

DONALD FUNK

Redondo Beach

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The recent grocery business ordinance adopted by the Los Angeles City Council has no positive benefits but plenty of negative ones. Grocery prices will rise, customers will depart, as will businesses in a city already over-regulated. Instead of retaining grocery jobs with new owners, there will be few to none.

This is a clear illustration of voter dislike in government. Elected representatives looking out for themselves rather than the people they are elected to represent. A wrong prescription, wrong message and not in our best interest.

Council President Alex Padilla and his colleagues who voted in favor of this outrageous ordinance should be ashamed of themselves.

ROBERT DONIN

Los Angeles