Posted on 04/11/2019 12:18:25 PM PDT by matt04
Stop & Shop workers went out on strike Thursday afternoon, frustrated by contract negotiations they say have stalled.
Five New England United Food & Commercial Workers locals representing over 30,000 Stop & Shop workers have been without a contract since late February.
The doors to the Stop & Shop in Chicopee were closed early Thursday afternoon as workers picketed outside. There were reports on social media of closed Stop & Shops from Westfield to Boston, though others remained open.
“Given that negotiations with assistance of the federal mediators are continuing, we are disappointed that the UFCW chose to order a work stoppage in an attempt to disrupt service at our stores. Stop & Shop has contingency plans in place to minimize disruption,” the supermarket chain said in a statement on its website.
At the Stop & Shop in West Springfield, the supermarket reopened two hours after the strike was called with management as the only staff. Some customers left in frustration when they found they could get utilize all services, such as freshly sliced deli meat.
Springfield-headquartered United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1459 represents about 1,300 workers, including those in Chicopee. A recorded message on its the phone told workers to report to picket lines. Those at work were told to leave their posts and go to picket lines.
UFCW claims Stop & Shop is proposing a bad deal for workers that would cut current benefits, including health and welfare and pension plans, replace Sunday time-and-a-half pay with a smaller wage premium and cut paid holidays, vacations and sick days for new hires.
The union says the company has proposed bonuses in lieu of cost-of-living wage increases, according to a union news release.
Stop & Shop has maintained that being the only New England supermarket chain with a unionized work force has put it at a competitive disadvantage.
First I walked past the Stop and Shop...
Stop N shop merged with A & P. Now it's called Stop N Pee.
I hope the stores are still open - I love to cross picket lines.
“Stop & Shop has maintained that being the only New England supermarket chain with a unionized work force has put it at a competitive disadvantage.”
Well one look at the picket line proves that point.
It appears some are, bit not all. The article cited West Springfield as being open within 2 hrs.
It sounds like a lot of job openings soon.
So go to Safeway.
Stop and Shop is the highest priced grocery store around here, so their claims about competitive disadvantage are legit.
We have many excellent alternatives in the area.
“I hope the stores are still open - I love to cross picket lines.”
I do that all the time. Time is money..there were a few times I got stopped by these assholes, I told them I have business here and it doesn’t involve them..
Welcome to Market Basket!
Lets throw a temper tantrum and not get paid whilst standing in fornt of a sign for our non-union and fully staffed and open competitor. Also see the pic in post #2 wit the BJ's sing in the background.
Other than that, for groceries we have many choices here of other supermarkets and small family-owned markets in which to shop: Big Y, Shop-Rite, Whole Foods, Fitzgerald's, Geissler's, Kane's, Food Bag, The Fresh Market, Highland Park Market, etc.
No Safeway stores here in New England, but we have plenty other grocery store choices. Non-union, too!
Here’s a worker with a pretty sorry explanation: yeah, they have better benefits and all that than what other supermarkets they compete with have, but they’re a big company so they ought to offer more still!
Hanniford ???
Aren’t they a NE grocer too?
Not for Nothing, but my local Stop & Shop has the BEST donuts.
And we all know the world runs on donuts.
BTW, thank Dunkin Donuts, the place with fantastic coffee and horrible tasting donuts for that spelling.
Was “Doughnuts” before that.
They’ll be out of business.
I’ve lost track of how many grocers I’ve watched unions drive to extinction in Pennsylvania and in Michigan.
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