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Food Workers' Union Authorizes a Strike of Stop & Shop Grocery Stores in the NYC Metro Area
The Village Voice (NY) ^

Posted on 11/01/2013 2:56:58 PM PDT by matt04

f you haven't done your grocery shopping yet, now might be the time to stock up. On Monday at roughly 7:30 p.m., workers of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500 authorized a strike of Stop & Shop supermarket, which employs 5,500 workers represented by the union. The strike would shut down stores on Long Island, New York City, Westchester, Putnam, and Duchess counties.

...

At issue is the negotiation over what health benefits will look like with the arrival of the Affordable Care Act, legislation that was sold to some lawmakers as making it easier for some big businesses to offload healthcare costs onto the new state healthcare exchanges.

"We knew going into negotiations that would have to change things because of the Affordable Care Act," says Patrick Purcell, director of political and legislative affairs with Local 1500. "But it quickly became clear that Stop & Shop was using [the new law] as an excuse to shed costs, reducing healthcare coverage."

Stop & Shop sees it differently. In a statement to Runnin' Scared, Stop & Shop sees itself as taken on an even greater burden of healthcare costs with the new federal legislation taking effect.

Stop & Shop is only one of dozens of companies that participates in a health and welfare fund jointly managed by union and employer trustees. In this fund, all the employers have paid the same contribution for the same program of benefits for all the participants in the funds. In all of its proposals to the union, Stop & Shop has proposed to increase its contributions and overall financial commitment to the fund to secure the fund for the future and meet the obligations imposed by the Affordable Care Act.

(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.villagevoice.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: New York
KEYWORDS: abortion; deathpanels; obamacare; stopandshop; strike; ufcw; unions; zerocare
Awww, what a shame. Elections have consequences. Cough of that $300/mo premium and $6K deductible like everyone else.
1 posted on 11/01/2013 2:56:58 PM PDT by matt04
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To: matt04

...why does everybody hate obama...../s


2 posted on 11/01/2013 2:59:04 PM PDT by libertarian27 (FreeRepublic Cookbooks 2011 & 2012 - Click Profile)
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To: libertarian27
What friggin' maroons ... !!
3 posted on 11/01/2013 2:59:45 PM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true .. I have no proof .. but they're true.)
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To: matt04

Sucks to be a MARXIST.


4 posted on 11/01/2013 3:01:32 PM PDT by unixfox (Abolish Slavery, Repeal the 16th Amendment)
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To: matt04

For those FReepers who have had the uh, pleasure, of working under a UFCW contract. Let me give you a hint how it works.

Every week you bribe them to work. They take you money and ignore you. The only way to reach the “Business Agent” is via the one secretary at the office via phone. You call, explain the issue and where you work. They will note it and pass it on to said “Business Agent.” In about 5 days they will call you back, from a blocked number. Just missed the call, too bad. Call said secretary back and repeat.

When contract negotiations come around, you are suddenly their best buddy/friend since you were born. Once ratified, they disappear once again.


5 posted on 11/01/2013 3:02:43 PM PDT by matt04
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To: matt04

Say Hi to your new 29 hour a week schedules.
Say Hi to The Market Place like millions of others.
Say Hi to your replacements.

This is why Obama delayed the employer mandate, the “stuff hasn’t hit the fan” yet with companies that are still providing health care insurance. Just wait.


6 posted on 11/01/2013 3:07:15 PM PDT by FreedomGuru (Time for torches and pitchforks.)
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To: matt04

Can’t buy at Stop & Shop? too bad. I’ll just go 2 BLOCKS AWAY and buy at another store.

Try non-union ALDI, great buys on loads of items from other-than-national brands. A handful of mangy union rat protesters walking around, just laugh at them and move on.

Supermarket unions are so very un-necessary.


7 posted on 11/01/2013 3:16:00 PM PDT by Macoozie (1) Win the Senate 2) Repeal Obamacare 3) Impeach Roberts)
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To: matt04

8 posted on 11/01/2013 3:23:50 PM PDT by raybbr (I weep over my sons' future in this Godforsaken country.)
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To: matt04
Anybody know what type of wages these people are getting?
9 posted on 11/01/2013 3:45:56 PM PDT by Popman
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To: Popman

From my experience in a UFCW union at a supermarket PT employees probably start at $0.25-0.35 above minimum wage and get a $0.25-0.35/hr raise each year, depending on which dept they work in. Ironically, a cashier would get more than the people working the Deli, Bakery, Produce, etc. Apparently scanning bar codes required more skills.

Of course subtract $7-9/wk in dues, which WILL increase right after you union negotiated raise.


10 posted on 11/01/2013 4:00:32 PM PDT by matt04
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To: raybbr

Sadly Big Y doesn’t exist in that area. Only CT and Western MA. Prices may be higher, but they have consistently high product quality, service and staffing in every store I have been in. S&S is a crap shoot due the fact they they have to keep incompetent people on payroll due to the union.


11 posted on 11/01/2013 4:05:43 PM PDT by matt04
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To: matt04
From my experience in a UFCW union at a supermarket PT employees probably start at $0.25-0.35 above minimum wage and get a $0.25-0.35/hr raise each year,

Seriously ?

My youngest son just started PT at Publix supermarket and make $1.00 more than minimum wage to start...

These people should fire their union...

12 posted on 11/01/2013 4:06:39 PM PDT by Popman
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To: matt04

Out here in fly over country we call them Stop & Robs


13 posted on 11/01/2013 4:18:34 PM PDT by Grams A (The Sun will rise in the East in the morning and God is still on his throne.)
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To: Popman

When I left, all the useful idiots were thrilled to get their .25/hr “raise.” If they complained it wasn’t enough, I politely remained them that they agreed to let the Union decide what was best for them.

Meanwhile across the street was a non-union supermarket. I know someone who worked there. They started at something like $0.50/hr above minimum and after a 6 mo probation period got a $0.80/hr raise due to their performance.


14 posted on 11/01/2013 4:24:02 PM PDT by matt04
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To: matt04

the union that backed Obama is upset? So they want the company to cover them for their decision? Union idiots. This bill is one further nail in the coffin of unions and the leeches who run them.


15 posted on 11/01/2013 4:35:46 PM PDT by wiggen (The teacher card. When the racism card just won't work.)
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To: matt04

I’ve been a member of two unions in my life. Both of them screwed me.


16 posted on 11/01/2013 4:40:13 PM PDT by VerySadAmerican (".....Barrack, and the horse Mohammed rode in on.")
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To: matt04

Now those who care will know which stores are held ransom by Unions.


17 posted on 11/01/2013 4:53:55 PM PDT by MaxMax (Pay Attention and you'll be pissed off too! FIRE BOEHNER, NOW!)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...

Thanks matt04.
At issue is the negotiation over what health benefits will look like with the arrival of [Obamacare]...
They voted for it, they can pay for it.


18 posted on 11/01/2013 5:29:14 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (http://www.freerepublic.com/~mestamachine/)
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To: matt04

It is CLEAR from the article,

and in spite of the Union quote in it and with only the article to go buy,

that it is UNLCEAR what the outstanding issues really are.


19 posted on 11/01/2013 6:00:10 PM PDT by Wuli
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