Connecticut Stop & Shop Union Workers Go On Strike

VERNON, CT — Stop & Shop Union workers in Connecticut walked off the job at lunchtime on Thursday, forcing stores to close at least temporarily and sending customers back to their vehicles. There are 92 Stop & Shop stores across the state.

A picket line had formed in front of one of two stores in Vernon by 1 p.m. A worker who said he was not allowed to use his name or even comment said the call to strike went out statewide at about 12:30 p.m. Social media across the state shows employees on the picket lines. (See below for photos/video).

At 1 p.m., the United Food and Commercial Workers union posted an explanatory video on social media channels.

Gas pumps were coned off because no attendants were available. A manager at one of the Vernon stores said the walk-out was "shocking" and said Stop & Shop executives were trying to get some stores open. No one was being allowed in the Vernon store in the early afternoon because of staffing issues, the manager said.

One Vernon customer said union workers went through the store telling customers that work was stopping.

A South Windsor customer said she checked out of the store at approximately 11:35 a.m. and saw no indication of a strike.

"Whew ... Glad I missed it ... I would not cross a picket line," she added.

Customers seemed to flock to other supermarkets. One shopper in Stratford said at about 3:30 p.m., "Shop Rite is jamming with customers."

Calls to Stop & Shop stores throughut the state mostly went unanswered Thursday afternoon and the communications department did not immediately return calls and e-mails.

Some stores were able to re-open. For example, the Shelton store re-opened at about 2 p.m. and was staying open until 8 p.m. Thursday. The Southington store was only closed for about 15 minutes and was in business on a "limited basis" until midnight.

The Greenwich store was open for its regular hours but was only offering self-checkout and limited services, a staffer said.

The strike was about a month in the making in terms of union votes, but longer considering when collective bargaining talks started. By mid-March, union Locals 328, 371, 1445, 1459, and 919, which collectively represent more than 31,000 Stop & Shop employees in New England, had all authorized a strike.

"It is clear that over 31,000 hard-working Stop & Shop employees want to be able to provide the very best service for their customers in New England while still being able to provide for their families. However, Stop & Shop has continued to propose contracts that make that impossible," union officials said in a statement issued then.

Three major differences are take-home pay, health care and retirement benefits, union officials said.

Here is a summary of the negotiations, according to the union:

• Stop & Shop workers in New England and have been in negotiations with the supermarket chain since Jan. 14.
• The current contract expired on Feb. 23.

• Members of UFCW Locals 1459, 328, and 919 voted in favor of a strike authorization on Sunday, March 10, joining Locals 1445 and 371, whose members had already held similar votes.
• A strike authorization allows local union leadership to call for a strike at any moment going forward during the negotiation process.

The last time Stop & Shop employees went on strike was in March 1988.

Stop & Shop officials have maintained that full-timers are the highest-paid supermarket workers in the region.

At 4:30 p.m., the company released a statement:

"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.

"Stop & Shop has proposed a good and reasonable offer to our union locals that includes:

· Across-the-board pay increases for all associates – no one’s pay would be cut;

· Continued “Gold Level” health care benefits for eligible associates – at a fraction of what employees at other retail companies pay and with no changes to already unusually low deductibles; and

· Increased company contributions to the UFCW’s defined benefit pension fund for current full- and vested part-time associates – a rare benefit in the New England food retail industry.

Additionally, this morning the company made several suggestions to the federal mediators to encourage further bargaining. The mediators gave those proposals to the Locals late in the morning. The Locals provided no counter proposals to the mediators and simply stated they were proceeding with their plans.

In contrast to the company’s proposal which is better than most recent UFCW contract settlements and responsive to heavy non-union competition, the unions proposed a contract that would increase the company’s costs. This would make our company less competitive in the mostly non-union New England food retail marketplace.

Stop & Shop remains ready and available to meet with the union locals at any time. We are committed to good faith bargaining and hope to reach new contracts as quickly as possible that both recognize and reward the great work of our associates and enable Stop & Shop to compete effectively in the rapidly changing New England grocery market.

For more information, we encourage you to visit our website at https://www.stopandshop.com/labor-news."

Here are some photos and videos from across CT: