Union: 'No Plans Just Yet' For Picket Lines At Stop & Shop

A representative of the United Food and Commercial Workers union said Thursday there are "no plans just yet," to strike, while adding the union and Stop & Shop stewards were set to be at the negotiating table during the day.

Union locals — Nos. 328, 371, 1445, 1459, and 919 — representing more than 31,000 Stop & Shop employees in New England, have authorized a strike. Major differences are take-home pay, health care and retirement benefits, union officials said.

Here is a summary of the talks so far, 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.

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