Thousands Of Stop & Shop Workers Authorize Strike

RANDOLPH, MA — A union, which represents almost 10,000 Stop & Shop employees in eastern and central Massachusetts, voted on Sunday to authorize a strike.

Over the last month, Stop & Shop and the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1445 have worked on negotiating a new contract, but neither side could reach an agreement prior the contract expiring on Saturday night. Union members met at Lombardo's in Randolph on Sunday morning, but ultimately voted to authorize a strike after union leadership updated members on the status of negotiations. The vote doesn't start a strike, rather it gives union leadership the authority to declare one at any time.

"We have dates set up in the next few weeks to continue negotiations, so we can get past this stuff, but at some point, we may have to pull the trigger," Local 1445 President Jeffrey Bollen said in a YouTube address to union members.

According to union leadership, Stop & Shop wants to strip benefits away from employees, such as time-and-a-half pay for Sundays and holidays. The previous contract included time-and-a-half pay.

Stop & Shop in a press release said a new agreement has to be in line with industry changes. With minimum wages gradually increasing each year until it reaches $15 an hour, Massachusetts is in the process of phasing out time-and-a-half pay for Sundays and holidays. Stop & Shop spokeswoman Jennifer Brogan aid the company will continue talks with union leadership next week and is committed to finding a solution.

"This week in negotiations, Stop & Shop offered proposals that would ensure full-time associates continue to be among the highest paid food retail workers in the region and would continue to provide eligible associates with a comprehensive benefit package that includes affordable health care, while allowing our company to succeed in a rapidly changing industry," Brogan said in a release.

The recently expired contract covered affects five unions, which make up 30,000 Stop & Shop employees. Although only one of the five unions have voted to authorize a strike thus far, the others will meet to discuss a vote sometime over the next few days, Bollen said.