Union Representing Macy's Workers Votes To Strike

PEABODY, MA — Members of the union representing more than 1,000 Macy's workers at stores in Boston, Braintree, Natick, Peabody and Warwick, RI, voted to authorize a full strike. United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445 has been negotiating with the company for more money and lower health care costs for workers for four months. Local 1445 is the same union that represented thousands of Stop & Shop employees that walked off the job for 11 days in April.

"We continue to bargain with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445 in good faith and remain committed to the process in the pursuit of an agreement that is fair to all parties. Our goal is to reach a deal with no work stoppage," Macy's said in a statement.

The workers have been without a contract since February. Jim Ronayne, the secretary-treasurer for United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445, told WPRI in Rhode Island that a strike could "happen at any time."

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).