Massachusetts Stop & Shop Workers Strike

Thousands of Stop & Shop workers across Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut walked off the job Thursday after their union and the company failed to negotiate a new contract. The workers are represented by the United Food & Commercial Workers Locals 1445, 328, 371, 919 and 1459.

The walkout started around 1:15 p.m. Reports say customers were asked to leave their groceries behind and leave the stores.

Stop & Shop officials said they have a "contingency plan" in place but did not elaborate.

In Cranston, Rhode Island, a worker named Peter who declined to provide his last name spoke to Rhode Island Patch editor Rachel Nunes.

"We could be here 10 minutes, 10 days, or 10 weeks," Peter said. "This is not what anybody at the store level wanted."

Stop & Shop released this 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."

Workers' previous contract expired in February. At the center of negotiations was time-and-a-half pay for Sundays and holidays, which the union said the company was trying to strip away.

Stop & Shop said at the time the agreement had 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.

The walkouts affect 134 stores in Massachusetts, 92 in Connecticut and 27 in Rhode Island.

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.

Check out more Patch coverage of the strikes in Rhode Island and Connecticut and in Brookline.