Threat of Strike Looms for Stop and Shop

Report by Adam Swift

WOBURN, MA—Five local unions representing workers at Stop and Shop supermarkets in New England and New York continue to negotiate a new contract with the Koninkliije Ahold, the parent company of the supermarket chain.

The unions are expected to vote on new contracts this weekend, with strikes possible as early as Sunday if the contracts are rejected.

At issue in the negotiations are concerns about healthcare premiums and increased wages.

Woburn’s Stop and Shop is located at 2 Elm Street.

There have been advertisements on Craigslist for hiring temporary Stop & Shop employees for $16 an hour in Connecticut and Massachusetts, according to NBC Connecticut.

The five locals with the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 919 represents about 35,000 Stop and Shop Employees throughout New England and New York.

“The Stop & Shop New England and New York Metro Divisions are working diligently and in good faith to reach a fair new contract that continues to offer competitive wages and benefits for our 34,000 store associates in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut who are represented by United Food and Commercial Workers Union Locals 328, 371, 919, 1445, and 1459,” Stop and Shop officials said in a statement. “It is important that any agreement responds to the competitive challenges facing our industry and puts our people and our divisions in the strongest possible position to succeed. We have a long history of reaching contracts with the unions that represent our Associates without any disruption to their work or customer service and we have no reason to believe that this time will be any different.”