Stop & Shop Apologizes To Customers As Strike Enters Day 7

Nearly a week after Stop & Shop walked off the job, the company issued a statement to customers apologizing for inconveniences caused by the prolonged strike. While negotiations continue between Stop & Shop and the union, an amicable compromise has not yet been reached.

"We apologize for the inconvenience that the strike has caused our loyal customers," company President Mark McGowan wrote in a statement released Tuesday night. "First, we want you to know, Stop&Shop recognizes the valuable role our associates play in creating a great experience for you. They are a part of your lives, a part of our community, and key to our success. That's why it is so important to us to provide a fair contract to our employees who are members of the UFCW unions currently on strike."

The statement continued that the company is offering all employees "among the best" wages, healthcare and pension plans in New England.

"We are committed to resolving our labor negotiations as quickly as possible so that our employees can return to their jobs and we can get back to better serving you and the community," McGowan continued. "Be assured, we are grateful for your understanding and are working around the clock to get back to business as usual. In the meantime, thanks for sticking with us."

Though many Stop and Shop locations have reopened with replacement workers, many customers are unwilling to cross the picket lines. Stores that remain open are running on skeleton crews, with departments like the bake shop, deli, meat department and others requiring additional staffing remaining shuttered.

The retail consulting firm Strategic Resource Group called the three-state strike the most effective and devastating in three decades, The Boston Globe reported.

A spokesperson for the company said Monday that "[Stop & Shop] is working with our regional food bank partners, as well as local food pantries, to donate as much food as possible to our neighbors in need" to prevent waste from spoiled perishable foods, but did not offer specifics of where the food was being donated. The company also declined to say how much revenue has been lost in sales and food spoilage during the strike.

On Thursday, former vice president Joe Biden is scheduled to attend a massive rally in support of workers in Dorchester, Massachusetts. On April 12, Senator Elizabeth Warren joined workers on the picket line in Somerville.

READ MORE:

• Stop & Shop Strike Day 5: Food Donated To Pantries
• Stop & Shop Strike Day 2: Some Stores Reopen
• Stop & Shop Strike Detours 17 RIPTA Routes
• Rhode Island Stop & Shop Workers Go On Strike