Ahold Delhaize's Stop and Shop has 30,000+ union workers on strike in over 240 stores in MA, RI and CT, Biden, Sanders and Warren voices support

[Deleted member 3812]

Ahold Delhaize, a massive international retailing company (https://www.aholddelhaize.com/en/home/) that has multiple U.S. divisions: Food Lion with 1,029 stores operating in Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia (https://www.aholddelhaize.com/en/brands/united-states/food-lion/), GIANT Food Stores with 172 stores operating in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia (https://www.aholddelhaize.com/en/brands/united-states/giant-food-stores/), Giant Food with 164 stores operating in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia (https://www.aholddelhaize.com/en/brands/united-states/giant-food/), Hannaford with 181 stores operating in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont (https://www.aholddelhaize.com/en/brands/united-states/hannaford/), PeaPod, an online grocery delivery service operating in Chicagoland, Milwaukee, S.E. Wisconsin, Indianapolis, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Southern New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC, Philadelphia, SE Pennsylvania, Central Pennsylvania (https://www.aholddelhaize.com/en/brands/united-states/peapod/) and Stop and Shop with 415 stores operating in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island (https://www.aholddelhaize.com/en/brands/united-states/stop-shop/).

In total, Ahold Delhaize reports that they have a total of 204,000 employees working in over 2,000 stores and distribution centers in 23 U.S. states, they also state that "The U.S. is our biggest market segment, with our brands generating a revenue in 2018 of more than $44 billion.": https://www.aholddelhaize.com/en/brands/united-states/our-brands-in-the-united-states/

Well, it's reported that Stop and Shop employees in over 240 stores who are unionized in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut is on strike: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/13/business/stop-shop-strike.html

More than 30,000 Stop & Shop supermarket workers across three states remained on strike for a third day on Saturday, protesting what they said were unfair wages and high health insurance premiums.

The strike, by United Food and Commercial Workers International Union members working at more than 240 Stop & Shops in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, forced some stores to close. Union and supermarket officials could not say precisely how many.

The supermarket activated a contingency plan that included sending support-office staff members and temporary replacement workers to select locations, according to a Stop & Shop spokeswoman, Jennifer Brogan. Pharmacies and banks remained open, regardless of a store's status, she said.

Among the workers on strike were cashiers, stockers, bakers, deli clerks and butchers. A previous three-year contract expired on Feb. 23.

Last year, while employees were seeking better wages, Stop & Shop's parent company, Ahold Delhaize, reported profits of more than $2 billion to its shareholders, according to Erikka Knuti, a union spokeswoman.

Most full-time employees, including unionized department managers, earn an average of $21.30 an hour, Ms. Brogan said.

Stop & Shop said its latest proposed contract included, among other things, pay increases for all associates, no changes to employees' deductibles, an increase of $2 to $4 on health insurance premiums and an increase to the company's pension fund contributions.

The proposed pay increase — an additional 50 cents an hour for workers, according to Ms. Knuti — would not offset the higher costs of health care, the union spokeswoman said, and "makes it not really a pay increase."

"A full-timer would pay $900 on a weekly premium for three years," Ms. Knuti said on Saturday. "The average part-timer would pay an additional $600 over three years."

The president of Stop & Shop, Mark McGowan, said in a statement on Saturday that the contract the union had proposed was "unsustainable" and could lead to higher prices for consumers.

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So far, Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren has voiced their full support of this strike:

Joe Biden ✔
@JoeBiden
In the last 5 years, @StopandShop's parent company has bought back billions of dollars in stock. Now they want to cut employee wages & benefits. This is wrong. I stand with the 31,000 @UFCW workers fighting for their healthcare. Join me and support them: http://supportstopandshopworkers.com

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Elizabeth Warren ✔
@ewarren
I stand with the @UFCW and @StopandShop workers on the picket line. This strike is about 31K workers across New England making their voices heard and fighting for living wages and better benefits. When workers fight, workers win.

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Bernie Sanders ✔
@BernieSanders
.@Stopandshop, a multibillion-dollar company, wants to drastically cut health care for 31,000 workers. I stand with @UFCW workers in their fight to protect health care and workers' rights.

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https://thehill.com/homenews/campai...ss-support-for-striking-stop-and-shop-workers

Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) all showed solidarity with striking Stop & Shop workers ahead of a 2020 election cycle in which Democrats are seeking to underline their support for labor groups.

"In the last 5 years, @StopandShop's parent company has bought back billions of dollars in stock. Now they want to cut employee wages & benefits. This is wrong. I stand with the 31,000 @UFCW workers fighting for their healthcare," Biden tweeted Friday.

Thousands of Stop & Shop union workers went on strike Friday amid an ongoing contract dispute to protest against what they say is an expected cut to take-home pay, health care and other benefits. Five local chapters of the United Food and Commercial Workers union said 31,000 of its members were involved in the strike, which took place across New England.

"The hard-working men and women at over 240 stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island are standing together to tell Stop & Shop that it is time to do the right thing. The men and women who make Stop & Shop a success have earned and deserve affordable health care, a good wage, and the ability to retire with dignity," the union said in a statement. "They have earned and deserve a good job that allows them to do what they do best: provide the very best customer service for New England communities."

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[Vas]

Good to see the future Democratic nominee speak up. Also good to see Bernie and Warren say something.

 

[Culex]

Yep in CT, this is definitely affecting us. The shop rite nearby has been SLAMMED, and you literally cannot park anywhere.

 

[Syriel]

Good to see the future Democratic nominee speak up. Also good to see Bernie and Warren say something.

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Not sure what you mean. Harris hasn't issued a statement yet.

 

[Trup1aya]

Good to see the future Democratic nominee speak up. Also good to see Bernie and Warren say something.

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Lol, I hope you're wrong

 

[meowdi gras]

Good for them

 

[Shiny Pokemon Hunter]

A noble effort but unfortunately retail outlets don't have bright futures.

 

[Dennis8K]

I 100% support labor unions. The US is dangerously out of balance regarding worker vs. corporate power.

 

[Kasai]

A few of my friends work there and are on strike right now. I'm fully behind and support them 100%.

 

[Deleted member 3812]

Ahold Delhaize makes this claim about Stop and Shop, I wonder how accurate/verifiable this claim is: https://stopandshop.com/site/69/0/0/24/901d5ee2-7be3-42ad-813c-eb19dc1a2dc5.pdf

For decades, Stop & Shop's associates have been represented by unions of their choice, unlike workers at most of our competitors in New England. In fact, Stop & Shop is now the only large food retail chain in New England with a fully-unionized store workforce.

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[dots]

Don't shop at Hannaford, Food Lion, or either of the Giant chains while this is ongoing. They all have the same owner as Stop & Shop. Boycott all of them until these workers have a contract.

 

[LProtagonist]

I went to Shoprite today instead and it was packed. Also didn't realize how much of my shopping I did by just going to specific places in the store, as I realized I had no idea what I needed without following my routine of walking the store as everything was laid out differently.

Still not going back to Stop and Shop until the strike is over.

 

[Crumb]

at least market basket isnt on strike this time

 

[hipsterbodega]

I don't shop at Stop & Shop regularly. Occasionally pop in for something quick but definitely won't during the strike.

 

[ody]

Good to see the future Democratic nominee speak up. Also good to see Bernie and Warren say something.

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I chuckled

Then cried

 

[Deleted member 3812]

Don't shop at Hannaford, Food Lion, or either of the Giant chains while this is ongoing. They all have the same owner as Stop & Shop. Boycott all of them until these workers have a contract.

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Also, don't use Peapod: https://www.aholddelhaize.com/en/brands/united-states/peapod/

 

[Chunky Alien]

Good to see the future Democratic nominee speak up. Also good to see Bernie and Warren say something.

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lol not bad.

 

[TheFatOne]

Hoping they figure this out sooner rather than later. Since I know several people who are going to be affected by this.

at least market basket isnt on strike this time

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That was the worst.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

A noble effort but unfortunately retail outlets don't have bright futures.

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Until UPS/FEDEX/USPS/Private Couriers step their game up people will still prefer to drive and get groceries over delivery. We tried order online and go pick our groceries up but folks would just pick any nasty looking produce without actually looking at it. Nope.

 

[Pilgrimzero]

Until UPS/FEDEX/USPS/Private Couriers step their game up people will still prefer to drive and get groceries over delivery. We tried order online and go pick our groceries up but folks would just pick any nasty looking produce without actually looking at it. Nope.

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We started having ours delivered via a service and had almost zero issues. For basically an extra $12, it's totally worth it.

 

[Deleted member 6769]

They also have a supermarket sub-brand called Martin's, apparently. Only one of those around me so it's not too hard to avoid it while they're striking. Hope they can get a good contract soon!

 

[Riskbreaker]

Groceries online. Lol. I know some of you motherfuckers don't cook suggesting that nonsense.

Anyhow they have my support. Unions are weak in this country due to selfish people and corporate apologists, so I hope they get things done.

 

[Deleted member 3812]

From my understanding from speaking with people who I know who works for Giant here in Maryland, the UFCW union has been struggling to try to remain a strong union.

UFCW represents workers in Giant Food stores that the Maryland, DC, Virginia and Delaware area has.

 

[Soundscream]

Groceries online. Lol. I know some of you motherfuckers don't cook suggesting that nonsense.

Anyhow they have my support. Unions are weak in this country due to selfish people and corporate apologists, so I hope they get things done.

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Yeah buying actual fresh food is something I want to be able to inspect before I purchase.

 

[steejee]

Sorta accidently crossed the picket line yesterday - there's a Stop & Shop affiliated/owned shop called bFresh which has small shops. I wasn't sure if the store was an independent subsidiary, or part of the overall umbrella, and there were no strikers out so we went in. Based on staffing and produce they must be part of the same worker set. So we'll be avoiding them as well until the strike ends. It *is* a major inconvenience for me as Stop & Shop is by far the easiest grocery for me to stop at on the way home, but I'm on the side of the workers here so I'll gladly deal with that inconvenience if it helps them out.

 

[Freakzilla]

Don't shop at Hannaford, Food Lion, or either of the Giant chains while this is ongoing. They all have the same owner as Stop & Shop. Boycott all of them until these workers have a contract.

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Lol yeah right. Aside from Trader Joe's stop and shop are the only major super market around me.

 

[PanickyFool]

It would be so nice if Democrats forced price controls on doctors, nurses, and fired a whole lot of health Care administrators. We would not even need a tax increase for national healthcare.

 

[Azuran]

Good shit. It blows my mind how workers in America don't realize how much power they actually hold. Corporations are terrified of them standing up for themselves.

Sadly the GOP has been too good at spreading their anti-union propaganda.

 

[Guzim]

I live in CT, and I'm not shopping at Stop and Shop. I went to Big Y today.

 

[grang]

There's a Stop and Shop 2 minutes away from both my apartment and my girlfriend's. I would stop there several times a week after work. No more til they do right by their workers. Driven by the Somerville parking lot a few times this weekend and the parking lot has been considerably more empty, glad to see it.

 

[Digital Dinosaur]

There's a stop and shop next door to our apartment block and we do all our shopping there. There's been a decent number of picketers out every day and some police keeping people from harassing them which is good to see. Nobody in my household is crossing the picket line.

It seems to be working; the parking lot has been almost empty for three days and a ton of people driving by the store are waving to the picketers to show support.

 

[Jie Li]

Didn't know about this. My local Stop and Shop (NY) is not on strike. I was there earlier today. Anything I can do to support them?

 

[Linkura]

Didn't know about this. My local Stop and Shop (NY) is not on strike. I was there earlier today. Anything I can do to support them?

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They are, you just didn't notice the employees were scabs.

You can support them by not shopping there.

 

[farmland]

Good on them!

 

[pewpewtora]

It's a huge deal in CT right now. A couple Stop n Shops are closed because it this. My sister works as a deli worker and she hasn't worked in three days. Kudos to all the workers. Shop elsewhere.

 

[Deleted member 3812]

So, I'm assuming we all should believe the UFCW union with regards to corporate wanting to cut Stop and Shop's worker retirement and healthcare benefits and pay, corporate is of course saying they aren't: https://stopandshop.com/labor/2019/#/labor/faqs

1. Is it true that you're trying to cut employees' pay?

No. In fact, Stop & Shop continues to offer pay increases for all associates. Under our latest proposal, all associates would see an increase in take-home pay. Wage cuts have never been proposed. Our full-time associates already are among the highest paid grocery employees in New England, making as much as 20% to 44% above market average.

2. Is it true that you're trying to cut employees' health care benefits?

Absolutely not. Stop & Shop has offered excellent, affordable health care benefits for eligible associates that qualify as federal "Gold Level" in quality, with associates' share of the cost remaining far below what employees at most other companies pay.

What Stop & Shop associates pay for health care has barely changed for years, despite dramatic increases in the costs of health care over that period that the company has absorbed. At a time when most retail employees pay 20% or more of the cost of their health plans, Stop & Shop associates currently pay only 6-8% of plan premiums on average. See the Kaiser Family Foundation 2018 benefits survey for the national retail employee cost data. See Kaiser Family Foundation, 2018 Employer Health Benefits Survey, Figure 6.22.

Yet under our proposal, even after modest adjustments to our health plan design to begin to keep up with higher health costs and implement some of the changes our competitors made years ago, Stop & Shop associates still would pay:

• Much lower shares of premiums than the national average at other retailers See Kaiser Family Foundation, 2018 Employer Health Benefits Survey, Figure 6.22.
• Less than half the share of health care premiums that the average federal government employee pays. see U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Healthcare Plan Information.
• Significantly lower shares of premiums than Massachusetts state government employees pay, see Commonwealth of Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission, State Employee Health Insurance Rates.
• Annual deductibles well below the national average, see Kaiser Family Foundation, 2018 Employer Health Benefits Survey, Section 7.

3. Is it true that you're trying to cut employees' pensions?

No. Stop & Shop is offering increased contributions to the UFCW's national defined benefit pension fund– which is entirely employer funded, at no cost to associates. Stop & Stop's offer has increases in the company contribution rate to maintain the full-time associates' current benefits accrual rates. Pension benefits that already have accrued are locked in and will not be cut by the company. Our non-union competitors do not provide comparable pension benefits. Most provide only a 401(k) benefit, if anything, to select employee groups.

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[Deleted member 3812]

APRIL 15 UPDATE: Strike has lasted 5 days now:

Check out the empty parking lot at the North Haven #StopAndShop on day five of the strike compared to outside the Big Y down the road on Washington Ave.

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https://www.supermarketnews.com/retail-financial/stop-shop-strike-new-england-enters-fifth-day

April 15, 2019

Stop & Shop and the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) plan more negotiations today as 31,000 employees of the Ahold Delhaize USA supermarket chain remain on strike in New England.

Talks continued over the weekend after UFCW Locals 328, 371, 919, 1445 and 1459 walked off their jobs at more than 240 Stop & Shop stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island on April 11.

When the strike began on Thursday, stores were forced to close and customers were instructed to leave, published reports said. A Stop & Shop spokeswoman said that most of the chain's New England stores reopened on Friday with reduced hours, from 8 a.m to 8 p.m., and all in-store pharmacies and banks remain open, even if a store is closed.

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It has been reported that U.S. Senator Ed Markey now supports the Stop and Shop employees who are on strike: https://www.masslive.com/boston/201...ns-stop-shop-workers-on-strike-in-quincy.html

April 15, 2019

Visiting Stop & Shop workers on strike in Quincy, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey pointed to the handful of cars in the parking lot behind them.

"You are gonna win," the Massachusetts Democrat told dozens of workers Monday morning. "You can see that the people of Massachusetts are with you. There's no one shopping here today at Stop & Shop."

He added: "We're gonna have a boom at Star Market ... but at Stop & Shop they are going to have a hard time until they come to the bargaining table to give the families what they need."

Markey is the latest politician to show solidarity with Stop & Shop employees who walked out on Thursday. State Reps. Bruce Ayers and Tackey Chan, both Quincy Democrats, visited the workers over the weekend. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Friday joined the picket line outside the Somerville store.

"Do not cross the picket line," Warren said. "Understand people on the picket line are not just fighting for their families. They're fighting for all our families. They're fighting for basic fairness and equality in this country."

About 31,000 workers at Stop & Shop in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island represented by United Food and Commercial Workers International have been without a contract since late February.

The Quincy store was open Monday morning. Workers yelled when cars entered the parking lot. Some motorists beeped their horn and vowed only to pick up pharmacy prescriptions. Others drove by without a word.

"To have regulars just drive through and say, 'sorry," said Leeanne Noonan, who has worked for the company since 1984, "I want my customers to come back when I'm done, but I want them to respect me when I'm out here."

Markey wasn't the only one to donate food. The workers had a police detail at the store, and officers brought them 10 pizzas, Welch said. Teachers, plumbers, nurses, craftsmen and others have shown their support for the striking workers.

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[OrdinaryPrime]

I worked there 20 years ago and always wondered where my union dues were going. 20 years later I say good for them and good luck.

 

[Bigwombat]

The top grossing stop and shop is in the plaza next to my worker and the parking lot has been empty since Thursday. They opened the pharmacy, star bucks, and citizens bank that are inside on Friday. It POURED this morning and people were in the street with signs.
People are really voting with their wallets on this one. Plus the teamsters union (truck drivers) won't deliver to the store either. I wonder how many locals in my area will go to the other grocer in town after this is over.
Stop and shop has bought several large commercial properties in multiple towns in my area to essential establish a monopoly in 4 neighboring towns.

 

[sn00zer]

I got to Market Basket, but drove by a Stop and Shop to grab something quick. Had no idea this was going on and turned around once I saw the signs.

 

[ph1l0z0ph3r]

Yea huge deal around here. The company I work for makes alot of the Big Y products and their orders have been tripling since last week while Stop n Stop has been on strike.

 

[Slayven]

Until UPS/FEDEX/USPS/Private Couriers step their game up people will still prefer to drive and get groceries over delivery. We tried order online and go pick our groceries up but folks would just pick any nasty looking produce without actually looking at it. Nope.

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Yeah, I mean you can watch live as someone put a 6 pack of sodas ONTOP of your bread while you are standing right there, you think they going to give a fuck when you can't see shit until you get home?

 

[Deleted member 18742]

I live in CT, and I'm not shopping at Stop and Shop. I went to Big Y today.

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I worked at Big Y all through college. They treat their employees way worse, no union, shit pay and laughable raises. Treat their full time employees like animals. And the shit they do behind the scenes is unbelievable

BTW none of the stuff in the bakery is actually made there except the Snowflake rolls. Everything is frozen or pre made and delivered

 

[Deleted member 3812]

Former Boston Bruins player Ray Bourque caught crossing picket line at the North Andover Stop & Shop:



Video description:

Ray Bourque crossed our picket line, a former Union member! Shame on you! 👎🏼 Boston Bruins NHLPA

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Ray Bourque has went onto Twitter and made these two posts regarding his appearance at Stop & Shop:

Being a union hockey player for 22 years I respect Unions and the work that they do. I have a medical condition that I was preparing for this morning and mistakenly crossed the picket line at Stop & Shop. On my way out I apologized immediately.

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I support the employees of Stop & Shop and once my medical condition is resolved I plan on returning to stand in solidarity and will walk the picket line alongside the members of the union.

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[LProtagonist]

I mean, I realized that some people might have prescriptions they need to pick up at the pharmacy, so I can't blame people for crossing the picket line for that, and I doubt the workers would either.

 

[Deleted member 3812]

I mean, I realized that some people might have prescriptions they need to pick up at the pharmacy, so I can't blame people for crossing the picket line for that, and I doubt the workers would either.

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The problem is Ray got much more than prescriptions at Stop & Shop:

Replying to @RayBourque77
We respect all who go in for their meds but you came out with more than your prescription

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Replying to @HillBilly_Jilly @RayBourque77
Hey Ray prescriptions don't come in those bags!! Absolutely disgraceful that you couldn't go to another store!

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[LProtagonist]

Yeah, fair, I was just thinking about that idea the other day though and what I would do if my prescriptions were there.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Went to Price Chopper instead last time I went to buy things. There was definitely a noticable uptick in customers there.

 

[Sectorseven]

How are the stores still open?

 

[Guzim]

I worked at Big Y all through college. They treat their employees way worse, no union, shit pay and laughable raises. Treat their full time employees like animals. And the shit they do behind the scenes is unbelievable

BTW none of the stuff in the bakery is actually made there except the Snowflake rolls. Everything is frozen or pre made and delivered

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That's awful to hear. A lot of my students work there.