updated
February 12, 2007
 Stop and
Shop Workers Are Standing Together for Affordable Health Care
Five UFCW
Local Unions—Locals 371, 328, 1445, 919 and 1459--have been negotiating
with Stop and Shop since mid-December. The biggest issue at the table has
been, and continues to be, the health and welfare proposals offered by the
company and by the Locals.
Currently, some full time members working at Stop and Shop have affordable,
quality health care. However, part time workers do not—so a major focus of
negotiations has been improving plans for part timers.
The Local Unions
involved recognize the company’s concern over the rising cost of health care
in the US. They have been busy researching alternatives, and have presented
several proposals that would address both workers’ and the company’s
concerns. However, Stop and Shop has ignored these proposals, although
they’ve offered no solutions to the problem. They’ve declared an impasse
in the health care discussions—even though they have no reasonable
alternatives to the UFCW members’ proposals.
In fact, Stop and Shop seems more concerned with
preparing for a possible strike than in settling the contract with members.
The company has even taken out ads in local newspapers, advertising for
"temporary replacement workers" and offering higher hourly rates than
current employees make!
When it was time to vote
on the company’s health care proposal, members voted unanimously
to reject it. The UFCW members have sent a message to the
company—grocery workers need quality, affordable health care for themselves
and their families. Anything less is simply unacceptable.
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