  |
  February 16, 2007 Stop and Shop Workers Are Preparing for Possible Strike Five UFCW Local Unions—Locals 371, 328, 1445, 919 and 1459--have been negotiating with Stop and Shop since mid-December. And members are preparing to strike if the company doesn't attempt to negotiate reasonably on health care. 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, 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.
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.
"We aren't just negotiating
for ourselves," said John Bourke a UFCW member of Local 328 and Stop & Shop
employee. "We're fighting for the future, to take a stand and make it
better for our kids." To read the letter sent to CEO Jose Alvarez, click here.
|
