Stop & Shop strike over

NORTH CANAAN — The picketing strikers were no longer out on Route 44 in front of Stop & Shop on Monday, April 22. 

The union and grocery store chain had announced Sunday night, April 21, that they had reached an agreement.

And so, on the day after Easter and three days into Passover, shoppers began to return to the North Canaan grocery store. Shelves of non-perishables seemed to be well-stocked. The normal abundance of the produce department was diminished, with many of the fruit and vegetable displays empty. 

The store manager and the union representatives would not respond to questions about who was striking and what services, if any, were discontinued during the 11-day strike. 

Stop & Shop claims

Stop & Shop had available on its website a summary of the agreement, in three bullet points, which were: increased pay, continued health coverage and defined pension benefits.

Throughout the strike, the company had presented information indicating that its workers are already paid more money than workers nationwide in similar positions; already have generous health insurance support; and already have pension benefits paid by the company. 

The grocery chain, owned by Dutch company Ahold Delhaize, says on its website that Stop & Shop “is the last fully unionized retail grocery employer in New England” and that the wage package being offered to employees of the chain “would make this among the best UFCW [United Food and Commercial Workers] contracts in the country.”

While the website doesn’t offer information on what workers are paid, it does confirm that they will continue to be paid time and a half on Sundays; they will get an increase in their pension benefit, which is paid 100% by the company; and they will continue to pay only a small percentage of their health care premiums.

The Stop & Shop website said during the negotiations that the grocery chain was offering to pay “at least 92% of health premiums for family coverage and at least 88% for individual coverage.” 

The site notes that this amount is  “much more than what other large retail employers pay. The federal government pays 72% of its employees’ health premiums.Associates would pay 9 to 12% of individual coverage premiums or 6 to 8% of family premiums.”

Deductibles on the health insurance “would not increase or change — and have been a low $200 to $300 since 2007.”

Everyone except managers

Jennifer Brogan, who is director of external communications and community relations with Stop & Shop confirmed on Monday that the strike had ended the night before.

All workers at the store were involved, from checkout personnel to deli and grocery workers; the only workers not involved and not in the union, she said, are store managers. 

Brogan would not share details of the new contract; she said the company is leaving it to the union to release that information.

No response from union

While the union’s public relations person would not return emails asking for comment, the union posted a statement on its website saying that, “We are incredibly grateful to our customers and everyone who proudly stood together with us every day for a contract that invests in the communities we serve, and makes Stop & Shop a better place to work and a better place to shop.

“Under this proposed contract, our members will be able to focus on continuing to help customers in our communities enjoy the best shopping experience possible and to keep Stop & Shop the number one grocery store in New England. The agreement preserves health care and retirement benefits, provides wage increases, and maintains time-and-a-half pay on Sunday for current members.

“Today is a powerful victory for the 31,000 hardworking men and women of Stop & Shop who courageously stood up to fight for what all New Englanders want: good jobs, affordable health care, a better wage, and to be treated right by the company they made a success.”

News coverage has said that the union decided to strike rather than accept the proposed new contracts because the company had made $2 billion in profits and the union felt workers should get a larger share of that money.

Getting customers back

Brogan could not confirm how long the North Canaan store was closed after the strike was announced on April 11. She did say that all the stores were closed after the walk-out was announced, “to ensure the safety of our customers and associates.”

Most stores reopened after about an hour, but striking workers walked the perimeter of the parking lot, discouraging shoppers from going in. 

Brogan confirmed that the stores were not fully stocked on Monday and said that “there were delays and challenges with deliveries.”

The Teamsters union had asked its members not to shop at the striking stores and also not to cross picket lines, which meant that some foods could not be delivered.

Brogan said that “our top priority now that our associates are back in stores is to restock the shelves and return to delivering the quality products, selection and service that customers expect from us.” 

She said the company is confident that shoppers will return to the 104-year-old chain, despite the 11-day disruption.