New England Locals Stand Together During Stop & Shop Negotiations

Our brothers and sisters throughout New England are negotiating with Stop & Shop. We've been with them during negotiations and have been attending regular meetings to pledge our support to the more than 35,000. The company has already taken up ads throughout local newspapers for replacement workers. Our UFCW brothers and sisters have been negotiating in good faith, asking for nothing but respect and to take care of the men and women who have made Ahold so successful.

It's very important to pay attention to these negotiations, as they will affect our negotiations with Stop & Shop.

Here's a message below updating progress on the New England Stop & Shop negotiations:

 A MESSAGE TO ALL STOP & SHOP MEMBERS & THEIR FAMILIES

RE: New England negotiations

February 23, 2016

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As part of our great union family, we all have a responsibility to work together to improve and better the lives of all our members – regardless of what town we call home.  Right now, more than 35,000 UFCW members in New England – represented by five Locals –are engaged in contract negotiations with the Stop & Shop Company. From the very beginning, these Locals have negotiated in good faith, and all we’ve asked of Stop & Shop is to do what is right by our members and their families.

The simple truth is that Stop & Shop is a success because of you and all our members who work there. It is because of your dedication and commitment to serving our customers and the communities we love, that Stop & Shop succeeds.

Instead of doing what is right, Stop & Shop presented contract proposals that were nothing short of a slap in the face to these men and women – people just like you.

Not only is Stop & Shop refusing to respect the hard work of our New England members, they are proposing dramatic changes to these contracts.

Stop & Shop’s actions are wrong.

While your contract may not be involved, what the company is proposing is a threat to every member of our union family.

Make no mistake, Stop & Shop’s actions in New England – if unstopped – will set a lower standard that the company will use when YOUR contract is up for negotiation. This is an issue that MUST matter to all of us.

Join with us, and stand with our brothers and sisters in New England. Help them, and help all of us, fight for the better life and good contract we all earn through our hard work. 

So, here are the two things we’re asking you do:

First, call the Stop & Shop Customer Service Number at 1 (800) 767-7772, and tell them to stop threatening our New England members and their families. Tell them that you and your local stand with our New England union family. Tell them to do what is right.

Second, please tell your family and friends to do the same. Every call will send a clear message that we are a proud union family.

We stand together. We fight for each other – no matter where we call home.

Thank you for all that you do, and for the privilege of serving you:

Richard Abondolo

President, UFCW Local 342

John T. Niccollai

President, UFCW Local 464-A

Harvey Whille

President, UFCW Local 1262

Sam Ferraino, Jr.

President, UFCW Local 1360

Bruce W. Both

President, UFCW Local 1500

John R. Durso

President, RWDSU Local 338

Fairway Members Demand Company to Negotiate the Fair Way

UFCW Local 1500 members at Fairway are gearing up for their first labor negotiations under Fairway Market’s new CEO, Jack Murphy.

“We’ve had a long history of excellent labor relations with Fairway,” said Assistant to the President Rob Newell, “In the past, Fairway has always respected its workers during the negotiation process, and together we’ve raised the bar to create a contract seen by many as an industry standard,” Newell concluded.

Murphy took office in September of 2014 and has pledged new marketing campaigns, more 'robust growth' and vowed to ‘put the swagger back’ in Fairway's 15 stores.

At February’s Contract Proposal Meetings, Fairway members packed rooms in Long Island and Manhattan with one message, a fair contract. “It’s important for all Fairway members to stay extremely aware and active in these contract negotiations. We will set the tone for what future collective bargaining agreements look like for a growing company,” Newell explained, “We’re hopeful that we’ll reach another excellent agreement that will benefit both sides,” Newell explained, “We’re just making it known to management that our members working at Fairway are like no other members,” Newell concluded.

The 80-year-old company was founded by the Glickberg family, which was the largest shareholder until 2007, when Sterling Investment Partners took a controlling stake. The private-equity firm made a $150 million investment. Howard Glickberg, a grandson of the founder, is vice chairman of development.

UFCW Local 1500 members have been wearing buttons telling the company to negotiate their contract "the right way...the Fair Way".  "Members have been loving the buttons and eager to show their strength and solidarity," said NYC Fairway Union Representative Teresa Aponte, who has been distributing the buttons this week.  "It's important to show the company we want a fair contract, and Fairway members want it done the fair way."

Murphy has big plans for Fairway, he believes over the next three to five years Fairway can open 15 to 20 stores in the New York tri-state area, including more suburban locations.  With roots in Boston, he told Supermarket News, "before we even think about other parts of the country, the greater Boston area could offer growth opportunities at some point."

The agreement between UFCW Local 1500 and Fairway Market covering over 2,400 men and women expires on March 29, 2015.  Stay updated on negotiations, actions and events by signing up here.