Stop and Shop Supermarket Workers Set To Authorize Strike

Union Contract Covering over 5,500 Members Set to Expire Midnight Sunday

United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500 (UFCW), New York State's largest grocery workers union, will ask over 5,500 Stop and Shop Supermarket workers for the authority to call a Union strike that could come as early as next Sunday, November 3rd. The strike authorization meetings will take place Monday night October 28th in Nassau and Westchester Counties. The strike vote is being taken in response to Stop and Shops attempts to drastically reduce employee healthcare benefits and, for some workers, eliminate them completely.

Effected members are employed by Stop and Shop Supermarkets operating in Long Island, the five boroughs, Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties.

The current collective bargaining agreement with Stop and Shop expired on September 28th, 2013 but both parties agreed to two contract extensions. The most recent extension is set to expire on November 2nd, 2013.

"The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was not passed with the intent of eliminating an employers responsibility to provide affordable and comprehensive healthcare to its employees," said Anthony Speelman, Local 1500's Secretary Treasurer and lead negotiator for the Union's Stop and Shop bargaining committee. " Stop and Shop seems to think the ACA is an opportunity to achieve three goals: increase their profits, pick their employees pockets and undermine the Union contract. That type of irresponsible bargaining will only lead to three conclusions: a work stoppage, unnecessary inconvenience for their customers and devastating economic damage to hundreds of New York communities," Speelman continued.

"The Union came to the bargaining table in good faith understanding that we would have to make changes to our Health Fund to be compliant under the legal requirements of the ACA and there is no question that the ACA has presented unprecedented challenges," Speelman stated. "However, there are solutions. The Union's solutions will address both sides' economic needs. Stop and Shop's solutions will only address their greed," Speelman concluded.

The meetings being held Monday nights are at the following locations:

- 7:00 PM, Long Island Marriott in Uniondale (by Nassau Coliseum) 101 James Doolittle Blvd, Uniondale, NY

- 7:30 PM Holiday Inn, 1 Holiday Inn Drive, Mt. Kisco, NY

United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500, based out of Westbury, New York represents grocery workers in New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties. Members of Local 1500 are employed by A&P/Pathmark, Fairway, Stop and Shop, Gristedes, D'Agastino, Key Food, Shop Rite and King Kullen. Stay up to date with UFCW Local 1500 on twitter @ufcw1500, facebook.com/ufcw1500, www.ufcw1500.org.

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Negotiation Committees Meet Up to Prepare for Negotiations

With negotiations between Stop & Shop and King Kullen stagnant, negotiation committees met this morning to gear up for today's negotiation sessions.

The two committees gathered together to discuss negotiation strategy, and issues that have been affecting both sides.  "I've been with King Kullen for 37-years," said committee member Norman Checkers, "We're fighting to create a better future for ourselves and our families, that's the most important thing about our union,  we're all  fighting for our families' livelihood."

Both King Kullen and Stop & Shop will be holding contract update meetings where strike authorization votes may be taken next week (Monday, 10/28 Stop and Shop, Tuesday, 10/29 King Kullen).  After the meeting and exchanging of ideas, committees went out to negotiations with their respective companies.

Release: UFCW 1500 Schedules Contract Update/Potential Strike Vote Meetings for Next Week

For Immediate Release:

Supermarket Union Schedules Contract Update Meetings

Strike Vote to Be Taken if Necessary as November 2nd Expiration Date Approaches

United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500 (UFCW), New York State's largest grocery workers union, announced today that they would be scheduling contract update meetings for over 10.000 members employed by King Kullen and Stop and Shop supermarket chains. The Union also announced that the purpose of these meetings may also be to take a strike authorization vote should the lack of progress towards a fair settlement continue.

The collective bargaining agreements with each company expired on September 28th, 2013 but all parties had previously agreed to two contract extensions. The most recent extension is set to expire on November 2nd, 2013. However minimal progress has been made due to repeated attempts by the employers to use the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements as a basis to rollback the entire Union contract.

"We came to the bargaining table in good faith understanding that we would have to make changes to our Health and Welfare Fund to be compliant under the new requirements of the ACA" said Anthony Speelman, Local 1500's Secretary Treasurer and lead negotiator for the Unions Stop and Shop bargaining committee. "Stop and Shop came to these negotiations with the hopes of using the Affordable Care Act to gut the entire Union contract. That was a tremendous mistake. The members of our Union have worked and fought for many years to protect their hard earned benefits and if Stop and Shop thinks it is going to undo all of that because of Obamacare they are in for a rude awakening," Speelman stated.

"There is no question that the ACA has presented challenges during these negotiations," Speelman continued. "However our Union negotiating committee has no doubt that a resolution can be reached that will preserve our member's affordable and comprehensive healthcare plan if the company representatives would focus on mutual need rather than employer greed. The membership of our Union is prepared to do whatever is necessary should Stop and Shop continue to take this troubling approach," Speelman concluded.

Meetings are being arranged for Monday October 28 for Stop and Shop members and Tuesday October 29th for King Kullen members. Further details on times and locations will be released by the Union as soon as arrangements are finalized.

United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500, based out of Westbury, New York represents grocery workers in New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties. Members of Local 1500 are employed by A&P/Pathmark, Fairway, Stop and Shop, Gristedes, D'Agastinos, Key Food, Shop Rite and King Kullen. Stay up to date with UFCW Local 1500 on twitter @ufcw1500, facebook.com/ufcw1500, www.ufcw1500.org.

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