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Workers on strike at Stop & Shop in New England. (Photo: Real News Reports Twitter)
Shop Stopped: Grocery Store Strike of 31K Workers Receives Support From Warren, Sanders
"We really decided there had to be a labor action and stand up to this corporate greed."
Apr 12, 2019
Some 31,000 workers walked off the job at Stop & Shop stores across New England Thursday in response to the company cutting wages and benefits, a strike that prompted the support and praise of prominent Democrats and left wing activists.
The strike is the result of a March vote by store union members to walk off the job if a fair contract between the union and the grocery corporation could not be reached during negotiations.
Even though the labor action was not unexpected, the size of the strike was notable, as HuffPost reporter Dave Jamieson pointed out.
A strike of 31,000 workers is large by any measure, but it is particularly large in the U.S. private sector, where massive work stoppages have become increasingly rare. Excluding the wave of public-sector teacher strikes and a walkout at California public hospitals, the Stop & Shop strike appears to be the largest since 36,500 employees at Verizon (which owns HuffPost) formed picket lines in 2016, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Leaders from the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union, which is representing the striking workers, pointed to the company's attempts to raise healthcare cost buy-ins by workers and cut pensions as two sticking points in negotiations.
Stop & Shop owner Ahold Delhaize, a European grocery conglomerate, is withholding financial information that would justify those cuts, union leaders said in a statement.
"The company is claiming the proposed cuts are necessary but is unlawfully refusing to provide financial information to verify that claim," UFCW leaders said.
Stop & Shop, in its statement on the strike, said that the company was "ready to meet with union leaders any time" to resolve the dispute.
"We are committed to good faith bargaining and hope to reach new contracts as quickly as possible that both recognize and reward the great work of our associates and enable Stop & Shop to compete effectively in the rapidly changing New England grocery market," the company said.
Workers outside the Stop & Shop in North Adams, Mass., told reporters from local outlet iBerkshires that the company's refusal to use a fraction of its massive profits to help workers--and the subsequent decision to attempt to cut benefits--was the main issue.
"We really decided there had to be a labor action and stand up to this corporate greed," said North Adams union steward and strike coordinator Bill Laviolette.
"They wouldn't show us where they were losing money or why they were making such drastic cuts," Laviolette added.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) echoed her constituent Laviolette's call for fair treatment. In a tweet, Warren said that she backed Stop & Shop workers in their action.
"I stand in solidarity with UFCW for these hard-working families to be treated with the dignity & respect they deserve," said Warren.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also expressed his support for the strikers.
"I stand with UFCW workers in their fight to protect health care and workers' rights," said Sanders.
Both Sanders and Warren are running for the Democratic nomination for president in the party's primary next year.
The strike appears likely to continue for the foreseeable future, until one side gives in--and, as HuffPost's Jamieson put it, in a tight labor market, the advantage is with UFCW and the workers.
"They've been investing in infrastructure here but not in the workers," said North Adams' Laviolette.
Stop & Shop will need to make a decision: either invest in people power or continue to lose money.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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Some 31,000 workers walked off the job at Stop & Shop stores across New England Thursday in response to the company cutting wages and benefits, a strike that prompted the support and praise of prominent Democrats and left wing activists.
The strike is the result of a March vote by store union members to walk off the job if a fair contract between the union and the grocery corporation could not be reached during negotiations.
Even though the labor action was not unexpected, the size of the strike was notable, as HuffPost reporter Dave Jamieson pointed out.
A strike of 31,000 workers is large by any measure, but it is particularly large in the U.S. private sector, where massive work stoppages have become increasingly rare. Excluding the wave of public-sector teacher strikes and a walkout at California public hospitals, the Stop & Shop strike appears to be the largest since 36,500 employees at Verizon (which owns HuffPost) formed picket lines in 2016, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Leaders from the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union, which is representing the striking workers, pointed to the company's attempts to raise healthcare cost buy-ins by workers and cut pensions as two sticking points in negotiations.
Stop & Shop owner Ahold Delhaize, a European grocery conglomerate, is withholding financial information that would justify those cuts, union leaders said in a statement.
"The company is claiming the proposed cuts are necessary but is unlawfully refusing to provide financial information to verify that claim," UFCW leaders said.
Stop & Shop, in its statement on the strike, said that the company was "ready to meet with union leaders any time" to resolve the dispute.
"We are committed to good faith bargaining and hope to reach new contracts as quickly as possible that both recognize and reward the great work of our associates and enable Stop & Shop to compete effectively in the rapidly changing New England grocery market," the company said.
Workers outside the Stop & Shop in North Adams, Mass., told reporters from local outlet iBerkshires that the company's refusal to use a fraction of its massive profits to help workers--and the subsequent decision to attempt to cut benefits--was the main issue.
"We really decided there had to be a labor action and stand up to this corporate greed," said North Adams union steward and strike coordinator Bill Laviolette.
"They wouldn't show us where they were losing money or why they were making such drastic cuts," Laviolette added.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) echoed her constituent Laviolette's call for fair treatment. In a tweet, Warren said that she backed Stop & Shop workers in their action.
"I stand in solidarity with UFCW for these hard-working families to be treated with the dignity & respect they deserve," said Warren.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also expressed his support for the strikers.
"I stand with UFCW workers in their fight to protect health care and workers' rights," said Sanders.
Both Sanders and Warren are running for the Democratic nomination for president in the party's primary next year.
The strike appears likely to continue for the foreseeable future, until one side gives in--and, as HuffPost's Jamieson put it, in a tight labor market, the advantage is with UFCW and the workers.
"They've been investing in infrastructure here but not in the workers," said North Adams' Laviolette.
Stop & Shop will need to make a decision: either invest in people power or continue to lose money.
Some 31,000 workers walked off the job at Stop & Shop stores across New England Thursday in response to the company cutting wages and benefits, a strike that prompted the support and praise of prominent Democrats and left wing activists.
The strike is the result of a March vote by store union members to walk off the job if a fair contract between the union and the grocery corporation could not be reached during negotiations.
Even though the labor action was not unexpected, the size of the strike was notable, as HuffPost reporter Dave Jamieson pointed out.
A strike of 31,000 workers is large by any measure, but it is particularly large in the U.S. private sector, where massive work stoppages have become increasingly rare. Excluding the wave of public-sector teacher strikes and a walkout at California public hospitals, the Stop & Shop strike appears to be the largest since 36,500 employees at Verizon (which owns HuffPost) formed picket lines in 2016, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Leaders from the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union, which is representing the striking workers, pointed to the company's attempts to raise healthcare cost buy-ins by workers and cut pensions as two sticking points in negotiations.
Stop & Shop owner Ahold Delhaize, a European grocery conglomerate, is withholding financial information that would justify those cuts, union leaders said in a statement.
"The company is claiming the proposed cuts are necessary but is unlawfully refusing to provide financial information to verify that claim," UFCW leaders said.
Stop & Shop, in its statement on the strike, said that the company was "ready to meet with union leaders any time" to resolve the dispute.
"We are committed to good faith bargaining and hope to reach new contracts as quickly as possible that both recognize and reward the great work of our associates and enable Stop & Shop to compete effectively in the rapidly changing New England grocery market," the company said.
Workers outside the Stop & Shop in North Adams, Mass., told reporters from local outlet iBerkshires that the company's refusal to use a fraction of its massive profits to help workers--and the subsequent decision to attempt to cut benefits--was the main issue.
"We really decided there had to be a labor action and stand up to this corporate greed," said North Adams union steward and strike coordinator Bill Laviolette.
"They wouldn't show us where they were losing money or why they were making such drastic cuts," Laviolette added.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) echoed her constituent Laviolette's call for fair treatment. In a tweet, Warren said that she backed Stop & Shop workers in their action.
"I stand in solidarity with UFCW for these hard-working families to be treated with the dignity & respect they deserve," said Warren.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also expressed his support for the strikers.
"I stand with UFCW workers in their fight to protect health care and workers' rights," said Sanders.
Both Sanders and Warren are running for the Democratic nomination for president in the party's primary next year.
The strike appears likely to continue for the foreseeable future, until one side gives in--and, as HuffPost's Jamieson put it, in a tight labor market, the advantage is with UFCW and the workers.
"They've been investing in infrastructure here but not in the workers," said North Adams' Laviolette.
Stop & Shop will need to make a decision: either invest in people power or continue to lose money.
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