After a 10-day-long work stoppage, five United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) locals and Stop & Shop have announced plans to end the strike. The Ahold Delhaize subsidiary and union officials representing 31,000 store associates announced a new tentative labor agreement on Easter Sunday.
“We are very pleased to announce Stop & Shop has reached fair new tentative agreements with UFCW Locals 328, 371, 919, 1445, and 1459, which represent our 31,000 associates in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island,” the retailer announced. “We’re also glad to have our associates return to work as the strike has ended.”
The new tentative deal involves a three-year agreement subject to ratification by members of all five local unions.
Stop & Shop noted that the deal included provisions providing increased pay for all associates, continued health coverage for eligible associates, and ongoing defined benefit pension benefits for all eligible associates.
The UFCW issued a statement praising the deal and its members.
“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,” the UFCW stated. “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.”
Stop & Shop employees are set to return to work immediately, and the banner noted that they will return to stocking shelves and servicing communities throughout New England.
“Our associates’ top priority will be restocking our stores, so we can return to taking care of our customers and communities and providing them with the service they deserve,” Stop & Shop’s statement continued. “We deeply appreciate the patience and understanding of our customers during this time, and we look forward to welcoming them back to Stop & Shop.”
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