Stop & Shop Negotiations Update

Dear brothers and sisters,

After six days of this strike, the company is still holding hard to their positions.  We did meet today several times along with federal mediation to bring out possible resolutions to some issues.  I can’t say much changed after those meetings, but it is always positive when both sides continue to speak.I resolve to meet anytime with the company to talk anytime in an effort to get to a resolution.

Over these last six days, I personally have had the pleasure of visiting some of you on the lines and have been receiving reports hourly from my reps telling me that our lines are strong.  Every morning, I am forwarded pictures and videos from the lines showing me activities and strength from the day before.

As president of your local I just want tell you how damn proud I am of each and every one of you.  It is the faces of all of you that I carry with me into bargaining and use to remind me of who it is I am bargaining for.

I know many of you have been on the lines every day since this strike started and you are getting tired, but I am asking you to hang in there and hold your lines.  The company will be testing our strength and resolve over the next few days, so we need to persevere. No matter what they throw at us we need to hit it out of the park!

I have told many of you in the past that I work for the Union, but all of you in the stores are the Union, and this past week you have made my point.  The unity and solidarity you have shown is exactly what I was talking about.

Please hang in there and remember, “Our Unity is Our Strength, and Our Strength is our Unity.”

Sincerely and fraternally,

Timothy Melia

President