Stop & Shop Negotiations Update

Good afternoon brothers and sisters,

I wanted to update you on bargaining with your employer Stop & Shop.

All five locals from New England (328,371,919,1445,1459) met over the last three days with your employer at the Biltmore Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island.

We heard on Thursday from Senior Vice President of Operations of the Northern Division Stacy Wiggins. 

Ms. Wiggins gave us their presentation of their Business Review. It was the same old doom and gloom that we heard three years ago. Business is down and they pay too much for your wages and benefits compared to the competition, and the competition is stealing their business, yet the Company has seen record profits in the fourth quarter of last year and Stop & Shop, as stated by Ms. Wiggins, is profitable. Many of the rank and file members addressed Ms. Wiggins as well as Jason Paradise and questioned them on many of the problems that exist in stores across New England from out of stocks to lack of help and uniforms in the stores. The Company believes that this is not a problem.

Both sides have made movement on our non-economic proposals dealing with language, but we have not yet exchanged any economic proposals. 

We have three dates scheduled for next week in Providence and we will continue to work to get a fair contract for the members of 328. 

All the locals are in lock step in our position to take our time and get the deal that you deserve.  We are in no rush to get a bad deal. 

We will continue to work on your behalf.

We need everyone in the stores to stay strong and stick together and show your employer that you support the unions in our work on your behalf.

Remember, our strength is our unity, and our unity is our strength.

Sincerely and fraternally yours,

Timothy Melia

President

UFCW Local 328