Stop & Shop, union extende contract talks

By Owen Boss
Staff Writer

Stop & Shop and the union representing some 45,000 store employees are back at the bargaining table this week, after the union contract expired Saturday.

The parties agreed to extend contract discussions through this coming Saturday in hopes that representatives of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union meeting with corporate leaders Tuesday morning would reach a settlement. The union represents 240 stores in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

But during a break in negotiations Tuesday, Scott Macey, president of UFCW Local 1459, which represents workers at stores in western Massachusetts, called the session "another day of nothing."

"We're discussing changing some language within the contract right now with regard to wages and health insurance, but they still haven't given us any new responses," Macey said.

The union's main gripe with the company's offer, Macey said, is an increase in worker contributions to the health insurance and pension plans and the inclusion of bonuses based on length of employment rather than annual wage increases.

Union members voted to authorize a strike last week.

Meanwhile, Stop & Shop spokeswoman Faith Weiner said all 240 stores would remain open this week.

"All parties have agreed to an extension through Saturday at midnight and these negotiations will continue through the week," Weiner said.

Stop & Shop/Giant-Landover is owned by Ahold USA, a subsidiary of a Dutch company, Royal Ahold. In 2004, the company was formed a merger of Giant Food and Stop & Shop, and is one of the largest supermarket chains on the East Coast.

The company operates stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New York and New Jersey.

According to the Ahold Web site, net sales at Stop & Shop/Giant-Landover increased 4.6 percent to $17.9 billion in 2009.

Stop & Shop's Hampshire County locations include stores in Belchertown, Hadley and Northampton. Last month, Easthampton's Planning Board approved an application to build a new supermarket and attached retail space on Northampton Street.

Corporate representatives, Weiner said, will meet again today with UFCW members representing all five local unions. If contract negotiations are unsuccessful, the possibility of a worker strike will be considered, Macey said.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.