Stop & Shop & Unions Reach Pact; Shaw’s Union Begins Strike

One major retail strike was averted over the weekend as Stop & Shop settled on a new three year contract with five New England United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) unions.
In an entirely different labor dispute, a strike was begun Sunday, March 7 by workers of a Shaw’s Methuen, Mass. Distribution Center, who are represented by UFCW Local 791. The center distributes perishable products to all Shaw’s Supermarkets and Star Markets.
A picket line was established at the Methuen facility Sunday afternoon, March 7 after a 228-8 worker vote which rejected the final contract offer by Shaw’s. The contract expired at midnight on March 6.
Peter Derouen, union spokesperson said, “Unfortunately Shaw’s has failed to offer a fair and equitable package to the workers in Methuen and gave the union members no other option but to exercise their right to strike because of Shaw’s unjust and inequitable contract offer. ”
He said that Shaw’s offered a substandard wage offer, coupled with its proposal for increases in employee health care contributions, will result in the net loss of money for the workers during the term of the proposed contract. Local 791 is seeking a fair and equitable contract that preserves full time jobs and work rules and contains good wages and benefits, said Derouen. He added that picket lines will also be set up at various non union Shaw’s and Star Market stores.
The Stop & Shop contract was tentatively agreed to on Saturday afternoon and a clear majority of union workers voted to ratify the contract during the day on Sunday. Although the unions felt the initial contract by Stop & Shop was unacceptable for health care, pension and wages, the final contract was according to a UFCW 328 website, “the richest contract that had been bargained for in the last 18 months and includes such employers as Kroger, A&P, and Safeway. Your employer will spend $163 million new dollars to fund the contracts over the next three years including $76 million, for health and welfare, $63 million in wages, and $24 million in pensions. “
Stop & Shop issued a statement which said, “Our goal during the negotiations was to reach fair agreements that will allow us to continue to provide good jobs to our associates and serve our customers for many years to come. We are pleased to have met this goal with agreements that provide our associates very competitive wage packages and retirement benefits as well as access to quality, affordable healthcare.”

Bozzuto's Matriarch Lillian Bozzuto Passes Away

Lillian Bozzuto, mother of Jayne and Michael Bozzuto, and wife of the late Adam Bozzuto, passed away peacefully in her sleep, March 3. Mrs. Bozzuto was 95 years old.
According to many people who knew Lillian, she had a zest for life and a great passion for many things. From her children to cooking with Emeril, to being a fierce competitor in deep-sea fishing tournaments, Lillian continued with her passions well into her 90’s. Lillian will be greatly missed and will always be remembered as a very giving person who, while not always visibly, contributed to shaping the culture at Bozzuto’s Inc.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her memory to the Adam J. and Lillian Bozzuto Building Fund for Special Olympics, 2666 State Street, Suite 1, Hamden, Conn., 06517, and or the Hometown Foundation Inc. 275 Schoolhouse Rd., Cheshire, Conn. 06410..

Price Chopper Buys Six Markets From Tops, Adds New Bus Savings Plan

Price Chopper Supermarkets last week agreed to purchase six P&C stores from Tops Friendly Markets. This acquisition, which includes real estate and equipment, would grow the chain to 125 stores. Five of the six stores are located in northern New York State – Canton, Gouverneur, Massena, Potsdam, and West Carthage. The sixth store to be acquired is located in Lincoln, N.H.
“We look forward to serving the residents of the North Country of New York and in Lincoln, N.H. with our signature offers,” said Neil Golub, Price Chopper’s president and chief executive officer. “We expect to take possession of the facilities in early April, following the liquidation of inventory and the closing of the stores. We have placed a special priority on preparing these stores for re-opening as soon as possible,” he added.
According to Mona Golub, vice president of public relations and consumer services, “The conversion of these stores to Price Choppers will include “thorough cleaning and refreshing of the facilities, the replacement and addition of fixtures and production equipment, the replacement of all front end registers and computer systems, and the replenishment of all product on the shelves and displays.” In addition to growing by acquisition, Price Chopper continues to grow internally with new stores being built in Warwick, N.Y., Middletown, Conn. and Shrewsbury, Mass, that are scheduled to open over the next 12 months. Store expansions in Barre and Essex, Vt. are also underway.
In other news, Price Chopper and the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) have partnered to introduce an innovative extension to the supermarket chain’s Fuel AdvantEdge program which will offer CDTA riders an opportunity to pay less to ride CDTA by using their Price Chopper AdvantEdge card.

Supermarket Latest Word...

• Andrew Schiff of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank will be honored at the Rhode Island Food Dealers Trade Dinner on March 11 at the Providence Marriott Hotel, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

• Stop & Shop has alerted its customers to a voluntary recall by the T. Marzetti Co. of its Southwest Dip and Spinach Dip due to the potential of salmonella contamination.

• C&S Wholesale Grocers will be the new supplier of the Ukrop stores, recently acquired by Giant Carlisle.

• Bubba Foods of Jacksonville, Fla., will purchase the Armour-Eckrich production plant in Hastings, Neb., to handle growing demand from its BUBBA Burgers sales.

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