(The Associated Press circulated the following story on February 11.)
BOSTON — About 43,000 Stop & Shop workers in New England are threatening to go on strike as early as next week over a contract proposal that would make employees pay more for health care benefits.
Employees from 300 Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island stores plan to strike if Stop & Shop does not change its position, said Brian A. Petronella, president of Westport, Conn.-based Local 371 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.
Five unions representing the employees have been in negotiations with Stop & Shop since July 2003.
“We just haven’t had any movement since we started these negotiations,” Petronella said. “We don’t want to strike. Our folks are wearing buttons that say: ‘We don’t want to strike but I will if I have to.”‘
The unions have meetings scheduled with the company on Friday and Saturday at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale in New Haven, Conn. If the company does not change its position during the meetings, Petronella said it is likely they will hold a strike vote on Sunday. A strike date would be set after the vote.
Stop & Shop officials are asking for a 20 percent employee contribution to the health care premium, Petronella said. Currently, employees pay a 20 percent deductible for office visits, he said.
“If the average $8-per-hour part-time worker is required to pay for the health premium, it would cost him $20 to $25 per month,” he said.
Richard Charette, president of Dedham, Mass.-based UFCW Local 1445, said the company is profitable, and simply wants to pass on health care costs to employees.
“I think the company is making a serious mistake,” he said. “It’s not a case of being able to afford it.”
Stop & Shop spokeswoman Faith Weiner said the company is considering an employee contribution for health care benefits, but said that was one of several options being considered. She said it is too early in the process to discuss a potential strike.
“Negotiations are ongoing and we’re committed to negotiating around the clock with a goal of a fair contract for our employees that continues to provide a fair and solid health plan,” Weiner said.
Eighty percent of the workers involved are part-time employees, Petronella said.
Petronella said the company would have to close stores in the event of a strike.
“Unless they can get 43,000 replacements somewhere, Stop & Shop would have to probably close the stores down,” he said.
Charette said that would hurt both the company and its employees.
“Once they drive customers out, there’s no guarantee these customers are coming back,” he said.
Employees are also concerned about discussions to eliminate time and a half pay for working on Sundays and to stop pension contributions at current levels, Petronella said.
There are about 140 Stop & Shop stores with 21,000 employees in Massachusetts, Charette said.