Mar 8, 2010 5:46 pm US/Eastern
Strike Called At Shaw's Fresh Food Warehouse
METHUEN (WBZ) ―
-
-
Workers picket outside the Shaw's warehouse in Methuen.
WBZ
Pickets went up at Shaw's supermarkets in different parts of New England after United Food and Commercial Workers Local 791 voted overwhelmingly, 288 to 8, to strike after rejecting what the company called its final offer.
"We'd appreciate it if you didn't shop there," one of the pickets said to a customer outside a Shaw's on Huntington Ave. in the Back Bay.
The pickets leafleted and asked customers to shop elsewhere after more than 300 of their members walked off the job before daylight outside Shaw's Methuen Distribution Center. The workers, who distribute perishables including produce, dairy products and meats to Shaw's and Star Markets throughout New England, say the offer they rejected is unfair.
"You would be losing in excess of over $75 dollars a week in your take home pay...The benefit cuts would take it even deeper. Your co-pays would be increased. The quality of care you're getting would be decreased," said union steward Sean Alaimo.
A spokesman for the West Bridgewater-based supermarket chain said its "last, best and final offer protected good jobs and wages, maintained security of their pension plan and continued to offer a generous health and welfare plan."
A company statement said, "No one wins a strike...Shaw's has settled many labor contracts without a labor dispute."
Most customers WBZ saw at a couple of Shaw's in Boston and Somerville crossed picket lines while some sided with the union and did not.
"$75 a week and decreasing benefits, yeah, that does seem unfair. I am going to try to go to another supermarket," said Boston shopper William Sleator.
"It's happening in industries around the country. I know it's part of the economy but taking it out on the lower paid people seems like the least good way to do things so we're going to go somewhere else," said Phyllis Freeman of Boston, another shopper.
The company says it has every contingency to serve its stores and its customers; but the union says it's prepared to stay on the picket line as long as it takes to get a fair contract. The union represents 5,500 members at 36 supermarkets and distribution centers in Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island.
On Sunday,
workers at Stop & Shop stores ratified a new contract, preventing a threatened strike at that grocery chain.
Make your voice heard. Add your comments to this story and read what others have to say.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
Comments