Teamsters Local 25 asks for boycott amid negotiations with Stop & Shop
FREETOWN, Mass. (WLNE) — Teamsters Local 25, which represents Stop & Shop workers, has asked residents to boycott Stop & Shop while the two have been negotiating over workers’ healthcare coverage.
On Feb. 12, Teamsters Local 25 stated that Stop & Shop is asking them to “give up” their health insurance or risk losing their jobs, while Stop & Shop has stated that they proposed to “shifting to a more competitive healthcare plan that still maintains a high standard of benefits” in an effort to reduce costs.
On Wednesday, Teamsters Local 25 asked shoppers to support the union “in this fight” by boycotting the company. In the statement, Teamsters Local 25 said, “Please support Teamsters Local 25 and our 900 members by visiting one of Stop & Shop’s competitors in your area during this fight and let the company know that you will not shop at Stop & Shop until they return to the bargaining table and do right by their hardworking employees.”
Stop & Shop said on Wednesday that it “always bargains in good faith, and we stand ready and available to meet with Teamsters Local 25 at any time.”
In a statement, Stop & Shop said it “approached Teamsters Local 25 leadership with a request to identify only a fraction of that annual savings in our new contract,” and that it believes it is possible to both reduce overall costs and maintain pension benefits. Additionally, Stop & Shop said it is “critical” the two work together on the new agreement.
However, the company said if a new contract is not agreed on by Feb. 28, it will close Freetown’s distribution facility.
Teamsters Local 25 said it “condemn(s) Stop & Shop‘s threats to subcontract work and close the Freetown, Mass., distribution center,” and that it is willing to “take action.”
“We will extend picket lines to every Stop & Shop store in New England and bring the full force of our union to this fight,” Teamsters Local 25 said.
Stop & Shop full statement:
“Stop & Shop always bargains in good faith, and we stand ready and available to meet with Teamsters Local 25 at any time.Stop & Shop is driving forward a multi-year strategy that includes efforts to lower prices and improve the in-store experience. An important component of this is reducing overall costs – and that includes the high operational costs at our distribution facility in Freetown, Mass. Stop & Shop solicited and received third party bids showing we could achieve millions in annual savings by transferring the work done at our Freetown distribution center to a third party. Because of our commitment to our union associates, we approached Teamsters Local 25 leadership with a request to identify only a fraction of that annual savings in our new contract.Based on our analysis, we believe it’s possible to achieve these labor savings while still offering significant wage increases and maintaining pension benefits. We believe the savings can be achieved with a transition to a more competitive health plan, which is the same plan that management and other associates at the facility have. If a new contract that reaches the labor savings needed is not ratified by February 28th, Stop & Shop will move forward with an outsourcing agreement and close the facility.This is not a decision we take lightly, and we care deeply about our associates and maintaining our presence in Freetown. It is critical that the local collaborates with us on a new agreement that achieves the savings needed to do so.”
“The Teamsters unequivocally condemn Stop & Shop’s threats to subcontract work and close the Freetown, Mass., distribution center unless hardworking Teamsters give up their union health care plan.
Ahold Delhaize — the Dutch-Belgian parent company of Stop & Shop — raked in nearly $94 billion in sales last year, but its greedy, morally bankrupt executives are demanding sacrifices from the very workers who made that success possible.
If Stop & Shop continues down this path, threatening the livelihoods of more than 900 Teamsters, we will take action. We will extend picket lines to every Stop & Shop store in New England and bring the full force of our union to this fight.
The Teamsters will never let a foreign-owned corporation bully American workers into accepting substandard health care. Our members will not be intimidated. We will not back down.”
Teamsters Local 25 full statement regarding the boycott:
“Stop & Shop has threatened the livelihood of over 900 working Teamsters Local 25 members by threatening to close Stop & Shop’s Freetown Distribution Center if the union does not agree to concessions in health care coverage that will cost our members thousands of dollars per year.
We are asking for your support in this fight. Stop & Shop does not care about their employees or their families, they only care about the bottom line. The only way to get this greedy company’s attention is to stop the registers from filling up and cutting into their precious profits.
Please support Teamsters Local 25 and our 900 members by visiting one of Stop & Shop’s competitors in your area during this fight and let the company know that you will not shop at Stop & Shop until they return to the bargaining table and do right by their hardworking employees.
You can call or email the company at one of the contacts listed below. Let them know you won’t return until Local 25 has the contract they deserve.
Thank you for your support!”
