December 27, 2013
By Stephanie West
Westbury, NY – After three-months of tense negotiations, the negotiating committee for United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1500 announced they have an agreement with Stop & Shop . The previous agreement expired on Sept. 28, 2013 and was extended twice until November 2, 2013. Since then, 6,000 New York Stop & Shop workers from the East End of Long Island to Rhinebeck, in upstate New York, have been working without a contract.
The agreement for 6,000 Stop and Shop workers was voted on Monday, December 23, 2013 at multiple locations throughout UFCW Local 1500's jurisdiction.
"Our team has fought every second of the day to try and secure not just "any contract" but the best contract we can. We feel we have," said Negotiating Committee Member Greg Pasquale from Stop & Shop in Beekman, NY.
Lead Negotiator and Secretary-Treasurer for UFCW Local 1500 Tony Speelman said, "The only way we were able to reach this agreement was through our members' solidarity, preparedness and dedication during this tense and difficult process."
Problems with Affordable Care Act mandates were cited throughout negotiations. UFCW Local 1500 had been in final stages of planning for a work stoppage if a deal could not be reached.
