Shaw's Employees Ratify Union Contracts
WEST BRIDGEWATER, Mass. - Shaw's Supermarkets workers Saturday voted to ratify two four-year contracts that were agreed on late last week by the grocer and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 791 with the help of a federal mediator, on the final day of a five-day extension of an expired three-year contract. At issue were salary and health care concerns for about 6,000 employees.
When contacted by Progressive Grocer, Shaw's spokesman Terry Donilon responded: "We were able to reach agreement on a fair contract which allows Shaw's to be even more competitive and the ability to provide even better service for our customers, while providing our associates excellent wage increases and affordable, high-quality health care."
"Everybody's obviously glad we didn't have to resort to a dispute," union spokesman Peter Derouen told Progressive Grocer. "The committee worked very hard. I think overall we got a very good contract."
The collective bargaining agreements cover 5,600 workers at 25 stores in southeastern Massachusetts and all 14 Shaw's stores in Rhode Island, as well as 350 employees at a Wells, Maine distribution center.
When contacted by Progressive Grocer, Shaw's spokesman Terry Donilon responded: "We were able to reach agreement on a fair contract which allows Shaw's to be even more competitive and the ability to provide even better service for our customers, while providing our associates excellent wage increases and affordable, high-quality health care."
"Everybody's obviously glad we didn't have to resort to a dispute," union spokesman Peter Derouen told Progressive Grocer. "The committee worked very hard. I think overall we got a very good contract."
The collective bargaining agreements cover 5,600 workers at 25 stores in southeastern Massachusetts and all 14 Shaw's stores in Rhode Island, as well as 350 employees at a Wells, Maine distribution center.