Ahold Inc. (the owners of Stop & Shop) posted nearly a $26 billion profit in the United States alone. Even with that profit posted, Ahold wants to stop providing part-time Stop & Shop employees who count on access to their negotiated health care plan to care for themselves and their families, to which Ahold wants to increase co-pays while simultaneously cutting away at the health and welfare reserve funds. Ahold also wants givebacks to the employee retirement benefits which includes changes to the pension programs and cuts to take home pay.
My wife Ann and I have been doing our weekly shopping at Stop & Shop for well over 30 years collectively and we shop there exclusively for two reasons; it’s a unionized workforce; and the employees there go over and above to help the customers. Each and every time I walk through the doors of Stop & Stop, I see and hear the employees and customers interacting as if they were talking with friends, family or neighbors … and you can’t buy that type of experience and professionalism!
We strongly suggest that Ahold Inc,. instead of storming out of the room, they come back to the negotiation table with the mindset that their unionized workforces are assets to the company rather than a drain on their profit. We in the community support honor and appreciate the hard working unionized employees of Stop & Shop, and if there is a strike or a lockout we urge all of the community to rise in solidarity in support and shop anywhere but Stop & Shop, I know I’ll be out there holding a sign in support!
Douglas and Ann Mayo
Greenfield