Catherwood LibraryILR School

Five unions representing 40,000 workers from the Stop & Shop groceries voted yesterday to authorize strikes in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The employees' previous contract expired over the weekend, still without any agreement reached. Though the strike has been authorized, union members have decided to give management and the labor leaders another shot: negotiations will resume tomorrow, and no work stoppage will take place until midnight Saturday. Negotiations have already been underway for a month, and union leaders have called this week crucial. If progress is made, the unions are likely to allow another extension of negotiations. If no progress is made, a strike seems inevitably on the horizon. Major issues in the talks include health care and pension cost increases, with management asking employees to contribute a greater portion, and pay raises, with the union angry that management is considering halting annual raises.