As promised, we're posting some details about what Local 1459 was able to negotiate into the new contract:
Enhanced Medical Benefits include:
Full-time Local 1459 members will not see an increase for the next three (3) years in the current employee contributions: $5 single, $10 for employees plus 1 other, $15 for family.
Part-time members are currently paying $0 for health coverage but will pay $5 per week in two (2) years, on January 1, 2012 for a health plan that is compliant with the coverage set forth by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Calendar year medical maximum will be lifted for part-timers and the calendar year prescription maximum will be removed for both full and part-timers beginning January 1, 2012.
Increases short-term disability weekly max to $420 for full-timers and $135 for part-timers.
Calendar year visit maximums for treatment of mental health and substance abuse disorders are being eliminated beginning in 2010.
Maximum calendar year benefit for full and part-timers for dental benefits was raised to $1500 and $1000 respectively.
Beginning January 1, 2011 until the end of the contract, out of pocket maximums were cut in half to $500/year per individual and $1000 per family.
An enhanced wellness program.
Other Improvements include:
Full-time Employees receive a year one bonus of $750 followed six (6) months later with a $10 a week wage increase. Year two (2) increases of $10 per week on 2/19/11 and $8 per week on 8/20/11. Year three (3) increases of $10 per week on 2/18/12 and $8 per week on 8/19/12.
Part-time Employees with at least two (2) years of service received a year one bonus of $400 followed by a 30¢ per hour increase in year 2 and 30¢ per hour in year 3.
Part-time Employees with at least one (1) year of service but less than two (2) years receive a $300 first year bonus and 25¢ per hour wage increase in year 2 and a 30¢ per hour increase in year 3.
Newly hired Employees with less than one(1) year of service shall receive a $100 bonus for year one, 25¢ per hour wage increase in year 2 and 30¢ an hour in year 3.
New contract language was won around sick leave, which can now be used on an hourly basis.
Won contract language around four (4) 10 hour days, and establishes them as a voluntary option for full time workers.
Pension benefits were protected for both full and part-timers.
A guaranteed 20 hour minimum work week for all part-timers, when they become participants in the Health Plan in January 2012.
UFCW Local 1459 members who work at Stop & Shop retained and strengthened their position as the best compensated supermarket workers in New England on Sunday by voting overwhelmingly, 307 to 23, to approve a new three year contract. Local 1459's president, Scott Macey, detailed improvements in wages, health, pension and other benefits to a turn out of nearly 400 workers at the Holyoke Holiday Inn. Despite Stop & Shop's tough stance at the outset, the contract protected all contract language and contained many improvements. Clearly pleased, President Macey, who served as the chief negotiator for Local 1459, explained that the union won about "92% of everything we were looking for."
President Macey explains new contract to Stop & Shop workers.President Macey started his 45 minute presentation by thanking the negotiating committee, staff, but most of all, the members, for their show of strength and solidarity by wearing their buttons and through their distribution of literature to customers. He expressed repeatedly that it wasn't the union leadership Stop & Shop was afraid of, but the 43,000 members throughout New England.
Jeff Jones, a Stop & Shop worker who served on the negotiating team, said, "I'm pleased with the outcome. If you took a look at where the company started---the company proposals were very draconian from the beginning, especially for the part-timers, attacking our health insurance and our pension plans---and we were able to reverse that and come out with a contract that preserves our health care and our pension plan. It gives us something to build on."
Executive Vice President Rick Brown praised workers for their show of solidarity, saying, "We're very proud of our membership. I think the company knew we were serious. Our people were definitely serious and they were ready to go and that made the difference, all the difference in the world in, in settling this contract."
Macey said, "Today was a very good day. We were able to present a very good package. Tremendous improvements in the health and welfare and pension plans, along with other improvements, I couldn't be happier with the outcome today."
It's now 8pm, the Local 1459 negotiating team has left Providence with a tentative agreement with Stop & Shop. We will review and discuss the agreement at our meeting on Sunday (see below for details). Again, we urge everyone to attend this meeting. Thank you for continued support and patience during this difficult process.
In Solidarity,
Scott Macey
Scott Macey, President
UFCW Local 1459
The complaint was filed by Deana Kenton, a former employee at Fresh & Easy store number 1247 on East Lake Mead Boulevard in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the United Food & Commercial Workers Union (UFCW).
This piece originally appeared at 
