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Dozens of Shaw’s supermarket union mechanics and drivers went strike on the morning of May 3, 2021. According to WABI — one of Maine’s local CBS channels — Teamsters Local 340 represents over 70 people who work in Wells, Maine, and Scarborough, Maine.
On Monday morning, picketers walked out of both locations and gathered outside Shaw’s truck terminal in Scarborough and a distribution center in Wells.
In November 2020, the union voted to authorize a strike after they felt negotiations with management disintegrated — after 13 meetings. To help with further proceedings a federal mediator was called.
Impassable points during contract negotiations included retirement, health insurance, and sub-contracting.
The drivers are responsible for delivering Shaw’s supermarket products to over 100 stores across the region. Traci St. Clair, Teamsters Local 340 Business Agent, said, “These people keep the groceries on the shelves. This is going to be a huge impact with them out of work.”
St. Clair added that Shaw’s “has seen record profits during” the COVID-19 pandemic. The representative accused the company of “not seeing fit to take care of the employees.” These workers “have been taking care of everyone else during this pandemic.”
Shaw’s company has directed non-union drivers to work. According to Joseph Piccone — union leader — none of the non-union workers have crossed the picket lines.
Piccone believes that Shaw’s “inability to have a contract with [the union workers] shows that they’re out of touch.” Adding that now the company is “out of time.”
According to union leaders, patrons of Shaw’s “may begin to see effects from this strike as early as this afternoon.” Union workers attempted over 20 times to rectify contract negotiations before going on strike.
The employees are responsible for delivering groceries to over 120 Shaw’s supermarkets all across New England. Many news outlets have reached out to the supermarket’s parent company — Albertsons — for comments about the strike. They have yet to make a statement.
Written by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
WCVB: Shaw’s, Star Market truckers go on strike in New England
WABI: Shaw’s drivers, mechanics go on strike in Maine
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of raymondclarkeimages’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
