Stop & Shop, unionized deli workers reach tentative agreement after strike at two Hamptons stores

Unionized meat and seafood workers and Stop & Shop reached a tentative agreement Tuesday night after a strike at two of their stores earlier in the day and months of negotiations, union officials said.

Workers at two Stop & Shop locations, one at 167 Main St. in Southampton and the other at 67 Newtown Lane in East Hampton, went on strike early Tuesday after an overnight bargaining session between Stop & Shop and members of UFCW Local 342.

The one-day strike was limited to the two locations, where the union represents all workers, including cashiers, Local 342 officials said.

Hours after the union called the store strike, a contract agreement was reached, Local 342 officials said.

Speaking on behalf of Local 342 President Deana Abondolo, Keeley Lampo, the union’s director of operations and communications, said Abondolo was “proud of the bargaining committee.”

“She was impressed by their efforts, dedication and perseverance to not settle for anything, but to get exactly what they and the workers in their shops deserve,” Lampo said. “The interactions with the company over the last few weeks were not for the faint of heart.”

The local represents about 1,230 workers, mostly meat and seafood workers, at 68 of the supermarket chain’s locations in the Northeast. Members voted to authorize a strike on June 20 after eight months of negotiations following the expiration of their previous contract in October.

The supermarket chain announced last month that the supermarket has 50 stores in Nassau and Suffolk counties. The local union represents workers at 48 of those stores.

“Stop & Shop is pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with UFCW Local 342, which represents more than 1,300 associates in our New York market area,” the company said in a statement. “Stop & Shop is proud that this new, fair agreement allows us to continue to recognize and reward our associates’ contributions and commitment to our customers and community; provide our associates with opportunities for growth and advancement; and allow Stop & Shop to continue to compete and thrive in this competitive landscape.”

The main sticking points in the negotiations were the inclusion of clauses on automation and artificial intelligence, as well as adjusting the salaries of part-time workers, Lampo said.