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(WFSB) – Workers on strike at Stop & Shops in southern New England continued picketing on Friday.
Union workers at Connecticut's 90 stores went on strike on Thursday.
"Many customers, potential customers, come to see us honk and then move away," said Steven Blank of Vernon. "You have a few who come and just need their shopping and their business and it's just … Everyone has freedom of choice."
Channel 3 was the first station to inform viewers.
Nearly 31,000 workers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island clashed at the picket lines at 1 pm Thursday.
They said their fight is about health care benefits.
The UFCW union said its workers have seen profits decline while the cost of health care increases.
"It would be great if we could fix that and get a fair deal," said Brian Bourbonniere, a Stop & Shop employee.
"We really want to keep the current benefits," said Carlos Neves, Stop & Shop employee.
At the same time, Stop & Shop said it offered workers a reasonable offer, including general increases, sickness benefits and retirement benefits.
Many stores remained open Thursday and some buyers were surprised to see no one at the deli or meat counters, registers or aisles.
Having no one to pick them up, the caddies piled up in the car parks.
See the photos of the strike from anywhere in the state here.
"There are a lot of single mothers working here who are in two jobs and are paid weekly, and they are the most affected," said employee Jeff Adams.
Many stores said their hours would be reduced because of the strike.
However, some sections of the stores are not affected.
If a store has a popular bank inside, the bank must be open.
The pharmacy should also be open.
Stop & Shop has stated that deliveries from Peapod should not be affected.
Copyright 2019 WFSB (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
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