Stop & Shop negotiations continue on Saturday

Negotiations between Stop & Shop and its striking workers continued until Saturday night after a trading session that continued until Friday night.

The company said Saturday that even though some of the affected Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island-affected stores remained closed, the rest would be open from 8 am to noon on Easter Sunday. Bakery, seafood, charcuterie and customer service counters will remain closed, and pharmacies and banks will be closed for Easter.

The company also said it was working with children's hospitals and other organizations to donate Easter baskets, toys and sweets to needy children in these three states.

The 10-day strike, involving 31,000 workers in 240 stores, had a major impact on the Quincy-based chain, closing dozens of sites, preventing food from reaching stores, and driving away a large number of customers. faithful.

The union said progress was being made, but said in a letter to its members on Friday that "there are still important points on the table that the company would like to withdraw."

The letter also stated that some workers had received planning notices from the company for next week, but that according to Stop & Shop, it was a computer error.

Workers Protest Proposed Increases in Health Care Costs, Reduced Pension Contributions for Many Unemployed Part-Time Workers and New Employees, and Changes in Sunday and Half-Time Pay for Employees current and new part-time employees.

According to an analysis of mobile device data by Skyhook, a Boston-based location intelligence and technology company, grocers' grocery store visits dropped 75 percent in the first days of the strike.

Grocery industry analysts have estimated that Stop & Shop was losing $ 2 million a day during the week before Easter and Passover, the biggest shopping week of the year until the end of the week. now.

The strike has largely attracted the attention of Democratic candidates for the presidency.

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren donated donuts to workers in Somerville and former Vice President Joe Biden spoke at a rally in Dorchester. On Friday, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg joined the workers on the picket line in Malden, and Senator Amy Klobuchar visited the Somerville store.

Katie Johnston can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @ktkjohnston.