BOSTON (WHDH) - BOSTON (WHDH/AP) — Former Vice President Joe Biden voiced his support for striking Stop & Shop workers in New England on Thursday.
Biden spoke at a rally in support of unionized supermarket employees outside of a store at South Bay Center in Dorchester.
United Food and Commercial Workers union members at 240 Stop & Shop stores in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut went on strike April 11 to protest what they call cuts to health care and take-home pay in the company’s latest contract proposal.
Quincy-based Stop & Shop, a division of Dutch company Ahold Delhaize, says it is offering across-the-board raises and “excellent” health care benefits that beat industry standards.
During his brief appearance in Dorchester, Biden urger striking workers not to give in until they get what they want.
“It’s about a lot more than a paycheck,” he told a large crowd. “What’s happening here is workers are not being treated across the board with dignity, they’re not being treated like they matter.”
In a statement, Stop & Shop said, “We have offered fair and responsible contracts and remain in active negotiations to reach new agreements as quickly as possible that keep our associates among the highest paid grocery retail workers in New England, while also providing excellent health care and increased contributions to a defined benefit pension plan.”
Biden, mulling a run for the Democratic nomination for president, first tweeted his support for the workers last week.
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