Videos: Stop & Shop Closed as Employees Strike Outside Store

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Like the majority of Stop & Shop supermarkets across New England, Jackson Square's Stop & Shop is closed due to a company-wide employee strike. While the store is closed, employees and supporters are picketing outside of the store, chanting, cheering and standing in solidarity with their fellow union members.

Jackson Square Stop & Shop employees strike outside of the store on April 14, 2019.

On Sunday afternoon, about 25 employees, union leaders and supporters, were outside of the store demanding, among several requests, higher wages. The parking lot was rather empty, but some drivers did pull into the lot, see the striking employees -- who would chant louder to let the drivers know why they are striking -- and then drive off. Several would be shoppers got out of their cars, only to see the store was closed and then went on their way to find another store to purchase food.

An employee told Jamaica Plain News that the store's pharmacy was open, but it would require a customer to let the employees know they needed the pharmacy. Then a store manager would be contacted, and the customer would be individually escorted to the pharmacy.

United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 1445 (UFCW) are among 30,000 employees who began striking on April 11. Among several demands, they are fighting for better wages and against rising healthcare insurance premiums. Among striking employees were managers, cashiers, stockers, bakers, deli workers and butchers. Their previous contract expired in February.

In 2018, Ahold Delhaize, Stop & Shop's parent company, quadrupled its net income, according to Marketwatch.com.

Stop & Shop employees strike outside of the Jamaica Plain store, imploring people to not cross the picket line.

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