Tops’ Workers Approve Contract

By Matt Glynn, The Buffalo News, N.Y.

Jun. 11–Unionized workers at Tops Markets have overwhelmingly approved a three-year contract.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local One said its members voted 97 percent in favor of the deal. Utica-based Local One represents about 9,000 workers at Tops stores in New York state and Pennsylvania.

“The new contract protects the health and pension benefits of our members, while giving a meaningful wage increase in each year of the contact,” said Frank DeRiso, president of Local One, in a statement.

Local One said the new deal calls for a wage increase in each year of the deal for both full-and part-time members, health care benefits to be fully paid for current members and an increase in the employer-paid pension contribution. The amount of the wage increases was not announced, and Tops, citing its policy, declined to comment on the contents of the agreement.

The deal between Tops and the union was reached Friday. The previous contract expired in late April.

This was the first labor contract negotiated with Local One since new ownership took control of Tops last year. Morgan Stanley Private Equity acquired the homegrown supermarket chain from Ahold for $310 million.

Tops has 71 supermarkets plus five franchise supermarkets. It recently affirmed Amherst as its corporate headquarters and is planning to add jobs.

mglynn@buffnews.com

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