Workers on Strike at Quality Markets Distribution Center in Jamestown
Posted on: Tuesday, 9 August 2005, 15:00 CDT
Aug. 9--More than 50 unionized workers at a Jamestown distribution center that supplies Quality Markets began striking over the weekend, but the grocery chain contends shipments to its stores will not be affected.
The workers, represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers, want a new contract and a pay raise, said Frank DeRiso, president of UFCW Local One, based in Utica.
The warehouse is owned by Penn Traffic, Quality Markets' parent company. Quality's 26 grocery stores include one each in Amherst and Lockport. The chain in recent years has closed several Buffalo Niagara locations.
DeRiso said the Jamestown warehouse workers went four years without a pay increase under their previous contract, which ran from January 2000 until January 2004. He said that efforts to reach a new contract were put on hold while Penn Traffic was in bankruptcy; the company filed for bankruptcy protection in May 2003, and emerged last April. That delay extended the workers' amount of time without a pay hike, DeRiso said.
Penn Traffic says it had a "detailed plan" to continue operations in case of a walkout. Marc Jampole, a spokesman, declined to elaborate.
DeRiso said he has been told that some managers of stores owned by Penn Traffic have been sent to the Jamestown warehouse to fill in for striking workers.
John MacIntyre, general manager of Quality Markets for Penn Traffic, said in a statement that the average Jamestown warehouse worker covered by the existing contract makes $13.48 per hour. Some warehouse employees make as much as $15.47 per hour, he said.
MacIntyre said the company also makes 100 percent of all contributions for health care insurance for all covered employees and their families, and 100 percent of all contributions to a defined benefit pension plan for all eligible covered employees.
DeRiso said contracts are in place at a Penn Traffic warehouse in Syracuse, where workers are represented by the Teamsters, and at another warehouse in DuBois, Pa., where the UFCW represents the workers.
Both sides say they hope to return to negotiations soon.
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Source: The Buffalo News
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