On Tuesday, December 10th, more than two thousand UFCW Local 152 members working in retail positions at fifteen ShopRite stores in Southern New Jersey stood united to ratify an unprecedented new union contract!
After months of hard bargaining between our twenty-four-person negotiating committee and the three ShopRite owner groups (Bottino’s Supermarkets, Saker ShopRites, and Village Super Market), the committee produced an agreement that will significantly improve the lives of our members!
Strong Financial Improvements
Without question, wages were the biggest contention in this contract. Our negotiating committee stood their ground to obtain larger market-comparable wage increases that address wage compression that many employers contend with across the state.
All full-time and part-time clerks will receive substantial yearly increases based on years of service. This wage structure rewards seniority and is intended to soften wage compression through the life of the agreement. This concept also incentivizes workers to grow with their employer by providing larger wage increases as they hit anniversary milestones.
All department managers and classified positions will receive additional increases on top of the historic across-the-boards. Additionally, the night crew will receive increases to their premium rates throughout the contract.
Finally, HABA Managers and CGO Coordinators became classified positions and are entitled to additional premiums like other classified positions.
Better Life
Protecting our members’ healthcare has always been a top priority for Local 152. Our committee succeeded by securing yearly increases designed to maintain current benefit levels for the life of the contract.
For many years, part-time workers often lost a portion of their vacation credits when they bid on full-time positions. Effective January 1st, 2025, workers will now receive one-for-one credit in calculating their vacation benefit level! This change will increase vacation accruals for many current members and provide an incentive for longtime part-time members to bid on full-time openings. Additionally, workers with at least two weeks of vacation can now contractually use a portion of their vacation in single days.
Finally, formal language was added to the contract for extenuating circumstances such as pandemics and dangerous emergencies. This language gives the union an open door to have discussions with the three owners in the event of these emergencies to discuss safety issues, hazard pay, and more.
Congratulations to our workers!
Strong Committee, Strong Contract
We applaud our incredible negotiating committee for their strength, resilience, and determination over the months it took to negotiate this strong contract. This group was a true testament to the word unity!
The committee was led by President Daniel Ross, Jr., rank-and-file Shop Stewards BettySue Bisbal (Bayville), Theresa Capelli (Upper Deerfield), Karen Drammissi (Manahawkin), Ray Fix (Bayville), Tara Gobbo (Lanoka Harbor), Jodie Hampton Veach (Millville), Diane Haug (Lanoka Harbor), Robin Hetherington (Rio Grande), Jean Kelly (Waretown), Ruth LoMauro (Waretown), Carl Mullins (Marmora), John Puesi (Somers Point), Tara Reed (Absecon), Christine Scherm (Manahawkin), Chuck Vitullo (English Creek), Pauline Waddell (Hammonton), Tom Wallace (Landis), and Samantha Zenobi (Galloway). Also playing key roles were Secretary-Treasurer Daniel Konczyk, Executive Assistant to the President Danette Montes-Palmore, Executive Vice President Lisa Sanders, and Union Representatives Kelli Wehmann and Greg Torian.
UFCW Local 152 proudly represents 2,000 retail clerks in the ShopRite “Retail” contract. These members work in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Ocean County and play pivotal roles in serving the people in their communities.
Are you interested in joining UFCW Local 152? Start by learning more about how to start a union at your workplace.
