On Tuesday, August 4, more than 2,000 meat, seafood, and deli workers at over 60 ShopRite supermarket locations across southern New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, and Delaware overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement!
Historic Improvements
After months of negotiations, the union negotiating committee secured the largest wage package ever achieved for this bargaining unit and agreed to no concessions!
The agreement includes substantial increases to department manager and classified position starting rates, along with annual wage increases that reward seniority and help address wage compression. Just as importantly, employer-funded union health benefits were protected for the term of the agreement.
The contract also delivers many quality-of-life improvements. Members can now carry over a portion of unused vacation into the following year, eliminating the need to use vacation time simply because the calendar year is ending. Eligible employees will also have the flexibility to use a week of vacation in individual days. These improvements provide members with greater flexibility to achieve better work-life balance.
Beginning January 1, 2027, part-time employees who move into full-time positions will receive one-for-one credit toward their vacation benefit level. For years, members lost a portion of their vacation credit when bidding into full-time jobs. This long-overdue improvement increases vacation accruals for many current members while creating a stronger incentive for experienced part-time employees to pursue full-time opportunities.
The agreement also adds new leave of absence protections for college students. Members who take a leave of absence to pursue higher education will preserve the service time they earned before leaving, ensuring they do not lose benefits they earned while furthering their education.
Additional gains include new protections related to pandemics and dangerous emergencies, as well as expanded bereavement leave for immediate family members.
Solidarity Made the Difference
First, this agreement would not have been possible without the solidarity of our members participating in solidarity days and standing together on the shop floor.
Success at the bargaining table began long before negotiations started. It was built through extensive preparation, including discussions with UFCW Local 1776 about the successful blueprint they established in their Philadelphia-area agreement, as well as a deliberate effort to build upon the gains UFCW Local 152 previously achieved in the South Jersey clerks contract. These prior victories provided a strong foundation for this round of bargaining. That preparation, combined with coordinated efforts with UFCW Local 1500, ensured a unified approach to negotiations. The result was a contract that delivered the largest economic package in the history of this bargaining unit!
The committee was led by President Ross and rank-and-file Shop Stewards Barbara Stokley (West Chester, PA), Beth Martin (Upper Deerfield, NJ), Bubba Hill (Wilmington, DE), Christopher Bair (Rio Grande, NJ), Curt Hickey (Newark, DE), Dan Pomes (Glenolden, PA), Debbie Dodds (Local 27), Donyale Martin (Knorr Street, PA), Gregory Carbonaro (Somers Point), James Solly (Roosevelt Blvd, PA), Job Adams (Galloway, NJ), Joe Celia (Glassboro, NJ), Pam Elliott (Marlton, NJ), Patricia Wagner (Marmora), Paul Vasapollo (Brooklawn, PA), Pete Evangelidis (Roxborough, PA), Shawn Still (Lawnside, NJ), Tim Welsh (Burlington, NJ), and Wendy Santiago (Ewing, NJ).
Secretary-Treasurer Dan Konczyk, Executive Vice President Lisa Sanders, Executive Assistant to the President Danette Montes-Palmore, Union Representatives Kelli Wehmann, Ed Fuller, Cary Lawson, and S.P.U.R. Steve Rinaldi also played key roles on this committee.
Congratulations to every one of these 2,000 ShopRite members. By standing together, remaining united, and supporting one another throughout negotiations, you secured a contract that raises standards for today while strengthening the future for every member.
UFCW Local 152 proudly represents more than 2,000 workers covered by the ShopRite Meat Agreement, including employees in the meat, seafood, and deli departments in ShopRite stores in southern New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
Are you interested in joining UFCW Local 152? Start by learning more about how to start a union at your workplace.
