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The workers left the job to go on strike at 1 p.m. on Thursday.
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Stop & Shop Workers Walkout Over Stalled Contract Talks

By Tammy Daniels & Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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The union feels the company has been bargaining in bad faith.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Stop & Shop employees walked out at supermarkets across New England on Thursday afternoon, saying the grocery chain has "continued to bargain in bad faith."
 
"Everything we are asking for in a new contract is completely reasonable. Taking care of the workers that have made this company successful is the right for Stop & Shop to do," reads an update from leaders of United Food and Commercial Workers locals posted online on Thursday morning.
 
"We offered to form a subcommittee on negotiations as an effort to keep discussions with Stop & Shop going and negotiate in good faith."
 
Stop & Shop officials say they "remain ready and available to meet with the union locals at any time." 
 
Employees at the North Adams store walked out about 1 p.m. on Thursday; store managers ushered customers out and locked the doors. 
 
"They've been investing in infrastructure here but not in the workers," said Bill Laviolette, union steward and strike coordinator. 
 
Workers held signs up along the sidewalk on Route 2 in front of the store as passing motorists beeped horns in support. 
 
"The store has a little over 100 employees and we probably got about half of them out here right now," said one striker. "Just Marty's in the store," laughed a co-worker, referring the store's cleanup robot.
 
Some 31,000 workers represented by five UFCW locals have been working without a contract since Feb. 23, when the previous three-year contract expired. They overwhelmingly in early March authorized a strike vote if a contract could not be reached. 
 
"They're not being forthright on how much money they're going to put away for the pensions ... they blame us because we're the only unionized supermarket in New England, but it's not a race to the bottom," Laviolette said. "We really decided there had to be a labor action and stand up to this corporate greed."
 
The union is objecting to changing the pension to a 401(k) it feels doesn't cover current future beneficiaries; Sunday premiums rather than time and a half (the company says the premium would be equal to time and a half for "current" employees); reductions in sick time and vacation time for future workers; and changes in health care contributions. Workers are also objecting to a rise in prepackaged meats over deli and butcher; the introduction of self-scan positions, carousels and Marty — the self-propelled robot that scours the aisles looking for spills and obstructions. 
 
Stop & Shop, owned by Dutch multinational Ahold Delhaize, has countered that labor costs are having a "major impact" on the company's ability to compete in the changing market. National competitors like Walmart, Costco and Whole Foods/Amazon — non-union stores — have lower costs and access to lower prices, according to a press release put out by the company last month.
 
A federal mediator was brought in in an attempt to bring the two sides closer, but updates by union leadership indicated that there was a significant gap between the two parties. 
 
In a statement on Thursday, Stop & Shop officials say no one's pay would be cut and that "Gold Level" health care benefits would continue for eligible associates and that the company increased contributions to the pension fund for vested associates. 
 
On Thursday morning, the company claims it made suggestions to the federal mediator to keep talks going but that "The Locals provided no counter proposals to the mediators and simply stated they were proceeding with their plans." 
 
The locals have countered that the grocer makes a $2 billion profit and is targeting union workers unfairly.
 
"They wouldn't show us where they were losing money or why they were making such drastic cuts," said Laviolette. "In fact, they were the No. 1 market share for grocers here in New England. ... leadership just came down and told us it's time for a strike."
 
Local 1459 represents workers at the Stop & Shop on State Road and the stores on Dan Fox Drive and Merrill Road in Pittsfield.  Stop & Shop says it has contingency plans in place to minimize disruption.

Tags: strike,   supermarket,   

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Watch out for tax scams

Submitted by Edward Jones

It's tax season again — which also means, unfortunately, that it's time for the annual array of scams aimed at taxpayers. Fortunately, by being alert, you can protect yourself from these attempts to defraud you.

Your first line of defense is to recognize the warning signs of potential tax scams. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) cites these common red flags:

  • Promises of big payments — If you've filed taxes for many years, either by yourself or with the help of a tax professional, you probably have a pretty good idea of whether you're getting a refund, and how much it will be. But scammers, often using social media, may promise huge refunds by essentially encouraging you to claim tax credits to which you're not entitled and then charging large, upfront fees or a fee based on your refund amount.
  • Suspicious websites — Watch out for strange-sounding or misspelled web links — these can take you to harmful sites, rather than the official site of the IRS (IRS.gov).
  • Solicitations from charity imposters — The many natural disasters we've experienced in recent years has brought out great support from people wanting to help friends, neighbors and even total strangers. However, these catastrophes have also encouraged scammers who solicit contributions to bogus charitable groups. To determine whether an organization is a qualified charity that can receive tax-deductible contributions, visit the Tax Exempt Organization Search tool on IRS.gov.
  • Threats or demands — IRS impersonators may threaten you with large fines, or even arrest, if you don't make immediate payments of what they claim you owe.

You can protect yourself from many tax-related scams by knowing how the IRS will or won't communicate with you. Typically, the IRS will initiate contact with you through regular mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. You can verify the legitimacy of any letter by visiting your secure IRS online account, under the “Notices and Letters” section.

Other ways the IRS will contact you:

  • Email — Only with your permission, with a few exceptions, such as criminal investigations
  • Text – Only with your permission
  • Phone — Only to discuss your case, verify information or set up a meeting
  • Fax — Only to verify or request employment information
  • In-person visit — Rarely done, and typically only following a letter

The IRS will not:

  • Contact you or take payment on social media.
  • Accept gift cards or prepaid debit cards as payment.
  • Threaten to call law enforcement or immigration officials.
  • Take your citizenship status, driver's license or business license.
  • Leave pre-recorded voicemails (robocalls).
  • Mail tax debt resolution advertisements.

If you have doubts about any offers or communications, whether supposedly from the IRS or not, you may want to contact a trusted, qualified tax professional.

Also, be on guard for your elderly family members, as senior citizens are frequent targets of scammers. If you talk to these family members regularly, see if you can find out about any unusual offers or solicitations they may have received.

Finally, if you believe you are a victim of monetary or identity theft, you can report these issues using the IRS website at IdentityTheft.gov. You can also refer to IRS Publication 5027 — l Identity Theft Information for Taxpayers.

Tax scams and identity theft are serious threats — so do whatever you can to defend yourself.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.
Edward Jones, Member SIPC

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