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| More Perfect Union - wfpr |
"Tom Rogers, a striking shop steward at Stop & Shop, said customers at the grocery chain’s 235 Old Connecticut Path location have been few and far between. And when customers do approach the store, pickets encourage them to shop elsewhere.
“We try to engage the customer and tell them what we’re fighting for, and tell them to support us by not crossing the picket line,” said Rogers, 39, of Natick, on Friday afternoon, the ninth day that about 31,000 employees from five unions at Stop & Shop have been on strike.
Rogers, who has worked for the Quincy-based grocery chain for 20 years, added that he and his colleagues have managed to convince most customers to rethink where to shop.
“When they find out what the company’s trying to do, they’re pretty upset,” said head meat cutter Jackie Thomas, 60, of Waltham. “They’re just as upset as we are.”
Proud to stand again with my brothers and sisters from @UFCW Local 1445 at Stop & Shop in Franklin. Every day #StopAndShopWorkers help put food on the table. They deserve better than the cuts the company is pushing. Good to see all the support out there for the workers. pic.twitter.com/9Zd4XirZt8— Jeffrey N. Roy (@jeffroy) April 20, 2019
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| "Proud to stand again with my brothers and sisters from @UFCW Local 1445 at Stop & Shop in Franklin." |
| The threat of a national Amtrak strike later this month is prompting Boston-area transit officials to prepare for potential chaos on commuter rail lines that would trickle down to subways, buses, and highways. |
In part from the article, we read:A strike would virtually shut down South Station, forcing rail passengers to transfer onto subway lines at the Back Bay, Braintree, and Forest Hills stations. The MBTA would also have to shut down the Providence/Stoughton Line in all likelihood, forcing about 17,000 additional daily commuters to drive into town or to take alternate rail lines. North Station schedules would not be altered, but riders might see picket lines.
"There's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. A strike that would shut down service in and out of South Station would severely hamper, perhaps even overwhelm, the subway system," said Daniel A. Grabauskas, general manager of the MBTA.
The private company that runs commuter rail under a contract with the MBTA, Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Co., has been discussing contingency plans with the T and making recommendations that include running fewer commuter trains, virtually eliminating off-peak runs. The commuter service, which carries 72,000 riders in and out of Boston daily, is already drawing ire from passengers fed up with increasingly late trains.
No strike, a deal has been reached. Details here.
