Two of Connecticut”™s statewide elected officials inserted themselves into the labor dispute between the Stop & Shop supermarket chain and striking workers belonging to the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union, taking the side of the strikers against their employer.
Connecticut State Attorney General William Tong joined the picket line at the Stop & Shop in Southington, tweeting out his support of the job walkout.
“Today, I was proud to stand side-by-side with Southington’s Stop & Shop workers,” he tweeted. “These workers are proud of their work & have a right to a fair deal. A fair contract means good wages & benefits. I stand with these men & women in their fight for the dignity & respect they deserve.”
Elsewhere on Twitter, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill took the UFCW”™s side in the issue. “I stand in solidarity with the #UnitedFoodandCommercialWorkers as they fight for fair wages & benefits. #unionstrong @StopandShop,” she tweeted.
Gov. Ned Lamont has not made a public comment on the strike, nor did Fairfield County”™s congressional representatives Jim Himes and Jahana Hayes. U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, who serves in Congress on behalf of Connecticut”™s 2nd District, offered a video message that UFCW Local 371 shared on its Facebook page. And state Sen. Marilyn Moore, who is seeking the Democratic nomination to become mayor of Bridgeport, urged shoppers to make purchases in other supermarkets while the strike continued.
“I support the collective bargaining process & will not cross the picket line,” Moore tweeted. “Let”™s be united for the workers. Shop other union grocery stores, such as Food Bazaar in Bpt. Stand in solidarity w/ AFL-CIO! #UnionStrong #StrongerTogether #onebridgeport.”
