GoFundMe set up for Stop & Shop workers

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Dennis Logan, a meat cutter who has worked for Stop & Shop for 23 years, holds up a peace sign while striking with his co-workers last Thursday afternoon. –Gabrielle Mannino

The union supporting Stop & Shop workers who went on strike last week set up a GoFundMe page Thursday to support the workers as contract negotiations continue.

As the strike enters its second week, Stop & Shop employees will not be receiving their regular paychecks.

As of Friday at 9:45 am, the GoFundMe page had raised $22,464 from 473 people. All the funds will support the 31,000 Stop & Shop workers who went on strike.

Since the GoFundMe is affiliated with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the fund cannot accept donations from employers whose workers the UFCW represents, seeks to represent, or would admit as members in the future. The site also lays out a list of those who can and cannot donate to the fund.

“Most individuals can contribute freely to this UFCW Strike Hardship Fund. Contributions are not tax-deductible. All contributions will be used to benefit members, and no money will be used by the UFCW for any other purpose.”

In a post on their website Friday, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 328 told members to “stay united.”

“The company keeps moving the goalposts for how much they are willing to invest when it comes to your healthcare, pensions, and wages. We cannot accept an agreement that diminishes your benefits and paves the way for the race to the bottom. One good job should be enough. We have to hold the line for all that you have worked so hard for. We acknowledge and understand all that you have been sacrificing while the company continues these games. The truth is, drastic cuts are still on the table, and while we are willing to negotiate, we will not negotiate away your worth. Support continues to pour in throughout the country, from our union brothers and sisters to your friends and neighbors joining you on the picket lines. And today’s rally drew national attention to your fight for justice. Stay strong. Stay united. And as we enter into the weekend, remember that while you hold the line, we are still at the table,” the post reads.

14 COMMENTS

  1. Only on the Vineyard… LOL The article says they’ve been out on strike a WHOLE WEEK now,, & they are already asking for a Handout on GO FUND ME ?? Are you serious?? Guess how many Vets, Elderly & Children in America are starving right now??? TOO MANY< IF you can’t survive a week on STRIKE wo asking for free money, either get a different job or GO BACK TO WORK !! Out for a week, sure lets hit up GO FUND ME>>>> LOL what a shame. Hers a GREAT IDEA, show your worth and TURN OVER EVERY PENNY FROM GFME,,, to our starving men and women who gave us our FREEDOM. Like your FREEDOM?? Thank a VET today. TY All VETS for my Freedom. GOD BLESS>

    • You ever think that some Stop n’ Shop workers might be vets as well? Why do you write like a Russian bot?

    • Jimi g — as I recall, after 2 weeks of the trump shutdown, there were vets getting handouts from all sorts of organizations. Let me take the line that Andrew took on the opioid crisis– It’s their fault if they are starving–( I am being facetious) I’m a vet– And I am disturbed at your comment..
      It has nothing to do with the strike– There are idiots out there who send money to gfme to build a wall on the southern border, among other stupid things– If you don’t want to help out the s&s people, you don’t have to– send your money to a starving vet site– there are plenty of them. But make sure that you are not helping out any vets that are addicted, as, according to Andrew, it’s their fault.

  2. The union set up the GOFUNDME, and it’s for all 31,000 striking workers. The MV workers didn’t have anything to do with it.
    I do agree that only one week out is a little quick to start the GFM. I also know that these people don’t make huge salaries even when they are working….with this being said….it is MV and it is spring time, they can always pick up odd jobs here and there to help out while they are one strike. I’m sure there could be some people out there that need their gutters cleaned or the yard work done or help bringing out their summer furniture. I say this knowing that I have done jobs like this while working full time at my “day job”.

  3. You did read this, right? Where it says the union set it up for all the striking workers, not just Vineyard workers? And is there a reason that people who WANT to help can now do so, without necessarily taking away from other worthy and important causes?

  4. I just looked at the Go Fund Me page. Their goal is to reach $250,000. So far, they’ve raised over $30K. If they reach their goal, each worker will receive $8.06. If they double their goal and raise half a million dollars, each worker will receive 16 bucks. And so on. Best if an agreement is reached, and soon. Many islanders, including me, are food shopping off-island rather than cross the picket line or get gouged at a cash register elsewhere on-island, especially as people prepared for the Passover and Easter holidays this weekend
    .

    • Unfortunately and understandably, Go Fund Me itself gets its own cut of the funds raised. 2.9% and 30 cents per donation. As of writing this, 970 donations have been made. Not including the 30 cents per donation, that’s $7,250.00 off the top. That now means $7.83 per worker. If they achieve double their goal, that $15.66 per worker. I, too, am going off-Island for perishable food shopping. Amazon Prime delivers most of the rest.

    • Only the employees facing a hardship will be able to access the money. I also know that certain requirements are needed also. Like for instance you have to be out there picketing the aloted time. Employees that just don’t care and stay home won’t have access to the strike pay or hardship funds. It’s not like they are gonna give out a 8 dollar credit on everyone’s paycheck.

  5. I applaud the union trying to support its members. If you don’t want to donate, that’s your prerogative. But, consider this, these are your neighbors. If they were making a good living wage, they could have a nice little nest egg in case of emergencies, which they probably don’t. Most people at this level of employment are not full time employees and have no benefits. Additionally, wages are low and usually do not keep up with inflation. Workers on the island face the addition trial of a higher cost of living. As I said, they are your neighbors. Do you like the previous service they have rendered to you? Let’s not divert from the issue and talk about everything else. If you cannot support your neighbors with funding, at least speak up for them.

  6. Misinformation! This is setup to go into the hardship fund. Not all 31000 employees will ask for hardship money or meet the requirements.

  7. What happened to all the union dues that have been paid by members for years? Aren’t the unions supposed to have a ‘strike fund’ so they can support their members when they go on strike? Or did the fat cat union reps just milk these workers for their six figure salaries?

    • the union is paying the workers ( I don’t know how much ) to be on the picket line. I think that is coming out of the “strike fund” — and yes, a lot of the money is going into the pockets of fat cat exec’s. That’s what capitalism is all about. Look at any big company.

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