Supermarket workers union reaches contracts with Stop & Shop, King Kullen

More than 8,500 union supermarket workers from Stop & Shop and King Kullen in New York have ratified two new three-year contracts, union leaders and grocery chain representatives said.

The contracts will increase wages for full-time and part-time employees while maintaining pension and health benefits, union leaders said.

Westbury-based United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1500 said Friday the new contracts were ratified on Thursday.

"We're pleased the contract was ratified and look forward to continued good relations with 1500 and its members," Brian Cullen, president of King Kullen Co. said in a statement. A representative of Stop & Shop said the company was "pleased" with the contract and called it "a fair, new contract that honors our associates' contributions."

The contracts are retroactive to Dec. 7, 2014 and will expire Dec. 30, 2017.

The contracts will increase weekly and Sunday hours for more part-time workers, the union said.

The union is not releasing specific dollar figures due to ongoing contract negotiations with grocery store chains D'Agostino and Fairway, union spokesman Joseph Fedele said.

The union represents over 22,800 grocery workers in New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties employed by Pathmark, Fairway, Stop and Shop, Gristedes, D'Agostino, Key Food, Shop Rite and King Kullen.