Tops warehouse employees begin to strike Friday

Hundreds of Tops warehouse employees began to strike Friday after Teamsters Local 264 voted down the last contract proposal on Thursday night.

The union, which represents warehouse workers and drivers, voted on May 16 to authorize a strike.

Tops issued a statement saying that they hope to return to the negotiating table soon.

“As we work diligently to reach a new contract agreement with Teamsters Local Union #264, which represents our warehouse associates and drivers, we will continue to serve our customers with normal operations at all our store locations. Plans are in place to ensure there is no service disruption. In the days to come, customers can expect the same service, selection, and value that they rely on from Tops. 

Over the course of the last several months, we have negotiated in good faith to reach a long-term contract agreement with the union. Throughout the process, we have prioritized the needs and interests of all our associates, customers, and communities. 

Tops’ latest offer contained an industry-leading total compensation and benefits package that exceeds any prior contract we’ve had in place with the union. After our proposed agreement was voted down today, we immediately requested to resume negotiations to achieve a resolution as soon as possible. With our company’s long and proud union history, we value our partnership with local labor, and we are optimistic that we will soon reach a long-term agreement that meets our responsibility to our entire organization and allows us to fulfill our commitment to serving the grocery needs of our community.”

Teamsters 264 President Brian Dickman tells Spectrum News 1 that they are currently in negotiations with the company.

Despite the strike, all Tops stores remain open.