SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The union that represents Penn Traffic workers said it opposes the proposed acquisition of 22 stores by Price Chopper Supermarkets, based in Schenectady, N.Y.
In a formal objection filed with the bankruptcy court in Wilmington, Del., this week, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1, along with sister Locals 23 and 1776, said the sale to Price Chopper, a non-union operator, would be prohibited by Penn Traffic’s bargaining agreement with the union because Price Chopper would not assume the labor contract that is currently in place.
As previously reported, Price Chopper has bid $54 million for 22 of Penn Traffic’s P&C locations. A report in the Syracuse, N.Y., Post-Standard, meanwhile, said Williamsville, N.Y.-based Tops, which does employ union workers, was preparing an offer of at least $90 million for a significant number of locations.
In their filing with bankruptcy court, the UFCW locals stated that “any going concern sale by Penn Traffic is conditioned on the purchaser’s agreement to be bound by the terms of the collective bargaining agreement” with UFCW Local 1. The three locals together employ about 4,500 Penn Traffic workers.
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