Many independent and local grocery stores across New England have been cut off from suppliers due to an ongoing strike involving truck drivers and warehouse workers at Associated Grocers Northeast (AGNE).
The workers have been on strike since Oct. 17 because the company pulled out of a pension plan and tried to replace it with a 401(k) without a match, a union representative said.
As Thanksgiving approaches, AGNE released a statement telling customers they have a plan to continue service.
"We recognize the Thanksgiving holidays are quickly approaching, which is a busy time of year for AGNE and its employees. However, AGNE has a contingency in place to ensure that we move into the holiday season with certainty of service to meet the expectations and needs of our customers, our vendors and our stores."
Shirley Stretton, who works at Richardson's Market in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, told WBZ-TV she's concerned about some of the empty shelves.
"Our cooler back there, the dairy cooler is almost completely empty, and this cooler is almost completely empty," she said.
Stretton said the grocery store receives thousands of dollars' worth of produce every Wednesday from an AGNE truck.
"They didn't deliver last Wednesday and if they are still on strike, we may not get it this Wednesday and we are running out of stuff," she said.
The market posted a statement on Facebook saying it stands with the workers and is looking to source local alternatives to temporarily keep shelves stocked.
"We firmly believe that the essential workers powering our food system deserve fair working conditions, equitable wages, and secure pensions," the statement reads.
Richardson's owner Greg Danilowski told WBZ-TV he sympathizes with the truck drivers but is also worried about stocking his shelves with Thanksgiving only weeks away.
"We love our driver, Pete. He's great, and we really couldn't be doing this without those people," he said. "We are here, and especially on Thanksgiving and Christmas, we're that last place you can go to stock up on things you forgot," he said.
Not only does the strike impact the business but also the local food pantry which counts on this market for donations.
"They really need our delivery every week. The owner brings all the food," Stretton said. "And now they're hurting for food."
