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Shaw?s layoffs strike local stores

A spate of layoffs has left four percent of all Shaw’s Supermarkets’ employees without jobs. The supermarket chain, which employs more than 25,000 people in 176 locations across New England, started downsizing earlier this month, just weeks after workers went on strike throughout the region.

Several local Shaw’s employees said they knew people who were directly affected by the layoffs.

Domenic D’Angeli, an employee of Shaw’s for 22 years, said he was laid off due to a technical glitch and was later given his job back, at the expense of a fellow employee.

“Everyone was really professional about it, took it really well,” D’Angeli said. “What hurt more was when they reversed things on me, seeing a friend of mine go. That hurt more than me losing my job.”

The only employees safe from the layoffs at his store were those who had worked for the company for at least 22 years, he said, meaning he was barely in the clear.

“They did offer us part-time positions within the company at a lower pay rate,” he said. “Only one person in my department left the company. Everyone else chose to stay [part-time]. It’s a hard thing and it’s terrible.”

Beverly, a full-time clerk at the 33 Kilmarnock St. Shaw’s near Landmark Center who asked that only her first name be used, said she is glad she was able to avoid the downsizing, but feels sorry for her coworkers who were not as lucky.

“Some of the people [who were let go] had been with the company for 20 years,” she said. “I hope they have something to fall back on.”

Beverly said that her manager told her the Fenway-area store is not anticipating additional layoffs, but that employees are facing reductions in hours and loss of overtime.

“In order for them to give people overtime, they would have to cut the part-timers,” she said.

She added that her managers have made it clear that the layoffs have nothing to do with the recent union strike faced by the supermarket chain.

“[The strike] has nothing to do with us, that’s all union,” Beverly said.

Edward, a part-time employee at the Fenway store who did not give his last name, said he was offered his position around the same time the layoffs began to take effect. He said he is optimistic that downsizing will not be a problem in the future and that the store can overcome the effects of the recession.

“We need to pull together as an organization to try to beat it,” he said.

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