Earlier this week the workers at Shaw's Supermarket's Methuen, Massachusetts distribution center went on strike. The warehouse, which employs about 310 employees, who are members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 791, distributes perishables to most of the company's 194 New England locations.

On March 7,  the workers overwhelmingly voted to reject the company's final offer and officially struck. According to the union, the last and final company offer would have increased health insurance premiums by more than 10 percent and would have resulted in a net loss of income of about $1,456 annually.

A picket line went up on early Sunday afternoon, and the union's members are asking the public to support their strike for fair wages and benefits by not patronizing the Shaw's and Star Markets stores where picket lines are set up.

On the local's web site, union spokesman Peter Derouen said, "Unfortunately Shaw's has failed to offer a fair and equitable package to the workers at Methuen and gave the union members no other option but to exercise their right to strike because of Shaw's unjust and unequitable contract offer."