SIMSBURY (AP) — U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal says the spirit of striking supermarket workers is "amazingly strong," as contract talks continue.

He and several other Democratic politicians, including Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, met with Stop & Shop employees picketing at several Connecticut locations Sunday. Blumenthal says he's telling the strikers "they're fighting not just for themselves, but for working families across America."

Stop & Shop says its discussions with the United Food and Commercial Workers were scheduled to resume Sunday. The company maintains it is offering unionized workers a fair contract, including pay increases

Picket lines have formed around some 240 Stop & Shop locations in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Blumenthal raised anti-trust concerns years ago as Connecticut's attorney general and Stop & Shop was purchased by a Dutch food company.