Pete Buttigieg joining Stop & Shop strikers in Malden

Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg began Friday with striking Stop & Shop workers in Malden, and told the audience: "I'm behind you."

Buttigieg appeared with the workers around the clock at Stop and Shop on Charles Street in Malden. Strikers have been picketing stores throughout New England since yesterday last year.

The food chain's picket line has proven to be a popular stop for 2020 hopefuls and other politicians. US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey took both meetings last week, and former Vice President Joe Biden spoke on Thursday at a Stop & Shop store in Dorchester.

Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., Launched his official presidential campaign this week, followed by a look at NBC's "Late Night with Seth Meyers."

Buttigieg joins the workers when the strike goes into their second week. Nearly 31[ads1],000 stop and shop workers, many of them part-time, went on strike last week after the months of negotiations between United Food & Commercial Workers Union and the company failed to reach a new contract agreement.

Larry Edelman of the Globe The staff contributed to this report. Christina Prignano can be reached at christina.prignano@Globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @ cprignano .