St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri)
October 23, 2010 Saturday

Grocery workers here will vote on contract
Union recommends acceptance by employees of Schnucks, Dierbergs and Shop 'n Save
BY TIM BRYANT • tbryant@post-dispatch.com

Unionized grocery workers will vote Nov. 2 on a contract covering more than 9,000 employees of Schnuck Markets, Dierbergs Markets and Shop 'n Save stores in the St. Louis area.

Members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 655 have been working under contract extensions since their three-year contract with the area's three largest grocery chains expired May 15.

Details of the tentative agreement were unavailable, but Local 655's spokesman, Ed Finkelstein, said Friday that the union's bargaining committee would recommend acceptance. He said the poor economy had contributed to the challenging nature of the more than 60 contract bargaining sessions.

"It's been very difficult negotiations under some tough circumstances," he said.

Representatives of the three grocery chains declined to discuss the proposed contract or were unavailable for comment.

The agreement would cover unionized checkers, baggers and stockers, plus bakery, produce, pharmacy and frozen food workers at more than 100 supermarkets in the Missouri portion of the St. Louis area. Stores in Metro East have union contracts with UFCW Local 881 of Chicago.

Local 655's agreement would not cover unionized workers at Straub's stores. The contract covering those employees expired last month, but they are continuing to work under a contract extension until an agreement is ratified with the three larger chains.

Voting Nov. 2 on Local 655's tentative deal with Schnucks, Dierbergs and Shop 'n Save will be at Machinists Hall, 12365 St. Charles Rock Road, in Bridgeton. Two informational meetings about the contract also are scheduled for that day at the hall.

The contract approved in 2007 included wage increases and an expansion of some benefits. But it also required union members, beginning last year, to pay a portion of their health care premiums.

In October 2003, union members walked off the job over pay and benefits. The 25-day strike and lockout caused many grocery customers to shop elsewhere. Supermarkets cut back hours. Meat, deli, floral and seafood counters closed temporarily or were scaled back.