UFCW Local 655 Members Take to the Streets of St. Louis
UFCW Local 655 supermarket members hit the streets of St. Louis on October 7, after voting overwhelmingly to reject a contract offer from regional supermarket operators Shop & Save, Schnucks and Dierbergs. Picket lines were put up at selected Shop ‘n Save stores, choosing to leave Schnucks and Dierbergs open so that the public could have shopping alternatives. However, the two chains locked out their employees later the same afternoon.
"I feel good that everyone is sticking together," said union steward Peggy Raftery. "All these years we’ve been giving back. It ’s time we make a stand." Like the national retail food operators, the St. Louis grocers are making wage and benefit demands that would lower living standards. Local 655 filed unfair labor practice charges for pay discrimination against the three operators, because the companies are advertising for strike replacements at pay rates higher than they pay their regular employees in the same positions.
The St. Louis community has rallied behind the striking Local 655 members, refusing to cross picket lines and demonstrating solidarity in other ways fromsending food to striking workers to joining them on the picket line. Area media reports are confirming that business is all but shut down in the stores.
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