By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis – By a wide margin Tuesday, members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 655 rejected a new contract with three St. Louis-area grocery store chains: Schnucks, Dierbergs and Shop-and-Save.
Union President Bob Kelley said a strike vote is scheduled for Tuesday.
"If two-thirds of the members vote to go on strike, we will begin to have a strike at one or more of these operators in the St. Louis-area," Kelley said.
Kelly said many in the rank-and-file said a 25-cent raise was too small, and would not agree to concessions on benefits.
More than 10,000 employees are part of the union. Their last contract expired June 15th. The vote totals:
In favor of the contract: 1991
Against the contract: 3610