Dougherty re-elected President of UFCW-Local 655

By Tom Weber, KWMU

St. Louis, MO – Members of the largest labor union in Missouri have re-elected their president.

Jim Dougherty faced opposition from a slate of candidates who had questioned the current leadership of the UFCW - Local 655.

But the ballots were counted Monday and Dougherty garnered about 65% of the vote, beating challenger D.J. Gross by more than 800 votes. Gross is a registered nurse at St. John's Medical Center, who argued the nurses' strike that started last December ended badly for union members.

Dougherty, though, had said the contract with St. John's made the best of a bad situation, noting the negotiating team unanimously recommended the deal.