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Graybar Union Members Strike

tED magazine learned that union members at Graybar’s St. Louis Service Center have been striking since the end of February. The Service Center is a warehouse serving customers in the St. Louis region.

The following article is from teamster.org:

(2/26/24) ST. LOUIS – Members of Teamsters Local 688 at Graybar in St. Louis were forced to strike after rejecting the company’s subpar contract offer over the weekend.

The Teamsters are seeking pay raises that reflect the impact of inflation and are on par with industry standards as well as stronger health care coverage and admittance into the company’s profit-sharing program.

“After six months of negotiations, the rejection of Graybar’s final offer signals a collective dissatisfaction among the workforce with the current compensation structure,” said Chris Tongay, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 688.

Teamsters at Graybar contribute significantly to the company’s $10.5 billion revenue but are excluded from the company’s profit-sharing program. The program has been granted to approximately 9,400 Graybar employees nationwide, raising serious questions about the anti-union tactics by the St. Louis-based company.

In addition to the pay disparity, workers are mandated to participate in Graybar’s health care plan, resulting in substantial monthly premiums of up to $1,000.

“The financial burden on these workers is unreasonable, unfair, and unsustainable,” said Tom Erickson, Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. “Teamsters won’t stand for this type of behavior from any company. We won’t tolerate it, and we will continue to fight on the picket line until we get what is ours.”

tED magazine contacted Graybar and they provided us with the following comment:

Graybar acknowledges the ongoing labor dispute involving some of our St. Louis Service Center employees. We value our employees and are committed to providing a fair and safe work environment. While we work toward a resolution, we remain committed to providing excellent customer service and have implemented contingency plans to minimize disruption to our customers.