St. Louis-area grocery workers approve contract

ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) -- Workers at the three largest grocery store chains in the St. Louis area have approved a new three-year contract.

The vote Wednesday among workers from Schnuck Markets Inc., Shop 'n Save and Dierbergs Markets Inc. was 2,289-511 in favor of the contract, avoiding a strike like one in 2003 when workers walked off the job for more than three weeks.

Among other things, the wages will increase by $1.20 an hour over the three years of the contract. But workers will be required, for the first time, to pay a portion of health insurance premiums.

The contract covers 98 stores and about 9,500 workers. The grocers bargained together as the St. Louis Food Employers' Council. Union officials reached a tentative contract agreement with the grocery chains on Aug. 17 after six months of negotiations.

The previous 47-month contract expired in May, but terms remained in place while talks continued.