Essential workers at Dierbergs Markets win path to $15 in strong new contract

SEIU Local 1 maintenance, food sanitation and others on the frontlines of the pandemic win significant wage increases

By an overwhelming margin, SEIU Local 1 maintenance workers, food sanitation workers and others at Dierbergs Markets have ratified a strong new contract covering nearly 150 essential workers at the grocery store chain.

The agreement includes the highest-ever raises for Dierbergs workers and a path to $15 an hour. Grocery store workers have been working on the frontlines since the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing the essential service of helping provide a safe and clean environment to St. Louis-area shoppers.

CAME TOGETHER AND WON
“From the very beginning of the pandemic grocery store workers were putting our own health at risk in order to keep St. Louis residents safe and taken care of during the COVID-19 crisis,” said SEIU Local 1 Maintenance Clerk Wenda Ross. “Because we came together and fought for our families and our communities, we won a path to $15 and a more stable future.”

The ratification of the strong, new contract is the latest chapter in the fight for One St. Louis, a region where all working people make at least $15 an hour with good union jobs to make our metro area more equitable across racial lines.

WHAT’S IN THE CONTRACT
The new three-year contract guarantees:

• The highest-ever wage increases in a Dierbergs contract, including a path to a $15 wage for workers over the life of the contract.
• Protected healthcare, which is even more crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Expanded funeral leave to include same-sex domestic partners and grandparents.