Dozens of unionized Graybar workers at a facility in St. Louis began a strike at the electrical and industrial distributor late last month, Teamsters union officials announced.
The union said that 42 Graybar workers began walking the picket line on Feb. 26.
The Teamsters called the company's final contract offer "subpar," and said it is seeking higher pay raises and improved healthcare coverage, highlighting the mandatory company health plan's monthly premiums of "up to $1,000."
Teamsters officials also alleged that the union members are excluded from Graybar's profit-sharing program, which otherwise includes some 9,400 of the company's employees.
"After six months of negotiations, the rejection of Graybar's final offer signals a collective dissatisfaction among the workforce with the current compensation structure," Chris Tongay, the secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 688, said in a statement.
Graybar officials told the St. Louis Business Journal last week that it values its employees and is "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," the company told the publication.
