(Lead photo courtesy of International Brotherhood of Teamsters)

On Feb. 26, the union representing warehouse workers at a Graybar service center in St. Louis, MO, began a strike following rejection of the latest labor contract.

Forty-two employees belonging to the Intentional Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 688 are seeking pay raises, changes to health care coverage and admittance into the Graybar’s profit-sharing program, according to a union news release.

“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. That final offer rejected by the union was submitted by Graybar on Feb. 24.

In a Feb. 26 statement released on X, Local 688 officials said Graybar’s pay for the teamsters is “below industry standards in the area” and the currently mandated health care plan results in “bi-weekly copays of $500. For someone earning $17.50, this amounts to nearly 50% of their take-home pay.” The employees are also seeking inclusion in profit-sharing, which it says is available to about 9,400 other Graybar employees.

In a statement obtained by tED magazine, a Graybar spokesperson acknowledged the labor dispute and said it plans to minimize customer disruption.

“We value our employees and are committed to providing a fair and safe work environment,” the electrical, industrial, communications and data networking products distributor told tED. “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.”