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Union authorizes St. Louis County snowplow driver strike

Dec 20, 2022 08:58AM ● By Content Editor
Photo: Snowplows prepping for the snow. (Juliana Alford)

By 
Cara Kopp - Northern News Now - December 19, 2022

 It looks like snowplow drivers in St. Louis County plan to go on strike.

Monday evening, county plow drivers rejected the county’s latest contract offer, voting to authorize a strike.

According to union officials, members of Teamsters 320 voted to reject the contract by a 98.8% margin.

The Teamsters 320 represents 165 snowplow drivers and other positions in St. Louis County public works.

County leaders offered a three-year contract that included a 3% wage increase each year, a one-time $400 cash allowance for each employee, and a $150 stipend for cold weather gear.

But Union leaders wanted a 4% increase each year, a yearly $500 cash allowance, and a $500 stipend.

Head negotiators said they were not shocked by the vote.

”We have been crystal clear throughout negotiations with the employer, St. Louis County,” President of the Teamsters 320 Union, Erik Skoog, said. “It came as absolutely no surprise. Our membership will take the lead of our negotiation committee. They’re their friends, they’re their co-workers, they’re the folks that work with them each and every day.

As for what’s next, Skoog says they will not file a petition to strike right away, but plan to in the near future.

After the petition is filed there will be a 10-day cooling-off period for both parties before mediation continues.


To read this original story and more news, follow this link to the Northern News Now website.

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