return
Gateway Green Alliance / Green Party of St. Louis


St. Louis Greens Support Striking Grocery Workers

Demands that the State of Missouri not Deny Unemployment Benefits

Green Party of St. Louis/Gateway Green Alliance
P.O. Box 8094, St. Louis, MO 63156
314-664-1199

For immediate release: October 12, 2003

Members of the St. Louis Green Party have been joining those members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 655 as they picket to strike Shop and Save and in response to the lock out at Dierbergs and Schnucks. They call on all of those who are sympathetic to the Greens not to frequent these stores until the stores sign an agreement with the union. This is consistent with the Greens' resolutely pro-union/pro-labor stance.

They also call on the Missouri Department of Employment Security to not cave in to industry demands to cut off unemployment benefits to workers at Dierbergs and Schnucks, who have all reported and were told they were locked out.

Kim Jayne, co-coordinator of the Green Party of St. Louis and member of the American Federation of Teachers Local 420's COPE committee, has walked along with the picketing store workers. She says why Greens are not crossing the picket line and supporting the workers: "The Greens have been at school board meetings and have supported the teachers in their fight to stop the cuts and corporate giveaways that are wrecking the St. Louis school district. Our platform is very pro-labor from the national down to the local level. It Makes sense that Greens are supporting the UFCW during this fight. We hope that union members and other activists look at our support, get on board the Green machine, and turn the Lou into a two-party town."

David Sladky, also co-coordinator of the GPSL and founder of Teamster Action Network (TAN), has walked with the picketers as well. Dave, a former member of Teamster local 1187 (21 years), stated: "This is a huge issue for St. Louis. It directly affects the dignity and wages of 10,000 workers, not to mention their families. These people are our friends and neighbors. The locked-out workers at Dierbergs and Schnucks have paid State and local taxes, and deserve unemployment coverage. They showed up to work and the stores locked them out.They are locked out, NOT on strike, and if the state doesn't cover them, this would be one one more case of special treatment for companies with fat wallets."

The Green Party of St. Louis has had the second highest percent of the vote in the last few local elections.



Last updated 12 October 2003. Contact: mrallen@mprsnd.org.