Grocery Store Chain Schnuck to Cut 190 Union Jobs

Regional grocery store chain Schnuck Markets plans to lay off 190 union-backed warehouse workers when its new suburban St. Louis distribution center opens.

Mike Goebel is secretary and treasurer of Teamsters Local 688. He tells St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Schnuck chairman and CEO Todd Schnuck told the union April 4 of the planned changes.

He says the 190 workers receive benefits and are paid between $14 and $22 an hour, and that their replacements will earn $10 to $11 an hour without benefits.

Goebel says Local 688 has filed a grievance.

Maryland Heights-based Schnuck Markets says in a prepared statement the new 915,000 square-foot distribution center opening in July in Kinloch is more efficient and will be run by a third-party logistics.