Employees at Snyders Drug Stores in the Twin Cities have overwhelmingly ratified a three-year contract that UFCW Local 789 President Bill Pearson calls 'the best settlement ever' at the pharmacy chain.

The agreement among Snyders, Local 789 in St. Paul and Local 653 in Minneapolis gives the majority of workers raises of $3 an hour over the life of the contract, Pearson said. Higher-classification employees will receive increases ranging from $4 to $7.50 over the three years.

UFCW represents about 1,250 pharmacists, cashiers, stock clerks and other employees at 55 Snyders stores in the Twin Cities. Snyders, which has had a union contract since 1943, is the only union pharmacy in the metro area, Pearson said.

Under the new contract, a typical store employee would earn $10 an hour now and move up to $12 by the final year, Pearson said. Veteran employees would earn $13 now and move up to $15. Even part-timers will get raises of $2 over the life of the contract, plus additional paid holidays, sick days and vacation.

Members ratified the contract June 3, almost a week before the previous contract expired.

Pearson praised Snyders CEO Gordon Barker and vice president of human resources John Greer, who head the management team of the Katz Group, which bought the Snyders chain three years ago. 'They knew from experience the importance of paying people what they were worth,' Pearson said.

He also called the agreement a 'critical first leg' in the United Food and Commercial Workers' 'You Are Worth More' campaign, which aims to increase wages, benefits and the number of unionized employees in Twin Cities retail stores.

'This agreement ? showed what a unified voice can do, and it was a clear message to workers they shouldn't sell themselves short just because they work in retail,' Pearson said.

This article was written for The Union Advocate newspaper, the official publication of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. Used by permission. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@mtn.org

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