Grocery Union Demanded “Pay Cuts” for Top Performing Employees

Managers at a Giant Eagle grocery store in Edinboro, Pennsylvania wanted to reward hard working employees. So they boosted the wages of two dozen high-performing employees above their union rates. This upset the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 23 union that represents the employees. The union argued the pay increased violated their contract and took Giant Eagle to court and forced it to rescind the raises. According to the union, the raises upended the union’s seniority system by allowing junior employees to make more money than those with more seniority. Local 23 wanted uniform pay scales, even if it meant cutting some of their members’ wages.