ST. LOUIS (KMOX) -- United Food and Commercial Workers Local 655 President David Cook says the union is enacting sweeping changes for union represented employees at Schnucks, Dierbergs, Save-A-Lot, Straub's and others."We have made some substantial improvements to our health and wellness coverage plans to make sure the workers serving the St. Louis public today are taken care of if they contract this terrible virus," Cook tells KMOX.It includes ramping up short term disability."If they do contract this terrible virus, they don't have to worry about financially what's going to happen to them," Cook says. "We have taken our short term disability and moved it from 70 percent with some caps, as to how much someone could actually get, and moved it all the way up to 90 percent of their pay with no caps, regardless of what your salary is, you'll receive 90 percent of that."The union is also looking to set up a free tele-doc program. Testing for coronavirus will also be free.The benefit changes take effect immediately.Additional editing by Alex Degman© 2020 KMOX (Entercom). All rights reserved.
