About 1,400 union painters in the St. Louis area went on strike Thursday in a wage dispute with contractors.

The strike began after the three-year contract covering members of Painters District Council 58 expired at midnight Wednesday. A council representative said no union official was available Thursday to discuss the strike.

Dan Wienstroer, executive director of the Painting and Decorating Foundation — which represents about 160 painting and drywall taping contractors — said the strike began after union members voted down an 85-cent hourly wage hike for each year of a proposed three-year deal.

“It was rejected substantially,” Wienstroer said.

Union membership previously rejected a 60-cent hourly wage hike per year for three years, he said.

The contractors responded Thursday by offering a 90-cent hourly wage hike, which would amount to $2.70 in the final year of a proposed three-year contract. Wienstroer said union painters were scheduled to vote on the proposal next Wednesday.

Journeymen painters currently earn $30.59 in hourly wages and $45.69 when health care and pension benefits are included, Wienstroer said.

Picketing Thursday was limited to the offices of Painting and Decorating Foundation member companies. Wienstroer said union painters remained on the job at work sites covered by national maintenance agreements with owners and project labor agreements with no-strike language.

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