Members of Teamsters Local 997 formed a picket line outside the Molson Coors brewery in Fort Worth, Texas, as they launched a strike on Saturday morning. The labor action comes after failed negotiations for a new contract for the 420 workers at the plant, which produces popular beverage brands such as Topo Chico, Simply, Pabst, and Yuengling. According to Fox San Antonio, the union is pressing for a three-year deal with improved pay, health care, and retirement benefits.
Fueling their demands is the record earnings reported by Molson Coors last year. Brewed up a fourth-quarter profit of $103.3 million, the company's revenue amounted to $3.33 billion during that period, with adjusted revenue hitting $2.79 billion, according to the Associated Press. NBC 5 cites a statement from Teamsters Local 997 member Jeff Pruitt, who said, "All we are asking for is our fair share. It’s not even about being rewarded; it’s something owed to us. We all work hard and need to take care of our families. We’re just fighting for our just cause."
In response to the strike, Molson Coors has expressed respect for the union's right to industrial action while underscoring their preparedness. Adam Collins, the company's chief communications officer, informed NBC 5, "We have strong contingency plans in place, and those plans are already well underway. We deliberately built up distributor inventories across the country in recent weeks, our five other U.S. breweries have extra capacity, and we are well equipped to ensure that consumers will be able to buy their favorite Molson Coors products." Despite this, Collins affirmed the company's commitment to reaching a fair agreement.
The battle for better salaries and benefits comes at a time when the labor movement has gained momentum, mirroring recent actions by UAW and UPS workers. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters announced an increase in future strike benefits to $1,000 per week for Teamsters Local 997 members. After wrapping up the picket line on Saturday, Teamsters Local 997 Secretary Treasurer Rick Miedema promised a return today, saying to NBC 5, "The labor movement is strong right now. The labor movement is hot. You saw it with UAW, with UPS. People are getting what they need. And unfortunately, it has to come to this, for us to take an employer down."
