The Teamsters confirmed that it authorized a strike against Anheuser-Busch.
The Teamsters union said on Dec. 16 that 99 percent of its members have voted to authorize a strike at Anheuser-Busch’s U.S. breweries if the union is unable to reach an agreement on a new labor contract with the beermaker by early next year.
The union is seeking an agreement that would improve wages, protect jobs, and secure health care and retirement benefits for 5,000 of its members at 12 breweries operated by Anheuser-Busch, the maker of Bud Light and Budweiser. The current agreement expires on Feb. 29, 2024.
“If Anheuser-Busch’s executives can’t get their act together to negotiate an agreement that respects workers, we will see them out on the streets,” Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said in a Dec. 16 statement.
The beermaker last month reached a tentative agreement with the Teamsters to restore some health care benefits. However, the union stated that the firm has delayed talks on job security issues since last month.
“Anheuser-Busch can’t kick this can down the road much longer,” Jeff Padellaro, an official with the Teamsters said in a statement. “The Teamsters don’t want to be forced onto the picket line at any employer, but we are fully prepared to walk if Anheuser-Busch doesn’t get serious about negotiating a record contract that also protects good union jobs.”
There are currently “no dates” scheduled for talks between the two parties, the Teamsters stated.
“Anheuser-Busch Teamsters recently rallied in New Hampshire, California, and Florida. More actions will take place soon across the country,” the labor union stated.
Anheuser-Busch hasn’t released a public comment on the matter; company officials didn’t respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.
The threat of a strike by the union against Anheuser-Busch comes after the Teamsters reached agreement with United Parcel Service (UPS) over the summer to avert a possible strike. It included pay increases of $2.75 per hour in 2023 and $7.50 over the length of the five-year contract.
