16/12/2023
Copied from an Twitter post:
CORPORATE GAMES AT ANHEUSER-BUSCH FURTHER DELAY CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS
Jeff Padellaro, Director of the Teamsters Brewery, Bakery, and Soft Drink Conference, called Anheuser-Busch negotiators to the carpet on Friday for abandoning contract negotiations by repeatedly failing to address critical job protection issues for hardworking Teamsters.
The union had been in conversation with Anheuser-Busch to restart negotiations next week for a strong new contract for more than 5,000 Teamsters at 12 U.S. breweries. Bargaining has not resumed since Anheuser-Busch walked away from the table on Nov. 16 after the Teamsters successfully pushed the company to reach tentative agreement on health care.
Padellaro told Anheuser-Busch the Teamsters refuse to meet with management until next year in light of the corporation’s ongoing failure to have serious talks about job security.
“We’ve been telling Anheuser-Busch for more than a month that we need real commitments from the company to protect our members’ jobs, but they don’t give a damn. Anheuser-Busch doesn’t get to make up excuses for why it can’t commit to maintaining our members’ jobs. They just keep telling us they need more time to think about our jobs’ issue,” Padellaro said. “Anheuser-Busch doesn’t need more time — they are wasting our time. What could be more important than making sure the workers who actually make the beer know that their good union jobs are protected?”
“In addition to brewing the beer at Anheuser-Busch, Teamsters also take care of the company’s Clydesdales, so we know what horsesh*t smells like,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Our union is going to make sure we’re prepared and united to strike if we need to. We’re also going to hold this company accountable to do right by its American workforce. These corporate bosses need to sober up and learn to respect the labor that makes this brand and all its success possible.”
No new dates for negotiations are set. Anheuser-Busch Teamsters are ready to rally outside breweries nationwide throughout January to ensure their voices are heard.
