ST. LOUIS – Leading American brewer Anheuser-Busch is continuing negotiations with the Teamsters on a new union contract to avoid a March 1 strike.
Union employees desire better pay and benefits, as well as job security, and say they’re prepared to walk off the job at 12 Anheuser-Busch breweries across the country. Approximately 5,000 A-B employees are Teamsters.
Besides St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch breweries are located in Los Angeles, California; Fairfield, California; Fort Collins, Colorado; Houston, Texas; Jacksonville, Florida; Cartersville, Georgia; Williamsburg, Virginia; Columbus, Ohio; Baldwinsville, New York; Newark, New Jersey; and Merrimack, New Hampshire.
Last December, 99% of A-B union members nationwide voted to approve a strike. Earlier in February, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters approved a doubling of strike pay for Anheuser-Busch Teamsters.
The Teamsters claim the brewer has dragged its feet in negotiations.
In a statement, an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson refutes those assertions, but says the brewer has a contingency plan if the strike occurs.
Since the bargaining cycle started in September, Anheuser-Busch has consistently and diligently worked to secure a contract that recognizes and rewards our hardworking employees and prioritizes long-term security for the best jobs in the beer industry; as a precautionary measure, we have a robust continuity plan in place to ensure we will continue bringing our industry-leading brands to our valued customers and consumers across the country.
Kaitlin Craig, director of corporate communications for Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch, headquartered in St. Louis, employs over 4,500 people in the region and operates over 120 facilities nationwide.
AB InBev, the brewery’s parent company, reported $32 billion in gross profits for fiscal year 2023, a four-year high.
