ST. LOUIS — Teamsters are demanding Anheuser Busch submit its final offer in contract negotiations. The union warns of a potential strike by 5,000 Teamsters by March 1 if an agreement is not reached.
In December, the Teamsters National Negotiating Committee announced that 99% of A-B teamsters nationwide are in favor of striking. The union aims for a deal that improves wages, job security, healthcare and benefits for workers at 12 breweries. They say that the company proposed a deal threatening Teamster jobs through potential brewery closures and layoffs.
Sean M. O’Brien, Teamsters General President, released a statement today saying that a strike seems unavoidable. Anheuser-Busch has been accused of not committing to job protection since mid-November.
“The halting of beer production at Anheuser-Busch’s U.S. breweries appears imminent and unavoidable,” O’Brien said.
Currently, no negotiations for a new deal have been arranged. Anheuser-Busch, headquartered in St. Louis, employs over 4,500 people in the region and operates over 120 facilities nationwide.
