Thousands of workers belonging to the Teamsters union are threatening to go on strike, demanding job security, increases in pay, and more. Approximately 5,000 employees across 12 Anheuser-Busch breweries threaten to go on strike after voting 99% in favor of the demands.
The current union contract is set to expire at the end of next month, and the Teamsters pointed out that the beer will run dry if Anhueser-Busch fails to negotiate a new one. “Without a contract by February 29, there won’t be any beer come March,” the union posted on X.
President of the Teamsters Sean O’Brien warned executives at Anheuser-Busch that there would be dire consequences if they were unwilling to make reasonable concessions to the union. “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,” O’Brien said. According to reports, the union hasn’t met with Anheuser-Busch since mid-November.
Employees at Anheuser-Busch have expressed their disappointment with the company, where many feel they are past due for improved wages given historically high inflation over the past few years. “When I started, Anheuser-Busch was what you would consider the top dog, it was the job to have. The pay was great, but with inflation, we are not the top-paying job,” said Anntonette Norris, who has worked at a Jacksonville, Florida, brewery for 25 years.
Norris shared that her brother had begun working at the company within the past five years, where he noted the differences from when she started with the company. “Things that would have been easily attainable to me when I started, are not that for him now,” she stated. “With the increases of prices for everything, people are working numerous amounts of overtime to try to make up for the pay we don’t have at this time.”
“It’s a great product to enjoy out in the market, but it’s a big sacrifice to make that product,” she added. “Anheuser-Busch wants to be No 1 in the beer industry, then they should want the No 1 group of employees working for them, who are proud to work for them and who are being compensated like it. We just want a fair and great contract that we feel that we are long overdue for.”
Angel Arroyo, an employee who has been with Anheuser-Busch for 20 years, noted that wages have become stagnant compared to other businesses in the Fort Collins, Colorado area. He claimed to have had a much different experience working for the company two decades ago.
“Twenty years ago, Anheuser-Busch was one of the top-paying businesses here in Colorado. Unfortunately, with the concessions we made throughout the years, a two-tier in medical benefits and slight wage increases, we really let Anheuser InBev get a stronghold on the work we’ve accomplished,” said Arroyo. “We’re looking for job security. We’re looking for the American Dream. We need to share in our profits and we need to bring up the working class better than it was before.”
The veteran employee noted that even newer workers are voicing their job concerns despite lacking a greater perspective. “Even our younger employees who aren’t so well versed in unions are getting on board. They see what the future holds. They’ve seen their parents struggle and I think now they’re realizing that’s not the life they want,” added Arroyo.
