On Sunday they voted to strike and on Saturday morning, members of Teamsters Local 997 hit the picket line outside the Molson Coors brewery in Fort Worth.
The Teamsters say they are looking for a new three-year contract for the 420 workers who work at the only brewery that services the entire Western region of the United States with major Molson Coors products that include Topo Chico, Simply, Pabst, and Yuengling, among other major beverage brands.
The 420 members of Local 997 say they are fighting for higher pay, health care and retirement benefit improvements in a new contract.
“All we are asking for is our fair share. It’s not even about being rewarded; it’s something owed to us. We all work hard and need to take care of our families. We’re just fighting for our just cause,” Jeff Pruitt, a member of Teamsters Local 997 said in a video post the Teamsters posted on X Friday.
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Molson Coors Brewing Co. (TAP) on Tuesday reported a fourth-quarter profit of $103.3 million and according to the Associated Press, the results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The beer maker posted revenue of $3.33 billion in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $2.79 billion, also topping Wall Street forecasts.
NBC 5 reached out to Molson Coors for comment and received the following statement from Adam Collins, the beer company's chief communications officer:
“While we respect the Union’s right to strike, we have strong contingency plans in place, and those plans are already well underway. We deliberately built up distributor inventories across the country in recent weeks, our five other U.S. breweries have extra capacity, and we are well equipped to ensure that consumers will be able to buy their favorite Molson Coors products. At this point, the union has not responded to our last offer, which exceeds local market rates for similar unionized roles, but we remain committed to reaching an agreement that is fair to both our employees and to the Fort Worth brewery.”
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The International Brotherhood of Teamsters announced Saturday it will increase future strike benefits to $1,000 per week for members of Teamsters Local 997 fighting for a new contract.
As picketers wrapped up Saturday, Teamsters Local 997 Secretary Treasurer Rick Miedema said they are making plans to return Monday morning.
“The labor movement is strong right now. The labor movement is hot. You saw it with UAW, with UPS. People are getting what they need. And unfortunately, it has to come to this, for us to take an employer down," said Miedema.
Check back for the latest on this developing story.
