Jeff Padellaro, Director of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Brewery, Bakery and Soft Drink Conference, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast on National American Beer Day and talked about contract negotiations with Anheuser-Busch.
Negotiations with Anheuser-Busch first kicked off in August with discussions at the Local Union level. Since then, they have progressed to the national contract, which Padellaro considers the must-haves for the new contract. The biggest issue is a two-tier healthcare system currently in place, with the cost to workers who were hired after the system was in place several thousand dollars more per year than existing employees. Padellaro feels the two-tier healthcare system could be the breaking point, but wants all members to have the Teamsters negotiated insurance plan.
Besides health insurance, the Teamsters Brewery members are seeking their fair share of the revenue that Anheuser-Busch makes each year. Most recently, Anheuser-Busch posted a net profit of $12 billion on $57.7 billion gross profit in 2022. Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien also oversees the Brewery, Bakery and Soft Drinks Conference and has been a part of negotiations. He has stated there will be no concessions, and the Union will be rolling back the previous contracts' concessions under this new CBA. The two sides have until April to come to an agreement to create a new contract for the nearly 5,000 Teamsters members working for Anheuser-Busch.
Despite some questionable managerial decisions with the marketing program at Anheuser-Busch, Padellaro and the Teamsters continue to fight for a new contract. Unlike previous negotiations between the two sides, there is a new sense of solidarity within the Teamsters. This solidarity has provided a new sense of unity and has improved their ability to fight for the best contract possible. If there are any issues with the negotiations, Teamsters members are ready to do what it takes to get their fair share back in the new contract, Padellaro said.
For more from Padellaro on the negotiations with Anheuser-Busch, listen to the show above.
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