Secretary Treasurer of Teamsters Local 997, Rick Miedema, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to talk about the contract negotiations at Molson Coors’ Fort Worth, Texas plant. Miedema discussed the history of the contract negotiations with the employer and what has occurred in the past week since the strike vote.
Teamsters Local 997 is home to about 1,000 members, with 420 members that are a part of the Molson Coors bargaining unit. Negotiations between Molson and Local 997 started in November of last year. According to Miedema, the offers from the employers have not come close to meeting the worker's needs. The members voted to approve the strike with a 93 percent approval.
Over the years, the union made concessions to help the employers make a profit. Since Molson bought the former Miller Coors brand in 2005, the negotiations in 2006 and 2009 had Molson promise workers a return for their sacrifice. Over the past six years, the company has posted record profits, and the members feel that now is the time to recover what they previously lost.
The bargaining unit has presented their final offer through Teamsters Brewery, Bakery and Soft Drink Division Director Jeff Padallero, and the employer turned him away by presenting a worse offer, Miedema said. Following that response, the Local is prepared to go on strike. If they do, the plant responsible for Molson Coors variety packs and several hard seltzer beverages would face a major loss in the workforce. Miedema has been excited by the responses from the members and the International, and together they will do what needs to be done when the time is right for a strike.
Learn more about the strike authorization and negotiations with Teamsters Local 997 by listening to the episode above.