Former Michigan Gov. Tudor Dixon speaks on the Big Money Show about the fallout from labor strikes and the first GOP debate.
The Teamsters union announced Saturday that its members have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike against Anheuser-Busch's U.S. breweries if the union and the beer maker fail to reach an agreement on a new labor contract early next year can.
The union said that of the 5,000 Teamsters members who work at 12 Anheuser-Busch breweries across the U.S., 99% voted to authorize a strike unless both sides reach a new labor contract that increases wages, jobs protects and secures social benefits. The union's current contract expires on February 29, 2024.
“Teamsters remains steadfast in our fight for the best contract at Anheuser-Busch, and this compelling strike vote proves that,” said Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien. “The work, talent and sacrifice of our members is what brings Anheuser-Busch products to market, and we are committed to a contract that rewards and recognizes their hard work.”
“If Anheuser-Busch executives can't get their act together to negotiate an agreement that respects workers, we'll see them on the street,” O'Brien added.
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The current employment contract between Anheuser-Busch and the Teamsters union expires at the end of February 2024. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
According to the Teamsters, the union and Anheuser-Busch reached tentative agreements last month to eliminate tiered health care and restore health benefits for retirees – but the two sides have not negotiated on job security issues since mid-November.
| ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUD | ANHEUSER-BUSCH INC | 62.51 | -0.28 | -0.45% |
The union's announcement also drew attention to Anheuser-Busch “announced $1 billion in stock buybacks to wealthy investors while ignoring the need to protect good jobs.”
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The Teamsters union said 99% of its members at Anheuser-Busch voted to authorize a possible strike in early 2024. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
“Anheuser-Busch can’t keep this can coming much longer,” said Jeff Padellaro, director of the Teamsters Brewery, Bakery, and Soft Drink Conference. “The Teamsters do not want to be forced onto the picket lines at any employer, but we are fully prepared to walk out if Anheuser-Busch is not serious about negotiating a record deal that also protects good union jobs.”
Anheuser-Busch did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Anheuser-Busch InBev, the global beer company that owns Budweiser and Bud Light, suffered a decline in sales last year following its controversial partnership with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney. The company reported a 17.1% decline in North American sales volume in the third quarter, following a 14.5% decline in the previous quarter when Bud Light lost its longtime title as top-selling beer in the U.S. to Constellation's Modelo Especial Brands.
The specter of a Teamsters strike against Anheuser-Busch is looming after the union reached a new five-year contract with logistics giant United Parcel Service (UPS) this summer to avert a strike.
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The Teamsters-UPS deal included pay increases of $2.75 an hour in 2023 and $7.50 over the life of the contract, with the average top wage for full-time workers rising to $49 an hour. Additionally, part-time employees immediately received a raise to a minimum of $21 per hour, and Martin Luther King Day became a full-fledged holiday for all UPS Teamsters for the first time.