Riverside Teamsters Ratify Anheuser-Busch Agreement

News provided by

Aug 13, 2012, 03:05 ET

Three-year Agreement Improves Benefits

RIVERSIDE, Calif., Aug. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A majority of the 130 Teamsters at the Riverside Anheuser-Busch facility have ratified a new contract that ends a more than two-month strike and brings economic stability for the employees and their families for the next three years.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO)

The workers, members of Teamsters Local 166 in Bloomington, had been out on strike since June 24 when the employer submitted a contract offer that was deficient on wage compensation, classification of temporary workers and benefit packages.

"We fought to get a fair contract for our members and we won," said Mike Bergen, principal officer of Teamsters Local 166. "In addition to a solid contract, we won permanent status for 15 formerly temporary jobs along with other benefit improvements."

"Despite the difficult economy, our local union did a terrific job in representing us and supporting us during the strike," said Chris Turner, a warehouseman and Local 166 member for the past 30 years. "Knowing that we have job stability for the next three years is a great relief for me and my family."

"Dave Laughton, Director of the Teamsters Brewery and Soft Drink Conference and Dennis Hart, conference representative, were both a major help to us with winning this new contract," Bergen said. There are over 8,000 other employees of Anheuser-Busch that are represented by the Teamsters nationwide.

Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Go to www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

SOURCE Teamsters Local 166