Strike Looms At Coca-Cola

CHARLESTON, W.Va., Sept. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamsters Local 175 members at Coca-Cola in Bluefield, W,Va., could go on strike at any time after unanimously rejecting a company offer and authorizing a strike. The parties met on September 11 and 12 but were unable to reach an agreement. The members are currently working day to day and could strike any time. Their contract expired on July 28, 2018.

The company is attempting to double the employees' medical deductibles and increase out-of- pocket costs by close to five times. The company is making these proposals at the same time its own health insurance costs have decreased over $600,000 over the past three years. Recognizing that health costs are an issue in every negotiation, the union has proposed a health plan with better benefits that would save the company at least $250,000, with the potential to save up to $500,000. However, the company refuses to consider the proposal while maintaining its unreasonable demands. Coke is also proposing to do away with company vehicles without reasonable compensation.

Teamsters Local 175 represents approximately 28 employees at the Bluefield facility and approximately 130 around the state in locations at Charleston, Logan, Parkersburg and Clarksburg. The other locations have the ability to recognize and not cross a picket line when it is extended to those locations. The Teamsters could also extend the picket line to other unionized Coke facilities outside West Virginia. The last time a strike occurred at Coke for a failure to reach an agreement was in 2000 and lasted for 21 weeks. In that strike employees won unemployment benefits as a result of the company's actions.

"Coke is demanding to increase health costs for members despite decreasing costs for the company over the previous three years of the contract. The union-provided health insurance plan would save the company at least a quarter of a million dollars. However, the company is not interested in saving money but only arbitrarily raising employee costs. Our members at Bluefield and around the state are prepared to do whatever it takes to hold this company accountable for its bad actions," said Ralph Winter, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 175.

Contact:  
Luke Farley, (304) 549-7609

SOURCE Teamsters Local 175