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The labor union representing workers on strike at Fort Worth’s Molson-Coors brewery has implemented a new tactic, causing traffic delays on South Freeway by stalling vehicles from entering the campus this week.
Rick Miedema, secretary and treasurer for Teamsters Local 997, stated that they initiated this action in the hopes of increasing pressure on the company to meet their demands.
“Molson Coors refuses to negotiate with us… The only ones being affected now are the public because every day we’re disrupting traffic on this freeway due to the congestion,” Miedema remarked.
Workers are advocating for higher wages and improved health care and retirement benefits.
In response to inquiries from NBC 5, the company affirmed its commitment to reaching a fair agreement, stating that they have already made substantial offers.
“We remain dedicated to achieving a fair deal for everyone in Fort Worth. We have proposed competitive wages and benefits based on an already solid foundation and have engaged in almost 40 negotiation sessions with the union as we strive towards a resolution. We also continue to maintain robust contingency plans to meet distributor and retailer demand. For example, we are still producing, packaging, and shipping out of Fort Worth, while our other five U.S. breweries are handling the additional production load, and we have spent recent months bolstering distributor inventories nationwide,” said Adam Collins, Molson Coors’ Chief Communications Officer.
However, Miedema argued that these efforts have not been sufficient, highlighting that fellow Teamsters have recently achieved successful negotiations with Coors’ primary competitor, Anheuser-Busch.
“We’re seeking a similar agreement from Molson Coors,” he emphasized.
However, local drivers are now experiencing the repercussions.
Miedema disclosed that workers have been stalling cars and trucks at the gates for five-minute intervals.
He mentioned that this tactic led to hours-long delays for employees on Tuesday, prompting Molson-Coors to seek a temporary restraining order against them.
Following a hearing, the judge ruled that workers could delay vehicles by 90 seconds each.
“We’re satisfied with the judge’s decision to allow 90 seconds, and we’re moving forward,” Miedema stated.
NBC 5 observed the impact even 90 seconds could have, with traffic backing up behind stalled trucks on the freeway, even during non-peak hours.
Commuter Joshua Garcie reported experiencing delays during his daily commute between Burleson and downtown Fort Worth due to the strikes and additional road work.
He expressed understanding for the picketers’ cause and pledged his support.
Miedema acknowledged that not all drivers may share Garcie’s perspective.
“Our message to drivers is… We are exercising our right under the National Labor Relations Act to picket the employer. If they have an issue with our picketing, they should contact Molson Coors and urge them to return to the bargaining table and negotiate a fair contract with their employees,” he stated.
Miedema and others believe that the new pressure tactic is yielding results.
“I believe now the company is aware that we’re here,” said employee Juan Maldonado.
Maldonado described the nearly month-long picketing as challenging, particularly from a mental standpoint, but he remains hopeful that their efforts will yield positive outcomes in the long run.
“We can make progress, and we can achieve our goals through this,” Maldonado concluded.