Strike at Fort Worth brewery reaches one month milestone

For a consecutive 29 days, Molson Coors employees have chosen to picket instead of reporting to their jobs at the Fort Worth brewery, regardless of the prevailing conditions.

“It’s been a long time, but we’re not going to break down,” stated Rick Miedema, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 997.

Miedema emphasized that the union’s fight for higher wages and improved benefits for its 420 members enjoys full support from the entire union body.

“We’re firing on all cylinders right now. We’re going to prove a point to the company. We’re going to get the agreement, but we need to ratify this agreement to get everyone back inside, and the International they’re sparing no expense. We’re not stopping,” he asserted.

Sunday will signify one month since the strike commenced.

In recent developments, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters has boosted strike benefits for picketers, disrupted traffic outside the brewery, and urged the public to refrain from consuming Molson Coors beverages.

“We’ve been hand billing bars, supermarkets, bars, liquor stores, everything to keep people from buying our products,” Miedema mentioned.

Furthermore, top leadership will join local members in a rally on Sunday, advocating for a fair contract and an end to the strike.

Molson Coors released a statement this week:

“We remain committed to doing what’s right for everyone and reaching a fair agreement in Fort Worth. We’ve offered highly competitive wages and benefits from a strong base and participated in nearly 40 negotiating sessions with the union as we work towards a deal. We also continue to have strong contingency plans in place that will allow us to meet distributor and retailer demand. For instance, we continue to brew, package, and ship out of Fort Worth, our five other U.S. breweries are absorbing the extra production, and we spent the past few months deliberately building up distributor inventories across the country.” – Adam Collins, Molson Coors’ Chief Communications Officer.

Miedema affirmed their readiness and unwavering commitment to their cause.

“The Teamsters are here to prove a point to this company that we’re going to get what’s on the table and get what we deserve,” he declared.

The rally on Sunday will commence at noon in the parking lot of Bimbo Bakery, adjacent to Molson Coors along South Freeway.