CHARLESTON, W.Va., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Coca-Cola
Consolidated (NASDAQ: COKE) workers in Bluefield, W.Va., shut down state-wide
distribution operations yesterday when approximately 28 employees
went on a one-day unfair labor practice strike after the company
made unilateral changes. The picket line was extended to other
Coca-Cola Consolidated locations in Logan, Charleston, Parkersburg, and Clarksburg, where approximately 130 workers
elected to honor the picket lines.
"We have filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board
alleging that the Coca-Cola distributor has violated federal labor
laws, but we hope this short one-day strike will minimize service
disruptions and force the company to honor the law," said Teamsters
Local 175 Secretary-Treasurer Ralph
Winter.
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 parties have been in
negotiations for several months, but have yet to reach an
agreement. One of the biggest issues is that Coca-Cola Consolidated
is attempting to make major changes to the health insurance plan,
and drastically increase costs for employees, even as the company's
health plan costs at the Bluefield
location have decreased.
Coca-Cola Consolidated distributes, markets and manufactures
Coca-Cola products in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Coca-Cola Consolidated's
largest customers are Walmart Stores, Inc., The Kroger Company and
Food Lion.
Approximately 14 percent of Coca-Cola Consolidated employees are
covered by collective bargaining agreements, including
approximately 1,500 workers represented by the Teamsters Union.
Many Teamsters who work at unionized Coca-Cola facilities in
West Virginia and in other states
have the ability to recognize and not cross a picket line when it
is extended to their locations.
Although yesterday's strike was over an unfair labor practice,
the last time a strike occurred at Coca-Cola Consolidated 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.
Contact:
Ralph
Winter, (304) 545-4638
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SOURCE Teamsters Local 175