'No beer come March': 5,000 Anheuser-Busch workers threaten mega-strike in US

In what can be termed as the first major battle between workers and a company in the United States in the new year, 5,000 employees of Anheuser-Busch (makers of Bud Light and more)are threatening to go on strike in March. Their demand is a significant increase in pay, job security and improvement tobenefits. If things heat up, the strike at the major brewer has the potential to derail beer manufacturing just when the summer months approach.

The workers from 12 Anheuser-Busch breweries across the United States are represented by Teamsters, a labour union thatvoted 99 per cent in favour of the strike in internal vote taken last month. Current contracts with the company are set to expire on February 29.

“Without a contract by February 29, there won’t be any beer come March,” the Teamsters said in a post on X (formerly Twitter

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“If Anheuser-Busch’s executives can’t get their act together to negotiate an agreement that respects workers, we will see them out on the streets,” said Sean O’Brien, president of Teamsters.

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The union says that company leadership has not met them after refusing negotiations on job security last November.

'Want fair and great contract'

A worker withAnheuser-Busch brewery in Jacksonville, Florida, while speaking to The Independentsaid that though the pay was good 25 years ago, it has failed to keeppace with inflation and other economic factors.

“When I started, Anheuser-Busch was what you would consider the top dog, it was the job to have. The pay was great, but with inflation, we are not the top-paying job,” said Anntonette Norris.

Her brother joined Anheuser-Busch five years ago and is struggling to cover expenses which were easily met 25-years ago when she herself joined the company.

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She told the news outlet that though the company continues to make great products, the effort of actual people who make it often gets overlooked.

“Anheuser-Busch wants to be No 1 in the beer industry, then they should want the No 1 group of employees working for them, who are proud to work for them and who are being compensated like it. We just want a fair and great contract that we feel that we are long overdue for.” saidNorris.

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Anheuser-Busch has top brands in the list of their brews. These include Budweiser, Stella Artois, Michelob Ultra, Busch. The company has breweries across US.

Anheuser-Busch's parent company AB InBev reported over USD 32 billion profits during fiscal year 2023, a rise of 1.97 per cent compared tothe previous year.

(With inputs from agencies)