Molson Coors restarts work, addresses reports of racism
A Milwaukee brewery has resumed operations one week after a gunman opened fire, killing five coworkers before killing himself, with company officials pledging to support returning employees and address former workers’ reports of a racist workplace culture.
“I think we have work to do. There’s no doubt,” Adam Collins, chief communications and corporate affairs officer for Molson Coors, said Thursday in a media briefing with reporters.
“We’ve seen a lot of rumors, I know you all have seen them too,” he said. “Some of them have accuracy . ... Some do not and others we don’t know. But what I do know is our commitment to solving that issue and tackling that issue head-on.”
Earlier this week, the company confirmed that five years ago, a noose had been placed on or in the shooter’s locker on a day he was not working. The company notified the man, investigated the incident and had an all-staff meeting about it.
On Wednesday, the Milwaukee Police Department said the initial investigation indicated the shooter was not influenced or motivated by retaliation for prior racist acts in the workplace.
In the wake of the shooting, former workers have spoken out about their experiences and racist acts they say they witnessed in the Milwaukee brewery.
Collins said the company already is having discussions with current employees about the culture and has approached outside organizations and partners for assistance.
“The first issue is listening to our own employees and looking inside and doing some really deep introspection within the company, that is our firm commitment,” he said.
The brewery line restarted Wednesday night and the complex is expected to be back to full operations in the next few days, Collins said.
“While some people are ready to come back and get back to a sense of normalcy, others are not,” he said.
The company will continue to provide trauma and grief counselors at the plant, and other security measures will continue, he said. In an employee email after the shooting, the company’s CEO has said there would be bag checks and an increase in armed and unarmed security patrols.
Collins also thanked members of the public for supporting a GoFundMe account for the victims, which reached its goal of $1 million on Wednesday. The Miller Valley Survivors fund was spearheaded by a $500,000 donation from Molson Coors Beverage Co.
The victims of the shooting are:
❚ Jesus Valle Jr., 33, of Milwaukee, a powerhouse operator with the Milwaukee brewery since 2014
❚ Gennady “Gene” Levshetz, 61, of Mequon, a powerhouse operator with the brewery since 2008
❚ Trevor Wetselaar, 33, of Milwaukee, a powerhouse operator with the brewery since 2018
❚ Dana Walk, 57, of Delafield, a machinist with the brewery since 2004
❚ Dale Hudson, 60, of Waukesha, an electrician with the brewery since 2008
The shooter has been identified as Anthony Ferrill, 51, of Milwaukee, an electrician who was a current employee at the plant. His family has declined interview requests and has issued a statement offering condolences and expressing sympathy for the victims and their families.