Strikers drink to victory
‘Thrilled’ at pact with L.I. beer distributor
CRACK OPEN a cold one — the 82-day Teamsters strike at a Long Island beer distributorship is finally over.
The hard-won accord ratified Saturday closed a bitter chapter between Teamsters Local 812 and Clare Rose, a family-run Anheuser-Busch distributor where many union members had worked for decades.
“We are all thrilled,” said Mark Pooler, a driver at Clare Rose with 26 years with the company.
The ratified contract covers drivers and warehouse workers who went on strike April 23 after Clare Rose said it was pulling out of the Teamsters pension plan and cutting workers wages by 30%.
After an extended battle that included support from the state AFL-CIO and many Long Island businesses that refused Clare Rose deliveries in solidarity with the workers, the two sides finally came together Thursday with a deal.
Clare Rose said it will continue to contribute to the employees’ pension plan and maintain wages well above its April offer.
The Teamsters hailed the accord as win for the workers — and noted that none of the union members crossed the picket line despite 82 days without pay.
The strike came after months of fruitless negotiations. A day after the April walkout, Clare Rose sent its employees letters saying they could be permanently replaced and offering details on how to contact the National Right to Work Defense Fund to quit their union. But an outpouring of support from Long Island communities helped buoy the Teamsters during their threemonth ordeal. More than three dozen local bars, stores and restaurants boycotted Clare Rose. Thousands of Long Islanders signed petitions, posted their support on Facebook, and put boycott signs on their lawns.
Ed Weber, president of Teamsters Local 812, said the union was “pleased” to be back in step with Clare Rose — but there was a larger lesson in the struggle as well.
“We don’t have to make concessions every time a company wants higher profits. I hope this is a sign of things to come. We can fight back and we can win,” Weber said.
Gov. Cuomo, who quietly helped broker the deal, praised Clare Rose for agreeing to fair compensation.
“Union labor is the backbone of our economy, and we will continue to do everything in our power to strengthen New York’s middle-class families,” Cuomo said.