Media Advisory - Steelworkers Picket Steam Whistle in Struggle Against Can-Maker Crown Holdings

TORONTO, June 24, 2014 /CNW/ - United Steelworkers (USW) members will demonstrate today outside Steam Whistle Brewing, a customer of can-making giant Crown Holdings where they have been on strike for over nine months.

WHO:	Steelworkers Local 9176 members
WHAT:	Raising awareness of nine-month strike at Crown Holdings
WHEN:	Tuesday, June 24, starting at 4:30 p.m.
WHERE:	Steam Whistle Brewing,
	255 Bremner Boulevard
	Toronto

Despite huge profits, Crown Holdings provoked a strike by making massive concessionary demands of 120 long-time workers at its metal packaging facility in Toronto. The strikers have been on the picket line since Sept. 6, 2013, while Crown is operating the facility with replacement workers, or scabs.

The USW has informed all of Crown's customers, including Steam Whistle, of the labour dispute and indicated the cans they are purchasing from Crown may be manufactured by inexperienced replacement workers.

The strikers have already been picketing major Crown customers such as Molson Coors, Labatt and Cott.

With Crown refusing to negotiate a settlement, picketing is expanding to other customer operations starting with Steam Whistle, where strikers will raise awareness of the labour dispute by leafleting the beer-drinking public.

For more information on the strike and the USW's campaign, including pictures and video, see www.takebacksnomore.ca.

SOURCE: United Steelworkers (USW)

Joe Drexler, USW Strategic Campaigns, 416-544-6009, 416-434-7907, [email protected]; Bob Gallagher, USW Communications, 416-544-5966, 416-434-2221, [email protected]; Candace Huntly, media liaison, 416-721-6858, [email protected]