The Teamsters Launch a General Strike at Molson's South Shore Brewery

It is an unlimited general strike. The members clearly expressed their dissatisfaction at last Sunday morning's general assembly…

LAVAL, QC, March 25, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Some 420 workers at the Molson-Coors brewing plant on Montreal's South Shore are currently on strike.

Last Sunday, nearly 320 workers present at a union meeting voted 99% against the latest management offers and 99% to give a strike mandate to their union, Teamsters Local Union 1999.

The points in dispute between the parties are numerous. In particular, the employer has proposed salary increases that are clearly insufficient, below inflation, and further wishes to implement a layoff system that does not take seniority into account and that Teamsters members are profoundly unhappy with.

"To put it bluntly, there are so many issues at stake in the negotiations that the employer would do well to review its strategy," said Michel Héroux, President of Teamsters Local Union 1999. "Molson-Coors must understand that after years of difficulty, particularly with the move to the South Shore and subsequent downsizing, it must treat its workers with respect."

It is an unlimited general strike. The members clearly expressed their dissatisfaction at last Sunday morning's general assembly.

"The members are united and determined to be respected," added Eric Picotte, Molson-Coors Local Union President. "We know the start date of this labour dispute, but I can't say when it will end."

"Since the merger with Coors in 2005, our working conditions have been deteriorating," Picotte adds. "Since the merger with Miller a few years ago, decisions have been made from Milwaukee and it's even worse."

In short, Molson's "family" approach is truly a thing of the past.

A Montreal media outlet reported in February that the brewer's net sales have risen from $9.7 billion in 2020 to $10.3 billion in 2021, an increase of 6.5%. In the last quarter of the year, sales rose 14.2% to US$2.6 billion.

With the province's labour shortage affecting all sectors of activity, it is in the brewer's interest to substantially improve its offers to members of Teamsters Local Union 1999.

Union spokespersons will be present as of Friday morning at 10 a.m. at the South Shore plant located at 6125 Rte de l'Aéroport, Saint-Hubert, QC J3Y 0V9.

The Teamsters Union represents the interests of 125,000 members in Canada. They are affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which has 1.4 million members in North America.

SOURCE Teamsters Canada

Catherine Cosgrove, Cell: [phone], [email protected]; Stéphane Lacroix, Cell : 514 609-5101, [email protected]