Teamsters union members & leaders rally at Jacksonville Anheuser-Busch location for worker raises

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Over 100 International Brotherhood of Teamsters union members & leaders gathered outside Jacksonville’s Anheuser-Busch on Friday morning with one simple message: “We make the beer we call the shots. The next rounds on you.”

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That call to action served as a resounding message from Teamsters Director of Brewery, Bakery and Software Conference, Jeffery Padellaro, but just one of many on Friday, as workers and union members rallied for increases in pay and job security.

“These men and women here everyday sacrifice time with their families, sacrifice a lot of things in life so that they come to a job where they provide great service. And Anheuser Busch benefits financially,” Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said at Friday’s rally. “They need to reward these people.”

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With over 100 people having showed up for Friday’s rally, Padellaro outlined how it provides the workers with their best bargaining tool yet in negotiations: solidarity.

“We can say whatever we want at the table. This shows that the membership is behind with general President O’Brien and Secretary Zuckerman have been preaching, which is numbers.”

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Action News Jax reached out to Anheuser-Busch for a statement on Friday’s rally, as well as on the current ongoing negotiations for a new contract, but have yet to hear back.

Meanwhile, President O’Brien issued a firm February 29th deadline on Friday for a new negotiation to be reached.

“We will not be working beyond the date of the expiration of this agreement … they will be putting themselves on strike and we will win,” exclaimed O’Brien.

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