ST. ALBANS, W.Va. — Horns honking in support of members of Teamsters Local 175, Coca-Cola truck drivers, who went out on strike Tuesday morning.
The work stoppage is over two grievances, according to Local 175 Business Agent Donnie Perdue.
“We met with the company yesterday (Monday) and we were unable to resolve them. One grievance is over supervisors working and the other is over mechanics, work is being sent out,” Perdue said.
Tuesday. (Photo/MetroNews)
That’s just part of a labor dispute the union has had with Coca-Cola Consolidated. A three-year contract expired April 25. Two weeks of negotiations beforehand netted little progress. Members of Local 175 unanimously rejected a new contract two weeks ago. They’ve been working without one until Tuesday.
“There’s just no movement there on the company and this is where they put us,” 27-year driver Darren Kimberling said as he and others picketed outside Coca-Cola distribution facility near St. Albans.
Kimberling, who has been part of the negotiating team, said workers are upset with moves by Coca-Cola to direct ship to Sheetz and use smaller vendors to deliver fountain supplies to restaurants and stores.
“They want to direct ship that and take it from us and when they do that it takes our jobs away and we just can’t stand for loss of jobs,” Kimberling said. “Jobs are valuable and we are fighting for them.”
Local 175, which covers the Charleston and Logan areas, received support Tuesday from other Teamsters locals in Bluefield, Parkersburg and Clarksburg. Perdue said about 200 workers were taking part in the work stoppage.
“The guys know that what we’re doing has to be done. The company is not willing to work with us,” Perdue said. “These guys are tired of what the company is doing to them.”
Kimberling said it didn’t appear to him that Coca-Cola would be able to deliver its products without the Teamsters.
“They put out in the media before that they’re prepared to pick-up and have no service failures or no service interruptions but from what I see today and what I hear from my other co-workers around the state it shows their ineptness and they are incapable of doing our jobs daily,” Kimberling said.
Coca-Cola Consolidated Director of Communications Natalie Arrowwood released the following statement Tuesday:
“We’re disappointed the union decided to take our teammates out on strike but remain committed to working with them on an equitable resolution. We have a solid plan in place to continue serving our customers.