CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an alleged incident involving security for The Beverage Market, a picketing employee, and an employee’s mother.
Teamsters Local 175 put out a statement Monday afternoon, claiming that a picketing employee for The Beverage Market was tossed to the ground by a member of the company’s security team during a protest last Thursday.
The union also said another employee’s mother was pushed down during the heated incident, and 911 was called. According to the union, the employee received treatment at an urgent care facility and was given pain medication, while the employee’s mother “suffered scrapes and bruises.”
The strike from around 50 members of the Teamsters Local 175 union who work for The Beverage Market began May 12.
Contract negotiations resumed May 24 between the union and the company. Teamsters Local 175 reported “no real progress” during the talks, saying The Beverage Market continued to “demand concessions” and “provide zero reasons for its punitive behavior.”
Local 175 leadership expressed frustration with Thursday’s picketing incident.
“The Company acts as if these striking employees are just a bunch of thugs, but the only incident has come from The Beverage Market’s own security team,” Local 175 President Steve Day said.
“The only reason the security team is there is to intimidate striking workers and incite violence on the picket line,” Teamsters Local 175 Secretary-Treasurer Luke Farley said. “It seems as if one person got tired of our members not reacting and took matters into his own hands. As far as I can tell owners Theresa and Martin Johnson have done nothing to the security guard as he is still out by the picket line trying to intimidate members.”
Local 175 union members unanimously authorized a strike on May 2 due to concerns over concessionary proposals from the Beverage Market.
The union claimed that the Beverage Market was asking for unfair increases in health care premiums, as well as elimination of significant portions of employee retirement benefits, during contract negotiations.
The current contract between the union and the company expired at the beginning of May.
The Beverage Market distributes products such as Miller, Coors, Modelo and Red Bull to 30 counties in the state.