News
Southern Glazer Drivers Join Teamsters
Delivery drivers at two locations of Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits recently formed their union with the Teamsters. Southern Glazer is a beverage distributor for wines and spirits.
At Local 988 in Houston, 59 Southern Glazer drivers there are new Teamsters. At Local 79 in Tampa, 30 drivers joined the union.
“I am happy that we won because not only did we join the Teamsters, but the union has negotiated other good contracts at Southern Glazer locations,” said Daniel Watkins, an employee for the past nine years.
Teamster members from other locations of Southern Glazer visited with and gave encouragement to the Houston drivers and were instrumental in the successful vote.
“We had great assistance from members and the leadership of Local 853 in Oakland, Calif.,” said Joachin Galvan, a business agent at Local 988. “For our drivers, hearing about contracts won by Teamsters in other locations of Southern Glazer was important, and I think made a difference in the vote’s outcome.”
“We will support the drivers and work with them to negotiate their contract,” said Robert Mele, President of Local 988. “Having work rules in writing in a collective bargaining agreement brings stability to workplaces and we look forward to providing that for these Southern Glazer employees.”
Florida Victory
Delivery drivers working for Southern Glazer in Fort Myers, Fla., have voted to join Local 79.
“Being a Teamster is going to make a big difference on the job for us at Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits,” said Enrique Vasquez, a driver.
“We are working now with the Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits drivers to negotiate their first contract,” said John Sholtes, business agent at Local 79. “The priorities will be fair route assignments, fair pay and improved benefits.”
The workers join over 64,000 brewery and soft drink workers in the U.S. and Canada who are members of the Teamsters Brewery and Soft Drink Workers Conference.