February 18, 2021
Agreement covering Teamsters from Local 174, 58, 690, and 839 will guarantee strong wages and benefits for an additional two years
As the continued COVID-19 pandemic throws many industries into disarray, nearly 200 Teamster members working at Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits (SGWS) throughout the Pacific Northwest area have ratified an Agreement that is expected to carry them out the other side of the pandemic’s economic impacts. The two-year contract extension provides area industry-leading wage and pension increases, along with maintenance of healthcare, to protect workers while rewarding them for their tireless efforts to keep product moving throughout these challenging and uncertain times.
Management at SGWS recently approached the Teamsters about negotiating a contract extension rather than a full contract renegotiation. After consulting with and reaching unanimous consensus among our rank-and-file leaders, it was agreed that with all the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and its effects on SGWS markets, it made little sense to pursue a contract locking in terms for several years. However, the Teamsters, led by Local 174 Secretary Treasurer Rick Hicks, insisted that any contract extension needed to fully reflect how hard our members have been working throughout the pandemic, and recognize how they have risked exposure to themselves and to their families while being deemed ‘essential’ workers.
The two-year extension offer from SGWS Management, which was ratified overwhelmingly on February 6, 2021, delivered on all of that and more.
In addition to its economic rewards, the contract extension also improves the sick leave language in the contract, improves seniority, bidding and vacation rights, and adds another paid holiday: MLK Day.
“This ongoing pandemic has truly revealed which workers in our economy are ‘essential,’ and our members at Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits have fully earned that title,” said Teamsters Local 174 Secretary-Treasurer and Joint Council 28 President Rick Hicks. “We are proud that this extension has now put SGWS in the position to set the area standards in just their second contract with our Locals, and we are pleased that management has recognized the contributions our members, their employees, have added to the continued success of the Company.We look forward to continuing to lift up these workers in an industry that is clearly more essential than any of us imagined.”
The contract extension covers Teamster drivers and warehouse workers from Local 174 (Tukwila, WA), Local 58 (Vancouver, WA), Local 690 (Spokane, WA), and Local 839 (Pasco, WA).