Members of Locals 135 and 142 Stand Together to Win Huge Wage Increases, Reduced Health Care Costs

(INDIANAPOLIS) – Members of Teamsters Local 135 and Teamsters Local 142 at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits ratified a new contract this week. The joint contract covers 120 drivers and warehouse workers at the company’s warehouse in Indianapolis and at its satellite facilities across Indiana.

“The improvements in this contract are the best we’ve ever had,” said Jeff Combs, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 135. “I’m incredibly proud of these members for standing strong and achieving what they did.”

The five-year agreement provides wage increases from $9.50 to $11 per hour over the life of the contract. It also lowers workers’ share of healthcare premium costs to $0 for the first two years of the contract and significantly increases the employer’s pension contributions.

“This bargaining unit used to be two separate units, but were merged together when Southern Wine and Glazer’s merged to form one company five years ago,” Combs explained. “It wasn’t’ an easy process – this group was not unified five years ago and the company knew it.

“Over the past five years, though, these workers came together to form a united and solid group. They understood that standing together in solidarity was the only thing that would win them a better contract and they were 100 percent right.”

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Chief Steward Kevin Clark agreed.

“The company came to us with a low-ball offer back in February, and we voted it down,” said Clark. “We stuck together at the bargaining table and kept all our co-workers updated on how negotiations were going. We stayed united and fought for what we deserve – the company realized they couldn’t divide us and that we weren’t going to back down. That’s how we won.”

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

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