Press Releases
Teamsters at Cencora/AmerisourceBergen Rally for Fair Contract in Sacramento
Striking Warehouse Workers Demand Fair Pay, Improved Benefits
Press Contact: Daniel Moskowitz Phone: (770) 262-4971 Email: dmoskowitz@teamster.org
(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) – Striking Teamsters at pharmaceutical giant Cencora (formerly known as AmerisourceBergen) rallied today outside the company’s Sacramento distribution center. The 124 warehouse workers are members of Teamsters Local 150 and have been on strike since March 11.
Local 150 members went on strike after months of contentious negotiations for a contract that addresses years of concerns on the job. The warehouse workers are seeking a fair wage progression, lower health care costs, stronger seniority rights, and paid time off.
“While Cencora executives rake in millions, hardworking Teamsters are left fighting for scraps,” said Dale Wentz, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 150. “Workers deserve fair wages, affordable health care coverage, and adequate paid time off. It’s time for this company to prioritize the well-being of their employees over corporate profits.”
Cencora’s CEO Steven H. Collis took home $138 million over the past four years, including $43 million in the past year alone – 570 times what the median employee earns. On the same day Local 150 members went on strike, top executives received millions of dollars in special retention awards, including $2 million for the Chief Human Resources Officer and $3 million for CFO James F. Cleary Jr.
“AmerisourceBergen has prioritized profits over people, leaving workers in the lurch. All we want is a fair deal that improves our workplace, addresses our health care concerns, and fixes our outdated wage progression,” said Chris Simpkins, a 33-year warehouse worker at AmerisourceBergen. “This used to be a good place to work, but it’s clear where management’s priorities lie. This company has lost its way. We perform an important job and deserve better.”
AmerisourceBergen is the third largest pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution company globally and ranks 11th on the Fortune 500 list of the wealthiest companies in the U.S.
Local 150 has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board for the company’s improper and retaliatory behavior. The labor dispute could extend to other Teamsters-represented distribution centers in Seattle, Columbus, Ohio, Amityville, N.Y., and Puerto Rico.