Press Releases
Northeast Beverage Teamsters Ratify Strong First Contract
Local 443 Members in Connecticut Secure Major Gains Across the Board
Press Contact: Maura Drumm Phone: (215) 510-3735 Email: mdrumm@teamster.org
(NEW HAVEN, Conn.) – Teamsters at Northeast Beverage in Orange, Conn., have overwhelmingly ratified their first contract. The 33 drivers voted for Teamsters representation with Local 443 in September 2025.
“These drivers won a strong contract that reflects the hard work they put in every day,” said Jeff Padellaro, Director of the Teamsters Brewery, Bakery, and Soft Drink Conference. “Their commitment to securing their first contract should be commended and gives me hope for what can be built here. We are just getting started.”
“The strength and solidarity of this group made this contract possible,” said Salvatore J. Abate, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 443. “Our members negotiated a great deal that protects their rights and gives them the security they deserve. This is an agreement that they can continue to build upon for years to come.”
The five-year agreement includes a 30 percent wage increase, improved paid time off, and Teamsters health care and pension benefits. Northeast Beverage Corporation is a subsidiary of the Mancini Company, which has distribution facilities throughout New Jersey, New York, and New England.
“All of us drivers came together for this fight, and we are proud of the contract we won,” said Raheem Jefferson, a member of Local 443 and 12-year driver at Northeast Beverage. “Now we have a roadmap and know where our futures, and our families’ futures, are headed.” Teamsters Local 443 represents over 3,500 working men and women in the New Haven and Litchfield Counties. For more information go to teamsterslocal443.com.