City Brewing Company Workers Go On Strike
LATROBE, Pa. (KDKA) - Nearly 180 City Brewing employees in Latrobe didn't show up to work Tuesday. Instead, they went on strike at 6 in the morning, holding signs that say "fighting for fairness."
"Of course, there's anxiety," said Bobby Charettie, the IUE-CWA Local 144 president. "We want to get back to work. I don't think anybody wants to be out here."
But the employees felt they had no other choice but to go on strike.
"It's very surreal just walking up in here today," said Bill Palmer, the IUE-CWA Local 22 president. "No one is at work, and we're on the street. There hasn't been a work stoppage at this facility since the early 1980s. So, this is very serious."
Palmer and Charettie represent the beer production and packaging employees. They say the striking workers will stand outside in four-hour shifts as they wait for a response from the national labor relations board.
"We currently have multiple unfair labor practice charges against the company," said Palmer. "The company's not answering information requests and the company's unilaterally changing policies within the plant."
STRIKE: Employees at City Brewing Company in Latrobe are now on strike.
— Briana Smith (@brianasmithnews) March 15, 2022
The unions' presidents say it's because of unfair labor practices and charges have been filed.
About 180 union employees are on strike and will be here around the clock until problems are resolved.@KDKA pic.twitter.com/LIrYuAxS5A
The unions also released a press release in the beginning of March, stating employees are fighting for fair contracts as well as stopping management from mandating 12-hour shifts and taking away overtime pay. Their extended contract ended in the beginning of March.
"The stress of it all is the hardest part," said Charettie. "Anytime you say, 'I'm not going to work today. I'm going to stand out on the street,' there's some worry there. But, we are hopeful."
"I think at the end of the day, we all want the same thing," said Palmer. "Everyone wants to come to work and do their job and produce product for our customers."
As of now, the presidents say production is halted, but four employees remain in the building for safety reasons.
A spokesperson for City Brewing issued this statement:
"City Brewery has spent over six months working hard to reach an agreement with the IUE-CWA union for our Latrobe brewery and we remain committed to getting a strong contract in place for the benefit of our employees. Our most recent offer included significant wage increases for all covered employees – nearly 23% for new hires – upfront payments on signing, enhanced vacation accruals and competitive benefits. We have been meeting with our employees to ensure they have accurate information and we will continue to negotiate in good faith to resolve any open issues and reach an agreement."