NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS |
June 5, 2020 | PAGE 5
Teamsters strike at Hood
River Distillery continues
A Teamsters strike at Hood River
Distillers (HRD) is still going
strong, with 100% of the work-
force still walking the picket line,
reports Michael Beranbaum, sec-
retary-treasurer of Local 670.
Twenty-five workers walked
off the job May 6 after their em-
ployer, during the COVID-19
pandemic, implemented its own
final offer that altered health in-
surance benefits and provided
paltry wage increases. HRD pro-
duces and bottles popular brands
such as Pendleton Whiskey, Avi-
ation Gin, Jose Cuervo tequila,
and Monarch distilled spirits.
Beranbaum told the Labor
Press the strike is having an im-
pact on production, noting that
seven railroad tanker cars con-
taining bulk alcohol are stalled at
The Dalles because railroad
workers won’t cross the Team-
sters’ picket line. The raw alco-
hol is blended and bottled at the
Hood River plant.
Beranbaum said the plant’s air
conditioning unit broke down,
but HVAC repair crews wouldn’t
cross the picket line to fix it.
“We’ve had some 90 degree
days here, so it can’t be too com-
fortable in there,” he said.
He said scabs appear to be
mostly teenagers, possibly kids
and friends of management per-
sonnel. “There’s not much com-
ing out of there,” he said.
The union has filed unfair labor
practice charges with the National
Labor Relations Board alleging
that the company bargained in
bad faith and made unilateral
changes to terms and conditions
of employment. No new talks
were scheduled at press time.
Pickets are receiving a weekly
strike benefit from the interna-
tional union, and a separate strike
assistance fund has been set up
and is receiving contributions
from Teamsters locals through-
out the West Coast.
You can contribute to the
strike fund as well. Contributions
can be sent to:
Teamsters Local 670
Strike Assistance Fund
P.O. Box 3048
Salem, Oregon, 97302
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