ST. LOUIS – Late Wednesday afternoon, Anheuser-Busch and the Teamsters Union reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract, avoiding a possible strike on Friday.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters sent word on its social media platforms that their negotiating committee went back to the table with Anheuser-Busch management on Wednesday and hammered out a deal. The current five-year contract was going to expire at the end of the month.
“Teamsters at Anheuser-Busch will have big pay raises, better benefits, and job security under a strong agreement that benefits everyone. The Teamsters fought hard and made sure we got every single item that our members need and deserve,” Jeff Padellaro, director of the Teamsters, Brewery, Bakery, and Soft Drink Conference, said.
The agreement will go up for a vote next week for Teamsters.
The tentative deal improves pay, health care, and retirement benefits for all 5,000 Teamsters at A-B breweries nationwide.
According to the Teamsters, highlights of the agreement include:
Significant job security for all 5,000 Teamsters at Anheuser-Busch, including brewers, packagers, and warehouse workers
Wage increases of $8/hour, including an immediate $4/hour raise in the first year — average wage increases total 23 percent over the length of the agreement
$2,500 ratification bonus for every member
An end to two-tier health care, providing all workers with the same high-quality Teamsters health care coverage
Increased pension contributions and benefits nationwide
Increased maximum vacation accrual to 8 paid weeks
Restoration of retirement benefits for active and retired members
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Teamsters previously authorized a plan in December 2023 to strike if negotiations didn’t lead to a new union contract by Feb. 29, 2024.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the brewer said the company was pleased to reach a deal that “builds even further upon” their wages, healthcare, and retirement package for employees.
At Anheuser-Busch, our employees are our top priority, and we are pleased to have reached a tentative bargaining agreement with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters that continues to recognize and reward the talent, commitment, and hard work of our employees while also positioning the Company for long-term success. This tentative agreement builds even further upon our existing industry-leading package of wages, healthcare, and retirement benefits, and it includes significant commitments to job security. As America’s leading brewer, we take great pride in providing the best jobs in the beer industry and we look forward to formal ratification in the days ahead.
Anheuser-Busch spokesperson
Anheuser-Busch, headquartered in St. Louis, employs more than 4,500 people in the St. Louis region, and operates more than 120 facilities nationwide.
A-B owns 12 breweries nationwide, including sites in St. Louis, Los Angeles, Houston and Jacksonville, among others.
AB InBev, the brewery’s parent company, reported $32 billion in gross profits for fiscal year 2023, a four-year high.
