Dr Pepper Caught Squirreling Away Products in Off-Site Warehouse

Teamsters Local 727 learned over the weekend that the American Bottling Company, a Keurig Dr Pepper subsidiary, has allegedly begun using third-party non-union employees to transport, load, and unload Dr Pepper products from its Northlake production facility to a warehouse in Tinley Park.  Local 727 immediately confronted Dr Pepper management over this issue during this morning’s bargaining session and made it clear to the Company that the Union will not stand for such blatant disregard of its obligations under the NLRA and CBA.

The Union filed a grievance, ULP, and information request, over the Company’s unilateral change and apparent retaliation.  All ULP charges, including those filed after the parties’ April 8 bargaining session, are currently pending with Region 13 of the National Labor Relations Board.

Dr Pepper management had no immediate response to the Union’s grievance or ULP charge.

Adding insult to injury, Dr Pepper management made no movement on wage increases, came down only slightly on health care premiums,* and offered no significant movement on the sales warehouse productivity and efficiency standards.  Instead, the Company continued to insist on provisions that would essentially allow the Company to keep its arbitrary efficiency standards intact during the life of the agreement.

Company representatives then absurdly asked the Union bargaining committee whether it would be interested in mediation.

“This isn’t a problem of us understanding each other and there is no need for a mediator to try and sell us on the Company’s terrible health care proposal,” said John Coli, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of Local 727.  “It seems the Company wants to hide behind a mediator instead of face the Union bargaining committee and be held accountable for its actions.”

The parties will revisit all open matters when negotiations resume on Monday, April 22.

Members with questions should contact Caleen Carter-Patton at (847) 696-7500 or [email protected].

*An earlier version of this story mistakenly stated that the Company had made no movement on its health care proposal.

Nothing in this article should be read as the union’s waiver of any legal argument, position or additional grievance. The union does not forfeit its right to make any and all supplemental arguments.

Category: BEVERAGE