Keurig Dr Pepper Double-Crosses Inside Employees, Reneges on Negotiation Promises

The American Bottling Company, a subsidiary of Keurig Dr Pepper (NYSE: KDP), recently posted notices informing Inside employees represented by Teamsters Local 727 that the Company will soon eliminate its PPO health care plans and begin only offering the Company’s new, high-deductible HSA health care plan.  According to the notices, Inside employees will be left without any health care coverage for the remainder of 2019 if they do not immediately enroll in the new plan.  These notices go directly against the agreement Dr Pepper made during negotiations to a flexible transition period.

While introducing their radical health care proposal during negotiations, Dr Pepper acknowledged that the Company would attempt to incentivize employees to leave their PPO plans by contributing additional seed money to the HSA accounts of all employees that enrolled early in the new health care plan.  However, Dr Pepper agreed that Inside employees would be able to keep their current health care plan through the end of 2019.

“By posting these notices, Dr Pepper has not only double-crossed its hardworking employees but has destroyed the Company’s credibility.  After so many lies and broken promises, why should our members ever trust the word of Dr Pepper again?” asked John Coli, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of Local 727.  “Local 727 will not sit quietly while the terms of our signed CBA are violated.  We will fight for the rights of our members.”

Local 727 has filed a grievance against Dr Pepper over this matter.  The Union has not yet received a response to this grievance.

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

Nothing in this article should be read as the union’s waiver of any legal argument, position or grievance(s), or as a waiver of any rights, arguments, or defenses under any contract, collective bargaining agreement, or applicable law.  The union does not forfeit its right to make any and all supplemental arguments.

Category: BEVERAGE