Keurig Dr Pepper Fails to Fill Open Sales Warehouse Positions by Seniority in Violation of the CBA

It was recently brought to the attention of Teamsters Local 727 that the American Bottling Company, a Keurig Dr Pepper subsidiary, denied several members open positions within the Company’s sales warehouse.  Though the affected members possessed the skills needed for the roles and the seniority to bid into the positions, Keurig Dr Pepper management claimed the workers were ineligible to fill the openings.  The Company attributed the ineligibility to an attendance rule that allegedly prohibits employees with over ten attendance points from filling an open position.  This is not true.

According to Article 18 of the collective bargaining agreement, full-time employees that “possess the minimum position requirements to perform the job” are eligible to bid.  Should multiple employees who meet the minimum requirement bid on the open position, the CBA clearly states that the position must be filled strictly by “departmental seniority.”  No such attendance rule, as described by the Company, is present in the contract.

When Union and Company representatives met to discuss the grievance, Keurig Dr Pepper admitted that management had violated the CBA.  Though the Company agreed to follow the contract moving forward, Local 727 maintains that, in order to be fair, Keurig Dr Pepper must reverse the most recent bids and conduct the process again.

“Merely agreeing to follow the CBA after being caught does not fix the situation.  Keurig Dr Pepper must fairly rebid the open positions,” said John Coli, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of Local 727.

Local 727 will continue to update members as the grievance proceeds.

Members with questions should contact Lead 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