The labor dispute began November 17, after the union's contract with the bottler expired. Truck drivers had requested a small raise for some employees. Drivers are paid a salary as well as commission on their deliveries. Some of the union's approximately 30 delivery drivers reportedly make $45,000 to $75,000. The Teamsters say County offered a deal that would cut hourly wages and benefits an average of $10,000 to $18,000 a year.
The bottler provides beer to a large swath of Jackson County east of Interstate 435. Its customers include Arrowhead Stadium, the Costco in Independence, a Super Target, and numerous Hy-Vee and Price Chopper locations and smaller liquor stores.
Details of the new contract haven't been released yet. County Beverage President Mike White was not available for comment and did not immediately return a call. Local 838 Secretary-Treasurer and Business Representative Richard L. Blevins says he won't provide specifics of the deal. "I'm not a happy camper with the details," he tells The Pitch.
During the strike, KCTV Channel 5 reported that the bottler's delivery routes had been taken over by County Beverage salespeople. The station reported that there was at least one crash during the strike, when a County Beverage truck struck a school bus. No injuries were reported in the accident.
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