Important Message from Secretary-Treasurer, Phil Cooper - 1/6/2020
Our Molson Coors Teamster members working at the Irwindale Brewery in Southern California received some crushing news for themselves and their families today. On what is basically the Breweries 40th anniversary, the new parent company, Molson Coors, announced today that it was closing the doors of the Irwindale Brewery, with the last bottles being shipped in September of this year.
While the members were sent home directly after the announcement to try and process the heartbreaking information with their families, the Union was reaching out to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Brewery and Soft Drink Division to ask for help with the closing and or sale of the place.
There are many questions that need to be asked and answered on why this happened and how to move forward over the next few weeks! There are articles on the internet making reference that Molson Coors has offered to sale the Brewery to Pabst Blue Ribbon which will have to vetted. Currently, 40% of the Irwindale’s production is Pabst and some of its other products.
The closing of the Brewery will also have ramifications for Miller retirees as their Northwestern Medical Benefits will stop once the Brewery closes. For those receiving Medicare, they will continue to have that coverage, but the additional medical coverage from NWA will stop.
There are also needs to be Effects Bargaining scheduled, which could include severance packages and maybe additional medical contributions, should there be no buyer for the Landmark Brewery.
I will continue to keep the Irwindale Workers posted on information as it becomes available.
Fraternally,
Phil Cooper
Secretary Treasurer
Our Molson Coors Teamster members working at the Irwindale Brewery in Southern California received some crushing news for themselves and their families today. On what is basically the Breweries 40th anniversary, the new parent company, Molson Coors, announced today that it was closing the doors of the Irwindale Brewery, with the last bottles being shipped in September of this year.
While the members were sent home directly after the announcement to try and process the heartbreaking information with their families, the Union was reaching out to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Brewery and Soft Drink Division to ask for help with the closing and or sale of the place.
There are many questions that need to be asked and answered on why this happened and how to move forward over the next few weeks! There are articles on the internet making reference that Molson Coors has offered to sale the Brewery to Pabst Blue Ribbon which will have to vetted. Currently, 40% of the Irwindale’s production is Pabst and some of its other products.
The closing of the Brewery will also have ramifications for Miller retirees as their Northwestern Medical Benefits will stop once the Brewery closes. For those receiving Medicare, they will continue to have that coverage, but the additional medical coverage from NWA will stop.
There are also needs to be Effects Bargaining scheduled, which could include severance packages and maybe additional medical contributions, should there be no buyer for the Landmark Brewery.
I will continue to keep the Irwindale Workers posted on information as it becomes available.
Fraternally,
Phil Cooper
Secretary Treasurer
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