Union employees on strike are showing support for a business that stood by them.
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Union workers on strike are giving back to a local bar that has supported them during their labor dispute.
A shuttle transported Premier-Midwest Beer and Beverage employees to Underwood Bar in Dundee on Friday night.
The visit comes as Teamsters members approach their ninth week on strike.
Underwood Bar is among the local businesses refusing to accept shipments from Premier Midwest during the strike, and Teamsters Local 554 is returning that support.
Earlier this week, striking delivery drivers said the company’s new ownership is attempting to reduce wages and benefits.
Premier Midwest has responded by saying the union’s criticism “ignores the major declines the beer industry has experienced.”
As union members gathered at the bar, they were joined by local politicians, members of the Omaha Firefighters Union, and other labor groups from the area.
“You want to strike with community support,” said Teamsters Local 554 Principal Officer Danny Avelyn. “And that’s what we have. We have had such an outpouring of support. It’s, you know, we’re all kind of, you know, flabbergasted by the support.”
Although the strike has continued for eight weeks, union members are still receiving pay through union support.
Union leadership is also calling for increased backing from the public, including boycotts of products distributed by Premier Midwest.
The company has said it hopes to resolve the dispute soon, stating that “no one wins” in a strike.
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