Dozens of Breakthru Beverage truck drivers go on strike in Tampa and across the state
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Teamsters went on strike to protest what they said are unfair labor practices at Breakthru Beverage's in Tampa.
It's a part of a statewide work stoppage that will also impact the company's operations in places like Fort Myers, Orlando and Tallahassee.
From early Tuesday morning through the afternoon, workers were chanting that they are Teamsters and what they want is a fair contract.
'All they really want is a fair day's work for a fair day's pay,' said Brandon Sosnoff, with Teamsters Local 79.
'I've been a driver for the company for the past 10 years, and all they've done is just take stuff from us. That's all they've done in the past. Many, many years, and it's time for us to put a stop on it,' said Yuniel Sancillena, who has been a driver for a decade.
Everyone at the union is on strike to demand higher wages as well as better benefits and working conditions.
Those behind the wheel said they will protest until they get what they deserve.
'They're laughing at us, and we're going to continue out here, as long as it takes, as long as we've got to be out for, we're going to be out here fighting for what we deserve. Truck drivers deserve better than what they do to us,' Sancillena said.
Breakthru is one of the largest alcohol beverage wholesalers in the country, operating in 15 states and Canada.
When the drivers got to the negotiating table, they said they were left disappointed.
'The company dropped their last, best, and final offer on us. Essentially, it was just a wage cut. Not increasing health insurance, no retirement benefits. It was just a slap in the face to these drivers, and they said we've got to hit the streets,' Sosnoff said.
The drivers said if the strike continues, ramifications will be felt locally and throughout the state.
8 On Your Side's Alessandra Young asked those on strike what the worst-case scenario might be for consumers if the strike continues.
'This is definitely going to be a huge impact when it comes to customers and businesses, they are going to need the product. Obviously, they don't have the manpower to get the product out. Every single driver is going to be out here, no one is going in to move those trucks, unless we get a better contract, and they're going to feel it,' Sancillena said. 'It is going to have a huge impact, because they got a lot of trucks that have got to go out and a lot of products that have to go out and there are many customers that will be waiting on product.'
The drivers said they will be out on strike for as long as it takes for them to get the contract they want to see.
8 On Your Side reached out to Breakthru Beverage for a response.
'While we respect the rights of our associates, we are disappointed that our Northern Florida drivers, represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, have initiated a strike,' the company wrote in a statement.
'We have contingency plans in place to ensure minimal disruption to the business. We hope to reach a resolution soon and are committed to maintaining an open and transparent dialog with the union. We value all our hard-working associates and always strive to provide them with competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a positive work environment,' Breakthru wrote.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tampa dog bar forced to shut down after losing legal battle with state
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Pups Pub in Tampa is preparing to close its doors this weekend after losing a legal battle with the state over its dog-friendly indoor operations. The business, which allows dogs to roam freely both inside and outside its premises, initially won a lawsuit in 2023 that permitted non-service animals indoors. But the Florida Department of Health appealed the decision and won. A state court ultimately ruled that the Department of Health has the authority to prohibit non-service animals inside any food service business, effectively banning the indoor-outdoor dog bar model. 4 dolphins from Florida park involved in criminal investigation moved to Clearwater Marine Aquarium 'To use the term divide and conquer, they picked one entity,' attorney Gary De Pury, at De Pury Law told News Channel 8. 'They went through the entire legal battle in order to create all the legal precedents. And now they can pick five, six, eight, ten at a time and start shutting them all down by saying, okay, we don't like what you're doing.' While other dog bars in places like St. Petersburg remain open for now, legal experts said they could face similar scrutiny if the health department decides to expand enforcement. 'Until the health department comes in their establishment [and says], okay, here's the new ordinance and you have to shut it down,' the attorney added. 'And as you know, laws change every single day in Florida.' In a Facebook post announcing the abrupt closure, the owners of Pups Pub wrote: 'Despite previously winning our case in 2023, the Department of Health appealed and ultimately reversed the ruling. We are heartbroken to announce we will be closing our doors this Saturday.' The decision has left loyal patrons and pet lovers disappointed. 'With any neighborhood bar, everybody kind of knows their name and their dogs,' one visitor said. 'I think it's kind of a travesty. I feel very sorry for the patrons and the business owner.' Pups Pub's final day of operation is set for Saturday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘Help me get back into my home': Hillsborough residents give input on spending $709M in storm recovery funds
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla (WFLA) — Hillsborough County is asking residents to give input on potential spending for storm recovery funds. The county held the first of nine public meetings on Wednesday night. $709 million of federal funding is available to help with recovery and mitigation efforts related to Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene, and Milton. The money comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery. Many hurricane victims are at different stages of recovery. Barbara Yarborough is back in her West Park home after having four feet of water on the inside. 'I walked in the front door and nothing was in the same place,' said Yarborough. 'It was dirty sewer water, that's what bothered me.' Yarborough couldn't make it to the meeting on Wednesday, but said she had been encouraging her neighbors to go, as she says they've never seen flooding like what they saw last fall. Evelyn Igbinosun lives in Lake Magdalene and said three feet of water rushed into her house. 'I'm still not in my house,' said Igbinosun. 'If I didn't have a relative, I would be out on the street.' These women, and other residents, called on Hillsborough County to make some changes. The county proposes putting $35 million toward administration, $5 million for planning, $360 million for housing, $107 million for infrastructure, $180 million toward the economy, and $12 million for public services. 'We want this to be fair and accessible to all who qualify,' said the moderator of the public hearing. Residents said they felt $709 million isn't enough money to help. '$10 million for flood mitigation wouldn't even cover this area,' said one resident. 'These public dollars should prioritize long-term community resilience, not corporate profit,' said another resident. They also mentioned the backed-up canals and drainage systems they feel make storms even worse. 'Our ditches in the Town and Country area are horrible,' said one woman. 'It rained the other day and I went into a panic. I said 'Oh my gosh, I hope it's not going to rain too much,'' said Yarborough. 'I want them to redo the gutters and that canal there. Stormwater and drainage, after all, that's why we're here. Florida, we're known for that, so we need to take care of it. And I thought our taxes went to take care of things.' Igbinosun said she doesn't think the county was prepared for these storms and wants them to act now. 'Help me get back into my home. I would love that because my husband is in a nursing home. We use to go and get him and bring him home for the day. We can't even do that anymore,' said Igbinosun. 'Drainage would be the most important thing to me and then helping people like me get back into their homes and function day to day in their own surroundings.' The county has six years to use these funds. If the plan is approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the county can implement the program later this fall. If you want to send Marilyn Parker a news tip about this story or other newsworthy events, fill out the form below! Submit a form. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
Budget framework agreed, property tax relief still absent
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — House and Senate leadership reached a framework for the budget, but the details are still being worked on behind closed doors. One major proposal seems to be missing: Governor Ron DeSantis' property tax relief plan. However, that could change as negotiations continue. For months, Governor DeSantis pushed his property tax relief plan, touting potential savings of around $1,000 per homestead property. 'If we do that, we would end up with about $1,000 in property tax cut for every homestead Floridian,' said Governor DeSantis. However, House Speaker Danny Perez has taken a different approach. Rather than fast-tracking DeSantis' proposal, he created a special select committee to take a deeper look. 'I will be appointing a select committee on property taxes to do this important work,' said Speaker Perez. That committee has met twice and is expected to continue meeting through summer and fall. So far, lawmakers have found there's no one-size-fits-all solution to this issue. 'It's complicated,' said State Rep. Adam Anderson, (R-Palm Harbor). 'Every county is different. Every city is different. Special districts are all different. And the percentage of tax revenue that they receive from property taxes varies widely.' Anderson introduced legislation this past year to boost property tax transparency and offer tax relief for homeowners in flood zones making improvements. Though the proposals were overshadowed this session, he plans to revisit them next year. 'It's not about doing this quickly, it's about doing it correctly and we have plenty of time to make sure that a good solid proposal ends up on the ballot for the voters to approve,' said Anderson. Most lawmakers are eyeing the skies for property taxes to end up on the 2026 ballot, however, some argue this topic requires more time and dedication. 'I'm hoping that we don't get to craft anything for the 2026 ballot, and they push it out a few years because that's not something that you should jump right into and make a decision like that,' said State Rep. Dianne Hart, (D-Tampa). Hart says the committee needs to plan on hearing from constituents all across the state together. And while a game of political tug-of-war plays out behind the scenes with the state budget, Florida homeowners are left with rising bills and only a few answers on the table. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
