Coca-Cola workers reach deal after three-week strike over labor disputes: 'Best and final offer'
Coca-Cola workers in Fort Wayne, Indiana, recently went on strike after negotiations with the company turned sour. The workers' union said the strike soon expanded to Toledo, Ohio, because the company sent a negotiator from Toledo to Fort Wayne to bargain on its behalf.
According to Toledo news station WTOL, the strike involved drivers, merchandisers responsible for stocking products on store shelves, and employees at the bottling facility.
Workers first went on strike after the company allegedly proposed increasing health insurance costs during contract negotiations but refused to provide workers with information regarding the specifics of the increase.
During the early days of the strike, the company reportedly made a "last, best, and final offer" to Fort Wayne employees of a minimum wage increase of 1 cent per hour in Years 2, 3, and 4 of employment. Union members unanimously rejected the proposal, according to WTOL.
Fort Wayne Union President Ehren Gerdes told WTOL the offer was a "smack in the face," adding that the union filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing Coca-Cola of bargaining in bad faith.
The strike ended after nearly three weeks when a deal was made, according to Fort Wayne news station WANE. The beverage company is making further concessions to its workers that were not fully disclosed in the report but included a four-year cap on health care costs.
"We are satisfied with the contract," Gerdes told WANE. "It moves Coke forward to meet the other area standards of the other beverage companies."
The strike comes at a challenging time for Coca-Cola, especially regarding environmental progress and commitments. The company recently quietly abandoned its pledge to make 25% of bottles returnable or refillable by 2030 and reduced its recycled material target from 50% by 2030 to between 35% and 40% by 2035.
Additionally, nearly 900 cases of Coca-Cola Original Taste were recalled last month after customers found plastic in their soda cans. The incident raised concerns about product safety and quality control.
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The company is also under fire for being named the world's biggest polluter of plastic waste for the sixth year in a row.
Despite these challenges, Coca-Cola has made progress on its environmental initiatives, including the development of hydrogen-powered vending machines and the incorporation of recycled plastics into its bottles. The company has also made strides to improve its water management and accessibility and switched to renewable energy at some facilities.
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