Fighting for a fair contract at Safeway Beverage - Rachel Gerrish (l), Jason Bowers (c), and Jake Horowitz (r).

Teamsters at the Safeway Beverage plant in Bellevue have voted unanimously to authorize a strike. The group took the vote after a negotiations update meeting on Sunday. 

"I was really happy about the turnout," said Jason Bowers, a shop steward and member of the union negotiations team. "All of the group came together, and we are willing to fight for what we want. This will put a lot of pressure on the company." Bowers comes from a union family - his father has been a Teamster for nearly fifty years.

Shop Steward Rachel Gerrish, a production worker who also serves on the negotiations team, said the company's failure to make meaningful proposals on economics is the main sticking point in bargaining.

"We put a lot of dedication and long hours into making sure we bring value to the company," Gerrish said. "But the company is not coming forth with serious proposals on our economics. They say that they're working on culture, but when they come to the table, it's not translating there, which is not fair."

Jake Horowitz, the Union Representative for the group and lead negotiator at the bargaining table, echoed the concern. "They're literally nickel-and-diming us," Horowitz said. "They need to do better if we're going to get a deal."

Horowitz, Gerrish, and Bowers are joined by Local 117 General Counsel, Fallon Schumsky. The group has met with the company five times and has one more scheduled bargaining session, on May 11, before the contract expires on May 15.

"A unanimous vote sends a powerful message that our members are ready to fight," said Paul Dascher, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters 117. "Our members are fired up and will not accept a substandard agreement. They need to see strong wages, retirement security, and fair proposals on their health and welfare. If they don't see those things at the May 11 bargaining session, there will be a problem."