May 22, 2017
Belmar Mayor Joins Workers Protesting Shore Point’s Lockout
(BELMAR, N.J.) – This weekend Teamster members, union allies, supporters and the mayor of the Belmar protested MillerCoors and Shore Point Distributing at the annual Belmar Seafood Festival.
On April 30, the distributor that MillerCoors uses in New Jersey,Shore Point Distributing, locked 113 of its workers out of their jobs, in an attempt to force them to give up their pension, agree to a three-year wage freeze, and agree to give the company permission to change their health insurance plan and healthcare costs at any time.
At the Belmar Seafood Festival on Saturday and Sunday, workers distributed leaflets that read, “MillerCoors: Bad Taste.” An airplane banner circled overhead, bearing the same message.
The employees of Shore Point Distributing are members of Teamsters Local 701 in North Brunswick, New Jersey. Local 701 had been in negotiations for a new contract with Shore Point since Feb. 28, 2017. The workers and their union wanted to continue negotiations, but Shore Point locked them out instead, cutting off their salaries and their health care.
Many New Jersey stores and towns are supporting the locked-out workers. Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty revoked Shore Point’s sponsorship of the Belmar Seafood Festival, and told the distributor it could not supply beer to the festival.
“These workers do physically demanding labor every day that helps Shore Point earn its millions,” said Ron Lake, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 701. “It is unconscionable that the company would put its loyal workers out on the streets with no paychecks and no health insurance. That’s why we’re asking people to pass up beers that Shore Point delivers, like MillerCoors products, and why many of Shore Point’s customers aren’t serving beer the company distributes.”
Shore Point customers such as Portside Bar & Liquors, Main Street Bar & Grill, Lighthouse Tavern and others have posted signs in their windows that read “No MillerCoors Sold Here Until Shore Point Lockout Ends.”