Striking Beer Can Workers Bring Fairness Campaign to Labatt

TORONTO, April 9, 2014 /CNW/ - Striking employees of one of the world's largest beer can manufacturers will be picketing outside Labatt Breweries in London tomorrow to defend decent jobs for young workers.

WHO:	Employees of beer can manufacturing giant Crown Holdings
WHAT:	Information picket to defend good jobs for young workers
WHEN:	Thursday, April 10, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon
WHERE:	Labatt Breweries, 150 Simcoe St., London

Employees of the Crown Holdings factory in Toronto were forced on strike last September by Crown's demands for massive concessions, including a two-tier job structure that would permanently relegate young workers to low-wage survival jobs.

Rather than negotiate a fair deal with its employees, Crown has prolonged the strike and resorted to hiring replacement workers to supply customers such as Labatt.

"We want the public and companies like Labatt to know that they have tainted beer cans on their hands," said Crown Holdings employee Ken Hetherton. "These cans are tainted by Crown Holdings' attacks on decent jobs, especially for the next generation of workers."

The striking Crown employees are members of the United Steelworkers. They will hold an information picket outside the Labatt plant on Simcoe Street tomorrow from 8 a.m. until noon.

SOURCE: United Steelworkers (USW)

Joe Drexler, USW Strategic Campaigns, 416-544-6009, 416-434-7907, [email protected]; Ken Hetherton, USW Local 9176 President, 416-890-0118; Bob Gallagher, USW Communications, 416-544-5966, 416-434-2221, [email protected]; Candace Huntly, local media contact, 416-721-6858, [email protected]