Brewery Workers Are On Strike In Wisconsin Right Now

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Uh oh! Things are not going well at one brewery over in Wisconsin, as its workers have hit the picket lines and gone on strike.

Wisconsin may be known as America's Dairyland, but it's also known for its ties to the beer brewing industry. Wisconsinsites LOVE their beer! (I say that as a Wisconsin native myself, btw-- and it IS true, let me tell you.)

And having grown up behind the Cheddar Curtain over in Wisconsin, I always thought that working in a brewery would be a cool job. I mean, you're making beer and getting paid for it-- what could be better than that, right?

READ MORE: Minnesota Is The Only Place That Still Sells This Strange Beer

Well, apparently, some things COULD be better. At least for about 40 employees of the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company over in Chippewa Falls, that is. Their contract with Leinie's parent company, the brewing giant Molson Coors, ended in May.

And after 98 percent of the Teamsters Local 662 rejected what the union called 'meager wage increases offered by the beermaker,' those 40 workers hit the picket lines outside the brewery, which is located about 90 miles east of the Twin Cities here in Minnesota, on Monday, July 10 and are refusing to return to work until a new contract with better wages is offered.

Here's what the Teamsters Local 662 Secretary/Treasurer Tom Strickland said about the strike:

Leinenkugel’s has been brewing beer in Chippewa Falls for over 150 years, which is a point of pride for both the facility’s workers and the entire community. That storied history of success wouldn’t have been possible without the hardworking Teamsters who keep this operation running. Molson Coors needs to respect these workers by agreeing to a fair contract.

For its part, the brewery believes it HAS made a fair wage offer. A Leinenkugel's representative told WEAU-TV in this story that they have 'made a competitive offer that exceeds local-marked rates for similar unionized roles.'

The Leinie's rep added that they do NOT believe the strike will impact their product supply-- meaning you should still see plenty of Leinenkugels beer on store shelves and on tap even while the strike is ongoing.

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