Teamsters Union Members Go On Strike at Sysco Plant in Denver

DENVER -- A strike is underway at Denver’s Sysco plant. The company distributes food to restaurants, school, hospitals, and other organizations.þþTeamsters Local #455 and their 300-plus members walked off the job Sunday night over a dispute with management over new rules regarding delivery and production.þþÿSysco foods is the largest food distributor in North America. We deliver to hospitals, restaurants and schools,” Herb Whitaker, the Teamsters’s spokesman, said Monday.þþ“This is not a pay dispute,” Whitaker said. “It’s over many safety issues. They want to put production standards on our drivers which we feel will put the general public’s safety at risk.ÿþþThroughout the day Monday, Sysco continued to conduct deliveries by non-union supervisors, FOX31 has learned.þþAt one point, Denver police were brought in to ensure union members did not block trucks from leaving the plant.þþMonitoring the strike is the Colorado Restaurant Association. As of Monday, no restaurants reported an impact, but longtime restaurateur Lee Goodfriend said the entire industry will be monitoring this strike.þþ“Restaurants could run out of food,” Goodfriend said. “There are other places to get food but it’s a big deal to lose your biggest company without knowing it is going to happen.ÿþþSysco issued the following statement:þþÿAt Sysco, we value our teams and have a long history of working collaboratively with our unions. Since we began negotiations with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 455, we have met on multiple occasions, working in good faith to negotiate a contract. Throughout our negotiations, we have offered wages and benefits that are competitive. We are committed to continued constructive discussions to ensure an outcome that best positions our associates, customers and the Company for long-term success.ÿ