After a three-day strike that disrupted beverage distribution across the New York metropolitan area, unionized beer delivery drivers and warehouse workers at Manhattan Beer & Beverage Distributors (MBBD) — including those from Ridgewood — have emerged victorious, securing a new union contract with improved pension benefits.
The strike began early Tuesday, April 15, when more than 600 employees across four MBBD facilities walked off the job to protest what their union described as unfair labor practices during contract negotiations.
Workers are represented by the Laundry, Distribution, and Food Service Joint Board, Workers United/SEIU (LDFS Union), and have been operating without a contract since that morning when their previous agreement expired.
Workers set up picket lines at four key locations: the company’s headquarters at 955 East 149th St. in the Bronx, as well as MBBD facilities in Ridgewood (47-47 Metropolitan Ave.), Wyandanch, and Suffern.
The Ridgewood facility played a crucial role with its drivers joining fellow union members on the picket lines to demand respect and a fair contract that would preserve their pension plans.
The union accused MBBD of violating federal labor laws by attempting to negotiate directly with workers and bypass the union. The alleged unfair labor practices (ULPs) centered on the company’s push to exit the employees’ pension fund — a move that could drastically reduce retirement benefits for current workers and eliminate pension coverage altogether for newer employees.
“We’re the backbone of Manhattan Beer & Beverage. We’ve helped it succeed. We deserve real retirement security, fair wages, and respect on the job. We’re angry that they have been trying to sidestep our union and our bargaining committee on the critical issue of our pensions,” said Joe Gonzalez, Jr., a beer delivery worker.
He accused Manhattan Beer & Beverage of violating federal labor laws, undermining their union, and threatening workers’ pensions, urging customers to support their push for a fair contract.
During the next strike, which began at 4:30 a.m. on April 15, thousands of bars, restaurants, supermarkets, and bodegas throughout New York City and surrounding areas were impacted. MBBD operates more than 350 delivery trucks and over one million square feet of warehouse space, distributing more than 300 beverage brands — including popular names like Corona, Coors, Blue Moon, Samuel Adams, and Modelo.
The union insisted that the company’s actions during negotiations were not only illegal but also fundamentally unjust.
“Manhattan Beer has provoked this and brought us to a strike by trying to get around the union and bargaining directly with the workers,” said Alberto Arroyo, Co-Manager of the LDFS Union.
“This is disrespectful, an unlawful slap in the face to these workers, and has made negotiations harder. The company should know better than to commit unfair labor practices. And, at the bargaining table, the company is demanding that these workers agree to allow the company to leave the pension fund.”
The union warned that proposed cuts would jeopardize workers’ retirement security. It called on Manhattan Beer & Beverage to contribute an extra $1.50 per hour to protect and improve future pension benefits, arguing the company can afford it.
After several days of picketing and public pressure, workers ended their strike on Thursday, April 17, having secured a tentative agreement on a new union contract that includes stronger pension protections. The deal covers 600 workers across the Bronx, Ridgewood, Wyandanch, and Suffern facilities, and is expected to be ratified by the union membership in the coming days.
The outcome is a clear demonstration of the power of worker solidarity, especially as Ridgewood drivers and others stood united in the face of what they viewed as corporate overreach.
