Bigfoot Beverages employees — represented by Teamsters Local 206 and Teamsters Local 324 — have been on strike since Sept. 19, fighting to preserve their pension fund from being replaced by a 401(k). Teamsters are picketing Bigfoot Beverages locations in Eugene, Springfield, Roseburg, Coos Bay and Newport.

“We have a lot of people who were looking at being able to retire with full benefits in their mid, early, mid 50s. They’re now going to be looking at retirement age of 65, 66,” says Geoff Stewart, treasurer secretary of Teamsters 206.

Two weeks ago, negotiations between Bigfoot Beverages — an Oregon-based drink distributor of Pepsi products, Hop Valley Brewing and Ninkasi Brewing — and the Teamsters broke down after three months of bargaining with a federal mediator — a specialist in facilitating labor-management negotiations. 

“The issue of the strike is that our members were part of a well-defined pension benefit plan since the inception of the contract, and the company is taking the position to remove them from that pension program and put them into an inferior 401(k),” Stewart says.

Bigfoot Beverages “knows what they have to bring to the table to end this,” he says. “Look back to 2008 when the average person lost 40 percent of what they had in their 401(k).”

“We came to the table with raises for each employee, an extremely generous 401(k) retirement plan plus a signing ratification bonus of $2,500 each yet we were rejected without allowing our team members to vote on our offer,” said Eric Forrest, co-president of Bigfoot Beverages in a press release.

Bigfoot Beverages did not reply to Eugene Weekly’s specific request for comment.

Now, after three months of bargaining “in bad faith,” Teamsters 324 Treasurer Secretary Chris R. Muhs says they filed an unfair labor practice against the company. “They knew that by taking the [employees] out of the pension, it was untenable, and they’ve taken a position over take it or leave it,” Muhs says. 

“And that’s not bargaining,” he says.

Stewart says the Teamsters are more than willing to return to the negotiating table, but have not heard anything back from Bigfoot Beverages. “We have not received any word back from the company at all. So currently it’s crickets, complete radio silence,” he says.

Now, Stewart and Muhs estimate that Bigfoot Beverages spent more money on scab labor, security guards, public relations firm Funk/Levis Associates and what they call the “union-busting” law firm Fisher Phillips than it would have cost to keep the same pension rates — frozen at the same rate as the last contract — for the next three years.

Tim Wardwell, a Teamsters 206 member, says that the scab, or temporary labor breaking the picket line is unskilled and unequipped to get the job done.

“Someone just drove out of here yesterday with the back of the vending truck wide open, with stacked product in the back,” Wardwell says. “That’s gonna go on the freeway and everything.”

Teamsters 206 member Edwin Powell says that he enjoys delivering the food to local businesses and building relationships with local clients, many of whom rely on the money that the vending machines can bring in. 

    Bigfoot Beverages’ also stocks the vending machines for the University of Oregon  — the school is one of their biggest clients. A petition requesting the University of Oregon Board of Trustees “cut ties” with Bigfoot Beverages reached over 1,000 signatures on ActionNetwork.org. Picketers have been on the line day and night to express their feelings and have received support from drivers down McVay Highway in the form of honks and cheers. “I have seen positive feedback from the community,” Powell says. 

A gray Buick rolled down the block on Shelley Street — the location of a currently picketed Bigfoot Beverages operation — with a man leaning out of his window screaming “Get back to work, you lazy fucks!” Their request was met with laughter by those on strike.

The Teamsters 206 and 324 say they are fully prepared to be on strike until their demands are met, with the members expecting that Bigfoot Beverages comes around. “As long as it takes,” Stewart says.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters pools all the dues money collected by its members into a dedicated strike fund — which is currently being used by the striking Teamsters members to pay for their basic needs.

“Nobody wanted to be here, but they are willing to be here,” Powell says.  

By Josiah Pensado and Bentley Freeman