CICERO, IL | Teamsters Local 710 Drivers at Breakthru Beverage in Cicero and Rochelle, Ill. have been on strike for eleven weeks. The unfair labor practice strike began the morning of May 5 when drivers who started their routes for the day were called back in by the Union, leaving the company scrambling.

“How this employer continues to behave is downright ridiculous – it doesn’t make any sense,” said Local 710 President Del Schaefer. “They have a solid, professional group of over 100 drivers who are fully prepared to come back and clean up the mess they caused, yet they won’t meet us at the table and show our drivers the respect they are owed. We are not here to accept concessions or a subpar agreement. We’re heading into week twelve, and these members are as strong as day one on the line.”

The skeleton crew of scabs hired by Breakthru have been causing the company – and our communities – nothing but problems on a daily basis. From arriving at a Jewel a good six hours after their receiver went home for the day, to turning a rented U-Haul truck into a convertible, to daily reports of product shortages – these so-called replacement “drivers” have zero respect for Breakthru’s customers and equipment. Even worse, they have caused multiple accidents while on deliveries, posing a concerning safety threat in our neighborhoods.

“These scabs attempting to do our work are giving Breakthru a bad name, and it’s painfully obvious that they can’t do the job the way we can,” said Driver and Bargaining Committeeman Tony Ortiz. “We are eleven weeks deep on this picket line, and this is when they expect us to crack and bet that we’ll turn on each other. Not us, not ever. Won’t happen. We stand together in solidarity with the strongest Local in the country standing right alongside us. This one fight is all our fight, and we won’t back down when our rights are on the line.”

“The support for our drivers has been incredible,” said Schaefer. “From people laying on their horns all down Laramie and Cicero – as well as 7th Street in Rochelle – to anyone who’s brought food and water out to the line or stopped by to visit – every act, big or small, really helps with a morale boost and keeps our members fired up.”

The members are also getting support from both the IBT and Local 710 to help ease the burden of being on strike for nearly 3 months. The 710 Executive Board has approved covering any needed insurance costs while they’re on strike, and an additional $200 strike benefit each week, all because of the 710 Strike Fund that has more than $4 million. On top of that, the IBT has been providing a weekly enhanced strike benefit since day one.

The Teamsters are encouraging our community members to show support by not purchasing any products delivered by Breakthru. Stores, restaurants, and bar owners can call Breakthru’s Cicero Corporate Office at (708) 298-3333 and demand their products be delivered by Union members – some owners have even refused deliveries. Some popular brands they distribute include: