Members of Teamsters Local 238 have ended their 12-day strike at Keurig Dr Pepper’s Ottumwa facility after approving what they consider their best collective bargaining agreement to date. This win marks the third successful strike by the Teamsters in just over a month and the second victory for Iowa Teamsters in under six months.
“From the very beginning, this fight was about exacting justice and holding this employer accountable, and that’s what we did,” stated Drake Custer, Local 238 Recording Secretary and Business Agent. He praised the workers for their fearlessness and unity, qualities he deemed essential for achieving victory on the picket line.
The newly ratified three-year agreement includes enrollment in a Teamsters health insurance plan, which promises better coverage at a reduced cost. The contract also ensures guaranteed paid time off and an immediate eight percent wage increase in the first year, with more increases in subsequent years.
Andy McCabe, a forklift driver at KDP Ottumwa, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, emphasizing the significance of collective action. “With this agreement, Keurig Dr Pepper won’t be able to work us non-stop anymore, so this was well worth the fight,” he noted. “Everything we did to win this contract, it shows what’s possible when we stick together.”
Teamsters Local 238 serves a variety of workers across different sectors in Iowa and is affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which has 1.3 million members nationwide.
