Strike action at Four Roses distillery ends

A strike over proposed changes to new five-year contracts at Four Roses Bourbon distillery and bottling plant in Kentucky has come to an end after both sides reached a “tentative agreement”.

Strike action has been called off at Four Roses distillery (Credit: SEIU NCFO Kentucky Facebook)

Some 53 workers at the Lawrenceburg-based distillery and the bottling plant in Cox’s Creek walked off the job on Friday 7 September amid a contract dispute.

The strike is reportedly being led by union leaders from the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 10D.

Last week, the Bourbon maker claimed it “never proposed a two-tier wage plan” and “originally proposed that current employees could receive six weeks’ vacation after 25 years of service”.

Future employees would be limited to five weeks of holiday. However, the proposal was “dropped in the last negotiating session”.

A Facebook post from labour union SEIU NCFO Kentucky said: “The workers and the company have reached a tentative agreement that will raise wages and contains no ‘two-tier’ benefits system for new workers.”

In a statement on Friday (21 September), the distillery said: “Four Roses distillery and its unions returned to the negotiating table today, and positive progress was made.

“Both sides reached a tentative agreement with unanimous union board endorsement and the strike has ceased at both facilities.

“Four Roses looks forward to beginning full production again soon.”