By Tom Cabral, Shop Steward, McLaughlin & Moran, Inc.

Tom Cabral

Local 251 Teamsters at McLaughlin & Moran, Inc. deliver Budweiser products across the state.

When management at the beer distributor tried to deny healthcare to injured workers, the company got a taste of real union contract enforcement.

Under our union contract, if someone is injured on the job, the company has to pay for their Health and Welfare for up to a year—including for temporary workers.

The company wasn’t doing that and injured workers were losing their benefits. It wasn’t right.

When a worker reported the problem to our new Business Agent, he stepped up to the plate. We took the case to arbitration—and we got the company to pay for union healthcare for the injured workers.

As a steward, I backed the old local leadership. I was skeptical when the new team was elected. But I feel like a breath of fresh air has blown into our union.

If we have a problem, our business agent is on the phone with us right away. If we need him, he’s there for us. I like what I’m seeing out of Local 251.