Some progress made, but beer drivers' strike still on

7/12/2002

As a strike among Toledo area beer delivery drivers enters an 18th day, a union official said hopes of resuming talks have dimmed at the local Miller Brewing Co. distributor but have improved at the Anheuser-Busch, Inc., distributor.

Officials of Treu House of Munch, Inc., and Local 87 of the United Steelworkers of America have agreed to meet by July 25, said Dan Smith, a union representative. The meeting is being arranged by federal mediator Rick Terpinski.

Expected talks at Metropolitan Distributing Co. have not materialized, the union rep said, because company execs said they aren't interested in meeting until the union modifies its position. About 75 drivers and dock workers at the two firms walked off their jobs June 25. Company officials couldn't be reached for comment.