Anheuser-Busch and the Teamsters Brewery, Bakery, and Soft Drink Conference kicked off negotiations on Monday for a new contract covering 5,000 brewery workers nationwide.

"The Teamsters drew a blueprint to win the most historic contract for our members at UPS and we will build on that momentum to ensure another billion-dollar company pays our members their worth," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien. "Anheuser-Busch will reward rank-and-file Teamsters for their sacrifices during the pandemic, right the wrongs of previous worker concessions, and improve the wages, health care, and retirement benefits for the thousands of American families that make this company so successful the world over."

The Teamsters represent production workers at 12 U.S. breweries for Anheuser-Busch InBev, the largest beer maker in the world. Negotiations for a new agreement began Sept. 18 in St. Petersburg, Florida. The current contract expires Feb. 29, 2024.