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Labor disputes in the bourbon industry have cropped up from time to time throughout the tumultuous history of the distillery industry in Kentucky, Tennesee and throughout the Appalachian South where the long memory of the region is replete with disputes between owners and workers that range from the brief and mutually beneficially resolved to the horrifically violent and tragic endings. In Bardstown, KY striking workers at one of the largest bourbon manufacturers on the planet voted on a new collective bargaining agreement after announcing a tentative agreement in October. There are serious concerns as to how future contract negotiations will impact the bourbon industry.
The Heaven hill strike as it’s come to be known drew to a close and the 420 employees who had picketed for over a month returned to work. However, the dispute has raised some major concerns that could echo throughout the industry for years to come. The contract is only set for five years though, meaning that Heaven Hill, the manufacturers of van Williams, one of the world’s top-selling bourbons alongside Elijah Craig, Henry McKenna, Old Fitzgerald, Larceny, and Parker’s Heritage Collection could find itself right back here in a few years time.
Peace in Our Time? Or a 5 Year Truce. Concerns Linger.
According to WPSD Local 6, an NBC affiliate, “The dispute revolved around health care and scheduling, the latter a sign of the bourbon industry’s growing pains as it tries to keep up with global demand.” Although the employees won concessions such as a guaranteed 40 hour work week and no mandatory weekend work along with a $3.09 per hour raise, there is nothing to guarantee that this agreement, more a truce really, will hold.
“This new Heaven Hill contract is a strong reminder of what is possible when Kentucky workers stand together to protect the good jobs that keep our economy growing and our communities and families strong,” UFCW Local 23D president Matt Aubrey said in a statement.
Productivity requirements and demand for the best bourbon in the world haven’t changed. If anything as more bad news than good dominates the headlines, we can expect Whiskey consumption to continue its upward trajectory. So time will tell if Distillery owners can keep pace with the market and with the unions.
