Teamsters, Fuhrer work out deal securing jobs for local workers
Most of the 10 people employed at a local beer distributorship will have jobs with its new owner as of Friday. In January, Mark Thompson Inc. of Uniontown announced the sale of its distribution rights to Frank Fuhrer, a Pittsburgh beer distributing company.
Mark Thompson Jr., who has owned and operated the family-founded business since the late 1980s, sold his distribution rights for Anheuser Busch and Bacardi Breezer products to Frank Fuhrer Wholesale Co.
“We entered into an agreement with Fuhrers in that they are going to take eight of the 10 employees from Mark Thompson and move them to their Pittsburgh facility,’ Vito Dragone, Teamsters Local 491 secretary-treasurer said Wednesday.
Dragone explained Teamsters Local 250 represents workers at the Fuhrer Pittsburgh facility.
“What we have been able to do, Local 491, Local 250 and Fuhrer, is enter into an agreement where eight of the 10 employees will hold their seniority with the new company for vacation purposes,’ Dragone said.
He added the workers will get all benefits under the Teamsters’ collective bargaining agreement with Mark Thompson.
The local company is to close on Friday, Dragone added.
All eight of the workers have commercial drivers’ licenses, he said. The other two workers opted not to go to Pittsburgh, he said.
Mark Thompson was founded in 1952 and until about 10 years ago operated in a building on East Fayette Street in downtown Uniontown. Thompson built a new facility on old Connellsville Road in North Union Township.
Mark Thompson Inc. employs about 20 people, many who are members of the Teamsters Local 491 union. Thompson said Fuhrer has indicated it will offer jobs to the employees. Fuhrer, he added, approached him in making the deal to sell the distribution rights.