The United States’ largest foodservice distributor is facing another delivery disruption, this time due to striking workers.
Sysco warehouse workers in Des Plaines, Illinois, members of the local Teamsters union, are striking over a contract that expired in February 2020, but was extended due to the pandemic. One union member said the employees are asking for a wage increase.
The Houston, Texas, U.S.A.-based distributor said the strike could impact the Chicago, Illinois, area, resulting in delays to deliveries to restaurants, Chicago Public Schools, Naval Station Great Lakes, and other major clients, according to the Chicago Sun Times.
“We are extraordinarily disappointed that the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Local 703 has decided to walk out on Sysco and our customers, at a time when our customers need us the most,” Sysco Great Lakes Region President Peter Peluso said in a statement provided to SeafoodSource.
The union's decision to strike is based on its “insistence to include illegal language into the contract terms,” Peluso added.
While Sysco continues “to bargain in good faith and work toward a resolution, Sysco Chicago has rapidly implemented our business continuity plans to continue serving our customers,” Peluso said.
In early August, Sysco paused or delayed service in selected geographic areas of the United States due to labor shortages.
Sysco Manager of External Communications Jerry Hereden told SeafoodSource the interruption in service is due a nationwide labor shortage. Hereden declined to say which areas of the country have been impacted by the disruption, although schools and restaurants in Kansas said they received service-disruption notices from Sysco.
In addition, some Michigan restaurants opted to close at the start of the supply disruptions, TV 6 reported. One restaurant owner was told the temporary stoppage would last six weeks.
Sysco Senior Director of External Communications Shannon Mutschler declined to say how long the service interruptions would last or provide an update on the initial delivery problems.
Photo courtesy of Andriy Blokhin/Shutterstock
