Teamsters Local 142 began a strike outside Pepsi's Munster location on Monday after failing to meet new contract agreements.
MUNSTER — A strike by truck drivers at the Pepsi bottling plant in Munster — the first since 1994 — has entered its second week.
Drivers represented by Teamsters Local 142 have manned the picket line on Calumet Avenue 24/7 since going on strike last Monday, though the number of picketers has shrunk as the strike has stretched on. The workers who haul Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Lipton Tea, Gatorade, Aquafina and Bubly sparkling water across the Midwest have installed a giant inflatable cigar-chomping fat cat clutching a bag of money outside the bottling plant.
They're waving signs like "formerly essential workers," "screw the Dew," "five-fold health care increase," "affordable health care: stop corporate greed," and "stop the war on workers."
Teamsters Local 142 Vice President and Business Agent Harvey Jackson said a planned meeting with Pepsi did not take place last week but the two sides hoped to return to the bargaining table soon.
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"We're hoping to possibly resume discussions," he said.
Pepsi's four-year contract with workers expired in May, but was extended a few times as the two sides tried to reach a deal. Production workers at the plant approved a contract that would potentially increase health insurance premiums more than fivefold.
The truck drivers rejected the same plan that would raise health insurance premiums next year from $14-$36 a week to as much as $89 a week in four years. The drivers were less willing to accept such an increase in out-of-pocket costs because their income is more variable, depending on commissions and mileage as they drive Pepsi products to stores in Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, Indianapolis and other Midwestern markets, Jackson said.
Drivers cannot predict exactly what their income will be in four years, and some could end up seeing a decline in take-home pay four years from now because of the increased out-of-pocket expenses for health care, he said.
PepsiCo delivery workers picket outside the company's bottling facility in Munster last week after the company and Teamsters Local 142 union f…
Pepsi did not immediately return a request for comment but has previously said the strike is "disruptive to all parties involved."
Workers at the Munster plant drive Pepsi products to stores across the Midwest, typically within a day's drive. Jackson said the Teamsters union has been able to provide shipping services to Pepsi more cheaply than outside carriers partly because of a lack of overnight and per diem expenses that longer truck trips necessitate.
State Rep. Mike Andrade, who joined the picket lines with workers last week, said he supported and would fight for the striking workers.
"We cannot have people not working right now," he said. "For the sake of our local economic development, we want to make sure everyone is working. We hope Pepsi comes to an agreement. There's no reason they can't. We're still dealing with a pandemic. They need to work this out. They need to not raise the premium. Maybe in a few years they can revisit it again but at this time there shouldn't be any reason why they're wanting to raise the premium, especially coming from a multibillion corporation."
Last year, New York State-based Pepsi had a market capitalization of more than $204 billion and revenue of more than $70 billion.
NWI Business Ins and Outs: Ghost kitchen hall, Portillo's, Domino's and Firestone coming
Open
A new ghost kitchen hall will increase delivery and carryout dining options in Valparaiso.
The Lincoln Kitchen is coming to 704 Silhavy Road. It's turning the former Gratz Piano, most recently a Habitat for Humanity Resale Shop, into a "kitchen space where chefs, restaurateurs, caterers, food trucks and vendors can grow and turn their food dreams into reality."
Proprietor Eric Berindei, who used to own the Delivery.com food delivery service in Valparaiso, saw a need for a commercial kitchen where startup restaurants could operate and get off the ground.
"They can do carryout and delivery to generate orders without having to have a full staff," he said. "It's a little cross-section of different types of restaurants. They cook. We handle the delivery and drivers."
The ghost kitchen concept has taken off greatly during the coronavirus pandemic as more people turned to delivery services like DoorDash, GrubHub and Uber Eats to get restaurant meals delivered to home.
"A lot of these places are in Los Angeles, Chicago or Austin," Berindei said. "I saw a need for it here. People can order from our site and get barbecue or pizza. We'll deliver within eight miles around."
Five restaurants at first
The Lincoln Kitchen is currently building out a 7,000-square-foot space, such as by installing a big walk-in freezer and meal prep stations. It will host five restaurants when it opens in a few months and could eventually host as many as 13 different eateries.
Berindei said the ghost kitchen would particularly benefit chefs who want to try out a new restaurant concept, or restaurants that wanted to test the water in the Valparaiso market. While The Lincoln Kitchen is aimed at incubating local restaurants, he said he wouldn't be opposed to hosting one of the national chains like Famous Dave's that have jumped on the trend as a low-cost way to expand to new markets.
"It's a much lower cost so you can get your feet wet," he said. "You can start small and expand if it gets successful. If not, you can move on."
The Lincoln Kitchen has been working with local food trucks like Big Rig BBQ, Deep Blue Seas Eatery and Las Mamacitas with a pop-up series. Pepey's Filipino Food and Sweets, which started as a food truck and opened a brick-and-mortar location in Dyer, plans to use kitchen space there to expand into the Valparaiso market.
For more information or if interested, email info@lincoln-kitchen.com or find The Lincoln Kitchen on Facebook.
Closed
Chicago-based Wow Bao, a Chinese restaurant known for its steamed buns, started delivering out of a ghost kitchen in Valparaiso, stopped after a few months but might soon be back.
Island Nutrition at 1675 W. Morthland Drive opened a ghost kitchen for Wow Bao late last year. People were ordering steamed dumplings, potstickers, bowls and other Wow Bao fare for delivery through sites like DoorDash and Seamless. It was one of 200 ghost kitchens Wow Bao has opened all over the country.
An employee at Island Nutrition said Wow Bao's ghost kitchen was no longer operating there but may soon have a new location.
Opening Monday
A new brick-and-mortar Domino's pizzeria will open soon in Griffith.
The locally owned franchise at 1528 Arbogast St. is slated to open on Monday.
“We are dedicated to the Griffith area and are excited to get to know the residents,” said Jim Gronemann, Griffith Domino’s franchise owner. “We hope the community will give us a try as we are eager to offer our delicious products, exceptional service and innovative ordering technology.”
The Domino's will offer delivery, carryout and a drive-thru window for picking up orders. It's now hiring assistant managers, delivery drivers and customer service representatives.
“We know that people are looking to get back into the workforce — and Domino’s has a lot of great jobs to offer,” Gronemann said. “We want to continue serving this area, but we also want to help those who are looking for a great opportunity with a great company. The new store will have company cars, electric bikes and an electric vehicle for delivery drivers to use as well,” said Gronemann. “Technology will be at the forefront of this store. It will really be a sight to see.”
It will offer a variety of grand opening specials like medium one-topping carryout pizzas for $3.99. The first 25 in line when it opens at 9:30 a.m. July 17 get free pizza for a year, while the next 15 get free pizza for a month and the following 10 get a free pizza.
For more information, visit www.dominos.com or call 219-533-8010.
Coming
The new Portillo's coming to Indianapolis Boulevard in Schererville won't be like the big dine-in eatery in Merrillville or other Portillo's locations people know and love.
The fast-casual Chicago-style hot dog chain is expanding through a new drive-thru model. Oak Brook-based Portillos is debuting the new Portillo's Pick Up at 1444 N. Larkin Ave. in Joliet.
The 3,750-square-foot restaurant will not have a dining room. It will have three drive-thru lanes and a pick-up area. It also will offer delivery and catering.
“This new restaurant is unlike anything Portillo’s has ever done,” said Portillo’s CEO Michael Osanloo. “We’re bringing the inside out in Joliet. With this new model, guests will get the signature Portillo’s experience with our unrivaled Chicago street food exclusively via our pickup and delivery channels. We know our guests enjoy the convenience of our drive-thru and delivery, so we’re excited to double down on those efforts.”
The new restaurant will open this winter and is hiring for a variety of positions. It will serve hot dogs, Maxwell Street Polishes, Italian beef sandwiches, char-broiled burgers, salads and its signature chocolate cake.
“Portillo’s is a popular regional eatery that I am proud to welcome to Joliet,” Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk said. “This new restaurant concept combined with the popularity of Portillo’s is a promising addition to the North Ridge Plaza shopping center. This is another outstanding development for Joliet and its residents.”
The stripped-down Joliet location will still have the elaborate design flair Portillo's is known for, with the facade having a raceway theme.
For more information, visit portillos.com.
Open
Bridgestone recently opened a new tire and automotive shop in Portage.
The new Firestone Complete Auto Care store at 5947 U.S. 6 provides automotive repairs and sells Bridgestone and Firestone tires.
It will recycle used tires so they can be reused as landscaping mulch, rubberized asphalt and construction material. It also will support local Boys & Girls Clubs with transportation assistance, customer donations and employee volunteerism.
“We are thrilled to continue our expansion of the Bridgestone Retail Operations footprint in Portage and continue toward our goal of being the most trusted provider of automotive care in every neighborhood we serve,” said Bridgestone Retail Operations President Marko Ibrahim said. “Thanks to our partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, we also hope to make a difference in the lives of Portage area families and kids as we strengthen our presence as a trusted neighbor.”
Bridgestone is a Nashville-based company with more than 2,200 locations nationwide, under brand names like Firestone Complete Auto Care, Tires Plus, Hibdon Tires Plus and Wheel Works.
The Firestone Complete Auto Care store in Portage is now hiring, including for automotive technicians, retail salespeople and managers. The company said it offers competitive pay, benefits, flexible scheduling and opportunities for advancement.
For more information, visit www.firestonecompleteautocare.com or call 219-706-4762.
If you would like your business to be included in a future column, email joseph.pete@nwi.com.
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