ONONDAGA COUNTY, N.Y. -- We've had the same yeast with Anheuser-Busch for over 100 years.
It was Senator Schumer's first visit to what is considered one of Anheuser-Busch's most up to date plants. And one that is in the process of a new $40 million upgrade that should be completed within two years.
“That does make the plant more attractive and more efficient, yes,” said Senior Plant Manager Steve McCormick.
The takeover by European brewing giant InBev is listed, for now, as a friendly takeover. Anheuser-Busch shareholders will share in $52 billion. InBev, for its part, has vowed to keep all 12 Budweiser breweries in the U.S. open for business. But Schumer wants InBev to go further.
New York's senior U.S. Senator, Charles Schumer, has joined with several other lawmakers in writing to the head of InBev, a Belgium based brewing company that is about to buyout the holdings of Anheuser-Busch. The move affects workers and communities in a dozen states. Our Bill Carey says Schumer visited a Budweiser brewery in Lysander, hoping to send a clear message to the prospective new owners.
“I am urging InBev to maintain the current benefits, so that employees can continue to have affordable access to health care that they have now and that they deserve,” Schumer said.
And there is good reason for InBev to listen when Schumer speaks.
Schumer, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is also making it clear that there could be a price to pay concerning anti-trust action, should InBev not live up to the contractual agreements made with Budweiser employees. For now, that threat remains unspoken, but clear.
“What I'd like to do is be able to say that InBev has pledged to keep the benefits, keep the employees and go right ahead with it. If they don't, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. I think that's the best way I could put it right now,” said Schumer.
And for now, workers at this plant are optimistic that there will be a deal with InBev.
Darrell Edwards has worked at this plant since the late 1970s when this was a Schlitz brewery. He doubts InBev wants to start off its U.S. operations on a sour note.
“I don't think that that would be in their best interest,” Edwards said. “There are an awful lot of Budweiser drinkers. A lot of Teamsters out there that also drink Budweiser. I think that that would be a big mistake for them.”
A mistake that Schumer expects InBev to avoid.
Anheuser-Busch employs about 800 people at its plant in Lysander. Total employment at its facilities nationwide totals 31,000.