More Than 100 Pepsi Drivers in Georgia Back Strike in Unanimous Vote
More than 100 Pepsi-Cola drivers in Atlanta and Lithonia, Georgia, unanimously authorized a strike. Teamsters Local 528 says offers lack early raises.
More than 100 Pepsi-Cola drivers at facilities in Atlanta and Lithonia, Georgia, have voted unanimously to authorize a strike, Teamsters Local 528 said in a press release. The vote clears the way for a walkout if contract talks with Pepsi-Cola management stay stuck.
The union has also filed unfair labor practice charges, which are formal complaints accusing an employer of breaking labor law. In this case, Local 528 says Pepsi-Cola management has failed to bargain in good faith.
Drivers organized in January
The drivers joined Teamsters Local 528 in January 2026. At the time, they said they wanted respect on the job, a unified voice, and better wages and benefits. They are now negotiating a contract with the company.
According to the union, Pepsi-Cola’s proposals so far have offered no raise in the first few years of the contract. Donnie Newell, president of Local 528, called the offers insulting. He also accused the company of trying to bust the union since before the drivers organized.
Jeff Padellaro, who directs the Teamsters Brewery, Bakery, and Soft Drink Conference, said Pepsi has dragged its feet from the start and has refused to put serious offers forward. “Our members are ready to strike,” he said.
What the drivers say
Javon Kersey, a Pepsi-Cola driver and Local 528 member, said the drivers work hard for the company every day and want fair treatment. He said management needs to stop stalling and negotiate a fair contract. “We don’t want to strike,” Kersey said, adding that the company has left them no other option.
What it means for drivers and the company
A strike authorization vote gives union leaders the backing to call a strike. It does not set a date. Padellaro said the drivers will head to the picket line if management does not come back to the table ready to negotiate. The union has not named a strike date.
The accusations of union busting and bad-faith bargaining come from the union. Pepsi-Cola’s response to the vote and to the charges was not disclosed.
The fight is over a first contract for a group that organized less than a year ago, and early raises are the main sticking point the union has made public. Local 528 represents thousands of workers across Georgia, according to the union, and the Pepsi-Cola drivers are among them.
What to watch
Two things will shape what happens next. One is whether Pepsi-Cola management returns to bargaining with new offers, which the union has set as the condition for avoiding a strike. The other is how the unfair labor practice charges against the company are handled. For now, the unanimous vote means the drivers in Atlanta and Lithonia have already approved a walkout, and the decision on when to use it rests with the union.
Source: Teamsters
