(ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA) – More than 200 Workers at St. Paul Beverage, a Facility owned by Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), have voted to organize with Teamsters Local 471 - uniting to win stronger wages, better benefits and a voice on the job.

Workers at the Minnesota Facility bottle, package and prepare dairy products for distribution to grocery stores and customers throughout the Upper Midwest.

The victory also marks one of the first major organizing wins under the Teamsters’ National Neutrality Agreement with the Dairy Co-Op.

“This is a significant victory for Workers who exercised their rights to organize free from interference and intimidation by their employer,” said Jesse Case, who serves as Director of Teamsters Food Processing Division.

“DFA recognizes the rights of Workers to organize and other Dairy Companies, like Nestle, need to follow suit and leave antiquated Anti-Worker policies behind,” he added.

James Matiatos, a 23-year Maintenance Mechanic at St. Paul Beverage, said: “This group was determined and nothing would stop them. This is an exciting time for us as we finally have a voice. We are honored to be Teamsters.”

Local 471 Secretary-Treasurer Lyndon B. Johnson added: “The Workers at St. Paul Beverage showed incredible courage and determination throughout this campaign. They came together, stood strong and made their voices heard.”

Teamsters Local 471 represents Workers across Minnesota across industries, including Dairy Processing, Warehousing and Distribution.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: DFA Workers in Minnesota Join Teamsters - International Brotherhood of Teamsters