Bigfoot Beverages workers end strike, declare 'lockout,' as company says they've been replaced

https://www.klcc.org/economy-business/2025-04-25/bigfoot-beverages-workers-end-strike-declare-lockout-as-company-says-theyve-been-replaced

KLCC | By Nathan Wilk
Published April 25, 2025 at 6:00 AM PDT

The union at the Oregon-based drinks distributor Bigfoot Beverages has ended its strike after more than 200 days. But the company is now saying the picketers have been replaced, and won't get their jobs back.

The workers went on strike back in September, seeking a contract that retains their pension plans. After months of little movement between the parties, the union has now offered Bigfoot an "unconditional return to work."

However, in a press release Thursday, Bigfoot said it’s choosing to keep the workers it hired as replacements instead. The union claims this is illegal, and has declared the situation a "lockout."

According to the National Labor Relations Board, a company can decline to give a filled position back to a returning picketer if their strike was for economic reasons—like contract negotiations. In most cases, those workers can't be discharged, and can request to be given open positions if they don't find another job.

FULL story at link above.