Single Page | 
Multiple Pages
Home > BizTimes Daily > Archives > March 9, 2007
'Miller Girls' video hits You Tube
Published March 9, 2007 - BizTimes Daily
1 of 7 | Next 
A union representing 122 employees that filed a gender and age discrimination complaint against the parent company of Miller Brewing Co. in Milwaukee Thursday is using the Internet to garner international support for its cause.
Some of the workers, calling themselves "The Miller Girls" created a Web video in which they sang to tune of the 1962 recording of "Norman" by singer Sue Thompson. The video is posted at You Tube, where people are posting comments of support for the workers.
The video is a jab at Norman Adami, president and chief executive officer of SAB Miller Americas, a division of SAB/Miller Plc, the London-based parent company of Miller Brewing.
The video was the idea of Judy Burnick, business manager of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 35 in Milwaukee.
"I was driving to work, and I heard that song (on the radio), and I was like, hey, we should do a video to that song. And it took off … a little more than I thought," Burnick told SBT this morning.
"Low budget. It was zero," Burnick said with a laugh.
The complaints
Though the video is in jest, the complaints are serious. The complaints were filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Equal Rights Division of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development on behalf of the 122 members of OPEIU, more than 80 percent of whom are female.
Their average age is 53 years, and their average term of service at the company is more than 20 years. Only two of the members are under age 40, according to the complaint.
The union's contract with the company expired April 29, 2006, and extension agreements were signed through Jan. 16, 2007. Since then, the employees have been working without a contract, meaning they have no right to arbitrate any grievances, including any disciplinary or pay disputes.
The major point of contention in the labor dispute is the company's attempt to stop providing pension benefits for any years of service beyond 2009. The union says the freeze would result in the loss of thousands of dollars in retirement benefits for each of the workers.
"It's as if Miller believes its own 'Man Law' ads," Burnick said. "The company is clearly singling out Local 35 members because they are women and because of their age. We firmly believe it is discriminatory. And we firmly believe it is illegal … The company's pension demand is like asking our members to throw away two or more decades of dedicated and dependable labor. To do this when many of our members are nearing retirement age is particularly cruel."
The union has gained the support of U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee), Democratic Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, the 9to5 National Association of Working Women and the Milwaukee Labor Council, and the video also was posted at the national Web site of the AFL-CIO.
To read the union's complaint against Miller, visit http://www.myunion.org/EEOCSABMiller.pdf.
In response to the complaint, Miller issued the following statement: "We are disappointed that we have not reached an agreement and hope the employees represented by the OPEIU will reconsider their decision. We value all of our employees and have a strong history of treating people well, including offering some of the best pay and benefits packages in this area. Maintaining a positive relationship and working together helps ensure the long-term success of both Miller and our employees."
Meanwhile, Burnick said the "Miller Girls" are preparing a sequel video production that will be a spoof of the company's famous "Man Law" advertising campaign.
