Teamsters Local 175 has filed a complaint with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection against Capitol Beverage Co. for dumping out-of-date beers directly into a storm water drain on its property.

Kathy Cosco, a DEP spokeswoman, said Thursday, "We did receive a complaint from the Teamsters yesterday. An inspector went to the company today and found out they had, over a period of time, been disposing of their product in a storm drain.

"We of course informed them they cannot do that," Cosco said. "We suggested they talk with the city of Sissonville to work out something with their [liquid] collection system."

Neither Gary Smith, a Capitol Beverage spokesman, nor Steve McVeigh, a company contract negotiator, immediately returned telephone calls on Thursday.

Founded in 1935, Capitol Beverage distributes Miller and Coors beers, as well as a variety of imports including Corona and Guinness, in 26 counties in West Virginia.

Capitol Beverage broke off contract talks with the union on May 3. Capitol employees are currently working without a contract.

Ken Hall, president of Local 175 and the union's international vice president, said Capitol wants to pay its truck drivers up to 40 percent less than other beverage distributors in the area pay their drivers and warehouse workers.

Capitol's contract proposals would require longtime employees to pay as much as $11,000 a year for family health-care coverage and would eliminate health benefits for retired beer delivery drivers, Hall said.

Contract negotiations also included discussions about how Capitol Beverage disposed of old beer products.

Jack Cipriani, director of the Teamsters Brewery and Soft Drink Conference, stated in a Thursday news release, "We have an obligation to make sure our employers are responsible stewards of the environment and are not engaging in practices that violate environmental regulations....

"Miller and Coors also have a responsibility to the community to ensure that the companies they hire to distribute their products are not hurting the environment," Cipriani stated.

Reach Paul J. Nyden at pjny...@wvgazette.com or 348-5164.

Teamsters Local 175 has filed a complaint with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection against Capitol Beverage Co. for dumping out-of-date beers directly into a storm water drain on its property.

Kathy Cosco, a DEP spokeswoman, said Thursday, "We did receive a complaint from the Teamsters yesterday. An inspector went to the company today and found out they had, over a period of time, been disposing of their product in a storm drain.

"We of course informed them they cannot do that," Cosco said. "We suggested they talk with the city of Sissonville to work out something with their [liquid] collection system."

Neither Gary Smith, a Capitol Beverage spokesman, nor Steve McVeigh, a company contract negotiator, immediately returned telephone calls on Thursday.

Founded in 1935, Capitol Beverage distributes Miller and Coors beers, as well as a variety of imports including Corona and Guinness, in 26 counties in West Virginia.

Capitol Beverage broke off contract talks with the union on May 3. Capitol employees are currently working without a contract.

Ken Hall, president of Local 175 and the union's international vice president, said Capitol wants to pay its truck drivers up to 40 percent less than other beverage distributors in the area pay their drivers and warehouse workers.

Capitol's contract proposals would require longtime employees to pay as much as $11,000 a year for family health-care coverage and would eliminate health benefits for retired beer delivery drivers, Hall said.

Contract negotiations also included discussions about how Capitol Beverage disposed of old beer products.

Jack Cipriani, director of the Teamsters Brewery and Soft Drink Conference, stated in a Thursday news release, "We have an obligation to make sure our employers are responsible stewards of the environment and are not engaging in practices that violate environmental regulations....

"Miller and Coors also have a responsibility to the community to ensure that the companies they hire to distribute their products are not hurting the environment," Cipriani stated.

Reach Paul J. Nyden at pjny...@wvgazette.com or 348-5164.