Do the Teamsters have too much power at the Minnesota Capitol?

"A bill that would allow limited Sunday sales of alcohol in Minnesota is in jeopardy.

"Backers of a bill that would allow liquor stores to sell alcohol on Sundays have been rebuffed at the State Capitol for years. So this year, they considered it a victory that even a tiny Sunday sales provision was included in the overall liquor bill.

"The measure, which would allow craft beer taprooms to sell growlers (refillable containers that hold half a gallon) on Sundays, sailed through legislative committees. But the bill has stalled in the Senate Tax Committee. The roadblock? The powerful Teamsters Union," writes MPR News reporter Tom Scheck.

Teamster's Union political director Ed Reynoso said the union started lobbying against Sunday growler sales after he learned a company that distributes alcohol and employs members of the union suggested the law would allow them to reopen their labor contracts because of it. He said the union wants to avoid that because it could mean wages, benefits and work hours could all be back on the table.

"As soon as we had an employer raise the potential that they were going to ask for a reopener, I reached out to leadership, I reached out to the Senate Committee chair," Reynoso said. "I notified them of our objections and our concerns."

Reynoso said he showed the contracts to DFL leaders to highlight the importance of removing the Sunday growler sales provision from the bill. He declined to identify the business that requested the negotiations. (MPR News)

Today's Question: Do the Teamsters have too much power at the Minnesota Capitol?

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