They make one of the most popular beers in the nation.

And now workers at Anheuser-Busch in Newark are ready to walk off the job.

Employees represented by the Teamsters Union held an informational picket line today outside the brewery.

They're in the thick of intense contract negotiations with the iconic beer brand over similar labor demands that have been made across the country and just about every industry.

Higher pay, increased job security and better health care.

As Ted Goldberg reports, workers say if a deal isn't reached by February 29th, they'll strike.

It looks like a strike and it sounds like a strike.

You get out there, but it's not a strike.

It's a practice strike.

That's what it's called by some workers at the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Newark.

Their contract ends in two weeks.

And the Teamsters, representing almost 200 workers here, are demanding better benefits and higher pay.

We saw the Super Bowl commercials.

Apparently, they spent 21 million on that.

There's been $1,000,000,000 stock buyback.

Our CEO is getting paid 40 million a year.

We feel it's time that something come our way.

With the price of everything, everything's going up in society right now with gas prices, food prices, everything.

Then we got to be able to, you know, accommodate your family and we had to purchase those things for your family.

Got just keep thinking about my family like I'm a head of household for a few people in my family, not just the people that lives in my house, but other families.

Workers like Rob Carter say they like working here and they want assurances about job security.

This is such a good job and I love the people here.

And just it's just, you know, you don't want to keep looking for work.

And we're getting older and such a tough market to find a job.

Actually hard out here to find a job.

So being so that we know that we actually will have a job after this contract is renegotiated, it it'll be a good thing.

If there is no contract.

We could see a strike here.

The Teamsters voted 99% to authorize a strike in December, which could affect 5000 workers at 12 breweries nationwide.

Obviously, it's not something that you want to do, but if it comes down to it, that's just what we have to do to get where we want to be.

The Teamsters have been across the globe as far as like ups and everything like that strikes work.

Just having a tangible threat of going on strike at UPS was enough for them to secure a really good contract for their members.

Rutgers Labor professor Todd Vachon says a work stoppage at this brewery would continue the ongoing trend of more strikes across different industries.

We're coming out of a big year of strikes 2023.

There were a lot of big wins by labor.

We saw the screen actors on strike.

We saw the Writers Guild on strike.

All of those were successful strikes that really, you know, demonstrated when workers come together and show solidarity, they're able to make big wins at the bargaining table.

Not looking forward to it.

But, you know, it is what it is.

You know, you got to do what you got to do.

I hear, you know.

I feel the same way.

So, you know, we got to be heard.

In response to this story, Anheuser-Busch sent a statement which reads in part, Our top priority remains securing a contract that recognizes and rewards our hardworking employees and prioritizes long term security for the best jobs in the beer industry.

They also say if there is a strike, Anheuser-Busch has a continuity plan to continue brewing their beers.

In Newark, I'm Ted Goldberg.

NJ Spotlight News.