Shore Points Distributing Co. Inc. was told they were not welcome after locking out their workers.
UPDATE: Mayor Matt Doherty told NJ Advance Media that he has been contacted by New Jersey microbreweries to replace Shore Points at the festival.
A distributor that provides beer to several Shore Area and Central Jersey counties won't be welcome at the Belmar Seafood Festival, Mayor Matt Doherty told the Asbury Park Press on Friday.
Shore Points Distributing Co. Inc. was kicked out of the event, set to take place May 19 to 21, after locking out its workers over a contract dispute.
The mayor told the site that Belmar is a working-class community, and he doesn't think the town should support companies that lock out working-class people from their jobs.
Because of a lock out of their employees, Shore Point Distributors will not be permitted to sell beer at the NJ Seafood Festival in Belmar.
-- Matt Doherty (@mattdohertynj) May 5, 2017
The town reportedly said it plans to look for another vendor or forego having a beer tent if necessary.
The Freehold-based distributor locked out 120 members of the Teamsters Local 701 on April 30 after fighting over several aspects of their new contract
Neither the Teamsters Local 701 nor Shore Points was available for comment to NJ Advance Media. Shore Points also did not respond to a request for comment from the Asbury Park Press.
Shore Points is a central distributor of Coors, Miller, Corona and other brands in eight New Jersey counties, including Monmouth and Ocean.
Doherty told the Asbury Park Press that the borough plans to refund the $20,000 Shore Points paid for the event and that the distributor would be invited back if it resolves its dispute.