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UID:Indybay-18886945
SEQUENCE:19064642
CREATED:20260624T155100Z
DESCRIPTION:The 1970s Coors boycott in San Francisco was a landmark labor-civil rights 
 campaign where the Teamsters union allied with LGBTQ+ activists, led by 
 Harvey Milk and Allan Baird, to protest Coors' anti-union, anti-gay, and 
 discriminatory hiring practices. This historic coalition permanently 
 reshaped the American labor movement.\n\nKey Details of the 
 Boycott\n    •    The Catalysts: In the early 1970s, Coors' harsh 
 employment terms sparked widespread outrage. The brewery used mandatory 
 polygraph tests to screen for political and sexual orientation, fought to 
 dissolve Brewery Workers Local 366, and had a history of discriminatory 
 hiring practices targeting Chicanos, African Americans, and the queer 
 community.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tghs-Glkrg0&t=9\n    •    The 
 San Francisco Connection: Striking Teamsters drivers reached out to San 
 Francisco's queer community in 1973. Because many gay bars in the Castro 
 District stocked Coors, union organizers and LGBTQ+ leaders (including 
 Howard Wallace) asked bar owners and distributors to stop carrying the 
 beer. 
 \nhttps://daily.jstor.org/brewed-with-blood-the-coors-beercott-of-the-1970s/\n 
 https://www.facebook.com/harveymilkclub/posts/join-us-as-we-also-take-pride-in-worker-solidarity-with-the-coors-boycott-commem/1439583734878886/\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yldwNzsCSf8\n    •    Harvey 
 Milk’s Support: Future San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk heavily 
 championed the boycott, helping to transform it from a localized union 
 dispute into a powerful national campaign.\n    •    The Impact: 
 Gay bartenders famously marched out of bars dumping Coors into the street, 
 and major grocery stores eventually cleared the beer from their shelves. 
 The financial strain was immense, causing Coors' market share to drop 
 significantly before making concessions and facilitating union 
 organization. \nModern Commemorations\n    •    Annual Pride 
 Actions: The legacy of this cross-movement solidarity is still celebrated 
 locally. Activists and labor leaders—including the Coors Boycott 
 Commemoration Committee and Teamsters Joint Council 7—gather in the 
 Castro (e.g., at the corner of Market & Castro Streets) during Pride month 
 to honor the historic alliance. \n\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2026/06/24/18886945.php
SUMMARY:The Historic Boycott Coors Commemoration Day In The Castro
LOCATION:This event commemorates the successful 1970's boycott of the union busting 
 Coor's corporation which supported right wing and homophobic forces 
 throughout the US
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2026/06/24/18886945.php
DTSTART:20260626T220000Z
DTEND:20260626T230000Z
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