CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – Coca-Cola Consolidated and the Teamsters Union met at the negotiating table on Thursday, May 18, for the first time since the labor strike began last month, but it ended in a stalemate.

According to Teamsters Union 175 President Ken Hall, Coca-Cola unionized workers felt “insulted” by Coca-Cola’s latest contract offers. The sides were “miles apart” in union contract negotiations, and both sides walked away without a new contract.

The meeting was facilitated by a federal mediator. It began at 10 a.m. and ended shortly before 5 p.m. at the Embassy Suites hotel in downtown Charleston.

This comes after nearly 200 Coca-Cola drivers in West Virginia went on strike on April 25, and went picketing for two days last week. The drivers returned to work last Thursday, out of concern for their customers losing Coca-Cola product deliveries. They say the decision was made in hopes to bring Coca-Cola back to the table as they did Thursday.

Drivers like Jessie Ware tell 13 News that they are frustrated and tired, and all they want is to strike a deal.

“Let’s reach a deal,” Ware said. “I know this is exhausting to all of our all my brothers. We just want to work. We want to get paid….We should get paid. And we just want to have a contract that’s that benefits both parties.”

Hall added that is very possible that the workers will be back on the picket lines sometime soon.