LABOR

PepsiCo Workers Strike: Four bottling plants in Southern California were the scenes of walkouts in a dispute over pension benefits, threatening the company’s distribution plans for the July 4 weekend. Picketing began at the company-owned bottling plant in Buena Park and was to begin at sister plants in Baldwin Park, Torrance and San Fernando. Teamsters locals representing about 700 PepsiCo drivers, warehouse workers and other employees voted Monday to reject a contract proposal mainly because it did not include sufficient retirement provisions. A company spokesman called the strike unjustified.