Teamsters

Employees at Miller’s West Virginia Distributor Fight for Health Care and Livable Wages

June 13, 2008 -- (Charleston, WV) – Workers at the West Virginia distributor of Miller and Coors beers will kick off a summer handbilling series at local bars and restaurants today. The workers say they want to bring attention to contract demands by SABMiller’s West Virginia distributor, Capitol Beverage Company, that would hike workers’ cost for family health care.    » read more »

Job Action Affects About 1,250 Workers at 24 Terminals Across the Country

June 9, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) – Teamster carhaul members employed at Performance Transportation Services Inc. went on strike against the company at 9 a.m. EDT today to enforce the union’s bargaining table demands.

The nationwide strike affects 24 terminals and about 1,250 Teamster employees at the PTS’ companies: Leaseway Motorcar Transport Company, E. and L. Transport Company, Hadley Auto Transport and Transportation Releasing.

“We are on strike to enforce our bargaining table demands,” said Fred Zuckerman, Director of the Teamsters Carhaul Division.

PTS employees haul vehicles for Ford, General Motors, Toyota and other manufacturers.    » read more »

Widespread Practice Cheats Workers, Taxpayers and Companies That Play by the Rules

May, 2008 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – New legislation to prevent corporations from abusing workers and cheating taxpayers has the Teamsters’ strong support, General President Jim Hoffa said Thursday.

The Employee Misclassification Prevention Act of 2008 will make it harder for employers to improperly classify employees as “independent contractors.”

“This scam robs 10 million American workers of overtime and benefits,” Hoffa said. “Companies are forcing workers to pay for their own fuel, repairs and uniforms by illegally classifying them as independent contractors.    » read more »

Teamsters Nearing Goal of Representing 12,600 Workers

May, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.)—In four months, more than 11,000 UPS Freight drivers and dockworkers in 40 states have signed cards to become Teamsters, the largest organizing victory in the freight industry in 25 years.

More than 9,900 of these workers have already ratified a new contract which improves wages, benefits and working conditions. The Teamsters won card-check agreement from UPS in December 2007, and began collecting cards from UPS Freight (formerly Overnite Transportation) workers on January 16, 2008.    » read more »

Hoffa Says Congress Shouldn’t Consider ‘Crazy’ Plan

May 14, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) – Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on Wednesday urged Congress to ignore trucking industry lobbyists who want to let dangerous large trucks on our highways.

Container trucks on a US highway: Photo by futureatlas.com (CC)

A trucking industry group called “Americans for Safe and Efficient Transportation” is lobbying Congress this week for a pilot program to let bigger trucks on the road in five, possibly six states.

The states are Maine, Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Georgia and possibly Texas.    » read more »

Union’s Report on Cummins’ 15 Years of Worker Rights Violations Spurs Resolution Urging Engine Parts Maker To Follow International Labor Standards

May 13, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) – At today’s Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) shareholder meeting in Columbus, Indiana, Teamsters Union leaders urged passage of a shareholder resolution that calls on the company’s board of directors to adopt a policy under which Cummins would meet International Labor Organization (ILO) standards. The ILO standards serve as worldwide benchmarks for companies’ respect for workers’ basic human rights on the job.    » read more »

Friends of the Earth Action, Teamsters Urge SRI Groups to Examine Diesel Engine Maker’s PAC Contributions to Anti-Green Legislators

April 28, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) – A report issued today at the Ceres annual conference by Friends of the Earth Action and the Teamsters Union casts doubt on the environment credentials of Cummins, Inc., a diesel engine manufacturer that promotes itself to socially responsible investment (SRI) groups as one of America’s leading “green” companies.

Cummins turbodiesel sign: Photo by Brian Black (CC)    » read more »

Hoffa Disagrees with Bush Statement on Benefits

April 14, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) –Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on Monday said President George Bush is out of touch with American workers when he says a trade deal with Colombia would be good for them.

The Teamsters strongly oppose the agreement.

James Hoffa, Jr at Teamsters Dinner: Photo by Rob Jacob (CC)

"George Bush is dead wrong when he says a trade deal with Colombia would be good for American workers," Hoffa said. "That's the same lie that was told about NAFTA, CAFTA and PNTR. American workers know these trade deals are a disaster."    » read more »

Hoffa Says Congress Should Not Vote on This Agreement This Year

April 10, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) –Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on Thursday commended House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for blocking a vote on the proposed trade deal with Colombia.

The Teamsters will continue to strongly oppose the agreement.

“All of these trade deals are hurting American workers, but this one is especially bad because of Colombia’s horrible human rights record,” Hoffa said. “No agreement with Colombia should be considered until the government prosecutes the killers of trade unionists and until the union killings stop. Already this year, 11 trade unionists have been killed. It will take years to address the decades of violence and impunity that has taken place.”    » read more »

Hoffa Says Bush Again Turns His Back On Workers

April 7, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) – Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said Monday he will strongly oppose the trade agreement with Colombia that the Bush administration is sending to Congress.

Colombia free trade protester: Photo by b.wu (CC)

“This trade deal is an insult to every American who works for a living,” Hoffa said. “Workers are feeling the pain of the trade deals that began with NAFTA. They’ve been disasters.    » read more »

More than 9,900 Workers Covered Under Contract

April 7, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) —The Teamsters added more than 9,900 new members with workers at UPS Freight, overwhelmingly ratifying a contract by more than 89 percent. The agreement will improve wages, benefits and working conditions, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced today.

UPS truck: Photo by zyphbear (CC)

The Teamsters kicked off this organizing campaign in 2006 when it organized UPS Freight (formerly Overnite Transportation) workers in Indianapolis and negotiated a contract with the company that was ratified by a 107-1 vote last October.    » read more »

National Committee for Sanitation Worker Justice Demands Safe Conditions at Waste Management

April 3, 2008 -- (Memphis, TN) – On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Teamsters and religious leaders from across the country stood in unity today with waste workers from 1968 and 2008 to demand Waste Management Inc. [NYSE: WMI] and other sanitation companies make immediate and substantive improvements in worker safety.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at 1963 March on Washington    » read more »

Hoffa Says Teamsters Aviation Workers Have Expressed Concerns for Years

April 3, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) – Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on Thursday thanked Transportation Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar for investigating the Federal Aviation Administration’s cozy relationship with airline management.

Southwest Airlines aircraft maintenance at Midway Airport in Chicago: Photo by Jim Wissemes (CC)

Oberstar, D-Minn., chaired the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on critical lapses in the FAA’s oversight of airlines.    » read more »

Hoffa Hails Major Teamster Victory

March 31, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) – United Airlines mechanics overwhelmingly chose the Teamsters Union as their collective bargaining representative by a vote of 4,113-2,631, the National Mediation Board announced Monday.

The 9,300 active and furloughed mechanics who comprise the bargaining unit will become Teamsters as soon as the NMB vote is certified. The board is expected to certify the vote by close of business Tuesday.    » read more »

FedEx Asks For Review of NLRB Employee Determination

March 19, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) – FedEx Corporation [NYSE: FDX] subsidiary FedEx Home Delivery is defending its illegal contractor model in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

In a brief filed Tuesday, FedEx Home Delivery is requesting a review of a National Labor Relations Board determination that drivers at two Massachusetts terminals are employees and not “contractors” as contended by FedEx.

FedEx Express aircraft    » read more »