July 9, 2001 Five thousand demonstrators rallied at the state capitol in Columbia, South Carolina in support of the “Charleston Five,” labor activists. The Five were longshoremen and union members of Local 1422 of the International Longshoremen’s Association. The were peacefully protesting a Danish freight company’s use of non-union workers on the Charleston docks when a fight broke out between picketing workers and the police force. The Charleston Five were arrested along with four others and were held on felony charges which could have carried a prison sentence of up to 10 years. They were finally freed of all charges in November 2001 after a one-year trial, throughout which they were kept under house arrest. - Voices of Labor
Teamster Nation Podcast: Standing united, demanding racial justice
June 3, 2020 | Listen to the latest special edition of the Teamster Nation Podcast and hear how the Teamsters are demanding racial justice in the wake of the murder of George Floyd.
The May/June issue of the shop stewards newsletter is posted You may view and download the current issue here. Please note that the newsletter contains clickable links to external pages for additional information. Mail delivery of our Joint Council 62 steward newsletter is suspended until further notice.
Maryland Presidential Primary: Voters to receive mail ballots in May May 7, 2020| The presidential primary election initially scheduled for April 28, 2020 was moved to June 2, 2020. This election will be conducted primarily by mail. You should receive your ballot in early to mid-May. You do not need to ask for a ballot to receive one. (Don’t be surprised that the ballot has “April 28, 2020” printed at the top. There wasn’t time to reprint ballots after the election date was changed to June 2nd due to the coronavirus. The April date does not affect your ballot being counted.) There will be in-person voting for voters who cannot vote by mail. For more information about this election and where voters who cannot vote by mail can vote, click here.
A Message to Warehouse Teamsters from Division Director Steve Varma May 12, 2020| As one of the largest divisions in the Teamsters Union, the Warehouse Division has been working with our local unions in the grocery and broadline industries during this unprecedented time. The division is working at all levels to ensure that those still working are doing so safely and fairly: We continue to call on employers to fully enforce CDC guidelines — whether on the federal, state, or local level — in the workplace. The division is also not backing down in our effort to push for mechanisms to hold employers accountable for protecting workers. To continue reading, click here.
Update from Material and Construction Trade Division May 12, 2020| Even though there has been a slowdown in the economy due to the COVID-19 crisis, construction projects in many states continue on due to exemptions made by state. This is good news for our members working on projects like these, but we also need everyone to be cautious while they are on the job and observe CDC guidelines. Many of our members are had been practicing social distancing long before the COVID-19 crisis. For example, driving a Ready-Mix truck or a plywood truck or using a marooka on a site requires that the driver be alone in the cab. Where our members are most at risk now is in a warehouse setting… Click here to continue
New podcast: Coronavirus Update 9 May 13, 2020| Listen here to the latest special edition of the Teamster Nation Podcast and hear more health and safety tips for those on the job, a legislative update and news from the Health Care Division. Plus, a Local 355 UPS worker explains the challenges of staying safe on the job.
Local 570 distributes protective masks to members May 16, 2020| Personal protective equipment (PPE) remains in short supply nationally but Local 570’s aggressive effort to source protective equipment for its members has paid off. Local 570 staff members began their drive to distribute protective face masks to all members designated “essential employees” and thus at risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus while doing their job. Locations recently visited include Toyota, Southern Wine & Spirits, Ecology Services, RMA, Chesapeake Beverage, Cloverland Dairy, Costco, Leonard Paper, Pepsi, and RNDC. The drive to deliver continues. (Note: If you are not wearing a protective mask, please follow social distancing guidelines!) See more photos in the Photo Gallery.
New podcast: Coronavirus Update 10 May 21, 2020| Listen here to the latest special edition of the Teamster Nation Podcast and hear from a Local 952 laundry driver about life on the job, plus more health and safety tips, a legislative update, and news from the Graphic Communications Conference.
Important Maryland voter registration and vote-by-mail info May 21, 2020| Be sure to register and update your voter registration information by May 27, 2020. It’s important that the Board of Elections has your current address in order to mail you your ballot. Click here to make sure your voter information, party affiliation, and address are updated.
Teamsters: Feds must design a plan to conquer COVID-19 May 27, 2020| The coronavirus pandemic has ravaged this country during the past 10 weeks, taking the lives of some 100,000 Americans and jeopardizing the health of millions more… Elected officials need to stop playing politics with peoples’ lives, especially those who are working hard on the job while others sit at home. That means coming up with a solution that makes the public more secure about the world we work and live in so American society can return to a place that somewhat resembles where it was less than three months ago. Read the entire article at Teamsters. Related:Teamsters laud House Coronavirus Panel briefing addressing workers needs
March/April issue of shop steward newsletter now online Apr. 1, 2020 | Until further notice, delivery via the USPS of the steward’s newsletter, On the Front Line, is suspended. Stewards may view the current issue here.
Update from the Teamsters Safety & Health Department Apr. 1, 2020 | The staff at our Union’s headquarters are working around the clock to stay ahead of rapidly evolving situations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Advisories and industry-specific fact sheets that keep you up-to-date on legislative policy developments around the pandemic continue to become available for download. Read the latest Unemployment and Paid Sick & Family Leave Protections.
Health Care Members: Please take the Teamsters Health Care Division survey Apr. 3, 2020 | Teamsters are on the front line of the COVID-19 response. In this crisis, thousands of Teamster health care workers—from nurses to respiratory technicians to American Red Cross workers and more—are, as always, united. The Teamsters Health Care Division is asking health care members to take a couple of minutes out of your very busy schedules to fill out this important survey to tell us how you are impacted. Responses are confidential and will assist us with member representation through a national and regional perspective on the work and challenges that front-line members face. Click here to complete the survey.
A message from Teamsters Passenger Transportation Divison Apr. 3, 2020 | In a message today Passenger Transportation Director Rick Middleton wrote: “As the coronavirus (COVID – 19) spreads, your Teamster representatives are working relentlessly to ensure the safety and security of our membership in the Passenger Transportation Division. We are available to address any issues that have come about as a result of this unprecedented calamity. First and foremost, I would like to say that the way our members in this division are affected by COVID–19 vary widely from case to case: the company you work for, people you provide services for and the state you live in all have an impact on how your job may or may not change… Continue reading
Guidelines: The Union’s role in workplace preparation Apr. 7, 2020 | Under the law, it is the employer’s responsibility to provide a safe and healthy workplace. The union’s role is to make sure the employer takes action. The Teamsters Safety & Health Department issued this updated fact sheet (PDF) outlining some actions that the Union can take to help make your employer ready.
Teamster Nation Podcast: Get the latest health & safety tips for those on the job Apr. 8, 2020 | Listen to the latest special edition of the Teamster Nation Podcast, and hear the latest health and safety tips for those on the job. You’ll also learn the latest on Capitol Hill legislative action, news from the union’s Industrial Trades and Airline divisions, and inside the daily work of a New Jersey sanitation worker.
Teamsters Public Services to host a town hall webinar for members Apr. 9, 2020 | The Teamsters will be hosting a town hall webinar event for members of the Public Services Division on Thursday, April 9 at 5:00 p.m. (EST). The event will feature General President James P. Hoffa, Public Services Division Director Jason Rabinowitz, and the Teamsters Safety and Health Department. Click here to register in advance for the webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Sad news: Passing of President Rich Brown’s mother Apr. 13, 2020 | It is with sad hearts that we share the news of the passing of Joan Marie Brown, beloved mom of brother Rich Brown, on Friday, April 10, 2020. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Rich and his family. They will remain in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult and sorrowful time. Arrangement information can be found here.
R.I.P. Brother John Freeman 1981-2020 Apr. 14, 2020 | Members employed at Carroll Home Services mourn the loss of coworker John Freeman who passed away April 1, 2020. Freeman, an oil delivery driver for the company since 2009, leaves his wife, Andrea, and three-year-old son, Justin…570 News
Teamster Nation Podcast: Episode 190 - Coronavirus Update #5 Apr. 15, 2020 | Listen to the latest special edition of the Teamster Nation Podcast, and hear an update from the union’s Rail Conference and Motion Picture and Theatrical Trade Division, as well as the Organizing Department. Plus, what it’s like to work inside a grocery warehouse in the age of COVID-19.
Today is the application deadline for the Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Apr. 14, 2020 | Due to the national emergency, the deadline for applications for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund was extended to April 14, today. Click here for the Fund’s website and detailed instructions on submitting your application.
COVID-19 outbreak resources for members Apr. 15, 2020| We’ve compiled a list of helpful resource links to important coronavirus guidelines, and various Federal and State agencies for members residing in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. The list will be updated as necessary. Click the COVID-19 Outbreak Resources for Members box on the right. For industry-related information click Teamster COVID-19 News and Fact Sheets.
Teamsters fight for protection, economic relief for its members Apr. 16, 2020| More than a month into the nationwide fight to combat the coronavirus, the Teamsters are using their legislative lobbying power to protect workers from both illness and economic distress. The union’s Department of Political and Legislative Action has been active in letting lawmakers know about the needs of members, be it for personal protective equipment (PPE), expanded unemployment benefits or direct stimulus checks many are receiving right now…Teamsters
Helpful tips for members & stewards posted every week Apr. 20, 2020| Do you know what a contract campaign is? Do you know why it's important to file a grievance in a timely manner? Are you aware that besides what is in your contract, your workplace may have its own unwritten rules? Every Monday we provide answers to those questions and quick tips to help you learn more about the Local Union and your role in it. Available under Members Only, Inside Wire: Tips for Members. Stewards, how do you deal with the Critic? Do you know what your steward rights are? When past practice is relevant? Worried about confidentiality issues? The Weekly Stewards' Tip help make your role as steward a bit easier. Available under Shop Stewards, Weekly Tip for Stewards (Note: If you've forgotten your password, email teamstersjc62@gmail.com for assistance.)
Read Hoffa’s letter in support of American Red Cross workers Apr. 23, 2020| General President Jim Hoffa sent a letter yesterday to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services: “On behalf of more than 50,000 Teamsters working in health care services including thousands working in a number of different key roles for the American Red Cross, I write in support of the Red Cross’ recent request for funds authorized by the CARES Act (H.R. 748). As the COVID-19 coronavirus has spread across the country…” Read the letter here.
Teamster update on Bakery and Laundry Conference Apr. 28, 2020| In the Teamsters Bakery and Laundry Conference, most of the 19,300 members on the bakery side have been declared essential and are still working. The larger national companies with Teamster contracts, such as Bimbo USA, Nabisco, and Frito Lay, are working at full employment and making good bonuses. That includes members who work in bakery warehouses, transport drivers, driver salespeople, and others… Continue reading here
Remembering the fallen: A message from General President Hoffa Apr. 28, 2020| Today, April 28, is Workers’ Memorial Day, a day to remember workers killed or injured on the job and to fight for strong safety and health provisions for all workers. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, this day takes on an even deeper meaning. We have had reports of rank-and-file Teamsters who have been infected, and some who have died, from COVID-19. We are in the midst of a national emergency and essential workers—many of them Teamsters—are putting their own health on the line to keep the rest of us safe, healthy and fed. Before COVID-19, an average of 14 workers died each day of workplace injuries. The most recent data available tells us… Teamsters
Workers’ Memorial Day: Mourn for the dead, fight for the living Apr. 28, 2020| The Teamsters Union, and trade unionists around the world, recognize April 28 as Workers' Memorial Day — an international day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made ill by their work. Workers' Memorial Day is an opportunity to highlight the preventable nature of most workplace injuries and illnesses, and to promote the fight for improving health and safety at each and every workplace. To help mark this important day, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) is providing the following resources to help with the planning of activities at local unions and workplaces… Continue reading
Teamsters call for enforceable worker protections, testing following EO requiring meatpacking plants to remain open Apr. 30, 2020| In response to the executive order issued this week mandating meatpacking plants remain open during the COVID-19 crisis, the Teamsters Union called on the administration and federal, state, and local regulators today to enforce worker protections and increase testing on the job for food supply chain workers. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the food supply chain in the United States to significant uncertainties and vulnerabilities. The Teamsters Union is calling on the administration to immediately enact enforceable safety standards, compel all employers to provide the highest level of protective equipment, ensure daily testing is available for workers and their communities, enforce physical distancing at all plants, provide emergency premium pay, and mandate full paid sick leave for any workers who are infected… Read the full press release here
While restrictions on businesses and social activity are gradually lifting in states where our members live and work, their governors and public-health experts warn that lifting restrictions to allow openings have the potential to cause a second wave of coronavirus infections. You can do what you need to do to stop coronavirus so you and others stay safe and well: Wash your hands often. Wear a mask. Keep a safe distance.
Maryland: Governor Hogan issued a stay-at-home order March 30, and ended it May 15, 2020. Moderate restrictions vary by region. Open in most of the state are restaurant dine-in services, outdoor amusement activities, retail stores, personal care businesses (barbershops, salons are by appointment only), and places of worship – all with social distancing and appropriate health and safety protocols. On June 19, other businesses and buildings, including arcades, casinos, daycares, gyms, dance and martial arts facilities, and malls will also begin resuming operations with strict safety protocols. Learn more here.
These businesses reopened on June 5:
Manufacturing
Construction
Large and small retail shops
Specialty vendors
Wholesalers
Warehouses
Offices including information technology firms, legal offices, accounting, banking, financial institutions, insurance agencies, design studios, advertising, and architectural firms
Media production companies
Real estate offices
Travel agencies
Auto dealers
Showrooms
Bank branches
Delaware: Governor Carney issued a stay-at-home order on March 24 and ended it on May 15, 2020. The state is in the second phase of its reopening plan, which increased capacity limits for some businesses. Strict social distancing must continue to be observed and cloth face coverings must be worn in accordance with the State of Emergency order. Now open are gyms and retail businesses. Personal-care businesses such as barbershops and salons are by appointment only. Dine-in at restaurants is by reservation only. Beaches and pools are open. See Industry Guidance.
Pennsylvania: Governor Wolf issued a stay-at-home order April 1 and ended it on May 8, 2020, when he announced a phased, color-coded plan to reopen the state's 24 counties beginning on May 8. As of June 12, Cumberland and Hagerstown entered the green phase, which eased most restrictions by lifting stay-at-home and business closure orders to allow the economy to “strategically open while continuing to prioritize public health. Some restrictions, like wearing masks, remain in place. Learn more here.
Virginia: Governor Northam issued a stay-at-home order on March 30 and ended it on June 10, 2020. The state moved to the second phase of reopening on June 5. Northern Virginia and Richmond moved to the second phase June 12. Looser restrictions include opening restaurants allowing 50% capacity; gyms and fitness centers at 30% capacity. Learn more here.
Updated May 15, 2020
The following is a listing of useful links to important coronavirus guidelines and various Federal and State services. Updates will be made as necessary. (For additional industry-related information check the IBT COVIS-19 Outbreak Resources.)
Members employed at Carroll Home Services mourn the loss of coworker John Freeman who passed away April 1, 2020. Freeman, an oil delivery driver at Carroll since 2009, leaves his wife, Andrea, and three-year-old son, Justin.
"John was well-known and well-liked," said Tyrell Vincent, a Carroll Home Services shop steward who first met Freeman in 2006. "He was a devoted father, husband, and son who enjoyed his family and good food. He was always willing to lend a hand to someone else, and share what he knew with others."
Shop steward Derrick Westry enjoyed a 14-year friendship with Freeman. "John wasn't hard to get along with at all. He had a sense of humor and liked to play the jokester. We shared an interest in good restaurants, especially places that served lamb chops. He loved good lamb chops, especially the homestyle chops served at Granny's Restaurant in Owings Mills. John loved his family and was really close to his mom who, sadly, passed away just this past weekend. He will be missed."
"John was a strong supporter of our union. I spoke with John on a number of occasions because he didn't hesitate to reach out when he had questions," said Local 570 Business Agent Kevin Davidson. "He had a pleasant way about him – very much the gentle giant."
A memorial service honoring Freeman's life will be held at a later date not yet determined.
The Local 570 Executive Board extends its deepest condolences to John Freeman's family and friends during this difficult time.
April 2, 2020 | Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan issued a stay-at-home order Monday to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Although the order largely didn’t change anything since the Republican governor had already ordered severe restrictions that closed schools, colleges, sit-down restaurants, malls, casinos, gyms, theaters and nonessential businesses. And the governor previously had banned gatherings of more than 10 people.
Hogan said the stay-at-home directive was necessary given the concern that the virus could hinder the federal government’s ability to respond to the crisis. Additionally, he said, COVID-19 could spread to “literally thousands” of facilities in Maryland, including hospitals, detention centers and nursing homes.
“Every Marylander can be a hero, just by staying home,” Hogan said at an Annapolis news conference this week.
But days after the directive was issued, Marylanders still have questions and many are asking the governor’s spokesman, Mike Ricci, directly.
We’ve highlighted 10 of the most frequently asked questions Ricci has answered on Twitter since Hogan issued the order:
Yes, you can still go outside.
Walking or running around your block or going for a hike at a local county or state park is OK. Taking your dog for a walk is fine, too. The governor’s office just asks that you practice social distancing as you come across others and above all, use common sense.
Can my nanny still come watch my child?
Yes. Nannies fall under the category of “residential service," which is classified as an essential service, Hogan’s deputy communications director Kata D. Hall said in a tweet.
Can I set up a play date for my child? Probably not the best idea. Coronavirus is highly contagious and easily transmitted. Because of this, Ricci says play dates — and other nonessential gatherings — should be no-gos. “We want people to use remote forms of communication as much as possible,” he said.
If I’m an essential employee, do I need to carry a letter that says where I work?
It depends. According to Ricci, the governor’s chief legal counsel said it is “advisable” for employers to provide workers with a letter in case they get stopped by law enforcement. But ultimately it is up to the individual organization to decide. “The burden here is on the employer,” the legal counsel told Ricci.
I commute to a different state for work, groceries or essentials. Can I still go?
Yes. People are encouraged to try to limit their travel as much as possible, but if it is a necessity to go across state lines, it is OK, Hall said in a tweet.
I’m supposed to move to a new place to live. What now?
You can still move to a new residence, Ricci said. However, it is important to take extra precautions. But as long as the individual is “confident” in those measures, Ricci said, moving should be no issue.
Sometimes I like to just get out of the house and drive around. Can I still do that?
Yes again. Drivers should try to not venture too far out of the region if possible, Ricci said, but if you are inside a car and not in direct contact, aside from those who may live with you, there should be no problems.
I want to go hunting or fishing. Is that OK?
If you are getting food for you or your family, it is allowed. However, social distancing guidelines still must be followed and no groups over 10 people are allowed. Same goes for fishing in a state park or crabbing and fishing from a boat, Ricci said.
It’s a nice day. Can I take my kayak or boat out on the water?
Until the state of emergency is lifted by Hogan, recreational boating is prohibited. However, activities like kayaking and paddleboarding are considered to be a form of exercise and are permitted. But all participants must still practice social distancing and abide by the social gathering limit.
When does the stay-at-home order end?
It’s unclear.
Teamsters Safety & Health Update: Coronavirus Mar. 5, 2020 | Our union issued today important Safety & Health information on the coronavirus. We encourage you to view/download the S&H Fact Sheet (link below) that provides information about what the coronavirus disease 2019 (abbreviated “COVID-19”) is, why it is cause for concern, how it spreads, which workers are at increased risk, the symptoms of the disease, and much, much more. Keep in mind that this is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation. The fact sheet will be updated as needed. Download Teamsters Safety & Health Coronavirus.
Who should the Teamsters endorse in 2020? Mar. 11, 2020 | Last year our Union surveyed members to find out what issues were most important to them when choosing a candidate for President. All of the candidates were presented with our issues and told the requirements for obtaining the endorsement of the Teamsters Union. We then followed them on the campaign and got their issues on the record, which you can see here. Now, we want to know which of the candidates YOU think has earned the Teamsters’ endorsement. Click here to make your voice heard no later than Monday, March 16.
American Red Cross in Need of Blood Donors Mar. 16, 2020 | Teamsters members are critical to health care, working in hospitals, nursing homes and health care facilities, including the American Red Cross, where over 1,300 Teamsters are employed. As blood drive cancellations increase due to coronavirus concerns, healthy individuals are needed to give blood or platelets to help patients in need. The American Red Cross has reported that tens of thousands of much-need blood donations have gone uncollected as organizations and businesses that hold blood drives have temporarily closed during this pandemic… Teamsters[Note: Local 570 represents Teamster members employed at the American Red Cross in the Baltimore area.]
Md. to extend temporary unemployment benefits during coronavirus pandemic Mar. 18, 2020 | Maryland’s Senate passed emergency legislation Monday to extend temporary unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to employees who will lose their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. The benefits will be extended to workers who have to be quarantined or whose employers temporarily close, and also makes people eligible for benefits when they have to leave their jobs due to the risk of exposure or to care for an infected family members… Baltimore SunRelated: The DC City Council passed legislation providing relief for DC residents and workers. Read the summary here.
Teamsters are urged to patronize restaurants’ curbside pickup, delivery Mar. 19, 2020 | With more and more states ordering the closure of restaurants as coronavirus continues to spread across the United States, our members working at broadline food distributors are facing severe economic hardship. However, many restaurants are offering curbside pickup or delivery service to customers, and we urge Teamsters and others to patronize the restaurants offering these alternatives. "Our members at Sysco/Sygma, US Foods/FSA, PFG/Reinhart, and other companies keep these restaurants operating daily, and the closures are already having an impact on their livelihoods," said Steve Vairma, Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. "By using the curbside pickup or delivery services, where available, it will help not only the restaurants get through this crisis but also our members… Teamsters
A message to Warehouse Teamsters from Division Director Steve Varma Mar. 20, 2020 | As one of the largest divisions in the Teamsters Union, the Warehouse Division has been working with our local unions in the Grocery and Broadline industries during the coronavirus outbreak. In a number of states. restaurants and schools have been closed affecting our members in the Broadline Industry and putting even more pressure on the Grocery Distributors and our members to meet the demands of the public. We have and are working with Kroger, Albertsons, US Foods and Sysco to develop a plan to utilize our members facing layoffs in the Broadline Industry, to keep them working with as little disruption as we can. Our discussions are centered around co-sharing the displaced workers… Teamsters
Coronavirus Update: Resources to help everyone Mar. 21, 2020 | Listen to a special episode of Teamster Nation Podcast addressing the coronavirus outbreak, where Teamster staff lets members know what they are doing to help members stem both illness and economic loss, and more.
Gov. Hogan announces closure of non-essential businesses Mar. 23, 2020 | Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced Monday he was ordering closed all non-essential businesses in the state, including retail stores that had been allowed to remain open. Hogan said the additional step was necessary to “slow the spread of COVID-19 in Maryland.” The order, which takes effect at 5 p.m. today, does not include essential or critical industries as defined by the federal government: health care, law enforcement, emergency workers, food, energy, water, transportation, public works, communications, government, critical manufacturing, financial services, chemicals, and defense. Liquor stores are exempted from the order… Baltimore Sun
Republic Services: Reinstate employee Greg Dowis NOW Mar. 25, 2020| Republic Services, a $10 billion trash, and landfill corporation, suspended longtime employee Greg Dowis for speaking out for worker safety during the coronavirus pandemic. Greg is married, has a son serving in the US Army, and has 2 grandchildren. He is just looking to protect his family and community. Please sign this petition to demand that Republic reinstate Greg NOW!
Scholarship deadline EXTENDED to April 14 Mar. 26, 2020 | Due to the national emergency, the deadline for applications for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund has been extended to April 14. Please see the Fund's website for details on how to apply.
Enforcement notice on expiring CDLs * Mar. 26, 2020 | FMCSA grants, until June 30, 2020, a waiver from certain regulations applicable to interstate and intrastate commercial driver’s license and commercial learner’s permit holders and to other interstate drivers operating commercial motor vehicles. You can find the Enforcement Notice here. * For additional information, see the Teamsters CDL Drivers Coronavirus Factsheet
Coronavirus Update: Resources to help everyone Mar. 27, 2020 | Listen to the latest Teamster Nation Podcastdealing with the coronavirus epidemic; get the latest health, safety, and legislative news. Plus get updates from the heads of the Package and Convention, Trade Show and Casino divisions.
Update from the Building Material & Construction Trade Division Mar. 31, 2020 | Most construction projects are still ongoing with measures in place to help protect the workers such as thorough cleaning of turnstiles and handrails. All pipeline construction training courses are being postponed until later this year. Please check here for more information.
Feb. 27, 2020 | After announcing last week that he would not seek re-election in 2022, General President Jim Hoffa posted the following letter to his Facebook page.
Dear Fellow Teamster:
There can be no greater honor than serving as General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Everyday since you first elected me 21 years ago I have worked hard to earn the trust and support of you, the members I serve. Working together we have accomplished many great things for our beloved Teamsters Union.
When I was first elected I promised to:
Unite our great Union. Teamster Joint Councils and Local Unions are working together better today than any time in our history. That is why we are growing, why we are getting strong contracts and why we can hold politicians accountable. Nothing can stop us when we stand together united.
Run a clean union. Recently the Final Consent Order was implemented demonstrating that the Union and the Government agree that the Teamsters are now corruption-free.
Deliver strong contracts. I have worked with dedicated Teamster members and leaders to accomplish this most important goal. We have built worker power and exerted it to bring companies to the table to win industry-leading contracts that Teamster members deserve.
Grow the Teamsters Union. We created a dedicated organizing fund that has turned the Teamsters into the most recognized union in North America for aggressive, strategic and successful organizing. I am proud to say that despite attacks by anti-worker forces and the politicians they have elected, we have more Teamster members now than when I took office.
Work across political party lines to benefit Teamster members. We fought back against the war on workers over the last decade and I believe we are winning this fight. Through it all the Teamsters Union has been a leading advocate for worker justice, maintaining important lines of communications with Republican and Democrat administrations in State Houses and in Washington, DC. Most recently we were successful in obtaining meaningful changes in the North American Free Trade Agreement. This has been one of our major issues for the past two decades.
Make the Teamsters a democratic Union. Rank and file member engagement is what makes the Teamsters Union strong. I am proud to have enshrined the direct membership vote in the Teamsters election in the Teamsters Constitution.
There is much more work to be done. We have a pension crisis that must be solved and American workers are still under attack by politicians in Washington and state houses across the country. But I have faith that working together we will succeed for Teamster members.
My entire life has been dedicated to the Teamsters Union. I grew up walking picket lines with my father and spent my entire career representing and fighting for Teamster members. That is why my decision to not run for another term in 2021 is so difficult. But I know that it is time for new leaders to take the helm and steer our great Union through the difficult years ahead.
And please rest assured that during my final two years in office I will continue to fight to make the Teamsters Union stronger everyday.
Thank you all for of your incredible support over the years. We could not have succeeded without your involvement and participation. It has been an honor to work with all of you.
Bill to protect, strengthen workers’ rights headed for vote this week Feb. 4, 2020 | H.R. 2474, the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, is headed to the full House of Representatives for debate and a vote on the floor this week. Under current law, many employers routinely violate the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and block workers’ ability to exercise their right to bargain for better wages and better working conditions. The PRO Act would restore and strengthen worker protections which have been eroded over the years. Act now! Tell your representative that you support H.R. 2474 and that you will be watching how they vote on the legislation. Click here to take action.
Latest issue of ‘Drive Up Standards’ now available Feb. 5, 2020 | The winter 2019 print edition of our Teamster newsletter for schools bus drivers and monitors is available for download here. Visit Drive Up Standards here. Get the latest news in our Passenger Transportation Division here.
Jimmy Hoffa: In his own words Feb. 12, 2020 | Listen to the latest edition of the Teamster Nation Podcast and hear about the legacy of James R. Hoffa from the man himself as the union remembers him on the 107th anniversary of his birth.
Deadline fast approaching for this year’s Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Feb. 13, 2020 | The deadline for applying for an academic or vocational/training program scholarship from the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund is March 2. The college and vocational scholarship programs are available only for the sons, daughters and financial dependents of active and retired Teamsters. Visit the scholarship fund's website for information on who is eligible to apply and how to apply.
Black History Month means more to the Teamsters Feb. 13, 2020 | But for the Teamsters Union, black history isn’t just an add on to our story or recognition of advancements. It is part of the core of our history. Black and white Teamsters rallied together after the Civil War to improve conditions, starting the first independent team driver locals. Black teamsters (and women teamsters for that matter) were part of the original conventions forming the Team Drivers International Union in 1898 and its spin-off The National Teamsters Union in 1902. T.A. Stowers (second from left in photo), a black delegate from Chicago was a leading voice at the 1903 convention to create the Teamsters Union as we know it today. He helped write the union’s constitution, yet few have heard of him. Stowers was the force behind adopting a creed vastly different from other unions, allowing members of any race, creed, gender or religion into the Teamsters. That’s a mainstay of our history and should be remembered… NJ Today
General President Jim Hoffa won’t seek re-election in 2022 Feb. 20, 2020 | James P. Hoffa on Friday signaled the end of an era for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, telling The Detroit News he will not seek re-election just as the labor union this week makes a historic exit from government oversight. "I think it's time for the next generation to take over," the 78-year-old labor leader said. "We rebuilt this union. We've rebuilt our finances. We rebuilt the spirit. We put the swagger back in the union. ... I'm very proud of what we have done, but I also realize maybe it's time for the next generation to take over." Hoffa, the second-longest serving Teamsters president, will leave behind a complex legacy when he steps down in March 2022 after 23 years, experts said. The Detroit native now says he feels confident in the finances, unity and momentum of one of the country's largest unions — and its restored integrity… Detroit News
Take the Teamster poll to rank the presidential candidates Feb. 20, 2020| The Teamsters Union has not endorsed a presidential candidate, and instead has made a concerted effort to get all the candidates on the record on key union priorities such as pension reform and collective bargaining rights. As the primary process continues, the union wants to hear from its members about what candidate they favor. Go to TeamstersVote to see where the candidates stand on the issues and then take the Teamsters Preference Poll to rank the remaining candidates in order of your preference. The Teamsters will use the results to help guide its choice if it does ultimately decide to endorse a candidate for the 2020 Presidential Election.
National health officials warn Americans to plan for the coronavirus Feb. 26, 2020| Dr. Nancy Messonnier of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told reporters yesterday, “It’s not so much a question of if this will happen anymore, but really a question when it will happen – and how many people in this country will have severe illness.” As of today, there have been about 15 confirmed cases in the U.S, and an additional 42 who were travelers on the cruise ship docked in Japan and have been repatriated to the U.S. Learn more about the coronavirus and how to protect yourself and your family. This infographic shows how the CDC is preparing communities to deal with and prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Finally, stay informed through trustworthy sources, such as the CDC, the World Health Organization (WHO) and your local health departments.
Dear Fellow Teamster… Feb. 27, 2020| After announcing last week that he would not seek re-election in 2022, General President Jim Hoffa posted a letter to his Facebook page. Addressing all Teamster members, Hoffa wrote: “There can be no greater honor than serving as General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Everyday since you first elected me 21 years ago I have worked hard to earn the trust and support of you, the members I serve. Working together we have accomplished many great things for our beloved Teamsters Union. When I was first elected I promised to… Local News
Jan. 22, 2020 | A three-year contract approved by members at Toyota provides annual wage increases, maintenance of Health & Welfare, employer contribution increase to the 401k, a signing bonus and improvements to language provisions.
Members at Chef’s Warehouse approved a contract that included a significant bump in wage rates upon signing, annual increases over term; maintenance of Health & Welfare benefits; the sick leave policy updated to comply with Maryland law; and language improvements that benefit the members.
Contract extensions are in place at Edgemere Terminal (through April 2020), and Baltimore Rigging (through August 2020).
Negotiations are underway with American Red Cross,Cloverland Dairy, Aramark Refreshment Services,Merchants Terminal, Inc., Petro Home Services.
Bargaining proposal meetings are scheduled with members at Breakthru Beverage, Chesapeake Beverage, and P. Flanagan & Sons.
Raising awareness and funds for breast cancer research Our second annual fundraising campaign is underway with the sale of our USA-made custom pink Local 570 shirts. October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month but our campaign to increase awareness and raise funds for breast cancer research will continue until all the shirts are sold. One hundred percent of the profits from the sale of the shirts will be donated. You can pick up your shirt by making a $20 donation so call or stop by the Local Union office today. Local 570 staff will be happy to help you.
Hoffa: New year brings big responsibility for voters Jan. 3, 2020 | Today, America begins a very important year in its existence. Over the next 11 months, voters will decide who they want to lead this country and what they want its future to look like. The process will be tumultuous. But it is a critical decision that will have long-lasting implications for all who call this great nation home. The Teamsters are taking its role in helping to shape this country’s path forward seriously… Detroit News
Two Teamster UPS drivers die in PA turnpike crash Jan. 6, 2020 | The Teamsters Union mourns the loss of two Teamsters Local 776 members and UPS drivers, Dennis Kehler and Daniel Kepner, who were killed Sunday in an accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The pile-up involved several tractor-trailers that reportedly crashed after a tour bus was unable to negotiate a turn and hit an embankment. Five people were killed and 60 injured. Keller was a 28-year Teamster with UPS and Kepner was a five-year Teamster at the company… Local News
Local 992 UPS driver created wildly popular ‘UPS Dogs’ social media pages Jan. 7, 2020 | When Sean McCarren, 44, started having little four-legged “fans” follow him around on his UPS route, he decided to start taking their photos. After collecting more than 60 pictures of dogs on his phone, he posted one on his personal Facebook page in 2013 just for fun. “Everybody got all excited about it, so I just went ahead and made a little Facebook page to share them all,” said McCarren, who lives in Martinsburg, W.Va., and works out of the Hagerstown UPS center. After he established the Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages, other UPS drivers started posting dogs that they see on their travels delivering packages. There were steady posts for several years, then in 2017, the pages took off. “It just went viral,” McCarren said… Herald Media [McCarren has been a member of Teamsters Local 992 in Hagerstown, MD since 2002.]
Attention drivers with CDLs: FMCSA doubles random drug testing rate to 50% Jan. 9, 2020 | The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has raised the random drug testing rate for controlled substances for commercial drivers to 50% from the current 25% of driver positions. The change went into effect Jan. 1… Truck News
Update: Contracts in Place at Toyota, Chef’s Warehouse; negotiations continue at AMR, others Jan. 22, 2020 | A three-year contract approved by members at Toyota provides annual wage increases, maintenance of Health & Welfare, employer contribution increase to the 401k, a signing bonus and improvements to language provisions. Members at Chef’s Warehouse approved a contract that included a significant... Local News
Applications now being accepted for the JRHM Scholarship Dec. 3, 2019 | The application process is now open for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund's 2020 college and vocational scholarship programs for the sons, daughters and financial dependents of Teamsters. In 2019, $1.2 million was awarded in academic scholarships for the children of Teamster members, including Ashley Goudy, daughter of a Local 355 retired UPS Teamster. Many scholarships to support the costs of vocational/trade school programs were also awarded. Visit the scholarship fund's website for information on who is eligible to apply and how to apply. The application deadline is March 2, 2020.
Biden campaign workers choose Teamster representation Dec. 3, 2019 | Approximately 120 field organizers for Vice President Joe Biden's national presidential campaign joined Teamsters Local Union 238 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa this week, becoming the latest group of political workers to gain union representation with the Teamsters. Teamsters Local 238 has been at the forefront of organizing political workers during the presidential race, representing campaign workers with Sens. Booker and Klobuchar, and the staff who work for the Iowa Democratic Party. "Political campaign workers deserve a voice on the job as much as anyone," said Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa. "These workers, who face the prospect of long, pressure-filled hours on the campaign trail, need a strong partner like the Teamsters Union that will fight for their rights." Yahoo Finance
Teamsters prez says Dems ‘better have a message for us’ at Iowa Forum Dec. 4, 2019 | The President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, James Hoffa, is expecting more than 700 union members from across the nation to attend the Teamsters forum in Cedar Rapids Saturday, Dec. 7. [Watch the lifestream – RSVP here.] “I don’t know where we’re going to put them all. We’ll put them outside. We’ll put a TV outside,” Hoffa said in an interview with Starting Line. “It’s an exciting thing and I’m looking forward to it.” Members of the 1.4 million-strong union will hear from six Democratic presidential candidates at the forum: Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders and Tom Steyer. Hoffa said the forum is one of the final steps in the endorsement process for the Teamsters, although there is no set timeline for the IBT’s selection process… Iowa Starting Line
Tune in to Teamsters presidential forum on worker issues Dec. 6, 2019 | The townhall event in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Saturday, December 7 at 2 PM Central will be live-streamed on our Facebook page, Twitter @Teamsters, our YouTube channel, TeamstersVote.com and on Teamster.org. Six 2020 presidential candidates are confirmed to attend. We'll be asking them about the key issues affecting workers like you - including pensions, trade policy, and collective bargaining rights - and making sure they fight for the Teamsters vote. Be a part of the conversation – RSVP to watch live here: www.ibt.io/12-7rsvp#Teamsters2020
Baltimore Local 355 UPS driver brings happiness to children in hospitals Dec. 23, 2019 | For 15 years Felix Guinto, a UPS driver and member of Local 355 in Baltimore, has been rallying a team of volunteers that work throughout the year to bring toys to children in area hospitals. Guinto enlists the help of dozens of other UPS drivers who volunteer their time to bring some joy to sick children. “We do this throughout the year,” said Guinto, a 26-year employee of UPS. “The hard part is keeping up the visits every month.” The Helping Hands team makes up to 65 hospital visits every year, and volunteers also serve two meals to the homeless every month in Baltimore. “It really began with my mother and I doing the work, and since she has passed away, I decided to honor her memory. Now the work has expanded to become a monthly project. My father was a 30-year Teamster member and it’s because of the union and the volunteers who sacrifice their own time that keeps the Helping Hands project so strong.” If you would like to support this project, please consider a donation through the website: guintoshelpinghands.com
Teamsters support improved USMCA, significant improvement over Nafta Dec. 23, 2019 | Teamsters in both the United States and Canada are coming out in support of the new NAFTA following changes to the agreement made by Democrats in Congress. The Teamsters Union has long opposed the North American Free Trade Agreement. Teamsters jobs are tied to trade and our members have suffered the impact of the original NAFTA for more than a quarter century. Teamsters want trade, but it has to be fair trade that puts working people and their families first. The USMCA includes improvements that will directly benefit Teamster members. Among these is the overdue fix to the cross-border trucking provision that threatened highway safety and the competitiveness of the American trucking industry.… Teamsters
We want your video questions for presidential candidates Nov. 6, 2019 | Deadline is Friday, Nov. 22th!The Teamsters Union is hosting a Presidential Candidate Forum on Dec. 7, 2019, featuring several of the leading Democratic contenders. We want the candidates to hear directly from Teamsters members – that’s why you’re being asked to submit a video with your question for the candidates. Details here.
Teamsters honor veterans Nov. 11, 2019 | Dear Active-Duty and Veteran Teamsters: Veterans Day is a time to remember the contributions of all those who are or have served in the nation’s armed forces protecting our freedom. The Teamsters recognize the sacrifice those in the military incur and are honored that so many have chosen to become a part of our union family. Since World War I, Teamster members have been involved in all our nation’s wars…Continued at Teamsters
Hoffa: 'Candidates must take our voices seriously' Oct. 11, 2019 | The Teamsters Vote 2020 survey conducted recently by the International revealed retirement security, collective bargaining rights, and fair trade as the most important concerns of members going into the 2020 election. The survey is just the start of Teamster efforts to make sure members are heard and respected in this election and beyond. “Candidates must take our voices seriously,” said General President Hoffa today in an email to members. “We’re demanding that all of the candidates listen to our members and support our priorities. We have the power to drive the conversation and ensure that issues that affect Teamsters and working people remain at the heart of the 2020 election.” Watch President Hoffa here to find out how the union is holding candidates accountable on members’ issues. Visit this website to learn more about the Teamsters Vote 2020 Program.
Miners, Teamsters demand Senate fix multi-employer pensions Oct. 22, 2019 | Retirees from several unions joined Democratic senators on Capitol Hill Oct. 16 to demand that the Senate act on a bill to prevent endangered multiemployer pension plans from going bankrupt. “We need you, Congress, to stop kicking the can down the road,” said retired Teamster Mike Walden of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Multiemployer funds covering about 1.3 million workers and retirees have either already slashed benefits or are in danger of insolvency. The House passed a bill in July that would have… cleveland.com
Working Americans are raising the bar for 2020 candidates Oct. 25, 2019| In a column appearing in the Des Moines (Iowa) Register this week, General President Jim Hoffa wrote: “As we head toward 2020, one thing is clear: Whoever is elected president will have to confront major challenges that have a significant impact on the livelihoods of millions. For Teamsters members and working people across America, these challenges include numerous crises that threaten the existence of our diminishing middle class… Read it here.
Revamped training is needed for workers Oct. 28, 2019 | The nation’s evolving workforce needs are cause for concern and must be mulled carefully to ensure that current and future workers have the skills they require to spur U.S. economic growth and support themselves and their families. While many focus on automation across a swath of industries, changes in the kind of work being done may be a bigger worry. That’s why the Teamsters and other unions have long called for improvements in vocational education so that hardworking Americans can succeed now and in the years ahead. This union has been doing its part to help in that effort, but can’t go it alone… Teamsters
A Labor Day message from General President Hoffa
Sept. 2, 2019 | The American labor movement is responsible for many things we take for granted—the weekend, the 40-hour workweek and anti-child labor laws to name a few.
Presidential debate drives Teamster action to influence election Aug. 2, 2019 | The Teamsters continued its drive to getting 2020 presidential candidates focused on the needs of workers this week by having General President Jim Hoffa attend a Democratic Party debate and by holding separate events in South Carolina and New Hampshire where the union gathered insights on what issues matter most to its membership. Hoffa attended Wednesday night’s debate in Detroit in hopes of hearing from candidates where they stand on issues that matter most to Teamsters. And although several shared their thoughts on important issues such as trade and health care, there was a deafening silence when it came to an essential matter for this union – pensions. As Hoffa said on Fox Business’ “Mornings with Maria” show, “what are we going to do about retirement security, those who worked hard and played by the rules? Those are the type of kitchen table issues I would like to see these debates focused on, and I’m not hearing that.” … Continued at Teamsters
Pensions. Trade. Labor rights. What issue do YOU care about? Aug. 7, 2019 | Candidates care about our support. They know working people are going to shape the outcome of this election. That’s why the IBT is conducting a member survey nationwide to hear from each and every one of us. It doesn’t matter what your politics are or who you plan to vote for – the Union wants to hear from you. By completing this survey, you’re giving the Union the information it needs to go to the presidential candidates with clear demands for what any candidate – left, right, or center – needs to do if they want Teamster support.
Union stand in solidarity with UFCW, condemn Mississippi raids on workers Aug. 9,2019 | The Teamsters Union stands with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) as it works to protect its members against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that are tearing families apart. Federal authorities raided two food processing plants represented by UFCW [Wednesday] and arrested scores of union members there. Hoffa calls for an end to polices hurting workers and families… Teamsters
Teamsters National Black Caucus celebrates 11th Annual Women’s Day Aug. 16, 2019 | Teamster brothers and sisters filled the room, dressed in red to represent power, love and Teamster women on the 11th Annual Women’s Day at the Teamsters National Black Caucus Conference. This is a day strictly for the women. The women of the TNBC felt it necessary to celebrate women during the annual conference to pay homage to the women who came before them. It’s also a day to celebrate and educate themselves. “We want to make sure that you enjoy yourself, but most of all educate yourself,” said TNBC Chairman James ‘Curb’ Curbeam. “We want you to go back home and engage your members, counterparts, and communities because if we don’t talk about what we done here, it’s all for nothing...”Teamsters
Teamsters listening to candidates on the trail Aug. 21, 2019 | Today, the Teamster Nation Blog kicks off a new weekly feature that will detail key issue responses from the 2020 presidential candidate field. It will highlight Teamster interactions with the candidates on the campaign trail, including answers to questions posed to them from union members and staff. We hope you find it useful. Teamster Nation Blog
Teamsters stands with AT&T workers on strike * Aug. 27, 2019 | The Teamsters Union stands in solidarity with over 20,000 AT&T workers who went on strike over the weekend in nine states across the Southeast. The workers are striking over unfair labor practices committed by management during negotiations for a new contract. The strike involves technicians, customer service representatives and others who install, maintain and support AT&T’s residential and business telecommunications network in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee... TeamstersPhoto: Reddit.com * Update 8/28: Negotiators strike new deal, members return to work
Bakery and Laundry Teamsters stand tall for workers July 8, 2019 |More than 100 Teamsters from across North America came to Denver this week for the 79th annual Bakery & Laundry Conference, sharing ideas and strategy on how to empower their membership in the face of employer challenges. Attendees heard from union and political leaders about the need for members to stay strong and involved in the process, even as companies increasingly try to clamp down on wages and benefits they offer to their workers… Read more here.
Conference labor panelists say workers want focus on economic issues July 12, 2019 | Speaking on a panel at the Netroots Nation conference sponsored by the Teamsters, a trio of radio personalities well-versed in politics and policy said presidential contenders need to put workers first and address their concerns if they want to prevail in November 2020. Bread-and-butter issues like good-paying jobs are paramount. James “Curb” Curbeam, left, the union’s Southern Region Organizing Coordinator and Chairman of the Teamsters’ National Black Caucus, said workers want to see candidates focus less on social issues and spend more time talking about topics that will put more money in their wallets. “Blue-collar workers want someone to stand up for them and fight for them,” he said. “We need people who are going to stand up for all Americans, not just a handful.”… TeamstersPhoto/Anthony Pezzotti, Philadelphia Inquirer
At Local 570's Open House & Cookout held June 23, 2019, two days before the successful election at Petro Home Services: (L-R) Scott Wojechowski, organizing lead, Petro Home Services; Arnold Miller, lead organizer and alternate shop steward, Carroll Home Services; Alvin Mason, shop steward, Carroll Home Services.
Petro Home Services technicians chose Teamsters July 12, 2019 | Local 570 welcomes 34 plumbers, installers and service technicians employed at Petro Home Services who voted overwhelmingly in late June to join become Teamster members. Pedro is a full service home heating oil supplier. Negotiations are underway for their first contract. (The company’s fuel delivery drivers are also Local 570 members.) In other Local news, a new four-year contract covering plumbers, installers and service technicians at Carroll Home Services was ratified in June. The agreement provides substantial wage increases, enrollment in the Teamsters 570 Health Insurance Plan at no cost to members... Continue reading at Local News
Teamsters stand in solidarity with striking Amazon workers July 15, 2019 | Teamsters across North America stand in solidarity with the Amazon fulfillment workers striking in Minnesota. Similar to workers moving Amazon goods, many of our 1.4 million members pick and stow product in warehouses, drive trucks, and deliver packages and have fought for decades to win better working conditions, respect, and a voice on the job. This fight is ongoing. Amazon workers in Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, France, and the United Kingdom have also engaged in numerous protests, strikes, or other activities to demand their rights and as Teamsters, we support this growing worker-led movement. Every worker deserves… Teamsters
Baltimore officials issue ‘Code Red’ heat emergency July 16, 2019 | The heat index is forecast to surpass 100 degrees in and around Baltimore this week, prompting city health officials to declare a “Code Red” heat emergency. High temperatures are forecast in the lower to mid-90s Tuesday through Thursday, and then could approach 100 degrees Friday and Saturday. Factoring in humidity, which is forecast to rise over the course of the week, it’s expected to feel like about 100 degrees for the middle of the week and potentially close to 110 degrees Friday and Saturday… Baltimore Sun Get the Teamster facts on heat stress.
Tell your member of Congress to protect our pensions July 22, 2019 | We need your help! The Teamsters Union supports the passage of the Rehabilitation of Multiemployer Pensions Act (H.R. 397), which is headed to the full House of Representatives for debate and vote on the floor THIS WEEK! This bill is vital to protecting the pensions of hundreds of thousands of active Teamsters members and retirees across the country. This is the only legislation that would fully protect their hard-earned pension. Congress must act now to help millions of Americans facing an uncertain future as their retirement security is threatened through no fault of their own. PLEASE CALL 888-979-9806 NOW to let your own representatives in Congress know that any legislative solution must keep pensions whole for both active and retired workers. The time is now! (Note: The Warehouse Employees Local 570 Pension Fund is not affected by the multi-employer pension fund crisis but please support the Union and make the call.)
July 8, 2019 | Local 570 welcomes 34 plumbers, installers and service technicians employed at Petro Home Services who voted overwhelmingly in late June to become Teamster members. Pedro is a full service home heating oil supplier. Negotiations are underway for their first contract. (The company’s fuel delivery drivers are also Local 570 members.)
In other Local news, a new four-year contract covering plumbers, installers and service technicians at Carroll Home Services was ratified in June. The agreement provides substantial wage increases, enrollment in the Teamsters 570 Health Insurance Plan at no cost to members, increases in paid time off, on-call provisions, and tool, boot, and uniform allowances. Carroll provides HVAC installation and repair services throughout the Baltimore area. Petro and Carroll are both owned by Star Gas.
A new three-year contract was ratified at Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, providing annual wage increases, maintenance of healthcare benefits with a new opt-out provision, an increase in the employer contribution to the 401(k), and an additional holiday.
Members at Terminal Corporation approved in June a new contract with a four-year term. The agreement provides wage and shift differential increases; maintenance to Health and Welfare; an increase in the life insurance benefit, the company pension and 401(k) contribution. Terminal Corporation is a logistics services company.
Negotiations continue for a first contract for American Red Cross blood collectors (phlebotomists). Meetings are scheduled for the last week in July.
Coming up: Negotiations will begin soon at gourmet foods and restaurant supplier, Chefs’ Warehouse, and snack company Mondeléz International.
Union: U.S. workers deserve paid vacation time June 3, 2019 | There’s been a lot of talk about the need for higher wages, quality health care and retirement security in this space. But what about paid time off? The U.S. is the only advanced economy that does not federally mandate any paid vacation days or holidays for workers. So as a result, companies don’t prioritize it, and nearly a quarter of the nation’s workforce doesn’t receive any paid time off, according to an updated report by the Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)… teamster.org
Teamster leaders meet for Warehouse Division Conference June 11, 2019 | About 150 Teamster leaders from local unions that represent warehouse workers met in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho last week to discuss the major issues and campaigns affecting the more than 200,000 warehouse Teamsters. "We have many challenges ahead, but by working together--the local unions, the Joint Councils and the International Union--we will take these challenges head-on to make sure our members' interests are protected," said Steve Vairma, Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. Leaders discussed the national organizing campaign under way at Sysco, and the campaigns to protect Teamsters at US Foods/FSA and UNFI/Supervalu… Teamsters
Do you have your REAL ID license yet? June 26, 2019 |If you recently received a letter in the mail from MVA about your driver's license, do not ignore it! For many of you, a valid license allows you to earn a good living so don't put it at risk. The deadline for being REAL ID compliant is fast approaching. If you are not REAL ID compliant by Oct. 1, 2020, a police officer will confiscate the revoked license if you are stopped for a traffic violation and you’ll have to go through the trouble to go to an MVA office with the proper documentation to get it back. Here's what you need to know... Local News
Water. Rest. Shade. June 27, 2019 | The stagnant hot, humid air over our region is contributing to poor air quality. A "Code Orange" Air quality alert is in effect Thursday, indicating unhealthy conditions for sensitive groups, including children, the elderly and people with heart or lung illnesses. Temperatures around Baltimore are forecast to reach the lower 90s Wednesday and Thursday, could approach the mid-90s on Friday, and again reach the lower 90s Saturday. Little relief is in the forecast beyond that, with temperatures in the mid- and upper-80s going into next week... Baltimore Sun Heat illness can be deadly. If you work outside you need to protect yourself: Drink water often. Rest in the shade. Report symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Both heat illnesses require emergency care… Teamster Fact Sheet on Heat Stress here.
June 26, 2019 | If you recently received a letter in the mail from MVA about your driver's license, do not ignore it! A valid license allows you to earn a good living. Don't put it at risk. Here's what you need to know:
All Maryland drivers must have a federally compliantREAL ID driver’s license by October 2020. After Oct.1, 2020, you will be required to have a REAL ID compliant driver’s license or ID card in order to use your driver’s license to board commercial aircraft for domestic flights or to gain access to federal facilities. Getting a REAL ID requires you to present documents (see below) for secure scanning that verify proof of age and identity.
Drivers who are not scheduled to renew their licenses before October 2020 must also provide required REAL ID compliant documentation proving age and Maryland residency with the MVA beforeOctober 2020. In addition, drivers who have renewed their licenses since May 2016 but were not asked to provide the federally-required documentation will have to make a trip back to the MVA to submit the information in order to be REAL ID compliant.
Be aware that you risk having your driver’s license declared invalid if you don’t pay attention to the new requirements' deadline. A police officer will confiscate the revoked license if you are stopped for a traffic violation and you’ll have to go through the trouble to go to an MVA office with the proper documentation to get it back.
1. Original or certified copy of your birth certificate – or a valid passport. (If you have ever changed your name, you’ll also need documents such as a marriage certificate or license, divorce decree or other forms documenting the name change.) 2. Social Security card, W2, or SS 1099 that displays your name and full Social Security number. 3. Two (2) documents proving Maryland residency – such as vehicle registration, insurance card, credit card bill, mail from a government agency, utility bill, or bank statement.
Attention CDL holders: Make sure you let the MVA worker you speak with know you hold a CDL. Members have reported inconsistencies in the information received from MVA employees who may not be familiar with CDL requirements. Some have been charged $20 for a replacement license, others no charge at all. Be sure to ask questions!
It's advisable to make an appointment:Appointments for REAL ID can be scheduled using the Online Document Guide, which also walks you through the documents you’ll need and allows you to pick a branch location, date and time.
Teamsters back effort to revamp federal labor law to benefit workers May 3, 2019 | “The Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act will restore fairness to the economy at a time when income inequality has stifled the ability of far too many hardworking Americans to earn a decent wage that allows them to support their families,” General President Jim Hoffa said in a statement issued yesterday. The legislation that would comprehensively update the National Labor Relations Act was introduced yesterday in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.). Read more at teamsters.org And from Intelligencer: [The PRO Act] would ban employers from forcing hires to sign away their right to pursue collective or class-action litigation and from permanently replacing workers who go on strike. It would also require employers to begin bargaining a contract no later than ten days after a union has been certified...
Teamster leaders gather for Unity Conference May 8, 2019 | With major challenges facing workers and the 2020 elections looming, the importance of mobilizing members is more critical than ever, Teamster leaders heard at the annual Unity Conference taking place in Las Vegas, Nev. Leaders have been attending important divisional meetings, where they are hearing about the latest issues facing workers and the union, and strategies for winning. The meetings continue today and Thursday … Read more at teamster.org
Monthly membership meetings suspended for the summer months May 13, 2019 | Local Union members attending yesterday's monthly membership meeting approved a motion to suspend the monthly meetings for the summer. The action follows a long tradition that recognizes members and their families are away on vacation most often during the summer months. Our next general membership meeting will be held Sunday, September 8, 2019, at the Local 570 Union Hall.
Hoffa on trade with China: “They’re keeping us out” May 16, 2019 | Hoffa discusses the impact of President Trump’s tariffs, and what should be done to get tough with China on trade, during interviews with Ali Velsh of MSNBC and Judy Woodruff of PBS NewsHour… Teamsters
Teamster Podcast: United in power at Unity May 22, 2019 | Listen to the latest episode of the Teamster Nation Podcast and hear how the union united for power at its annual Unity Conference in May, plus its plans for greater wins in the workplace and at the ballot box.
LA Teamsters provide members seeking citizenship with valuable assistance Apr. 1, 2019 | Teamsters Local 630 has about 7,000 members. They’re warehouse workers, truckers, and food service employees. Nearly 80 percent of the union is Hispanic. Guillermo Flores’ wife is in the union. For years he has lived, worked, and paid taxes in the United States, thanks to a permanent resident status. On Saturday, March 30 he took a major step toward U.S. citizenship because of Local 630. He submitted the N-400 Application for Naturalization. One of his motivations is political. As a permanent resident Flores isn’t allowed to vote. “The more people that could cast their votes and understand the laws or what’s going to go on in the future, I think it’s better for everybody,” said Flores. Flores’ parents brought him straight to California from Mexico…Spectrum News 1
East Region, California ratify contracts Apr. 3, 2019 | Costco Teamsters covered by two separate contracts for California and the East region have voted to ratify the two agreements. The California agreement passed with 86 percent voting yes and the East region agreement passed with 94 percent voting yes. The contracts include annual wage increases, annual pension contribution increases, improved scheduling and other improvements. “These contracts will ensure that Costco Teamsters continue to be the highest paid workers in the retail industry, with top-notch benefits and the job security they deserve for themselves and for their families,” said Steve Vairma, Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. The contract will run retroactively from February 1, 2019 through January 31, 2022. The East contract covers Costco workers in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia, while the West contract covers workers in California. Both agreements cover more than 17,000 workers. Voting took place over the past several weeks and votes were tallied yesterday.
The latest on Teamster Podcast: These women work! Apr. 10, 2019 | Listen to the latest edition of the Teamster Nation Podcast and learn how Local 237 in New York City used an event honoring former staffer and journalist Marie Colvin to also pay tribute to three school safety agents who stood up for fair pay for themselves and their colleagues. Plus, the Teamsters create an apprenticeship program to produce more truckers.
Pepsi Havre de Grace members ratify new contract Apr. 10, 2019 | Teamster sales and delivery drivers employed at Pepsi in Havre de Grace, Md., approved last night a three-year collective bargaining agreement that includes annual wage increases over the term, an increase to the retirement fund, and maintains their Local 570 Health Insurance at no cost to members.
Posted in the Photo Gallery: Images from the Steward Training Seminar Apr. 16, 2019 | Take a look at the photos of our shop stewards (and Local officers and staff) snapped during last month's training sessions. More than 60 Local 570 stewards attended the three-day seminar, where new stewards learned representation basics, veteran stewards brushed up on their knowledge and skills, and all discovered the inspiring story of the Teamster Union's beginnings and subsequent successes. Training seminar photos here. More photos and info in our upcoming newsletter.
Teamsters celebrate Women’s History Month Mar. 5,2019| Every year, we commemorate Women’s History Month in March, and March 8 marks International Women’s Day. The theme of International Women’s Day in 2019 is “Balance for Better,” because a more gender-balanced world is a better world. This is a time to reflect on women’s accomplishments in our union and communities at large. Often it’s Mother Jones or Rosie the Riveter who come to mind when we think about strong women in labor history. However, there are many more accomplished women, including Teamsters, who work every day to fight for workers’ rights… Teamsters
Teamsters support Dream and Promise Act Mar. 13, 2019 | The Teamsters Union applauds today’s introduction of The Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 6). This crucial legislation, which has 130 co-sponsors, would ensure that the future of Dreamers and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders is secure. Permanent protections for Dreamers and TPS holders must be enacted to stabilize an uncertain and unstable situation for the American economy and population as a whole. The cancellation of these programs has upset the lives of millions of men, women, and children who have done nothing but lived their lives as productive members of our community… Teamsters
Shop stewards brush up on representational skills at training seminar
Mar. 18, 2019 | (Click image to enlarge) More than 60 shop stewards improved their representational skills and Teamster knowledge at last week's “Building a Strong Union” training seminar, an educational program sponsored by Local 570 and conducted by staff members from the Training and Development Department of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. "Our seminars present great learning opportunities for our front line leaders. And the time spent networking with other Local stewards helps them better understand the issues facing them in their own shops," said Principal Officer Sean Cedenio. Additional photos will be posted soon, with more coverage appearing in our next newsletter, The 570 Express.
Hoffa marks 20 years as head of the Teamster Union Mar. 19, 2019 | Today marks an important milestone in Teamster history. On this date, General President James P. Hoffa became only the second General President to log 20 years as head of the Teamsters Union. “We have accomplished a lot in the last 20 years but there is always more to do. Workers’ rights and the gains we have made never stand still – we are either on the rise or someone is trying to take what we have – we only win by constantly fighting for more.” Reflecting on serving the Teamster membership for 20 years, Hoffa said, “It has been my greatest honor to serve the great men and women of this union… Teamsters
Reminder: Hoffa Memorial Scholarship deadline is March 31st Mar. 26, 2019 | The James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund awards scholarships annually to outstanding high school seniors. Scholarship winners are awarded either a $10,000.00 award split up over four years at $1,250.00 per semester, or a one-time $1,000.00 award. Winners of the $10,000.00 award will have their scholarship renewed each year, pursuant to the Scholarship Renewal guidelines, and must maintain a GPA of 3.0 (B average) or higher. Training and vocational scholarships are also available. To access the JRHMSF application process, click here.
Teamsters celebrate Black History Month Feb. 1, 2019| Since 1903, the Teamsters Union has been at the forefront of the struggle for workers’ rights in North America. During Black History Month, Teamsters honor the contributions of African-Americans in our nation’s history and their important place in the union today. Early on in the union’s history, Teamsters advocated for “no color lines” within the labor movement and would not hold with the practice of separate unions for black members. Women and minorities were part of the membership from the beginning, with black Teamsters attending at the founding convention. Teamster contracts included provisions for equal pay as early as 1917. That year, the union won a clause in a contract for women laundry workers that employees would be paid the same regardless of race. Over the years, the Teamsters Union has...Read more
Teamsters applaud introduction of legislation to protect transit workers Feb. 13,2019 | The Teamsters support bipartisan legislation that would authorize funding for programs to establish training and technology improvements to help mitigate assaults against transit workers. “All transit workers deserve a safe workplace,” said General President Jim Hoffa. “Whether they drive a bus or work on the rails, these men and women should have the training and technology to help prevent any harm from an assault on the job…” Learn more here.
Teamsters JC 16 statement on Amazon canceling H2 New York plans Feb. 15,2019 | George Miranda, President of Teamsters Joint Council 16, had the following statement on Amazon's announcement that it is pulling out of plans to build its second headquarters in Long Island City, NY: "New Yorkers made it clear that Amazon wasn't welcome in our city if it would not respect our workers and our communities. Apparently, the company decided that was too much to ask. We are committed to fighting for the rights of workers throughout the Amazon supply chain and supporting their demand for a voice on the job." TeamstersRelated: Amazon’s decision to pull out of New York is a massive blow to corporate welfare and, activists and lawmakers also raised concerns over Amazon’s labor practices and its anti-union track record.
Minimum wage increase advances in Md. General Assembly Feb. 26, 2019 | Maryland lawmakers are advancing a bill that gradually increases the minimum wage to $15 per hour but does it at a slower rate that advocates had hoped for. Under the version of the bill approved Monday night by a key House of Delegates committee, the minimum wage would increase from the current $10.10 per hour starting next year and hitting $15 in 2025… The Baltimore Sun
AFGE sues government over shutdown Jan. 2, 2019 | The American Federation of Government Employees on Monday sued the U.S. government on behalf of federal employees being forced to work without pay during the Trump Shutdown. The lawsuit alleges that the government is violating the law by requiring some federal employees to work without pay, including correctional officers, Border Patrol and ICE agents, transportation security officers, and other employees who are labeled as “essential”. “Our members put their lives on the line to keep our country safe,” said AFGE president J. David Cox Sr., noting that positions that are considered ‘essential’ during a shutdown are some of the most dangerous jobs in the federal government. Pointing out that many of those working without pay are military veterans, Cox said that “Our nation’s heroes, AFGE members and their families deserve the decency of knowing when their next paycheck is coming and that they will be paid for their work.” The lawsuit was brought on behalf of all federal employees who are required to work without pay during the shutdown. The U.S. Court of Federal Claims has previously ruled in favor of federal employees forced to work without pay during the 2013 shutdown. ~ Via Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO
Teamster members also work for federal government, contractors Jan. 2, 2019 | The International Brotherhood of Teamsters calls on Congress and the President to end the current budget impasse that could result in the partial closure of the federal government. The Teamsters Union represents thousands of hardworking members who are either federal employees or federal government contractors. Many of these members will be forced to either work without pay or face furlough or layoff during a government closure. The impact on these members and their families, as well as all federal employees impacted by a shutdown, would be catastrophic… teamster.org Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Unions call on the president and Congress to reopen the government Jan. 9, 2019 | Every day the government shutdown drags on, hundreds of thousands of working people are denied a paycheck and millions lose the vital government services they deserve. America's working families are looking to the president and Congress to end this debacle. Join us for a rally to end the government shutdown at Noon, Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019, at AFL-CIO, 815 16th St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20006. Or, call your legislators and demand that they vote to reopen government: 1-866-803-8830. Download the rally flyer here. Download the informational flyer "President and Congress Must Reopen the Government" here.
Thousands of federal employee union workers rally for end to government shutdown Jan. 10, 2019 | Teamsters stood with federal workers and other trade union allies at a rally today in Washington, DC to demand an end to the government shutdown. Tens of thousands of our union brothers and sisters are locked out or working without pay. Chanting ‘Shut the shutdown now,” they demanded government leaders “do your job” and reopen the government so they can go back to work. More than a dozen members of Congress joined the rally to stand with the workers including leaders from Maryland (House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, Senators Chris Van Hollen, and Benjamin Cardin) and Virginia (Senator Mark Warner and Representative Don Beyer).
Update: Bargaining continues between Teamsters and Costco Jan. 11, 2019 | Your National Negotiating Committee concluded bargaining this week following three days of meetings in Seattle. The committee has successfully resolved a majority of language items and anticipates moving into economics next week. There are several language items that still need to be addressed but the committee remains hopeful that it will conclude bargaining with Costco next week.
Jan. 21, 2019 | Mobile blood collections workers at the American Red Cross in Baltimore held a contract proposal meeting Sunday, Jan. 20, 2021 at the Union Hall. The group voted to join the Teamsters to have a voice at the table on issues that include health insurance coverage and affordability, fair pay, and improvements in training procedures.
Labor hails DC City Council move to protect federal workers Jan. 23, 2019 | Some good news to pass on share with family or friends affected by the government shutdown and are residents of DC: The DC City Council yesterday unanimously approved the “Federal Worker Housing Relief Emergency Act of 2019” to protect unpaid federal government workers and contractors from foreclosure, eviction, and late fees during a federal government shutdown. The bill, which takes effect immediately following the Mayor’s signature, would benefit as many as 80,000 federal workers and contractors living in DC. ...Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO
Stop the Shutdown National Call-In Day Jan. 24, 2019 | Union members from all over the country are being asked to call their Senators and Representatives today to tell them to reopen the government and keep it open. Call the Senate: 866-803-8830; House: 855-976-9914. The Senate is tentatively scheduled to vote today on a bill that will reopen the government – the day before many workers will be missing their paychecks. The Teamsters stand in solidarity with workers impacted by the shutdown that has locked out hundreds of thousands of federal workers and forced hundreds of thousands more to work without pay. We believe that the shutdown must end now. Make the call now! Related:Teamsters take part in government shutdown protest on Capitol HillPhoto/Getty Images
Local members get their pink on for breast cancer awareness Dec. 3, 2018 | With sales of bright pink T-shirts sporting the union logo and images of the Teamster horses (Lightning and Thunder), Local 570 raised $1,500 in October for breast cancer research during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. One hundred percent of the profits from sales were donated. Many thanks to everyone who supported our campaign to increase awareness and raise funds for breast cancer research. (L-R) Principle Officer Sean Cedenio; Carrie Mitchell, Local Union staff; Business Agent Kevin Davidson, President Rich Brown; Dawn Wagner, Local Union staff; Business Agent Bill Heil; Recording Secretary Joe Fowler.
Applications are being accepted for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Dec. 10, 2018 | The application process for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship for the 2019 year is now open. Scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 are awarded annually to eligible outstanding high school seniors. Applicants must be the son, daughter or grandchild of an active, retired, disabled, deceased or laid-off Teamster member who has or had at least twelve months of consecutive membership in good standing in the Teamsters Union. The submission deadline is March 31, 2019. Applications are available in English or Spanish, and are available online or at the Local office. For more information, click here.
Baltimore Red Cross workers vote to join Local 570 Dec. 13, 2018 | Mobile blood collections staff at the American Red Cross in Baltimore voted 37-0 today to become members of Teamsters Local 570. The group of 46 workers is seeking affordable health insurance and they want their concerns about cross-training to be addressed. The workers also want to get paid for the time spent driving to and from collection sites. “We look forward to addressing all the workers’ concerns when we sit down to negotiate a first contract with Red Cross,” said Sean Cedenio, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 570 in Baltimore. “These workers play an important role in keeping our community healthy, and they deserve to be treated fairly and with respect.” "I'm looking forward to what the future has to bring now that I am a Teamster,” said Raeisha Clay, a collections specialist and 10-year Red Cross employee. “We need a contract that puts our rights and protections in writing. This will give us peace of mind and stability.” Pictured (L-R): Sade Handy, Ciara Mundell, and Kiera Haney
Hoffa: Congress has no time to delay pension fix
Nov. 7, 2018 | Election season is officially over. The bickering and back-biting of candidates will no longer fill the airwaves. For many of us, that brings a sense of relief. For members of Congress, it is time to get back to work.
Teamsters are jumping into the immigration fight to support workers who could lose TPS status Oct. 4, 2018 | In a rare move, six big rigs driven by members of the Teamsters union pulled up in front of an immigration detention center in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday as dozens of people were protesting the Trump administration’s decision to end a program that temporarily granted legal status to thousands of immigrants. The trucks’ presence symbolized what has become a rare and surprising alliance between a US labor organization and advocates for immigrants who may soon face deportation orders. “We’re a little late and we were never at the front, but when the dynamics of our people changed we had to change with it,” Ron Herrera, vice president of the Western Region for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters told BuzzFeed News. … BuzzFeedRelated: Judge halts plan to end protections for some immigrants, citing Trump's racism Daily Intelligencer
TeamsHERS on the job! Oct. 16, 2018 | Listen to the latest episode of the Teamster Nation Podcast and hear how Teamster women are using union power to earn more, learn more and lead more on the job. Plus rocker Joan Jett tells women to stand up for themselves, even if it gives them a “Bad Reputation.” Listen here.
Local 355 member Karen Simpson endorsed by Teamsters in Maryland delegate race Oct. 18, 2018| Karen Simpson, a State of Maryland employee since 1992 and member of Teamsters Local Union 355, hopes to take her next step in public service as the representative of Maryland’s District 31B when all the ballots are counted on November 6, 2018. Endorsed by Teamsters Joint Council 62 (Local 570 is a member local), Simpson is among 32 Teamster members across the nation whom the union has confirmed to be running for public office in the November midterms. The tragic death of her older brother in a workplace accident … Local News
Early voting in Md. starts Thursday. Here’s what you need to know. Oct. 25, 2018 | If you plan to vote early in Maryland’s election, these answers to frequently asked questions will help you head to the polls.
Now is the time for all Americans to come together against hatred and bias Oct. 31, 2018 | In a statement issued yesterday about the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, General President Jim Hoffa said, “The Teamsters, like millions of other Americans of good will, were horrified by the senseless, hate-fueled shooting at a Pittsburgh temple this weekend that took the lives of 11 people merely trying to practice their faith as they have a constitutionally-protected right to so as U.S. citizens…” Continued
that could have been prevented has been a motivating force in Simpson’s life, a life dedicated to social justice and advocacy. In 1990, Paul, a member of a construction crew working on an Eastern Shore bridge project, plunged 65 feet to the ground as he tried to jump on to a crane-suspended platform from an unguarded concrete pier cap. Despite the site’s unsafe working conditions, Paul was not provided with fall protection. Simpson believes that had he been represented by a labor union, her brother would be alive today. A union is all about taking care of its members, she said. Unions aggressively enforce employer requirements to provide safe conditions for its workers.
Simpson has served the State of Maryland for 26 years and became a Teamster in 2005 when she was recruited by Charles Marshall, a Local 355 business agent now retired. At that time, she was experiencing harassment by a manager in her agency and it was suggested that she reach out to the Teamsters. “Public sector unions are in a struggle today, but I understand the importance of unions and their advocacy on behalf of working people. When I needed an advocate, the union stood with me.”
Simpson has extensive experience in bringing diverse groups together on the local and state level to address problems, find solutions, and accomplish common goals. Currently the Education and Training Manager of the Maryland State Retirement Agency, she also served as a Child Protective Services worker in Harford County and later as a Family Court Facilitator. A survivor of domestic violence and sexual harassment, Simpson is a #MeToo champion for the safety of women and children. Her interest in and concern for all people drive her candidacy for the House of Delegates. She promises to represent the people who elect her and not the special interests of a select few. She will work to provide opportunity, equity, and fairness for everyone in the community.
“Teamsters Joint Council 62 is proud to have the opportunity to endorse Karen Simpson for the Maryland House of Delegates,” said Council President Denis Taylor. “We support any member who is willing to jump into the political process to bring a fair and determined voice on behalf of working people and the issues important to them and their families.”
The Maryland and D.C. AFL-CIO, AFSCME Local 3, and LiUNA! Mid-Atlantic Region has also endorsed Simpson.
Simpson enjoys broad support for her candidacy. “I’m the only one that is surprised I’m running. I’m putting it all in, and I’m prepared to win.” Engaging, friendly, and very focused on her message, she promises, “You will not be alone in our district. I believe we must take care of each other. I will fight for what matters and never stop fighting for those who need a voice.”
Teamsters, Coalition of Unions reach tentative agreement with ARC September 4, 2018 | The Teamsters, as part of a multi-union coalition, has reached a tentative agreement on the national addendum with American Red Cross. Details will not be released until leaders from Teamster local unions that represent American Red Cross members meet in the next few weeks to review the tentative agreement. Following approval of the tentative agreement, it will be distributed to Red Cross Teamsters for a vote on ratification. Stay tuned here for further information.
Hoffa: Americans recognize union value September 5, 2018 | Most workers this week received an extra day off for Labor Day, which honors hardworking Americans who for generations have fought for higher pay, better benefits and improved safety on the job. But Labor Day isn’t just about the past; it is still very much about the present. In 2018 alone, thousands of Teamsters gathered in Detroit and Columbus, Ohio demanding that their earned pensions be protected. Teachers in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Kentucky and elsewhere walked out of their classrooms because of low pay and lack of respect on the job. And just last month, more than two-thirds of voters in Missouri overturned so-called Right-to-Work legislation that curbs the ability of workers to come together and negotiate for fair compensation and workplace conditions. Why is this happening? … teamsters.org
Posting will resume on September 17th Sept. 10, 2018 | Your webmaster is on vacation this week. See you back here next Monday.
Hoffa: Appreciating truckers means keeping rules that make roads safer Sept. 17, 2018 | The nation’s 3.5 million truck drivers do yeoman’s work keeping the U.S. economy humming by transporting goods from coast to coast. The Teamsters thank the President and other elected officials for recognizing the crucial role that these workers play in keeping our country moving forward. However, working as a trucker is dangerous and stressful … teamsters.org
Members & stewards: A reminder that helpful union resources are only a click away Sept. 24, 2018 | Do you know what a contract campaign is? Do you know why it's important to file a grievance in a timely manner? Are you aware that besides what is in your contract, your workplace may have its own unwritten rules? Every Monday we provide answers to those questions and quick tips to help you learn more about the Local Union and your role in it. Available at Inside Wire: Tips for Members. Stewards, do you know what the 'Cardinal Sins' are? Do you know how to use a grievance as a tactic tool? When past practice is relevant? The Weekly Steward Tip for Stewards under the Shop Stewards link is updated every Monday with helpful tips to make your role as steward a bit easier. (Note: If you've forgotten your password, email teamstersjc62@gmail.com for assistance.)
Leaders from Red Cross locals endorse tentative agreement September 24, 2018 | Leaders from Teamster locals representing workers at the American Red Cross have endorsed a tentative national agreement. The approval paves the way for members to vote on the tentative agreement once local negotiations have been completed. Highlights of the three-year national contract include an 8.25% wage increase over the term of the agreement, unproved health care benefits, safety and health provisions, and voluntary cross-training for collections technicians and a driver premium. Learn more here.
Teamsters Women’s Conference closes with strong, inspiring speakers Sept. 25, 2018 | The final days of the Teamsters Women’s Conference continued with workshops covering everything from how to design materials to shop steward training to the role of the #MeToo movement and the incredible impact it's having in today's workforce. Teamsters Political and Legislative Action Director Christy Bailey updated those in attendance on the current state of the nation and the union. She covered the most recent decisions from Congress and the Supreme Court; how the union is working hard on pension reform; the fight against right-to-work legislation; the critical importance of voting; and the impact women are making leading up to the 2018 midterm elections. “Women are rising! We are marching, rallying, we're registering to vote. We are voting in record numbers and you know what else? We are running for office," Bailey said… Read more at teamsters.org Pictured: (L-R) Local 570 Trustee Karen Miller (Costco), Local 570 staff member Dawn Wagner, and Local 570 Business Agent Marisol Young show their support for Local 385 (Orlando, Fla.) members currently in a labor dispute with their employer, Gate Gourmet.
Are you registered to vote? Register here to make your voice heard in November Sept. 25, 2018 | Today is National Voter Registration Day! The first step to voting is making sure that you’re registered. If you’ve recently moved or haven’t voted in a while, your registration may be inactive and you could have a difficult time voting at the polls. Make sure that doesn’t happen by registering to vote NOW! All year, Teamsters all over the country have been going to worksites to help register voters. Just in case they don’t make it to your workplace, make sure you’re registered by clicking here to update your registration before the deadline in your state.
New contracts ratified at Entenmann’s/Stroehmann, others August 3, 2018 | Local 570 successfully negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement that will cover workers employed at Bimbo Bakeries (BBU), formerly Entenmann’s and Stroehmann. The parent company merged its bread and cake operations where Local 57o held two separate contracts… Continued
New episode of the Teamster Nation Podcast available August 23, 2018 | Listen to the latest episode of the Teamster Nation Podcast and learn how the union is organizing workers in the growing cannabis industry in California and across the country. Plus, remembering the Queen of Soul. Listen here.
Hoffa: US-Mexico agreement is first step towards better NA trade August 28, 2018 | General President Hoffa, responding to the bilateral agreement-in-principle between the U.S. and Mexico to revamp NAFTA, said “The Teamsters Union has long been a leader in demanding real reforms to NAFTA to make it work for workers across all of North America. We have been working closely with the USTR on those demands and we believe that the Administration has taken real steps to deal with our concerns regarding cross-border trucking and highway safety. However, there is still much work to be done…” Teamsters Related: NAFTA negotiations on track but not done. AFL-CIO
Posting will resume on September 4th August 29, 2018 | Your webmaster will be on a short hiatus through Labor Day. See you back here on Tuesday.
Teamsters, 8 other unions stand united for a contract with ARC July 6, 2018 | Local 570 Red Cross workers have joined their coworkers across the nation in a fight for a fair contract that works for everyone. They're paying close attention to negotiations, taking action and showing American Red Cross that they care about the outcome.
Water. Rest. Shade. July 2, 2018 | The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for our area today, and a heat advisory through July 3 at 8 pm. Heat illness can be deadly. If you work outside you need to protect yourself: Drink water often. Rest in the shade. Report heat symptoms: Dizziness, headache, sweaty skin, fast heart beat, nausea, vomiting, weakness and cramping are symptoms of heat exhaustion. Symptoms of heat stroke are red, hot and dry skin, high body temperature, confusion, fainting, convulsions. Both types of heat illness require emergency care. Check out OSHA's website for additional information and advice about the hazards of working in hot weather.
Hoffa: Teamsters support Spain’s striking Amazon workers July 18, 2018 | In a letter expressing solidarity to striking Amazon workers at the San Fernando de Henares logistics center, General President wrote in part, “The growth of Amazon is impacting so many of the industries in which Teamsters work and is changing the way people work and life across the globe.” Thousands of Amazon workers in Spain and Germany struck for during a three-day period, July 16 - 18, and workers in Poland staged a work-to-rule during Amazon’s Prime Day promotion. The workers are demanding labor contracts that guarantee healthy working conditions at fulfillment centers, according to nbcnews.com
Costco quarterly up 7 percent as warehouse sales grow
June 1, 2018 | Costco Wholesale Corp. said strong sales growth helped its fiscal third-quarter profit grow 7 percent. The company also Thursday said it plans to use some of its savings from recent corporate tax cuts to provide raises to its U.S. employees.
Teamsters from all across North America gather at 2018 Unity Conference
May 16, 2018 | Officers and trustees from Local 570 joined Teamsters from Across North America at the 2018 Unity conference this week to discuss building the union, political challenges and national organizing campaigns.
Hoffa on Equal Pay Day: Disparity of women’s pay is nothing to celebrate
Apr. 10, 2018 | Today is a sad reminder of the pay inequity faced by women in the workplace. Despite the annual effort to pass legislation in Congress that would codify paycheck fairness, there has been no progress.
May 10, 2018 – Jose Ramirez, a former XPO Logistics driver from Aurora, Ill. who was fired for his union activity, said during a Capitol Hill press conference today that the bill would prevent businesses from bullying worker who are trying to organize. “Companies like XPO use fear and coercion to scare their workers from forming their own union,” he said. “This bill would protect workers’ federal right to organize and ensure that what happened to me couldn’t happen to them.”
Beyond ending RTW, the bill would 1) allow unions to organize through a majority sign-up process; 2) enact first contract provisions to ensure companies cannot prevent a union from forming by denying a first contract; 3) expand the definition of employer to limit workers being classified as independent contractors; 4) allow for secondary boycotts and picketing; and 5) expand and update the “persuader rule” to limit the use of outside union busters.
Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said the legislation would stem rising inequality in this country. “Union workers on average make $11,000 more a year than non-union workers,” he said. “They also have better health and retirement benefits and are safer on the job. If lawmakers want to expand the middle class, this bill is the vehicle to get it done.”
“We must no longer tolerate CEOs and managers who intimidate, threaten or fire pro-union workers, who threaten to move plants to China if their workers vote in favor of a union, and who refuse to negotiate a first contract with workers who have voted to join unions,” Sanders said. “If we are serious about reducing income and wealth inequality and rebuilding the middle class, we have got to substantially increase the number of union jobs in this country.”
Co-sponsored by U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02), the legislation was introduced in the House and Senate Wednesday, May 9 and included many Democratic co-sponsors, including Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Representative Robert C. “Bobby" Scott (VA-03).
“Republicans like President Trump and Governor Walker continue to crack down on unions and push a special interest, corporate-driven agenda that makes it harder for middle class families to get ahead. And while they stack the deck against the American worker, unions are fighting to expand economic opportunity and strengthen the middle class,” said Pocan, a member of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. “The Workplace Democracy Act restores real bargaining rights to workers and repeals the right to work laws like those that Governor Walker has used to undercut American workers. I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Sanders and stand up for the millions of middle class families who are under attack by Republican leaders.”
The Workplace Democracy Act would make it easier for workers to join unions in a number of ways:
• It would end right to work for less laws by repealing Section 14(b) of the Taft Hartley Act, which has allowed 28 states to pass legislation eliminating the ability of unions to collect fair share fees from those who benefit from union contracts and activities.
• Under the legislation, when a majority of workers in a bargaining unit sign valid authorization cards to join a union, they must have a union. Companies would not be allowed to deny or delay a first contract with workers who have voted to join a union. Unions would be given the right to have their voice heard through secondary boycotts and picketing. And workers would have the right to know when their company spends millions of dollars running anti-union campaigns.
• The bill would also stop employers from ruthlessly exploiting workers by misclassifying them as independent contractors or denying them overtime by falsely categorizing them as a “supervisor.”
Hoffa: Janus case is cover for anti-union advocates Mar. 7, 2018 | Workers in Michigan and across the nation have repeatedly come under attack from corporate interests looking to tamp down on wages so they can pocket higher profits. The latest example? A court case argued in front of the U.S. Supreme Court last week that seeks to gut public sector unions in an effort to reduce their effectiveness in the workplace… Teamsters
Liquor industry is pushing to get self-driving cars on the road Mar. 16, 2018 | Automakers and tech firms have long been the ones hustling to get self-driving cars onto streets. Now they've been joined by a surprise ally: America's alcohol industry. In recent weeks, two industry groups — one representing wine and liquor wholesalers, the other representing large producers — have thrown their weight behind coalitions lobbying to get autonomous vehicles on the road faster… Los Angeles Times
Hoffa: Pension committee must deliver on retirement promise Mar. 19, 2018 | Years of hard work by Teamsters, retirees and other unions to reform the faltering multiemployer pension system finally are paying off. Late last month, congressional leaders announced the members of a bipartisan congressional pension committee, tasked with finding a solution to the nation’s looming pension crisis by this November, and the panel met for the first time on Wednesday. It’s not a moment too soon… As it stands, there are about 200 multi employer plans across the country –including the Teamsters’ Central States Pension Fund – that are in danger of falling… The Hill
Brewery reform taps out as Md. House committee rejects bill Mar. 20, 2018 | Unhappy with Comptroller Peter Franchot’s bold venture into policymaking, a House committee voted 17-4 against the Reform on Tap bill the Democratic comptroller had been pushing for months as the best way to fix what he viewed as flawed beer regulations approved last year by the General Assembly…“This bill would have had devastating consequences for many family-owned small businesses that have been in Maryland for generations,” said Best, vice president of the Maryland Beer Wholesalers Association. “We’re glad to keep working with brewers to sell more Maryland beer in what’s been a historic year for craft beer expansion in the Maryland brewing industry.” Baltimore Sun
Hoffa talks tariffs, pension on Fox Business News Mar. 21, 2018 | “There’s a national emergency right now to protect American jobs,” Hoffa told FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo during an interview on Wednesday. “We need steel for national security, we need aluminum. We need to have strong, strong companies here. This is the beginning of something that will save American jobs and protect American security…” Watch the interview here.
Teamster Nation Podcast: Pushing to protect pensions Mar. 29, 2018 | Listen to the latest episode of the Teamster Nation Podcast! Get the lowdown on a new joint select congressional panel that holds the future of the Teamsters’ years-long effort to secure the retirements of hundreds of thousands of its members in its hands, and how retirees and workers can help. Plus, how a critically-acclaimed rock band sprung from Teamster security guard jobs at a New York City museum.
Child care tax credit increase for working parents proposed in Maryland Feb. 5, 2018 | For the first time in more than 15 years, the little-known child care subsidy is getting election-year attention from politicians in Annapolis. A proposal introduced last month would extend access to a child care tax credit to families that earn $150,000 a year, up from the current cap of $50,000, set in 2001…The proposal to increase the subsidy voucher has strong support in the state Senate, where 32 senators have sponsored the measure — eight more than required for passage… Baltimore Sun
Joint Council 62 Executive Board: (L-R) Trustee Lawrence Geho (President, Local 888); Vice President Sean Cedenio (Secretary-Treasurer/Principal Officer, Local 570); Trustee Tom Krause (Secretary-Treasurer/Principal Officer, Local 992); Secretary-Treasurer Larry Wolfe (President, Local 453); President Denis Taylor (President, Local 355); Recording Secretary Dave White (Secretary-Treasurer, Local 355); Trustee Richard Brown (President, Local 570)
Joint Council 62 officers, trustees elected to another term Feb. 6, 2018 | In January Joint Council 62 held nominations for its 2018-2021 term. Local 355 Vice President Bill Alexander conducted the nominations. The incumbents were nominated and unanimously re-elected. The Council, comprised of Teamster leaders from around our region, allows participating Locals to pool resources to address issues of common interest and coordinate bargaining and organizing efforts. Teamster Joint Council 62 is comprised of Local Union 355 (Baltimore), Local Union 453 (Cumberland), Local Union 570 (Baltimore), Local Union 888 (Baltimore Sun), and Local Union 992 (Hagerstown). Pictured (L-R) Trustee Lawrence Geho (President, Local 888); Secretary-Treasurer Sean Cedenio (Secretary-Treasurer/Principle Officer, Local 570); Trustee Tom Krause (Secretary-Treasurer/Principle Officer, Local 992); Vice President Larry Wolfe (President, Local 453); President Denis Taylor (President, Local 355); Recording Secretary Dave White (Secretary-Treasurer, Local 355); Trustee Richard Brown (President, Local 570).
Teamsters say death of San Francisco waste worker exposes dangers of job Feb. 16, 2018 | A Teamster and 24-year driver at waste provider Ecology, died late last week in a collision while delivering a garbage compactor Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Teamsters Solid Waste & Recycling Director Ron Herrera said in a statement, in part, “While Jeremy’s death was an accident, waste workers face life threatening situations every single day. Waste corporations regularly push drivers to work 10 to 14 hour shifts, often using dangerous, poorly maintained equipment and vehicles…” Read more at Teamsters
‘Day of Action’ set to bring workers together to support their unions Feb. 22, 2018 | Workers all across the country will come together in cities from coast-to-coast Saturday to urge lawmakers to stand up to big business bullies dumping dollars into an effort to tamp down on the collective bargaining rights of those on the job. As part of the Working People’s Day of Action, attendees will challenge the latest attack on laborers that will come before the U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 26, when oral arguments will be heard for Janus v. AFSCME. The court will decide whether non-union public sector workers should continue to contribute fees to cover workplace representation they receive from unions like the Teamsters. Read more at Teamsters. To find out more and locate the nearest gathering, click here.
Md. small brewers squaring off in Annapolis with alcohol industry Feb. 22, 2018 | Calling state lawmakers “ham-handed,” “subservient” idiots is not a typical recipe for passing proposed legislation in the Maryland General Assembly. But that’s how Comptroller Peter Franchot has characterized lawmakers whose support he will be seeking Friday for a bill he says will give small craft beer makers a better chance to compete against what he has called the “corporate beer monopoly.” The comptroller says he is fighting for the up-and-coming small craft beer business while the General Assembly is supporting a traditional alcohol industry dating back nearly a century… Baltimore Sun
Teamsters, workers win initial Delaware RTW battle Jan. 4, 2018 | Delaware Teamsters joined hundreds of their union brothers and sisters this week in pushing back against a county effort to institute a right to work (RTW) provision that would curtail workers’ collective bargaining rights and tamp down on wages for thousands in Sussex County. A vote on the RTW measure was postponed Tuesday after it became clear the vast majority of those in attendance were against it. The overflow crowd spread outside of the council chambers, where Teamsters and other union members rallied in the frigid cold against the anti-worker ordinance. The legislation, however, could be brought back up for consideration as soon as next week. Sussex County resident Chris Johnson (right, center), a Teamsters Local 355 shop steward employed by Burris Foods, Inc., was among dozens of speakers who voiced opposition to the RTW provision. "I speak to you as a Teamster member but also as a resident, a father and husband... I'm proud to be a union member earning a good wage that supports my family…” Continue reading at Local News Note: If you are a Sussex County resident, please register your opposition to the RTW legislation before next week's County Council meeting. Email the Council here.
Millennials at Tacoma kennel unionize with Teamsters Jan. 5, 2018 | Federal statistics show the “millennials” are the least-unionized group of workers in the country. Many analysts conclude that’s because millennials don’t know what unions are, what they do, and how they help workers. That’s not the case among the six kennel aides at the Tacoma (Washington) Humane Society – or Teamsters Local 117, which successfully organized them in late December. Once they learned how the union could help them – and the animals – the recognition vote was 6-0… Peoples World
Hoffa Memorial Scholarship applications available online this year Jan. 8, 2018 | Applications for 2018 are now being accepted by the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund. The application process must be completed through the on-line portal found on the Fund's website: www.jrhmsf.org (The "Key" for the JRHMSF applications is JRHMSF). Two types of scholarship applications are available: Academic and Training/Vocational. The details and eligibility requirements for each scholarship are available on the Fund's website, www.jrhmsf.org
Teamsters honor legacy, celebrate contributions of Martin Luther King Jr. Jan. 15, 2018 | Fifty years ago this year, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood up for striking sanitation workers in Memphis [see video below] before an assassin struck him down. “The Memphis sanitation workers’ strike is remembered as an example of powerless African-Americans standing up for themselves. It is also remembered as the prelude to the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.” according to a recent Smithsonian magazine story. Teamsters across the country will honor the legacy of civil rights and labor leader Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 15, 2018. More at Teamsters…
Teamsters, UPS wrap up first week of contract negotiations Jan. 26, 2018 | The Teamsters National Negotiating Committee wrapped up the first week of negotiations today after both sides exchanged initial UPS and UPS Freight contract proposals. “This week was for both sides to present their initial non-economic proposals and for both parties to ask questions about their intent,” said Denis Taylor, Director of the Teamsters Package Division. “While these proposals are likely to be amended as negotiations proceed, it was good to finally present the members’ positions. We will reconvene our talks next week in Virginia.” Learn more here.
Holding signs are Local 355 members (L-R) Lynnwood Bowe, Burris Foods; John Caparatta, Jr., Penn Fibre; (not visable) Gil Howdershelt, Burris Foods; and Chris Johnson, Burris Foods.
Jan. 4, 2018 | Delaware Teamsters joined hundreds of their union brothers and sisters this week in pushing back against a county effort to institute a right to work (RTW) provision that would curtail workers’ collective bargaining rights and tamp down on wages for thousands in Sussex County.
A vote on the RTW measure was postponed Tuesday after it became clear the vast majority of those in attendance were against it. The overflow crowd spread outside of the council chambers, where Teamsters and other union members rallied in the frigid cold against the anti-worker ordinance. The legislation, however, could be brought back up for consideration as soon as next week.
[ Sussex County resident Chris Johnson (right), a Local 355 shop steward employed by Burris Foods, Inc., was among dozens of speakers who voiced opposition to the RTW provision. "I speak to you as a Teamster member but also as a resident, a father and husband... I'm proud to be a union member earning a good wage that supports my family," Johnson told the five-member Council, adding that he and his members bargain for all they have, including good wages, a grievance process and the right to arbitrate. "But the bargaining procedure is not free or cheap. Our dues structure is built to pay for the collective bargaining that help us support our middle-class communities." Johnson also pointed out that as a member of the Millennial generation he may be in the minority, but "we're out here and we're against right-to-work laws." ]
“We see that they at least heard our voices that this is a more complicated issue than they thought,” said Paul Thornburg, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 326 based in New Castle, Del. “This is people’s livelihoods. They saw that.”
Local 355 members and other Teamsters joined with Local 326 to voice their disgust with the RTW effort, which the Sussex County Council’s own attorney called illegal. Because Delaware is a free bargaining state, a locality cannot on its own to implement such a policy. The county attorney warned that passage of such an anti-worker ordinance would lead to legal action against the jurisdiction and cost taxpayers at least $250,000.
Thornburg said in recent years there have been efforts pushed by state GOP lawmakers to approve so-called RTW. But Democrats have succeeded in blocking them. So when County Councilman Ron Arlett announced in October that he was introducing such an ordinance in the southernmost and most conservative county in Delaware, it was unexpected.
“I was shocked. It was a mad scramble,” Thornburg said. “We were really shocked because we talked on the state level and it’s been thrown out. When it came to local law, we didn’t think it was legal.”
Local jurisdictions have increasingly sought to implement RTW, the effect on workers be damned. Last month, for instance, elected officials in Seaford, Del., which is part of Sussex County, approved their own such measure. Counties in other states have mulled similar actions as well.
These efforts have received the support of the American City County Exchange, an offshoot of the American Legislative Exchange Council, which pushes anti-worker measurers and offers model legislation to its conservative members.
But these attempts need to be called out for what they are -- a corporate-fueled attack on everyday people who are just trying to earn a living to support their families. It’s part of a national effort being pushed by the same big companies and business executives who for years have boosted their profits by sending American jobs overseas. These special interests are trying to lower wages and cut benefits for workers so they can increase their profits even more.
RTW in all its forms is still wrong for workers.
Cross-posted from teamster.org with added quotes from Chris Johnson.
Fight for $15 just scored big in Maryland. We have unions to thank Nov. 16, 2017 | A law establishing a $15-an-hour minimum wage in Maryland’s Montgomery County was signed into law Monday. It’s a meaningful victory for the Fight for $15, the union-inspired campaign to raise wages nationally. Montgomery is the most populous county in the state, with a larger population than the nearby cities of Washington, D.C., or Baltimore. It’s also a bellwether for Maryland politics, where organizing has begun already ahead of the 2018 statewide elections, including organizing aimed at improving Maryland’s wage laws…Working In These Times
Hoffa to brief members on NAFTA 2.0 goals
Nov. 29, 2017 | The Teamsters are taking a leading role in helping to craft a new North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that puts the people above the powerful. And tonight, Teamster General President Jim Hoffa will brief members about the union’s work. Hoffa will be joined by Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y) during the NAFTA teleforum, which Teamsters can preregister for here. Those signing up ahead of time will receive a call when the event starts at 8 p.m. EST, 5 p.m. PST. More info
Teamsters chastise NLRB for overturning earlier joint-employer ruling Dec. 19, 2017 | […] The 2015 NLRB decision resulted from a 2013 case brought by Teamsters Local 350 in Milpitas, Calif., against BFI, a waste management company that is owned by Republic Services. “Rolling back the joint employer ruling is an attack on hardworking Americans who have little recourse when they are victimized by such schemes,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “With this latest decision, the NLRB is scrapping critical protections for millions of workers.” Teamsters
On vacation... Dec. 27, 2017 | Publishing on team570.org is suspended through New Year's. Our next post will be on Jan. 2.
Aramark Refreshment, Leonard Paper ratify contracts Nov. 1, 2017 | Members employed at Leonard Paper ratified last weekend a new contract with a four-year term. The successor agreement provides wage increases; an increase in night shift differential; maintains the Local 570 health plan at no cost in premiums to employees. New this contract has the requirement for a weekly company contribution to the employee 401(k) plan, without the requirement of employees to put in their own monies ( even though it is encouraged). Members at Aramark Refreshment Servicesalso approved a three-year contract that provides wage/bonus and pension increases; maintains Local 570 health plan; an increase in the bereavement leave benefit; and a new company-required weekly 401(k) contribution effective January 1, 2018, without the requirement of employees to put in their own monies (even though it is encouraged). (Photo: Aramark members after ratification vote with chief negotiator and Principle Officer Sean Cedenio, far left, and President Richard Brown, third from right.)
Teamsters denounce House passage of joint employer ruling rollback Nov. 9, 2017 | The Teamsters Union today denounced the passage of legislation (H.R. 3441) introduced by House Republicans that rolls back the 2015 National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) “joint employer” ruling in the case of Browning-Ferris Industries, Inc. (BFI). The decision ensured strong protections for millions of American workers by holding accountable employers that rely on temporary or contracted workers when those employers call the shots. The joint employer rule prevents companies from claiming they are not responsible for workers employed by agencies retained by the company… Teamsters
Teamsters Union salute those who serve Nov. 10, 2017 | Veterans Day is a time to remember the contributions of all this who are or have served in the nation’s armed forces protecting our freedom. The Teamsters recognize the sacrifice those in the military incur and are honored that so many have chosen to become a part of our union family… Teamster
Teamsters denounce false reports of striking drivers in Puerto Rico Oct. 2, 2017 | The Teamsters Union denounces reports from online, anti-union sources that stated Teamster truck drivers in Puerto Rico have refused to move supplies from the port as part of an effort to leverage wage increases from the government. These reports are false and have no basis in fact. The truth is that members from Teamsters Local 901 in San Juan have been working or volunteering since the day after the hurricane passed, helping with disaster relief and recovery… teamster.org
Hoffa: NAFTA should deal with trucking, labor Oct. 4, 2017 | While the third round of renegotiations of the North American Free Trade agreement ended last week, the status of many important issues remains in flux, including workers’ rights and cross-border trucking. At the top of the agenda is fixing the mistake of including long-haul trucking in the original NAFTA. This issue must be addressed in these negotiations. Not only do truckers stand to benefit, but American lives are at stake. Old and unsafe trucks put our highways at risk and pollute or air, putting the public’s health in jeopardy… detroitnews.com
Tell Congress not to overturn the NLRB’s joint employer ruling Oct. 4, 2017 | The House Committee on Education and the Workforce is marking up legislation that would have a drastic impact on what it means to be an employer. H.R. 3441, the Save Local Business Act redefines the term “employer” so narrowly that many workers will have no remedy when their employers violate wage laws or their rights to organize and bargain collectively. Learn more here, then take action!
Two California Teamsters among the dead in Vegas shooting Oct. 5, 2017 | Two Teamsters members from California, Dana Gardner of Local 1932 in San Bernardino, and Rachael Parker of Local 911, a police records clerk from Manhattan Beach, were among 59 people killed in the shooting massacre in Las Vegas the night of October 1-2, the Southern California Teamster reported. A kindergarten teacher from southern California, Jenny Parks, a member of a National Education Association local there, also was shot to death… peoplesworld.org
Local 570 Executive Board Re-elected Oct. 2017 | On Sunday, October 8, 2017, nominations for the election of Local Union officers were held during the monthly membership meeting at the Local Union Hall. All incumbents were nominated and, as there were no other nominations, are considered duly elected. The three-year term commences January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2020. The re-elected executive board vowed to continue its hard work to maintain benefits Local 570 members have come to expect. Additionally, it reaffirmed its commitment to continue growing union membership. Pictured, the Local 570 Team: (L-R) Trustee Angelo Wilson (Cloverland Dairy): President Richard Brown; Trustee Karen Miller (Costco); Vice President Moses Jackson; Secretary-Treasurer/Principal Officer Sean Cedenio; Recording Secretary Joe Fowler; and Trustee Larry Kelly (Republic National Distributing Co.).
Horseshoe Casino workers join Day of Action Oct. 16, 2017 | Workers from the Horseshoe Baltimore Casino will celebrate their first union contract with a rally and march this Thursday in Baltimore. Members of Teamsters Local 355, UNITE HERE, IATSE, UAW, and IUOE will rally at McKeldin Square to announce this great victory and then march to City Hall… D.C. Labor
Las Vegas Teamster sells his Harley to go to Puerto Rico and volunteer Oct. 12, 2017 | When Marco Cruz heard about the need for truck drivers to help hurricane victims in Puerto Rico he knew he could help. The single dad of two teenagers was born in Puerto Rico but has lived in Las Vegas for over 40 years. Cruz has a commercial drivers license and experience driving tanker trucks. But to pay for his humanitarian mission, Cruz had to sell his Harvey Davidson motorcycle… thedenverchannel.com
Teamsters support immigration reform with path to citizenship Sept. 5, 2017 | General President Jim Hoffa on the decision handed down from the White House today to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) executive order originally put in place under President Obama: “The Teamsters are disappointed by this decision, as the union has long supported immigration reform and a path to citizenship for our nation’s ‘dreamers’. These young people are already citizens in every way that matters and deserve to have all of the same rights and opportunities enjoyed by U.S.-born children. Ending the DACA program punishes these nearly 800,000 people, including numerous Teamster across industries…” teamster.org
Teamsters resolve to become ‘sanctuary union’ to fight deportation of members Sept. 20, 2017 | Following the expedited deportation of Eber Garcia Vasquez (right), a union leader with no criminal record, Teamsters Joint Council 16 passed a resolution to become a sanctuary union. “Immigrant rights and labor rights are explicitly tied together. You can’t have one without the other. It is obvious we are tied together, and there is no way that we could say that we are not a union of immigrants.” A conversation with George Miranda, the president of the 120,000-member Teamsters Joint Council 16, which is an umbrella group made up of 27 different local unions in New York City, at inthesetimes.com
Tell your senator to vote against another bad health care bill Sept. 21, 2017 | The Senate is once again considering healthcare legislation that would harm working families in America. The Graham-Cassidy amendment to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act will eliminate certain taxes like the medical device tax but retain the 40% excise tax on high quality health care plans. Known as the “Cadillac Tax”, it ultimately places an unfair penalty on our collectively bargained health care benefits. This legislation will have real, negative impacts on healthcare for American families. Take action now!
After three back-to-back hurricanes, Teamsters leave no stone unturned Sept. 26, 2017 | In less than a month, our membership has been devastated by three hurricanes that caused such catastrophic damage in so little time, it pales in comparison to anything else in recent memory. In the aftermath of these storms, Teamsters are on the front lines… teamsters.org Donate to the Teamsters Disaster Relief Fund here.
Sign the petition: Tell our government to stop corporate power grab Sept. 28, 2017 | Please add your name to this Teamster petition demanding that any NAFTA renegotiation remove the corporate power grab known as ISDS. Known as the Investor-State Dispute Settlement, ISDS is a controversial NAFTA provision that gave big corporations vast new powers that make it easier to offshore jobs and attack the environmental and health laws on which we all rely. More information on petition form here.
Union recruiting volunteer members to help move vital supplies in P.R. Sept. 29, 2017 | The Teamsters are joining with other labor unions from across the nation to identify skilled workers to travel to Puerto Rico next week to provide much needed support in critical areas. There is currently a need for volunteer truck drivers who hold a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to transport shipping containers from the port to distribution centers throughout the island. Additionally, the Teamsters Freight, Airline, Passenger Transport, Public Services and Waste Divisions are contacting Teamster employers that operate in Puerto Rico and our local unions throughout the U.S. and Canada to identify avenues of support and volunteers… teamsters.org
States hope to make one of the dirtiest, deadliest jobs a little safer Aug. 11, 2017 | Collecting trash is one of the most dangerous jobs in the country. In fact, garbage workers are far more likely to die on the job than police officers or professional firefighters. One of the biggest dangers they face is being hit by other drivers swerving to pass the trucks along their routes. That’s why lawmakers in 16 states have passed “Slow Down to Get Around” laws in recent years… governing.com (Local 570 represents more than 85 workers employed by sanitation companies.)
UC2 members ratify successor contracts Aug. 28, 2017 | Three contracts covering drivers, personal development assistants/day center, and personal development assistants/residential at Unified Care Connections (UC2) were ratified over three days during the end of July. Each contract has a term of three years and provide signing bonuses and a wage increase the first year with provisions for wage reopener negotiations in the second and third year. Drivers maintained a guarantee of a 40-hour work week.
Teamsters Disaster Relief Fund coordinating efforts with South Texas leaders Aug. 28, 2017 | General President Hoffa has directed international union staff to provide all necessary support to members impacted by Hurricane Harvey and the resulting floods. Assessments are currently being conducted on the best ways for the Teamster Disaster Relief Fund, Joint Councils and Local Unions can provide support to our members and retirees affected by the unprecedented storm. In the meantime, you can make donations directly to the Fund here and the funds will be earmarked for assistance to members impacted by Hurricane Harvey. teamster.org
Teamsters tell Big Pharma shareholders: Vote no on boss’ bonus
July 12, 2017 | The Teamsters are trying to punish Big Pharma for flooding the country with prescription pain killers by hitting one of its top leaders where it hurts – in the eyes of shareholders. The union has taken the unusual step of directly calling on McKesson Corp.
Continued from Main Page | Slusher joined Local 570 in September of 1970 when he landed a warehouse job with Acme Markets, a distribution warehouse for Baltimore-area grocery stores.
But after 13 years Acme shuttered the district warehouse, leaving Slusher out of a job. “I was fortunate because I wasn’t out of work very long, maybe a few months,” said Slusher. “My Acme shop steward, Donald Griffin, had a son working at Toyota. Donald told his son, Mike, that I was a good worker, dependable, a family man, and would he put in a good word for me at Toyota? I’m so very grateful to father and son. I got the job at Toyota, and I spent a great 34 years with the company. Heck, Mike Griffin still works there.”
Slusher said he is grateful for the Teamsters, too. Understanding how important being a union member is to his working conditions and economic well-being, Slusher said he never missed a contract proposals meeting. “That is the most important meeting a member can attend. I mean, that’s your livelihood – it’s the time when you get to understand how very grateful you should be for the union.”
“But the union is only as strong as its members. The companies try to divide us, and when union members are divided, they can’t stay unified and strong. It’s sad really.”
Slusher calls his years at Toyota good years. “We’ve won good pay and benefits. I tell the younger members, your medical benefits are the most important thing you’ll ever have. All the many years we fought to get them – and keep them, they may not understand because that history is behind them. They have no memory of the history. But they need to learn what it took the members before them to get the benefits they now enjoy. And we have to tell them.
When asked if he missed the work yet, Slusher said not in the least. “I’ve been on a schedule for 47 years: waking up at 4:30 am every morning, packing lunches, going to bed early every night. I’m done with that! Now I’m able to sit on my deck with Darlene, some cold beers and listen to the ballgame, or even some music. ”
A life-long Baltimore Orioles and proud grandfather of two, he and Darlene are surrounded by family portraits and snapshots – they have two daughters and a son who is deceased, and four grandchildren – and dozens of baseball bobblehead dolls all neatly displayed in their cabinet. They don’t have any immediate plans for travel. “I don’t have to fly around the country. I just enjoy my home and my family.”
Wearing an enormous, satisfied smile, Slusher said, “Whatever we feel like doing, we’ll just do it!”
Podcast highlights Teamster fight against RTW June 6, 2017 | In this month’s Teamster Nation podcast, learn more about our Union’s fight to help keep so-called right-to-work law at bay both in states around the country as well as at the federal level, and efforts to halt other anti-worker legislation across the country.
Contracts update, retirements, and other Local Union news June 7, 2017 | New contracts have been ratified by members at various shops, and the recent retirement of Vice President Neil Dixon and Trustee Christopher Price has prompted a changeup on our Local’s executive board. Read our update here, and look for more Local Union news in our spring issue of The 570 Express, due to land in your mailbox within the next week.
Memorial fund set up for victims of UPS San Francisco shooting June 20, 2017 | Teamsters Joint Council 7 in Northern California announced yesterday the establishment of a fund to help raise money for the families of the victims of the June 14 tragedy at the San Francisco UPS facility that resulted in the deaths of three members at the hand of their fellow driver. “We are encouraging our affiliates and our members to consider joining us in making a contribution to help the families who have been devastated by this terrible act,” said Ken Hall, Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer. Details here.
More than 1,000 Teamsters rally to keep their ‘fundamental right’ to join a union June 21, 2017 | Union members swarmed the Capitol steps Tuesday afternoon to voice their opposition to right-to-work legislation in Pennsylvania. The rally was organized by the Pennsylvania Conference of Teamsters and drew and estimated 1200 attendees ranging from Teamsters to Steelworkers and AFSCME members… pennlive.com
Anheuser-Busch distributor agrees to reopen negotiations with strikers June 26, 2017 | Clare Rose, the Anheuser-Busch distributer in Long Island whose workers have been on strike since April 23rd, has agreed to reopen negotiations with Teamsters Local 812… laborpress.org
Call your senators now to oppose their ACA repeal and replace bill June 27, 2017 | Senate Republicans recently released their Affordable Care Act repeal and replace bill called the Better Care Reconciliation Act. This legislation is terrible for working families in America. The bill will likely cause tens of millions to lose insurance coverage over the next decade while cutting taxes for the very wealthy and corporations. The Teamster have long opposed proposals to tax workers health benefits; this legislation retains the 40% excise tax (“Cadillac tax”) on high quality plans but repeals all other ACA taxes. Hardworking Americans shouldn’t have to experience a 40% penalty on their collectively bargained benefits while the wealthy and corporations see their taxes repealed. Tell your senators to VOTE NO on the the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017.
Budweiser distributor begins illegally replacing Teamsters on strike May 16, 2017 | Clare Rose began permanently replacing striking union members at the Long Island (NY) Budweiser distributor on Monday. It is a violation of federal labor law to permanently replace workers who are striking over unfair labor practices. “This is union busting 101,” said Mark Pooler, who has delivered beer at Clare Rose for 26 years. Workers at Clare Rose have been on strike since April 23rd, when the company unilaterally cut drivers’ wages by 30 percent and ended workers’ pensions. Read more at teamster.org
Hogan vetoes Maryland Democrats’ sick leave bill May 26, 2017 | Gov. Larry Hogan on Thursday vetoed legislation that would have required employers with more than 15 workers to allow them to earn paid sick leave, setting up a potential veto override fight when state lawmakers return to Annapolis later this year or next… baltimoresun.com
ANNAPOLIS, MD – (L-R) Chris Greene, LU355; Moe Jackson, LU570; Neil Dixon, LU570; Kevin Davidson, LU570; Dave Belisle, LU355; Denis Taylor, LU355; Flanders Flowers, LU355; Dan Taylor, LU355; Chip Elgert, LU355; Marisol Young, LU570; Joe Smith, LU355; (hidden); Mark Garey, LU355; Ed Mulford, LU355; Eric Wood, LU355; Don Hamre, Local 355; Pat O’Toole, LU355; Lance Miller, LU355; Jim Deene, LU355; and J.R. McClung, LU570. Not pictured: Rich Brown, LU570.
Md. House Labor And Employment Committee kills proposed RTW legislation Apr. 3, 2017| Anti-union lawmakers introduced right-to-work legislation January 30, 2017, in the State’s House of Delegates. At a February 14 Labor and Employment Committee hearing on the bill, Local 355 and Local 570 union members (pictured) and other unions and working families’ supporters packed the House chamber in Annapolis to oppose the anti-worker legislation. A USW representative said the notion that RTW creates economic growth is false, rather it’s sole objective is to weaken unions and attack wages. Delegate Donna Edwards denounced the bill. “This bill is dressed up in a feel-good slogan but it is pro-employer.” The committee issued an unfavorable report, effectively killing the companion bill in the State Senate.
Teamsters: ‘Buy American and Hire American’ Executive Order benefits U.S. jobs, production Apr. 18, 2017|The Teamsters support today’s signing of the ‘Buy American and Hire American’ Executive Order by President Donald Trump. The initiatives that promote American workers and investment in domestic products will help the country take a positive step toward a stronger economy. The order routines federal procurement policies that will focus on utilizing goods, products, and materials produced in the United States. It directs federal agencies to minimize the use of waivers and exemptions that allow them to bypass the Buy America laws that encourage the use of American-made products. Read more at cnn.com
Budweiser delivery Teamsters strike shuts down Long Island distribution Apr. 25, 2017|Teamsters who deliver, sell, and merchandise Budweiser, Heineken, and other beer products to Nassau and Suffolk Counties will be on strike starting Monday, Teamsters Local 812 announced today. The over 100 drivers and warehousemen, who work for Clare Rose, a private beer distribution company, voted down management’s “final offer” Friday, which would have imposed 30% wage cuts and ended the drivers’ pension. teamstersnyc
Tell Congress to repeal the 40% excise tax on worker's health benefits Apr. 27, 2017 | Last month, the Republicans in Congress tried to garner support for the American Health Care Act (AHCA). This bill was an attempt to repeal and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), and it was withdrawn because there were not enough votes to pass the legislation. The Republican caucus has not given up and is now trying to attach an amendment from Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) to the bill so that it has the necessary votes to pass in the House. The MacArthur amendment does nothing to mitigate the original Teamster concerns with the legislation. Take action! The Teamsters have long opposed any attempt to tax employer-provided health care benefits and were successful in helping to delay the 40% excise tax on comprehensive insurance plans… Members Only
Safe jobs, every worker’s right
Apr. 28, 2017 | The Teamsters Union and trade unionists around the world, recognize April 28 as Workers’ Memorial Day – and international day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made ill by their work. Workers’ Memorial Day is and an opportunity to highlight the preventable nature of most workplace injured and illnesses and to promote the fight for improving health and safety at each and every workplace. The slogan for the day is Safe Jobs, Every Worker's Right.” 2017 Workers’ Memorial Day statement from General President Jim Hoffa.
WASHINGTON (PAI) — Citing the need for better education of construction firms and workers about how to battle exposure to cancer-causing crystalline silica dust, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) delayed the start of enforcement of its new silica exposure rule by three months.
In its April 6 statement, the agency said it needs “to conduct additional outreach and provide educational materials and guidance for employers” because of “the unique nature of the requirements in the construction standard.”
So enforcement will start on Sept. 23, 2017, not June 23, the agency said. OSHA’s new standard would cut worker exposure to silica, now 100 micrograms per cubic meter of air, averaged over an 8-hour shift, to 50 micrograms/cubic meter. Workers who inhale the dust can develop silicosis or lung cancer.
The delay upset the AFL-CIO which, like the building trades, has lobbied for years to curb worker exposure to silica dust.
“The labor movement has fought for decades to win this lifesaving rule, and any further delay is unacceptable. The longer the Trump administration delays, the more workers will suffer and die. This action alone will lead to an additional 160 worker deaths. We will do everything possible to make sure this commonsense rule is not taken away. Workers’ lives are at stake,” Federation President Richard Trumka said.
OSHA did not say what it would do about the enforcement start for silica exposure for other industries, in 2018. And the delay doesn’t mean OSHA will walk away from cutting construction worker exposure to silica dust.
“OSHA expects employers in the construction industry to continue to take steps either to come into compliance with the new permissible exposure limit or to implement specific dust controls for certain operations as provided in Table 1 of the standard,” it said. “Construction employers should also continue to prepare to implement the standard’s other requirements, including exposure assessment, medical surveillance, and employee training.”
Local 570 stewards brush up on their skills at bi-annual seminar March 2017| (Click image above to enlarge) Update: Additional photos can be viewed here and here.
Every two years the Local 570 Executive Board sponsors a training seminar for its frontline stewards and alternate stewards. More than 130 stewards are attending this year’s seminar in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Top on the agenda is a frank discussion about the threat posed to American workers by the national RTW bill (H.B. 785, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in early February) – what it is, and what it is not. Other areas of training include the IBT’s role in fighting RTW; the importance of Organized Labor’s role in the continued fight to improve conditions and protections in the American workplace; workman’s comp, health & welfare and pension information; and best practices of the grievance procedures. Stay tuned for more photos here, and additional coverage in the next issue of The 570 Express.
Baltimore City Council committee passes $15-an-hour minimum wage bill Mar. 3, 2017| The Baltimore City Council’s labor committee voted Wednesday to advance a bill to raise the city’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022 for many workers. The bill could go to the full council for a preliminary vote as early as Monday. A majority of the City Council members have said they back the bill. The minimum wage in Maryland is $8.75 per hour, set to rise to $10.10 an hour by 2018… baltimoresun.com
Pepsi members overwhelmingly ratifies a 5-year contract Mar. 6, 2017| Bulk drivers, engineers, sales merchandisers, warehouse workers, fleet mechanics, and systems operators approved in February a contract that brings all Local 570 members employed at the Columbia and White Marsh, Md., facilities under one agreement. Among other gains, the contract significantly improves benefits, reducing by as much as half the annual deductions and out-of-pocket costs to members.
New! Apply online for Hoffa Memorial Scholarship before March 31 Mar. 13, 2017| Sons and daughters of Teamster members can now apply online for the 2017 James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship. Academic scholarship awards either a $10,000 award split up over four years at $1,250 per semester or a one-time $1,000 award. Training and Vocational scholarship awards up to $2,000, depending on financial need. (See scholarship amount details in the applications.) “We’d like to see more of our kids continue their education with the help of our Teamster scholarships,” said Denis Taylor, Teamster Joint Council 62 president, and president of Local 355 in Baltimore. “The money is there, it’s available for your son or your daughter. All you have to do is fill out the form and hit send. But you must do it before the March 31, 2017, deadline.”
Tell Congress to oppose the American Health Care Act Mar. 23, 2017| The House is planning to vote today on the American Health Care Act, the legislation to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This bill would repeal all of the other taxes that were included in the ACA, except for the so-called “Cadillac Tax,” which imposes a 40% excise tax on workers’ health benefit plans. With repeal of these other taxes, insurers, corporations, and the wealthy get a tax cut. Hard working middle class Americans only get a delay in the “Cadillac Tax,” not full repeal. Upon implementation of the “Cadillac Tax,” millions of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Teamster members could see their health care benefits scaled back or dropped. We need you to call upon your representative and urge them to vote AGAINST the American Health Care Act. Take action now!
Teamsters launch campaign to fight back against right-to-work Mar. 28, 2017| The Teamsters are planning to mobilize and campaign against right-to-work laws (RTW), both on the federal level and in western states, the Southern California Teamster reports. To make sure members know how to contact their lawmakers, the paper has published the names, office suite numbers in D.C., and phone numbers of every single U.S. representative in Southern California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Arizona….”For starters,” the paper says, “the object is to tell lawmakers about the importance of shooting down the legislation amending the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the Railway Labor Act.” peoples world.org
Slashing Amtrak funding is shortsighted Mar. 29, 2017| Instead of bolstering the national passenger railroad that plays an essential role in the U.S. transportation system, proposed budget cuts would reduce service to some 23 states where long distance Amtrak trains currently make stops. The move would eliminate the jobs of more than a thousand rail Teamsters aligned with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the Brotherhood of Maintenance and Way Employees Division(BMWED)… teamster.org
Teamsters strongly oppose national right-to-work legislation Feb. 2, 2017| The Teamsters Union strongly opposes national ‘right-to-work’ legislation introduced yesterday in Congress that will hurt workers and their unions. The destructive anti-worker bill, H.R. 785, is sponsored by Reps. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) and Steve King (R-Iowa) and would amend the National Labor Relations Act and Railway Labor Act to institute damaging right to work in all states... teamster.org
Anti-union forces set sites on Iowa public sector Feb. 20, 2017| Just days after Missouri enacted so-called right-to-work legislation, Republicans in Iowa are pushing forward with an effort to restrict collective bargaining for public sector workers. State and local government workers in the Hawkeye State would be prohibited from negotiating issues such as health insurance, seniority or extra pay. The bill would also make it more difficult for unions to collect dues. Iowa Teamsters, whose members include many working in law enforcement, have been active in an effort to defeat the legislation… teamster.org
Teamster International Officer election certified Feb. 21, 2017| The results of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters election of officers have been certified by election supervisor Richard Mark. The certification can be viewed here. General President Jim Hoffa, General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall, International Vice Presidents and International Trustees elected in the membership vote will begin a five-year term in mid-March.
WASHINGTON (PAI) — Leaders of the AFL-CIO and the Service Employees promised to rigorously probe the record of Alexander Acosta, dean of a Florida law school and chairman of a South Florida bank, who is GOP President Donald Trump’s new nominee for Secretary of Labor.
Acosta is also a former Republican named National Labor Relations Board member. Trump announced his nod for Acosta, 46, who is also a former U.S. attorney for Miami and law clerk for conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, before Alito joined that court, on Feb. 16.
Trump named Acosta barely 24 hours after the president’s first choice, fast food executive Andrew Puzder, withdrew in the face of certain Senate defeat. Workers, unions and their allies exposed his bad record on workers’ rights, the minimum wage, overtime pay, safety and health violations and wage theft at his restaurants and sexism in the firms’ ads.
Unions celebrated Puzder’s withdrawal with an early-morning rally near the Capitol. Later, they had cautious reactions to Acosta. But ThinkProgress, a progressive blog, raised questions about Acosta’s record in George W. Bush’s Justice Department’s civil rights division. For his part, Trump, meeting earlier with the self-named Trump Caucus of lawmakers, called Acosta, “a star, a great person, a great person.” “Working people changed the game on this nomination. Unlike Andy Puzder, Alexander Acosta’s nomination deserves serious consideration. In one day, we’ve gone from a fast-food CEO who routinely violates labor law to a public servant with experience enforcing it,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said. “We will of course review Mr. Acosta’s record as thoroughly as we did the previous nominee’s. Mr. Acosta will have to answer tough questions and explain how he will enforce and uphold labor laws to benefit working people and not further tilt the balance of power toward corporate CEOs. “The Labor Secretary is not just another Cabinet member. His or her actions directly impact our wages, safety, and rights on the job every single day. We will judge this nominee by the commitment he shows to making life better for working people,” Trumka added. “Working people are still in this fight for an economy and political system that works for all of our families and where hard work means our families can get ahead,” added Service Employees President Mary Kay Henry. “This is the lens through which we will examine” Acosta’s record. “Workers will stay in the streets to demand a Labor Secretary who is a champion for working people and fights to represent their interests in our economy,” Henry promised. The Puzder nomination drew mass protests, including from his own fast food chains’ workers.ThinkProgress said the real problem with Acosta, who if confirmed would be the sole Hispanic-American in Trump’s Cabinet, is not with Acosta’s 125 written opinions in a 14-month stint as an NLRB member, but with his Civil Rights Division record. ThinkProgress reported Acosta led the division from 2003-2005, at a time when another senior division official, Bradley Schlozman, used his hiring authority to slant the division staff by picking attorneys from lists submitted or analyzed, by right-wing groups. Acosta denied he knew what Schlozman was doing, as Schlozman “hired conservative lawyers hostile to the CRD’s mission, purging the agency of people who believed in the work it exists to do,” ThinkProgress said. “Schlozman’s ploy did long-lasting damage to federal work on voting rights violations, police abuse, and other assaults on Americans’ rights.” But other DOJ staffers from that era complained directly to Acosta about Schlozman’s activities, according to the Justice Department’s Inspector General. And Acosta told the IG “he became more concerned about Schlozman’s judgment…as a result of discussions Acosta had with retiring Voting Section Chief Joseph Rich about Schlozman’s management. Yet, Acosta took no action to alert those in his chain of command,” the report found.
Acosta left the division but didn’t report his suspicions until 2007, after several Republican senators raised the roof over the slanted hiring in the division and among U.S. attorneys. ThinkProgress also reported Acosta was involved tangentially in GOP efforts to suppress the minority vote in the 2004 presidential election in Ohio.
Cool labor book: ‘A People’s History of the United States’ Jan. 3, 2017| If your last serious read of American history was in high school – or even in a standard college course – you’ll want to read this amazing account of America as seen through the eyes of its working people, women and minorities. Howard Zinn (1922-2010) was a widely respected historian, author, playwright, and social activist. In A People’s Historyof the United States: 1492-Present, he turns history on its head with his carefully researched and dramatic recounting of America and its people – not just its bankers, industrialists, generals and politicians. This book will give you a whole new way of looking at and understanding the world around you. Order it at Union Communication Services.
Trucker deaths top all others in the workforce Jan. 6, 2017| The Teamsters for years have been front-and-center in the fight for ensuring proper rest breaks for truckers. A new government report shows why that effort is so very important. A National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries for 2015 found that heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers recorded 745 fatal injuries, the most of any occupation… teamster.org
University of California Teamsters go on strike for fair wages, pensions Jan. 10, 2017| Today, thousands of University of California (UC) administrative, clerical and support workers are on strike across the Golden State, taking a stand against a UC system that has turned its back on them by not paying them a wage that allows them to support themselves and their families. More than 12,000 workers, members of 2010, walked off the job Tuesday to protest the numerous unfair practices and violations of state law committed by UC… huffingtonpost.com
Contract negotiations update Jan. 11, 2017| TransDev members approved a three-year agreement that maintains health and welfare benefits, and provides for a two percent company contribution to an employee’s account whether or not the employee makes contributions. Members who distribute and store oil and gas products at Sunoco… Continued
Hoffa: Withdrawal from the TPP the right choice for U.S. trade policy Jan. 24, 2017| [Yesterday], President Trump made good on his campaign promise to withdraw the United State from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. With his decision, the president has taken the first step toward fixing 30 years of bad trade policies that have cost working Americans millions of good-paying jobs… teamster.org
Hoffa addresses Red Cross meeting Jan. 30, 2017| Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa addressed 100 attendees, who gathered in Washington, DC at the Red Cross headquarters on January 24, to review the progress that has been made since 2014 and the challenges ahead. “We all know the story of the unions and the Red Cross and hopefully our battles are behind us,” Hoffa said. “We have turned a corner and we now have in pace a national addendum covering 4,000 unionized workers across the country. This was a big accomplishment. Our members are committed to supporting this great institution and we are proud to represent them.” Today, 20 Teamster Locals is 13 states [including Local 570] provide effective workplace representation to workers who collect blood from donors and transport lifesaving products to hospitals and Red Cross facilities around the country… Read more at teamster.org
President Hoffa interview with Fox News host Neil Cavuto * Jan. 27, 2017| On Wednesday, Hoffa discussed jobs, trade, infrastructure investment and minimum wage increases on Fox News. Watch the interview here. * On Friday, Hoffa appeared on CNBC's Closing Bell.
Teamsters add gender identity to non-discrimination policy Jan. 27, 2017| The IBT instructed its locals across the United Stated to update their bylaws this year, declaring that members can no longer discriminate against a fellow worker based on mental disability or gender identity. Members of the union took an oath under the old laws that had them swear to not “discriminate against a fellow worker on account of race, color, religion, sex, age, physical ability, national origin or sexual orientation.” The addendum to the bylaws, which went into effect on January 1, now says that workers can’t discriminate against “any other legally protected group” either. .. newnownext.com
Negotiations for new contract underway at Pepsi Jan. 25, 2017| The Union’s bargaining team is meeting this week with Pepsi representatives in Baltimore to hammer out a new collective bargaining agreement that will cover Local 570 members at the White Marsh and Columbia, Md. plants. Pepsi workers are currently covered under separate contracts. The large committee is comprised of stewards from both locations. Photo (L-R, seated): Richard Taylor/Columbia; Local 570 Principle Officer and Chief Negotiator Sean Cedenio; Local 570 President and Business Agent Rich Brown; Sidney Beatty/Columbia; Wayne Waddle/Columbia; Jeff Allen/Columbia. (L-R, standing): Sean Dotlin/Columbia; Curtis Jett/Columbia; Dan Poreca/Columbia; Local 570 Office Secretary Dawn Wagner; Butch Heavel/White Marsh; David Arroro/Columbia; James Testerman/Columbia; Kendall Johnson/Columbia; Dennis Thomas/White Marsh; and Nick Tyson/Columbia.
Teamsters Union disappointed in latest pipeline decision
Dec. 5, 2016 | The Teamsters Union is disappointed in a decision by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to not grant an easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline. The decision blocks two years of review, approvals by four states and approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and two federal courts upholding the project.
Speaker Paul Ryan and Rep. Tom Price, whom President-elect Trump will nominate to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, both said that they were moving to “reform” Medicare in the next Congress. Alliance members will be directly lobbying members of Congress and Senators in Washington and in their home districts, The Alliance will also campaign online and feature dozens of personal stories about why Medicare’s guaranteed benefits are so important on its website, https://retiredamericans.org, and social media.
“Our members are irate. they paid into the Medicare system for decade, and heard President-elect Trump repeatedly promise to protect their earned health care benefits. We will fight tooth and nail to protect Medicare from those who try to turn the earned benefits of Medicare into Coupon-care,” said Richard Fiesta, executive director of the Alliance.
Construction jobs among nation’s most dangerous, 2015 stats show Nov. 1, 2016| If you want a relatively safe job from illness and injury, don't work in a nursing home, a hospital or in construction the latest federal data show. That’s because the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports those three industry sectors had the highest rates of injuries and illness last year… teamster.org
Your vote is your voice in the election of top Teamster officials Nov. 10, 2016| The secret ballot must be returned to a post office box controlled by the OES by 9am Monday, Nov. 14th.The count is scheduled to start Monday, Nov. 14th.
IBT vote count is underway Nov. 17, 2016| The ballots are in and the count began on Monday. To get the latest on the vote results, click here.
Hoffa-Hall re-elected to five-year term to lead union Nov. 21, 2016| Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa, General Secretary-Treasurer, International Vice Presidents At-Large, International Trustees and International Vice Presidents in the Eastern, Southern and Central Regions were elected Friday night in the 2016 Election of International Union Officers, according to unofficial results provided by the Office of the Election Supervisor. “This was a hard-fought campaign and a historically close election,” Hoffa said. “Though we have many challenges before us, now is the time to join together as brothers and sisters and stand strong against those who would destroy the labor movement and deny worker’s the gains that have struggled to achieve. We will continue to lead the fight to organize the unorganized, ensure strong health care, good wages, a secure retirement and holding employers and politicians accountable.” Continue reading…
Teamsters urge court intervention to protect public interest in mega beer merger Oct. 13, 2016| In a comment letter submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) this week, the Teamsters raises serious questions whether the Antitrust Division has adequately remedied the harm to competition resulting from the largest beer merger in history – the $107 billion merger of Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI) with SABMiller… teamster.org
Teamsters celebrate school bus safety week Oct. 18, 2016| The International Brotherhood of Teamsters announced the formation of the Teamsters National School Bus Safety Committee in honor of National School School Bus Safety Week, which begins today. The committee s being formed to address issues at school bus companies throughout the United States and Canada. Learn more about the campaign at teamsters.org
Teamsters call for government intervention in LA ports crisis Sept. 6, 2016| The bankruptcy of Hanjin, a major Korean shipper, is causing chaos at the Port of Los Angeles with dozens of ships and a half million cargo containers stranded at sea in the Port of Los Angeles. The livelihoods of many workers, from ship crews to workers who handle the cargo at the dock, are threatened. Members of Congress, the Chair of the Federal Maritime Commission and labor leaders are calling on government action in the cargo delivery crisis... uslabornews.com
Hoffa: Don't let GOP curb new pro-worker rules Sept. 7, 2016| …The Teamsters have been out front on these issue, even passing a resolution of support during its 29th International Convention in June. Why? Because the union believes in the fundamental principle that employers who receive federal taxpayers' money should comply with federal labor law. That means rejecting wage theft, safety violations and discrimination on the job… teamster.org
Virginia Teamsters protest state's incentives to help MillerCoors Sept. 13, 2016| [Note: Both North Carolina and Virginia are right-to-work states.] The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) board was confronted by out-of-work Virginians protesting the commonwealth's decision to provide a $500,000 grant, plus tax breaks and other incentives to MillerCoors in exchange for only 27 new jobs at its Shenandoah Valley brewery. The workers' jobs are being destroyed by MillerCoors as it shuts its Eden brewery in neighboring North Carolina this month. Of the 500 jobs lost in Eden, 122 were held by Virginia workers… craftbrewingbusiness.com
Today is #StopTPP call-in day: Make the call against this job-killing trade deal Sept. 14, 2016| We urge all Teamsters to join in this action and flood Congress's phone lines today with calls to every lawmaker asking them to pledge their opposition to the TPP. The TransPacific Partnership is a 12-nation corporate power grab that will ship thousands of jobs overseas, lower wages in the U.S. and undermine laws that protect workers and the environment. Please call your senators and representatives now at 844-394-8431 – tell them to commit to standing firm against the TPP.
Teamster women take over Hollywood... Sept. 28, 2016| Hundreds of Teamster women marched through the streets of Hollywood, California on Friday, Sept. 23, in support of University of California (UC) Teamsters [Local 2010], and their fight for better wages. Teamsters attending the union’s annual women’s conference joined the rally where they called on the UC system to deliver a fair contract… peoplesworld.org
Five-year contract unanimously approved at American Yeast Sept. 28, 2016| Lab technicians, mechanics and utility workers employed at the American Yeast production facility in Baltimore, yesterday ratified a five-year contract – the first as members of Local 570*. The new collective bargaining agreement came with the full recommendation of the negotiating committee. It includes an 11% wage increase over term, plus a one-time bonus at the beginning of each contract year. Other highlights include improvements in bereavement leave, grievance and arbitration procedures, and the formula by which vacation leave is calculated. In addition, effective Nov. 1st, members will participate in the Warehouse Employees Local No. 570 Health & Welfare Trust Fund, a move that will also increase members’ take-home pay significantly. “This is the best thing we ever did,” said shop steward Wayne Winiarski, referring to the ratified contract. More on the American Yeast agreement in the upcoming issue of our Local Union newsletter. * The group was formerly a unit of Teamsters Local Union 311 that in 2015 merged with Teamsters Local 570.
Update: New contracts at Costco, National Gypsum, Potts & Callahan Aug. 16, 2016| Costco members (and their counterparts in New York and New Jersey) overwhelmingly ratified an agreement under which they will be covered by the Western Conference of Teamsters pension plan for the first time in the history of their membership. Continued…
National Dems back $15 min. wage. Baltimore Dems, not so much Aug. 12, 2016| The bill is in real danger of failing, Councilman Robert Curran told In These Times, as advocates for the legislation have been unable so far to line up the required eight votes for final passage.
Baltimore's Democratic City Council kills $15 minimum wage bill, for now Aug. 17, 2016| The Baltimore City Council derailed a proposed increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour Monday, highlighting the ambivalence among many Democratic Party leaders over whether to support the national Fight for $15 movement. Pro-business members on the all-Democrat 15-member council were able to hold together an alliance against the higher minimum wage and voted 8-6 to return the proposed legislation to committee for revision. The maneuver appears to have effectively killed the bill, at least for this year. inthesetimes.com
Teamsters Union endorses Hillary Clinton for President Aug. 30, 2016| The Teamsters General Executive Board last week unanimously voted to endorse the former senator and secretary of state. "We are proud to endorse Hillary Clinton for President of the United States," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. "She is the right candidate for the middle class and working men and women across the country. She will stand strong for the workers of America by fighting to reject job-killing trade deals, enforcing labor laws and working to provide retirement security for millions of people who have sacrificed so much for the chance to retire with dignity…" teamster.org
Watch last week's Teamster Leadership Debate Aug. 30, 2016| Fred Zuckerman and Ken Hall, candidates for Teamster top offices, participated in a debate last Thursday at the National Press Club: c-span.org
Teamster convention approves slate of resolutions on final day July 6, 2016| Attendees at our union's 29th annual convention approved resolutions that clarify the union's policy stances on everything from airline organizing to worker misclassification. A full slate of resolutions can be read here. (Note: The convention is the highest governing body of the union, subject to the right of referendum by the membership. The General Executive Board has the authority to carry out the policies and directives approved by convention action.)
First Local 570 American Red Cross Blood Drive a success July 18, 2016| Union members and neighbors from our community came to the Union Hall yesterday to donate blood during our all-day American Red Cross Blood Drive. More than 20 people spent less than hour during which they donated an average of one pint of blood. (Fact: Each pint of donated blood can save up as many as three lives.) "We are very pleased with the turn out," said 570 Recording Secretary Rich Brown. "We'll have more drives as part of our community service. And we'll be sure to give early notice to our companies and community with the goal of increasing participation." Pictured with the Red Cross Blood Drop, left to right are Local 570 Vice President Neil Dixon, Business Agent Joe Fowler, Rich Brown, and Local 570 Secretary Dawn Wagner.
Code red heat warning in Baltimore July 25, 2016| The Baltimore health commissioner is urging residents to prepare for 100-degree heat on Monday that could pose dangers for the young and elderly. The temperature is forecast to reach as high as 100 degrees, but it could feel as hot as 109 with humidity and wind factored in, according to the National Weather Service… baltimoresun.com Read the Teamster fact sheet on heat stress here.
Teamsters Local 570
BLOOD DRIVE
Sunday, July 17, 2016
10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Teamster 570 Union Hall
6910 Eastern Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21224
To schedule your life-saving donation, visit
redcrossblood.org
or contact Joe Fowler or Rich Brown
phone: 410.284.5081
email: team570@comcast.net
Prevent a summer shortage. Give blood.
Teamsters take their fight for justice to David's Bridal customers June 7, 2016| Several Teamsters local unions last weekend alerted David's Bridal about the company's unsustainable debt and terrible customer service record. US Foods is co-owned by Wall Street firm CD&R, a private equity company that also owns David's Bridal, the wedding dress/wedding services retail chain. It's not just ownership that US Foods and David's Bridal have in common… More about why this matters here.
Midwest Teamsters win surprise victory, force gov't not to slash their pensions June 8, 2016| In a stunning demonstration of the power of grassroots organizing, retired Teamster union members across the Midwest have forced the federal government to back down on plans to slash pensions on thousands of retired workers. The initial decision in favor of the retired truck drivers came May 6. Karen Friedman, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Pension Rights Center, credited an effective media relations effort and constituent-contact campaign from grassroots retiree groups in Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, and elsewhere, for blocking the cuts… inthesetimes.com
USF strike line extended to Minneapolis June 8, 2016| This afternoon 325 drivers, warehouse, yard and maintenance workers and office staff who are members of Local 120 refused to cross our extended picket lines. They join US Foods workers in New Jersey, Indiana, Colorado, Michigan, Washington, Illinois, New York, and Ohio who took similar action last month. Other actions took place across Southern California and in Phoenix in May. In all, more than 2,800 Teamster brothers and sisters have either gone out on strike or honored our picket lines at some time since the company forced us to walk out April 28th in an unfair labor practices strike. Photos here…
US Foods, one of two Teamster locals reach agreement over warehouse closure June 10, 2016| ...Members of Local 570 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters ratified the agreement Wednesday night, the company said in a statement. "Last night union members ratified the agreement, which provides them with severance, health care and transition assistance," Debra Ceffalio, a US Foods spokeswoman, said in the statement. "Closing this facility was a difficult decision; however, it was necessary to more cost-effectively service our customers throughout the area by removing excess capacity and reducing overlap between our distribution centers."... baltimoresun.comNote: The fight with US Foods in Baltimore and elsewhere is not over. Local 355's strike line remains in place, and other strategic actions will continue until US Foods comes to a fair and just agreement with the union.
Contracts ratified at Toyota, Cloverland, Pepsi, and others June 21, 2016| During the last several months the Local's bargaining teams have worked tirelessly to bring tentative agreements to members for their approval and ratification. Among new contracts recently approved is a three-year agreement with Toyota that provides wage increases and enrollment in the Teamsters 570 pension plan, a significant improvement for members. Continued...
Teamster Local 570 Blood Drive: Give blood, save a life June 22, 2016| We're sponsoring an American Red Cross blood drive at our hall on Sunday, July 17, 2016. Please do your part to prevent a summer shortage: Sign up, show up, give blood! Details here.
Costco Teamsters in the East join Western Conference Pension Plan June 24, 2016| Teamsters who work at Costco in Maryland, New York and New Jersey have overwhelmingly ratified an agreement under which they will be covered by the Western Conference of Teamsters pension plan for the first time in the history of their membership. The Western Conference is the largest Taft-Hartley defined-benefit pension plan in the nation...After the members rejected a previous company offer in March, Costco and the Teamsters met to correct the areas that caused the rejection—the attainment of the pension plan in the East being the major area of concern. Costco agreed to allow the members in the East to decide by a separate vote as to whether they wanted to enter the pension plan. Based largely on this change, the California agreement was ratified overwhelmingly in May. The East Coast Teamsters ratified their contract in a vote count conducted yesterday... teamster.org
Talk of political power, global solidarity dominates at Convention June 29, 2016| Politics and policy were front and center on Monday, the first day of the Teamsters 39th International Convention, as thousands of Teamsters lauded the union’s support for a platform that calls for more infrastructure investment and election contributions by members while calling out lawmakers who would ship jobs overseas or hamper collective bargaining. Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa told attendees the last five years have been a time of success for the union. The second day focused on global solidarity and building worker power through organizing in key industries, and covered a number of priorities for workers, including organizing campaigns in freight, warehousing, the ports, Silicon Valley and more. Delegates also passed resolutions today on executive pay/Capital Strategies; freight organizing; warehouse organizing; and port organizing. Nominations took place for At Large Vice Presidents and Trustees... More at teamsters.org
Convention delegates join in show of solidarity, support June 30, 2016| Yesterday, Teamsters at the union's 29th International Convention united behind a Teamster family in Akron, Ohio, and pledged more than $1.4 million to help fund a drug treatment facility. The facility will honor the son of Local 24 President Travis Bornstein, who died of a prescription-drug overdose in 2014. (Learn more here.) Other business during the third day of the convention included the passage of a resolution in support of continuing work to protect the retirement security of Teamster members and retirees, and nominations for regional vice presidents. teamster.org
Corona, California US Foods Teamsters launch unfair labor strike
May 2, 2016| Yesterday, Teamsters who drive for US Foods in Corona began a ULP strike to protest allegations that the foodservice giant violated federal law that protects workers rights. Almost immediately, Corona workers extended their picket line to 10 other US Foods distribution centers and resident yards in Southern California and Phoenix, Arizona, where 750 Teamsters have ceased work to honor the picket lines… In all, more than 800 Teamsters employed by US Foods are currently not working because of the strike and extensions... teamster.org
Stand with CWA/IBEW strikers at Verizon May 5, 2016| On April 13, 2016, General President Jim Hoffa declared that the Teamsters stand united with the CWA and the IBEW’s strike against Verizon. Today he urges Teamster Local Unions and members to support our union brothers and sisters at Verizon. “It’s more important now than ever to show Teamster solidarity in standing up to corporate greed. We have our own battles with corporate giants like US Foods where multiple Teamster Local Unions are on Unfair Labor Practice strikes, and at a Supervalu-owned distributor that services Kroger stores in Colorado. By having a strong Teamster presence supporting CWA and IBEW and helping those unions win their battles, we will help our union win current and future battles against these corporate giants.” Sign the petition to “Stand with Striking Workers.”
Locals 355 and 570 extend picket lines to Ohio and New York May 9, 2016| We’ve extended our picket lines to US Foods in Twinsburg, Ohio (Cleveland), where our US Foods brothers at Local 507 are honoring the lines. US Foods workers, members of Local 264 in Buffalo, NY, began honoring our picket line Friday, May 6 at midnight. Thank you, Cleveland and Buffalo!
Local news station ABC Channel 2 report on US Foods ULP strike May 9, 2016| "They're talking about bringing the minimum wage up to $15, they'll be under the $15," said Neil Dixon, with Teamsters local 570 that represents the warehouse workers. "The company is trying to get 8.1 million dollars out of this deal in concessions. Those concessions are going to hurt our people."See the news video at abc2new.com
New contracts ratified at Toyota, Merchants Terminal May 12, 2016| A three-year contract was ratified April 30, 2016 by members employed at Toyota’s parts distribution center in Baltimore. The new agreement provides wage increases and members will move into the Local 570 defined benefit plan, significantly improving the benefits for members choosing to retire going forward. Engineers at Merchants Terminal ratified a new agreement in early April that provides significant wage increases, maintains Health & Welfare, and improved language related to company-paid training. Warehouse members at the company ratified a three-year contract in June 2015. More shop news in the upcoming issue of our newsletter, The 570 Express.
Locals 355 and 570 extend picket lines to Michigan and Illinois May 12, 2016| On Tuesday, picket lines were extended to a US Foods location in Wixcom, Mich., where unloaders and drivers, members of Local 337, are honoring our strike. And last night, some 40 Teamsters represented by Local 722 who work at the US Foods' distribution warehouse in Streator, Illinois, refused to cross the picket line in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Severn, Md. Thank you, Wixcom and Streator! #USFoodsStrike#Solidarity
Driving Up Standards: Hoffa, First Student members rally to mark 10th anniversary May 16, 2016| Today, General President Hoffa rallied with First Student drivers and monitors who transport students for Baltimore City Public Schools to celebrate a decade of the Teamsters Union's Drive Up Standards campaign. "This rally is to celebrate you," said Sean Cedenio, principle officer of Local 570. "Ten years ago today, this is where it all started." Assisted by Local 570 organizers, 150 workers in 2006 voted to become Teamsters. Unfortunately, the company wasn't yet ready to welcome unionized workers. The IBT has gone on to successfully organize more than 46,000 First Student workers nationwide, and in December 2014, First Student bus workers in Baltimore voted to join Local 570. "The company's attitude is a lot different today," said Denis Taylor, Teamsters Joint Council 62 president. "It is the contract that makes it work; it drives up the industry's standards. And you are the ones that make it all possible." "I believe in this union and I believe in you," said shop steward Kevin Shelton. "I believe together we can take this company to the top." "Together, Teamsters work to get a bigger piece of the pie," President Hoffa told the workers. "Think of yourselves as a team because it's only when we work together that we can get it done." More photos here.
Hoffa joins the picket lines in support of USF members May 16, 2016| General President Hoffa this afternoon met and walked the picket line with more than 50 Local 355 and 570 members who have been on the picket line for almost three weeks. He pledged the full support of the International for the strikers. "US Foods is attempting to pull these workers out of the middle class," he said in a press release. "Slashing pay as well as health and retirement benefits is no way to ensure that this formerly Maryland-based company remains a good corporate partner in the Free State." Baltimore Sun story here.
Teamsters to host strike update conference call with US Foods investors May 24, 2016| The IBT will host a conference call tomorrow to discuss the immediate and long-term impact of recent strike at US Foods' distribution warehouses across the country and the ongoing strike in Severn. "We are stunned US Foods management is asking investors for money in the midst of repeated and sustained work actions against the company," stated Steve Vairma, director of the Teamsters' Warehouse Division. "We are now entering or fourth week of work actions and they will continue until management meets us at the table with real, substantive proposals to renew or resolve contract disputes at 18 Teamster represented US Foods warehouses."
Teamsters at largest USF facility in US honor our picket lines May 24, 2016| We extended our picket lines to Metro New York (Perth Amboy; photos above), the largest US Foods facility in the country. Three hundred and twenty Teamster warehouse workers and drivers from Locals 202 and 282 have the right to honor the picket lines by refusing to work. Facebook.com/SyscoUSFworkers
USF members take their message to Camden Yards May 31, 2016| (Click image to enlarge.) Locals 355 and 570 distributed informational leaflets – Support our vets. Keep our jobs in Maryland – yesterday during the Memorial Day Baltimore Orioles game. "A war is being fought, and not between the Orioles and the Red Sox. It's being waged by US Foods on Baltimore workers." Local 570 warehouse worker, Chris Price, is a military veteran. "I fought for my country, and now I have to fight for my job from US Foods."
Baltimore Sun: US Foods to close Severn distribution center Apr. 6, 2016| Updated 4/7| US Foods said Wednesday that it would close a distribution center in Anne Arundel County in June, eliminating the last local footprint of a once-mighty Maryland company, after failing to reach an agreement on concessions with unionized workers at the facility ... US Foods wanted $8 million in annual concessions from the unions, including switching from pensions to a 401(k) and an average pay cut of $5.75 an hour for warehouse workers — demands that were too large, said Denis Taylor, president of Teamsters Local 355, one of two Teamsters locals that together represent about 180 workers in Severn. "There's no possibility that we could meet the company's demands," he said. "It's just not possible."... US Foods, like many large employers, is required by law to provide advance warning of major layoffs. The state has not received a formal notice, said a spokeswoman for the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. Continued
Maryland sick leave bill gains new momentum on final day of session Apr. 11, 2016| After being declared all but dead last week, a bill that would require bosses to grant sick leave to their employees picked up new momentum on the final day of the Maryland General Assembly session on Monday. A version of the bill already cleared the House of Delegates, but has remained bottled up in the Senate Finance Committee. baltimoresun.com
Local Unions recommend ratification of Costco tentative agreement Apr. 19, 2016| Teamster local unions on the East Coast and in California that represent 16,000 Costco members are recommending ratification of a new tentative agreement after members rejected an earlier proposal last month. The agreement has the full recommendation of the bargaining committee. Although the terms of the settlement cannot be disclosed until members are given the opportunity to ratify the offer, it does include for the first time the opportunity for East Coast Costco Teamsters to participate in the Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust Fund. Local 570 represents more than 900 members employed at Costco in Maryland. Learn more here…
US Foods Teamsters strike in Maryland Apr. 27, 2016| Update here. "On April 27, 2016 at 2pm, Teamster members of U.S. Foods in Severn, Md., walked off the job and commenced an unfair labor strike against the Company," according to a Teamsters Joint Council 62 press release issued today. "The dispute centers around the Company's failure to bargain in good faith, its use of out-of-state and non-bargaining-unit employees to perform work normally performed by the Teamsters, and the Company's attempt to deal directly with its employees concerning effects bargaining. US Foods employs approximately 190 Teamsters in both the warehouse and delivery operations." Stay tuned here for updates on Local 570 warehouse workers' fight for justice.
Nearly 200 Maryland Teamsters working for US Foods began an unfair labor practice strike today at the company’s Severn, Md. distribution center. Warehouse workers and drivers filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that US Foods has been bargaining in bad faith about its decision to close the Severn facility in June.
US Foods is the nation’s second-largest foodservice provider and is owned by Wall Street private equity behemoths KKR and CD&R. The 200 drivers and warehouse workers at the Severn facility are represented by Teamsters Locals 355 and 570.
“US Foods is legally required to bargain with its workers’ representatives about a possible decision to close the distribution center. Instead, the company announced that it would not bargain with us until workers agreed to concessions that would slash their compensation by more than 50 percent,” said Teamsters Local 355 President Denis Taylor.
“US Foods also started bringing in independent contractors this past weekend to move inventory out of state. Workers took action and went on a ULP strike today because US Foods left them with no other choice,” Taylor said.
Taylor continued, “It is outrageous that a formerly Maryland-based company is threatening to outsource hundreds of good, family-supporting jobs in Maryland to a low-road non-union facility in Virginia. In addition to the loss of jobs, this would cause the state and localities to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax revenue annually. We are calling on US Foods to postpone the decision and sit down with workers, customers and public officials to find a way to keep good Maryland jobs in Maryland.”
Since its purchase by Wall Street private equity firms nine years ago, US Foods has engaged in a systematic campaign of harassment and intimidation against its workers, both union and non-union.
“US Foods is threatening to close our facility because we refuse to let the company slash our wages, abolish our retirement plan and destroy our quality, affordable family health care. They won’t even bargain with us about it in good faith,” said Joe Schwabline and Chris Price, driver and warehouse stewards at the Severn facility. “If we all stand together, we can stand up to US Foods and its Wall Street owners and stop their bullying.”
Steve Vairma, Teamsters International Vice President and Director of the Teamsters’ Warehouse Division, said, “US Foods has a pattern of being willing to destroy good jobs and local economies when it doesn’t get its way with workers. The company should be working with its employees and the community to come up with solutions to save these 200 jobs, instead of destroying the local consumer base that patronizes the local restaurants the company supplies.”
Vairma continued, “We are going to make sure local restaurants know exactly what US Foods is doing to the communities that patronize their businesses.”
US Foods earned $23 billion in annual revenue in 2014. The company provides 350,000 products and services to 200,000 customers including restaurants, hospitals, schools, military bases and hotels. US Foods has 25,000 employees and 75 distribution facilities. The Teamsters represent 4,100 US Foods employees, with 44 contracts at 29 facilities.
* Our striking brothers and sisters need your support on the picket line We invite all Teamsters Local 355 members to support our brothers and sisters fighting for their rights by walking the picket line along with them at the US Foods facility at 8024 Telegraph Rd., in Severn, Md. Bring your family and friends, your neighbors and coworkers. And if you can commit to some time on the line to give a US Foods Teamster a rest break, check in with a strike team leader to sign up for scheduled time slots. (Please note:Do not park at or near the facility. Parking is available at the Severn Run Bar & Grille at 7940 Telegraph Road. We have vans running regular pick-up and drop-off trips; wait times average between 5 and 10 minutes.)
Even if you can't donate time, contributions of food stuffs and goodies will be most appreciated. Members rotate shifts around the clock, seven days a week. We need them to keep up their energy! Thank you!
Teamsters apply heat to US Foods after failed Sysco merger
Mar. 4, 2016 | US Foods is coming under fire from its biggest union as it tries to go public following last year’s failed merger with Sysco. The Teamsters is pushing back against the company’s plan to close a distribution center near Baltimore, while union members at other centers are working without a contract. nypost.
Teamsters and others fight pension battle over the multi-employer fund Feb. 4, 2016| A half mile from their union hall, over 220 retired members of Teamsters Local 346 gathered at Holy Family Catholic Church in Duluth's West End in late January to fight for their pensions. But this isn't just a Teamsters fight. They're one of the unions under the knife now, but 200 multi-employer pension funds covering 1.5 million American workers could be in jeopardy for a number of reasons. peoplesworld.org
US Foods forces Phoenix Teamsters to launch unfair labor practice strike Feb. 5, 2016| Teamsters Local 104 members with US Foods took up unfair labor practice pickets yesterday, charging the nation’s second-largest foodservice provider with bargaining in bad faith and discriminating against its union workforce as they attempt to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement. teamster.org
Call now and urge Congress to say NO to job-killing TPP Feb. 10, 2016| TLast week, trade ministers gathered in New Zealand to sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). But signing the TPP is not the same as it being ratified by Congress. This week, Teamsters from all of the country are flooding Congress with calls demanding they reject the massive trade deal. If we put enough pressure on our Congress members, the entire thing can still be derailed. That's where you come in: Please call the toll-free number 1-844-394-8431 now to join thousands of others urging Congress to oppose the TPP.
Cloverland Dairy members ratify new contract Feb. 12, 2016| Members employed at Cloverland Dairy packed into the Local Union Hall Super Bowl Sunday and voted by a 3-1 margin to accept a new 4-year collective bargaining agreement. The new contract, retroactive to Dec. 1, 2015, provides wage increases, maintains Health and Welfare benefits, and phases out a two-tier wage system, among other gains. The contract also adds recognition and coverage for laboratory workers. Local 570 represents 278 mechanics, production and distribution employees.
Hall: WV legislature sides with corporate interests over workers Feb. 16, 2016| In statement released last Friday following the West Virginia Legislature’s override of the governor’s veto of so-called right-to-work legislation, Secretary-Treasurer and Local 175 President Ken Hall said, “This is a dark day for our state. Lawmakers have chosen to side with out-of-state billionaires over hard-working West Virginians. The Teamsters, together with other union members and working West Virginians, turned out to strongly oppose these bills because we understood passing them would do nothing to help workers earn a fair living…” teamster.org West Virginia becomes the 26th RTW state on July 1, 2016.
‘Falls still kill far too many construction workers’ Feb. 22, 2016| “While we regularly work with employers, industry groups and worker organizations on preventing falls and saving lives, the National Safety Stand-Down encourages all employers – from small businesses to large companies operating at many job sites – to be part of our effort to ensure every worker makes it to the end of their shift safely,” said Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health. More than four million workers participated in the National Safety Stand-Downs in 2014 and 2015, and OSHA expects thousands of employers across the nation to join the 2016 event May 2-6, 2016. Related:Federal contractors with history of OSHA violations battle new safety rules. Download a copy of the Teamster Safety & Health Fact Sheet, “Contractors’ Safety and Health Responsibilities.”
Teamster mechanics picket, notify UA passengers of possible strikes Feb. 29, 2016| Hundreds of United Airlines mechanics picketed Friday at the San Francisco, Los Angeles (LAX), Newark, LaGuardia, Washington Dulles, Cleveland, Boston Logan and Orlando airports, to educate passengers about upcoming strikes. …The mechanics held picket signs that read, "ON STRIKE – Not Yet" and distributed leaflets to United's customers that read, "Passengers Brace for Summer Strike at UNITED"… teamster.org
L.A. port drivers win $7 million in back pay; end misclassification
Jan. 5, 2016 | The underpaid, exploited port truck drivers at the nation's largest cargo terminal, Los Angeles-Long Beach, have won another round in their long fight for fair pay and job protections.
Teamsters statement on San Bernardino County shootings
Dec. 3, 2015 | The Teamsters Union is deeply saddened by the tragic event in San Bernardino County, Calif., which has taken the lives of 14 people, injured 21 and shaken the community at large. As the news continues to unfold, we are saddened to learn that some of the victims were members of Teamsters Local 1932.
Congress needs to solve stagnant wages Nov. 3, 2015| The U.S. economic recovery is not what it seems. Yes, it is clear that the unemployment rate has fallen dramatically since the Great Recession ended. But the benefits that usually follow such a change, like wage hikes for everyday Americans, have been much harder to find. In fact, ow- and middle-income earners are struggling just to reach their salary levels before the recession… The Teamsters have been sticking up for workers on this issue for years, and renewed that push as part of our "Let's Get America Working" platform…. Continued.
Tell Congress to vote NO on the job-killing TPP Nov. 5, 2015| If the TPP is approved by Congress, this awful deal would offshore good-paying American jobs and lower wages in the jobs that are left, increasing inequality by forcing Americans into competition with workers paid less than 65 cents an hour. Put simply: it stinks. The just-released TPP text is actually worse than we imagined. Here are just a few examples of how the TPP will undercut jobs and wages.
The march to inequality: How did we get here? Nov. 10, 2015| This week Talking Points Memo launches an in-depth four-part series on the ever-pressing issue of today, wealth and income inequality. "The four pieces come from different authors, each coming from a different angle, with a different sort of expertise. The aim of the series is to pose a simple question: How did we get here?…" The first installment looks at the politics of the left and the decline of organized labor over half a century. The decline played a key role in the declining economic clout of working class and middle class Americans, but it is only part of the story…
21 organizations fighting for labor rights in the food system Nov. 19, 2015| … In Tracy, California, Teamsters members are fighting poverty wages and severe violations of basic rights at Taylor Farms. And more than 11,000 Teamsters workers have united to defeat a mega-merger of U.S. Foods and Sysco, which would have jeopardized thousands of broadline food service and transportation jobs… Read more here.
High court rulings could affect workers Nov. 20, 2015| The future of workers on the job could be shaped significantly by a spate of causes set to be considered by the U.S. Supreme Court during its current term. And it is something more everyday Americans need to be aware of and consider. … The Teamsters represent about 273,000 public sector workers, and other union represent millions more. These government employees are everyday Americans just trying to earn a living and support their families. But that will be increasingly difficult if union rights are curtailed nationwide. Full story here.
Ford workers narrowly ratify UAW contract Nov. 23, 2015| Workers at Ford narrowly ratified the company’s four-year labor deal with the United Auto Workers, the labor union announced late Friday. A defeat for the contract could have left ford facing a strike for the first time in 39 years. The UAW had been looking to claw back some concessions that were made eight years ago to help the U.S. carmakers survive the recession. Industry Week
Taylor Farms recalls Costco salad linked to E. coli Nov. 30, 2015| Federal officials say a vegetable mix has been recalled after it was believed to be the source of E.coli in Costco chicken salad that has been linked to an outbreak that has sickened 19 people in seven states. Taylor Farms Pacific Inc. of Tracy, has recalled a mix of diced celery and onion used in Costco chicken salad… Costco says it uses one supplier for those vegetables in the chicken salad in all its U.S. stores. Continue reading…Note: Local 570 represents more than 900 Costco workers employed at four Maryland stores.
The just-released TPP text is actually worse than we imagined. Here are just a few examples of how the TPP will undercut jobs and wages.
• The TPP forces U.S. employers into competition with companies exploiting workers in places like Vietnam, where the minimum wage is just a third of what it is in China’s manufacturing centers, and Malaysia, where an estimated one-third of all electronics workers are victims of human trafficking.
• The TPP enables products assembled from parts made in “third party” countries that are not subject to any TPP obligations, such as China, to entire the U.S. duty-free, undercutting U.S. manufacturing.
• The TPP includes procurement provisions effectively barring Buy American and Buy Local government purchasing preferences.
• The TPP includes controversial investor-state dispute resolution (ISDS) provisions that make it safer — and, in fact, create incentives — for U.S. firms to offshore jobs to foreign countries where they can exploit low-wage labor under privileged foreign investor status rather than be forced to deal with the countries’ regulator processes and courts.
• We also know that the TPP fails to include the currency safeguards demanded by a bipartisan majority in Congress that would prevent known currency manipulators like Vietnam, Japan and Malaysia from devaluing their currencies to gain an unfair trade advantage over U.S. employers.
Reminder: First Student National Contract ratification vote
Oct. 1, 2015 | The Teamsters reached a tentative agreement with First Student. The tentative agreement has been unanimously endorsed by the Teamsters First Student National Negotiating Committee (TFSNNC) and contains numerous improvements for First Student Teamsters and their families over the next five years.
The policy of the United States is "to protect the exercise by workers of full freedom of association, self-organization, and designation of representatives of their own choosing, for the purpose of negotiating the terms and conditions of their employment or other mutual aid or protection." But current law effectively denies these fundamental rights to tens of millions of Americans.
As a result, we are falling behind our industrial competitors in many significant ways. Our real wages, once the highest in the world, have fallen below the levels of the early 1970s. Our manufacturing sector is in sharp decline, as large corporations move production facilities to underdeveloped countries to take advantage of exploitative wages and minimal environmental and safety standards.
The Workplace Democracy Act strengthens the federal laws designed to protect workers and close the legal loopholes which now deprive working people of their right to organize on behalf of their wages, their benefits and their working conditions. By amending the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and by establishing a National Public Employment Relations Commission, The Workplace Democracy Act provides a vehicle to achieve a comprehensive reform of American labor law.
Main Provisions
Establishes card checkoff recognition. Once a majority of workers has declared its wish to be organized by conducting an election or by signing membership cards, legal recognition shall be given to their designated representative.
Guarantees the right to first contract. If by 45 days after certification, no collective bargaining agreement has been reached, the union then has the right to binding arbitration.
Strengthens and expands the enforcement authority of the National Labor Relations Board. Violations of labor law are violations of law, and must be both speedily prosecuted and remedied. Current penalties for violating the National Labor Relations Act are insufficient to serve as effective deterrents. The Workplace Democracy Act strengthens NLRB enforcement in the following ways:
Instructs the National Labor Relations Board to use its injunctive power whenever it finds an unfair labor practice.
Gives employees wronged due to such violations the right to be "made whole" for any economic losses they incur as a result.
Requires immediate reinstatement of discharged employees when unlawfully discharged.
Provides for treble (3x) back pay for employees who suffer economic hardship due to unfair labor practices.
Requires debarment of companies from Federal Government contracts for willful unfair labor practices.
Requires the National Labor Relations Board to assess civil penalties of not less than $10,000 against employers for each willful violation of the Act.
Repeals the prohibitions against strikes, boycotts and hot cargo agreements. Taft-Hartley provisions that prohibit one group of workers from engaging in actions in sympathy or concert with other groups of workers are eliminated, as well as the Landrum-Griffin Amendment that prohibits "hot cargo" agreements (when an employer and a union agree to refrain from handling any products of any other employer). The right to common situs picketing is thereby restored as well.
Prohibits state preemption of federal labor laws. Repeals Section 14(b) of the Taft-Hartley Act, concerning "right to work" laws. All workers shall enjoy the rights guaranteed them under federal law, regardless of where they live.
Secures equal treatment for all employees. Repeals the exclusion of plant guards from bargaining units with other employees where they work.
Ensures equal protection under the law for state and local public sector employees. Establishes the National Public Employment Relations Commission to ensure that public sector employees of states, territories, possessions or political subdivisions thereof, are guaranteed the right to collective bargaining, to binding arbitration, and to strike. Establishes a mandatory impasse procedure for public safety officers and fire fighters.
Provides workers the right to act as guarantors of their financial future. Provides for workers to serve as trustees on pension plans which cover their retirement.
Extends NLRA coverage to workers for U.S. owned companies that operate in Free Trade Agreement countries. Gives workers in countries that are party to a Free Trade Agreement with the United States the right to file unfair labor practice complaints against the United States owned parent company of their employer either under the NLRA or under the laws and procedures of that country.
Hoffa: New platform makes unions strong, America stronger
Sept. 2, 2015 | Today, more than 1.4 million members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters are compensated for their skills and hard work with salaries and benefits that give them dignity and allow them to live a middle-class lifestyle. If this were true of more American workers, our economy and our country would be better off.
Teamsters, union coalition, reach tentative agreement with Red Cross Aug. 6, 2015| After several months of serious negotiations, the Teamsters, as part of a union coalition, have come to a tentative agreement for members working at America Red Cross. The agreement, once voted on by the membership, will impact more than 1,100 Teamsters at 18 different local unions, including Local 570. Details to come.
Teamsters take on Silicon Valley Aug. 17, 2015| Under the leadership of Joint Council 7 President Rome Aloise, the Teamsters are on the front lines in the fight against income inequality in Silicon Valley [California]. Full story...
Teamsters applaud NLRB on joint employer ruling Aug. 27, 2015| Our Union today applauded the National Labor Relations Board on its “joint employer” ruling in the case of Browning-Ferris Industries, Inc., as an additional step to protect and provide a voice to millions of American workers by holding employers that rely on temporary or contracted workers accountable. The ruling resulted from a 2013 case brought by Teamsters Local 350 in Daly City, Calif., against Browning-Ferris, a waste management company that is owned by Republic Services—the second-largest waste services company in the U.S. The union maintained that Republic had control over wage and working conditions for its workers employed through Leadpoint Services, a staffing agency, and counted as a joint employer with that agency. Full story…
In December 2014, First Student school bus workers who transport children attending Baltimore City Public Schools, voted to join Local 570. During the organizing campaign, stagnating wages were the major issue for the workers. School bus monitor Donna Jackson said she had worked at First Student for two years and needed to see better wages, paid vacation, and sick time for the workers. "We needed the opportunity to fight for these things," she said after the election.
A proposal meeting held at the Local Union hall February 14, 2015, gave the newly organized workers an opportunity to learn the benefits of union membership. Secretary-Treasurer and Principle Officer Sean Cedenio reviewed provisions of the National Agreement – section by section – and provided answers to the workers’ numerous questions.
The review of the National Agreement helped workers discuss and define goals that helped formulate the union’s proposals for their local supplemental agreement.
“We can’t artificially inflate proposals that we can’t achieve but our goal is that when we reach a tentative agreement, we’ll know we did the very best we can do so you can say yes when it comes time for you to vote on your supplement,” explained Cedenio, the the Union's chief negotiator. Other bargaining committee members included Trustee and Organizer Moses Jackson, (pictured at right) First Student drivers Gary Hinton, Michael Dews, and First Student monitor Donna Jackson.
In May and June when negotiations became difficult, First Student workers stood united in their message to the Company that they wanted a fair deal. "We deserve better," said driver Valerie Tapsoda.
In addition to improved wages, the new contract provides minimum pay guarantees for a.m. and p.m. work, and pay rate increases for non-revenue work.
Hoffa: A blueprint for getting America back on track July 6, 2015| The American economy is not working. As the Teamsters have stated repeatedly, there needs to be a commitment to boost and expand America's middle class, which is the lifeblood of our country. But that alone will not fuel a national renaissance that will raise up a majority of people. There needs to be a buy-in from the business community that puts long-term economic health before short-term profits. The Roosevelt Institute, of which I am a board member, recently released a detailed blueprint called "Rewriting the Rules of the American Economy" authored by its renowned chief economist Joseph Stiglitz in an effort to tame income inequality. To put this nation back on track, the document makes clear that the U.S. must rethink the economic assumptions it's made during the past 35 years. Continue reading...
Rest in peace, Brother Matthew P. Shonko July 7, 2015| We are saddened to announce the sudden passing of our Teamster brother, Matt Shonko (Leonard Paper). The Local 570 executive board and members extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends and coworkers. Visiting hours will be held at the Connelly Funeral Home of Essex, 300 Mace Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21221, 3 pm - 5pm, and 7pm – 9pm, Friday, July 10, 2015. A Catholic prayer service will be held at the funeral home at 10 a.m, Saturday, July 11, 2015.
What's next for US Foods? July 7, 2015| Now comes the hard part for US Foods. Sysco's $3.5 billion proposal collapsed on June 30 after a federal judge ruled against the deal on anti-competitive concerns, leaving both companies back where they were in late 2013 – as fierce head-to-head competitors, each seeking to char a new path for future growth. Full story...
Baltimore workers ratify Teamster contract with First Student, Inc. July 27, 2015| After months of tense negotiations, drivers and monitors employed at the Baltimore and Severn locations of First Student voted July 18th to accept a three-year supplemental contract to the Teamsters First Student National Master Agreement. The contract provides significant increases for all wage classifications. Continued...
Here's 7 reasons not-yet-union folks should join one July 29, 2015| We know that our union jobs generally pay significantly more than non-union jobs and our negotiated contracts provide benefits like paid vacation, holidays and sick days that many non-union workers don't get. So how about that non-union worker friend of yours who doesn't get that being a member of a union can greatly improve his/her work life? This short and to-the-point article can help you talk with family members and friends who may be on the fence about joining a union.
Teamsters remember James R. Hoffa on 40th anniversary of disappearance July 30, 2015| Today marks the 40th anniversary of the disappearance of one of the greatest labor leaders in American history – James R. Hoffa. As Teamsters General President, Hoffa honed his well-earned reputation as a tough and effective bargainer and gained the respect of labor and business leaders alike across the country. He worked hard to expand the number of working men and women who were protected by union contracts and under his leadership, the union’s membership rose to include more than 2 million workers. Continued…
Teamsters! This really IS the time for action June 3, 2015| The public is starting to pay more attention to the negotiated-in-secret TPP deal and what its passage will mean for the nation. Fast Track proponents are trying to move quickly, pushing to bring the legislation for the job-killing TPP to a vote in the house. Granting a Fast Track rubber-stamp for the TPP would only accelerate a global race to the bottom in wages and working conditions that nobody wins – except, of course, for big transnational corporations that are eager to exploit labor abuses abroad to pad their obscene profits. But we can win this fight. Literally thousands of organizations – representing the environmental, family farm, civil rights, consumer, LGBT, student and other movements – have united with labor in saying NO to Fast Track. We need your voice, too. Make the call to your Representative now at 888-979-9806 and urge them to vote NO on Fast Track. Then send an email too.
Hoffa: TAA will offer little help to workers hit hard by trade June 10, 2015| For years, the Teamsters have been strong supporters of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) legislative efforts that have offered support to thousands of workers who have lost jobs due to bad trade deals. But not this time…
Hoffa: Overworking truckers is dangerous June 10, 2015| Highways across Michigan and the U.S. have become increasingly dangerous for motorists. And that will only get worse if Congress approves a transportation spending bill that effectively keeps the suspension of rules in place that allow truck driver to work longer hours, that permits larger double-trailers and that prevents the U.S. Department of Transportation from raising minimum insurance standards that have been frozen on place for three decades. The fate of those provisions, tucked inside a $55 billion federal transportation spending bill, is now being considered on Capitol Hill. Full story…
Former Sparrows Point steelworker speaks out on impact of failed trade policies June 11, 2015| This new ad from the AFL-CIO and USW highlights how the loss of manufacturing jobs due to bad trade policies has hit manufacturing workers like former Sparrows Point craneworker, Mike Lewis, especially hard.
Hoffa applauds trade package vote but warns fight isn't over yet June 15, 2015| In a press release issued last week, General President Hoffa said that in rejecting the Trade Adjustment Assistance portion of the trade package, "a resounding bipartisan majority of lawmakers agreed that workers don't want to be retrained for a new career – they want to keep the good middle-class jobs they have now." However, the battle didn't end Friday. "The Teamsters and others who stand with American families must remain resolute. Corporate cronies are likely to try to get TAA and fast track through the house again" this week. Workers voices' need to continue to be heard on Capitol Hill. Read more at teamster.org. Related: Liberals deal Obama a stunning blow on trade -- but one more showdown awaits.
Republican states seek to repeal prevailing wage laws June 16, 2015| Expanding their battle with organized labor, Republican lawmakers in the Midwest are moving to scrap labor laws that help unions win a healthy share of the jobs on public works projects and bolster trade union membership. Conservative legislators are targeting "prevailing wage" statutes, now on the books in 31 states [including Maryland], that require paying the local wage and benefit rate –usually union scale– on government construction projects such as building local roads… Full story.
Teamsters endorse pension protection bill June 18, 2015| The IBT issued its support today for new legislation that will protect earned pension benefits for retirees and boost multi-employer pension plans for workers and participating employers.The “Keep our Pension Promises Act,” sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), will roll back provisions slipped into the fiscal 2015 spending bill approved by Congress last year that made earned pensions benefits vulnerable to cuts. The measure would restore anti-cutback rules so that recipients in financially troubled multi-employer pension plans will be protected from having their benefits cut. Continued…
U.S. judge grants FTC request to block merger with US Foods June 24, 2015| Sysco Corp’s $3.5 billion merger with US Foods should be stopped for further review, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday, handing a major victory to the U.S. government in its effort to block the controversial merger. The judge’s decision could ultimately kill the deal between the two largest U.S. food distributors since the further review requested by the Federal Trade Commission is a lengthy process, and deals generally cannot be held together during a full trial. Continue reading…Today's Baltimore Sun story...
Sysco Walks Away From US Foods Merger June 29, 2015| Sysco Corp. said Monday it is walking away from its planned acquisition of US Foods Inc. after a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against the deal last week amid antitrust concerns. Sysco said it will pay US Foods a breakup fee of $300 million. The termination also cancels Sysco and US Food’s agreement to sell 11 distribution centers to Performance Food Group, Inc. Full story …
Food distributors are trying to convince judge to let them form a monopoly May 5, 2015| After years of acquiring smaller competitors, US Foods and Sysco, Inc. are the last two large companies in the food distribution industry. The government, AAI, Food and Water Watch, and the Teamsters union all argue that the companies already control the market, and would represent a monopoly if merged. The court hearing begins today. Full story...
At Unity, Teamsters look ahead to a bright future May 11, 2015| Some 1,600 Teamsters brothers and sisters from across North America gathered together Sunday as part of the 12th annual Unity Conference to share their success stories and speak truth to power about the increasingly perilous state of workers across the continent. Follow the day reports and photos here.
US Foods will kill Sysco deal if court delays merger, exec says May 12, 2015| A US Foods executive said in federal court today that his company would walk away from its planned merger with Sysco if the presiding judge issues an injunction to preliminarily block the deal. David Schreibman, an executive VP at US Foods, told the judge that his company is not willing to endure a protracted legal fight with U.S. antitrust enforcers. Full story...
Senate success against fast track push!* May 13, 2015| Senate Democrats took a stand today against efforts to ram fast track trade authority through the chamber, denying an effort to move forward with consideration of the legislation. The vote further delays big business' desire to pass fast track and raises serious doubts about the future of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Full story... * May 15: “A simple up-or-down vote on a trade deal of this magnitude is not in the best interest of middle class Americans. They have seen firsthand the real impact of unfair, unbalanced trade agreements over the past 20 years. I call on every member of Congress to vote down fast track and do their part to protect our country from another bad trade agreement." President Hoffa's full statement..
Sysco overstating benefits of merger, gov’t witness says May 15, 2015| "… Sysco originally told investors that it would save $600 million through merging the two companies, which it would then pass on to consumers. Mr. Gokhale argued that a large part of Sysco's claimed "merger efficiencies" were not merger-specific, meaning that they were either happening or going to happen without the merger. As an example, he spoke at length about how Sysco expected to save money through "category management" following the merger, but both Sysco and US Foods had been doing this prior to the merger." Full story… Additional info on the FTC trial at Protecting Sysco & US Foods Workers on Facebook.
Terminal Corp. members ratify 'best contract in 32 years' May 21, 2015| A new 4-year agreement was unanimously approved today by warehousemen employed at Terminal Corporation, Halethorpe, Md. "This is the best contract I've seen in my 32 years with this company," said Joe Holeman following an overview of the tentative agreement. Contract highlights include a generous wage increase over the term of the agreement, an increase to the pension plan during each year of the agreement, maintenance of Health & Welfare, and an additional personal day. The tentative agreement (TA) was recommended by chief shop steward Mike Hanline and Local 570 Vice President Rich Brown. "I'm very, very proud of what we accomplished with this contract," Brown told the workers after the vote was tallied. Local 570 has held a contract with Terminal for almost 50 years and is among the earliest contracts negotiated by Teamsters 570.
Fast Track vote in Senate may happen today May 22, 2015| Yesterday the Senate voted to end debate, meaning that a final vote could take place today. We cannot let up in the fight against Fast Track. Please send another email to your Senators right now to ask that they oppose Fast Track when it comes up for a final vote.
Memorial Day magazine preview: Teamsters Military Assistance Program May 25, 2015| This Memorial Day, as we honor the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country, we are paying tribute to our Teamster military heroes and the Teamsters Military Assistance Program (TMAP). Learn more...
Local 570 to welcome Local 311 following merger approval Mar. 30, 2015| At a special meeting held Sunday, March 29, 2015, Teamsters Local 311 members approved their executive board's recommendation to merge with Teamsters Local 570. The Local's decision to seek a merger partner in Local 570 was not driven by financial need but rather a long-held commitment to building Teamster strength and power by increasing membership numbers. “We are being proactive,” Local 311 Principle Officer Neil Dixon, told his members. “And together with 570, we’ll be more than 3,400 Teamsters strong." Local 570 Principle Officer Sean Cedenio and members of LU 570’s executive board attended Local 311's meeting. In his comments Cedenio said,“Our strength is always in our numbers. With this merger we will continue to build our union and, together, we will continue to build our power.” Full story…Photo: Local Union leaders Neil Dixon and Sean Cedenio shake hands following the Local 311 merger vote.
Teamsters applaud veto of Senate resolution blocking NLRB rule Apr. 1, 2015| The Teamsters applauded President Obama's decision to veto a resolution backed by Congressional Republicans that would have blocked the National Labor Relations Board's rules designed to speed up the time it takes to unionize workers. The NLRB rule is scheduled to go into effect April 15, 2015. A description of the new rule and its reforms can be found here.
Baltimore could become the next Detroit. Seriously? Apr. 1, 2015| This isn’t exactly local union news but it IS news we want to alert you to because it’s bad news for hard-working people who rent in Baltimore. Think Progressreported Saturday that starting this week, 25,000 households in Baltimore will suddenly lose their access to water for owing bills of $250 or more, with very little notice given and no public hearings. City officials claim that residents using water without paying are to blame for the $40 million in overdue water bills. But the Baltimore Sun found that more than a third of those unpaid bills stem from just 369 businesses. (“Last year in Detroit, residents fought back against a similar plan to shut off water to customers with overdue bills.”) About half of Baltimore’s residents rent their homes, and most count on the property owners to pay the water bill. So why is this important? Central to this looming crisis is an issue of Human Rights.
Horseshoe Baltimore Casino workers bet on union Apr. 8, 2015| The Horseshoe Baltimore Casino is now officially union. The cards were counted last week and a strong majority of Horseshoe workers voted in favor of representation by the National Gaming Workers Coalition, comprised of Unite Here Local 7, Teamsters Local 355, Operating Engineers Local 37 and the UAW. The Horseshoe has recognized the union and dates will soon be set for negotiations on wages, benefits and working conditions.
Failed fast track is nearly upon us – again Apr. 13, 2015| Despite the Teamsters and our allies making clear that U.S. residents will be hurt if fast track can be used to quickly push secret trade deals like the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) through Congress, some lawmakers had decided to side with big business instead. But unfortunately, the fight doesn't end there. [The TPP Fast Track bill will be introduced in the Senate Tuesday.] This union and others who care about hard-working Americans are gearing up for a fight, and will need everyone who can to join in. Read on… [The TPP will outsource jobs, undercut workers' rights, dismantle labor, environmental, health, food safety, and financial laws, and allow corporations to challenge our laws in international tribunals rather than our own court system.]
Teamsters take stand against fast track Apr. 16, 2015| The Teamsters joined some 1,200 fellow union members and far trade advocates at a Capitol Hill rally yesterday to call on Congress to stop pushing for fast track trade promotion authority that would allow a quick up-or-down vote on bad trade deals like the TPP… Leo Gerard, president of the United Steelworkers, called on workers to head to the halls of Congress and let their members know their thoughts on fast track: "You make sure you tell them you put them there and you can take them of of there!" Full story...
Breaking news: Fast Track legislation introduced in Congress today Apr. 16, 2015| The fast track bill hit Congress today and we need your help to stop it. This bill will put good Teamster jobs in jeopardy. The TPP, the "NAFTA of the Pacific," will mean even more jobs sent overseas, lower wages for the jobs that remain, unsafe food and possibly a ban on our "Buy American" procurement laws and regulations. If Fast Track becomes law, however, Congress won't be able to change a single provision of the agreement. Please email your Representative and Senators right now and ask that they oppose Fast Track if it's brought up for a vote. The Teamsters Union has stopped Fast Track before. With your help, we will stop it again.
Every Monday: New information for members and stewards Apr. 20, 2015| Members, do you know what a contract campaign is? Or why it's important to file a grievance in a timely manner? Stewards, need a refresher on your rights as a shop steward? When past practice is relevant? Worried about confidentiality issues? Every Monday we provide answers to those questions and more with tips to help you learn more about your role in the Local Union. Available under Members Resources - Inside Wire: Tips for Members and Weekly Steward Tip. (Note: Forgot your password? Email teamstersjc62@gmail.com for assistance.)
Today is Worker’s Memorial Day: ‘Speak Out for Safe Jobs’ Apr. 28, 2015| The Teamsters Union, and trade journalists around the world, recognize April 28 as Workers’ Memorial Day – and international day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made ill by their work. To help mark this important day, our union has provided background information on this day of remembrance and these resources to help you start a conversation with coworkers or plan activities in your workplaces.
Executive board members of Local 311 and Local 570 following the merger vote. (L-R) LU 570 Vice President Richard Brown, LU 570 Organizer and Trustee Moses Jackson, LU 311 President Penelope Arhar, LU 311 Secretary-Treasurer/Principle Officer Neil Dixon, LU 570 Secretary-Treasurer/Principle Officer Sean Cedenio, LU 311Trustee Donna Carr, LU 570 President Ray Valentine, and LU 311 Recording Secretary Joe Fowler.
Local 311 members overwhelmingly approve merger
March 30, 2015 | At a special meeting held Sunday, March 29, 2015, Teamsters Local 311 members approved an executive board proposal to merge into Teamsters Local 570, also in Baltimore.
The decision to seek a merger partner was not driven by financial need but rather from a long-held commitment to building our Teamster membership to ensure our strength and power, Principle Officer Neil Dixon told his members
“We are being proactive,” Dixon told members. “Together with 570, we’ll be more than 3,400 Teamsters strong. Yes, we have the funds to continue on alone but we’ve lost members in recent years and when a Local loses members, it loses some of its strength. This is really all about building our strength by increasing our numbers. We’ll increase our charter, increase Local 570s’ charter and this merger will give us wider opportunities to organize and grow our union which will help build our power.”
Merger discussions began a year ago between the Locals’ principle officers. Unlike other local union mergers that come about due to financial pressures, Local 311 is financially sound. But in the years since the Great Recession began in 2007, Local 311 has experienced a decrease in its membership, either as a result of Local 311 companies who close or changes in the industries employes by Local 311 members.
Local 570 Principle Officer Sean Cedenio and members of LU 570’s executive board attended the meeting. In his comments, Cedenio said, “Our strength is always in our numbers. When our numbers decline, we become weaker. And if we don’t organize, we die. With an organizer on staff, Local 570 is building its membership. With this merger we will continue to build our union and together, we will build our power.”
A secret ballot was conducted after the Q & A session during which members asked questions on a variety of issues, including how the health & welfare and pension plans will be administered going forward, seniority (by industry), the time frame for the merger’s completion, and what the integration of the locals’ executive boards will look like.
“This is a historic move that will increase the Locals’ stability,” said Dixon after the vote. “Mergers like this are the wave of the future. You know that companies do it every day. Well, we need to merge too. I’ve thought about this merger for months and I can’t think of anything that’s not good about it. Because the truth is, it’s all about representing our members. And that is what we are all about.”
Senate to vote today to undo labor union rule *
Mar. 4, 2015 | The Senate will vote Wednesday on a GOP-backed motion that would undo a controversial National Labor Relations Board rule that makes it easier for workers to hold union elections.
In 2007, the first Teamster organizing campaign for First Student workers anywhere in the nation happened right here in Baltimore. Assisted by Local 570 organizers, 150 workers voted to become Teamsters and members of Local 570. Unfortunately, the company wasn’t yet ready to welcome unionized workers.
Sysco offers to sell 11 facilities to win merger approval *
Feb. 2, 2015 | Sysco said on Monday that it had agreed to divest 11 distribution centers in a bid to obtain the blessing of regulators including the Federal Trade Commission. Sysco will sell the centers for an undisclosed sum to Performance Food Group, which will be its nearest rival after the deal for US Foods closes. Full story here.
No. There are no immediate cuts to any pensions.
Jan. 5, 2015 | The IBT has compiled a list of frequently asked questions about how the omnibus spending bill could affect you and your family. The big question: “Will my pension check be reduced?” Answer: No. The legislation does not mandate pension cuts.
Anti-union grocer slashes benefits, pensions for 1,100 Pa. Teamsters Dec. 4, 2014| In a new version of the old ploy of manipulating federal bankruptcy courts to bludgeon unions into economic concessions or givebacks, the nation's largest grocery wholesaler used sped-up court procedures to make a quick buy of one of its regional competitors last month – and, in the process, slash the pensions and benefits of 1,100 truck drivers and warehouse workers. Full story here.
Teamsters at Castle Oil about to lose their jobs - Help save them! Dec. 5, 2014| Teamster drivers and mechanics for many years kept New York warm delivering fuel from the Bronx for Castle Oil. Now, just before Christmas, they’re about to be thrown out into the cold. Corporate giant Sprague Energy is buying Castle Oil, and 50 members of Teamsters Local 553 are losing their jobs in the process. They’ll be replaced by non-union, low-wage contract jobs. You can help: Please take a minute to sign this petition, urging Sprague Energy’s CEO David Glendon to keep these good, middle-class jobs in New York. Your support will be greatly appreciated by the 50 Teamsters at Castle Oil who fear a bleak Christmas.
Teamsters take a stand against unfair TPP, Fast Track Dec. 9, 2014| The Teamsters joined hundreds of labor and fair-trade activists yesterday in calling on the U.S. government not to move forward with the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) or fast-track trade promotion authority that would speed its consideration… "The voices of millions of working, middle-class Americans cannot be ignored," said General President Jim Hoffa. "They are tired of being the casualties of bad trade deals that send good-paying jobs overseas. The Teamsters Union will continue the fight against Fast Track authorization and the Trans-Pacific Partnership – American workers cannot pay the price of another bad trade deal." Full story and photos here.
Report: Sysco poised to complete $8.2B merger with US Foods Dec. 11, 2014| The New York Post reported today "…Sysco is selling assets worth $5 billion to Performance Food Group to win regulatory approval, two sources said. That is equal to roughly one-quarter of US Food's revenue…" Full story here.
Teamsters denounce Senate passage of Omnibus Spending Bill Dec. 11, 2014| “With the passage of the omnibus spending bill by the Senate, we have witnessed the latest attack by corporate interests on working families, " said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa in response to the Senate's passage of the Omnibus Appropriations Bill. “Big business and Wall Street have bought and paid for influence and access that has allowed them to continue to enrich corporations at the expense of the middle class... We can only hope that President Obama rethinks his present course of action, recognizes the destructive nature of the provisions in this bill and vetoes it when it reaches his desk.” Full statement here.
Call your senator NOW! Dec. 12, 2014| Tell them to vote NO on the Cloture and NO! on the Omnibus to protect Teamster pensions and jobs. Call 888-979-9806 to be connected to your senator. The Teamsters Union is opposed to the Omnibus Spending Bill. It keeps government open on the backs of hardworking Americans and retirees. Click here to learn what the legislation would do, then call your senator at 888-979-9806. Do it right now.
What the CRomnibus Law means for multiemployer pension plans Dec. 16, 2014| … The law states that plans in”critical and declining status” can temporarily or permanently suspend current and future benefits. This suspension can include benefits already accrued for vested participants and benefits already being paid to retirees and beneficiaries…The law sets limits. For example, the monthly benefit of any participant or beneficiary may not fall below 100% of the PBGC’s guaranteed monthly benefit. Participants and beneficiaries aged 75 and older are afforded special protections, as are those with benefits based on disability. Full story here.Related: Those pension cuts and what you need to know.
Take two and call me in the morning Dec. 24, 2014| “The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is reminding all employers and workers of the importance of maintaining a healthy, influenza-free workplace this season and throughout the New Year. Check out the Department of Labor's 7 simple ways you can help prevent seasonal flu in your workplace.
Local 570 welcomes First Student school bus workers Dec. 29, 2014| First Student school bus drivers and monitors who transport children attending Baltimore City Public Schools have voted to join Teamsters Local 570 in Baltimore. The 113 school bus workers work out of First Student yards in Baltimore and Severn, Md., and joined the union seeking respect, fair pay and dignity at work. “We’re pleased to welcome these hardworking school bus drivers and monitors to the Teamsters. We look forward to working hard to represent their interests on the job,” said Sean Cedenio, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 570. Full press release here.
Dec. 16, 2014 | AARP | Congress recently carved a hole in a 40-year-old pension law that has prevented employers from cutting benefits earned by those already retired. This change applies to people covered under multiemployer plans that are in critical financial shape.
Here’s what you need to know:
What is a multiemployer plan? This is a pension covering workers and retirees from more than one employer in the same or related industry, such as trucking or construction. (Most of them were established under collective bargaining between a union and the employers.) There are about 1,400 multiemployer plans with 10.4 million participants. Most workers with traditional pensions are in a single-employer plan, meaning it covers workers from only one employer.
Why are lawmakers doing this? The federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., which insures these pensions, says that some 10 percent of multiemployer plans – covering about 1.5 million people – are in such financial trouble that they are likely to become insolvent. PBGC estimated that its fund insuring multiemployer plans will likely run out of money in eight to 10 years unless changes are made. Some lawmakers argued that these distressed plans need the ability to cut retirees’ benefits so pensions can survive longer.
AARP and other consumer advocates argue that these pensions aren’t in immediate danger of insolvency so there is no need to rush this drastic measure without considering alternatives, such as scaling back on optional benefits in a plan or providing PBGC with greater funds and the authority to intervene earlier. Advocates also worry this move by lawmakers might someday open the door to similar pension cuts to other plans.
How do I know if my pension is in financial trouble? Under a 2006 pension law, plans are required to notify participants if they are significantly underfunded. The U.S. Department of Labor also posts a list online of plans whose status is considered “critical” or “endangered.”
Will everyone in a distressed plan experience cuts? It’s up to plan trustees to decide how much to cut benefits, though the legislation offers certain restrictions. For instance, benefits cannot be cut for retirees age 80 and older or those receiving a disability pension. And those under age 75 would see bigger cuts than retirees at ages 75 to 79, whose benefits could be slashed but not as much.
How big are the cuts? Some retirees could see their benefits cut by more than 60 percent. The Pension Rights Center, an advocacy group, provides an online calculator to figure any potential benefit loss under the legislation for those under age 75.
Do retirees or workers get any say in these cuts? Participants will get to vote on any proposed pension cuts. Yet as the Pension Rights Center points out, this right is “illusory.” A majority of all participants – all employees and retirees, not just those voting – must reject the cuts, the group says. And ballots can be sent via email, a hurdle for those without Internet access. Yet even if participants overwhelmingly reject cuts, their vote can be simply set aside if the troubled plan may jeopardize the financial health of the PBGC, the group says.
When will this take effect? The pension provisions take effect beginning in 2015.
Dec. 12, 2014 | The Teamster Union is opposed to the Omnibus Spending Bill. It keeps the governement open on the backs of hardworking Americans and retirees.
The legislation would:
Threaten the retirement security of thousands of retirees.
Increases the number of hours that truck drivers can spend on the road every week.
Dismantle key Wall Street Reform by allowing big banks to make risky derivatives trading bets using taxpayer-insured funds.
Let every wealthy person put over one and a half million more dollars into politics so we will continue to see more legislation that threatens pensions and increases the hours Teamsters have to work.
Protect your job, your family and your pension.
Call Congress NOW at 888.979.9806 to be connected to your senator.
The ballot box is the great equalizer for workers Nov. 3, 2014| American workers are facing significant challenges. Whether it's low pay, a system that favors corporation over citizens, a gender wage gap, the effects of unfair trade or a voting system that hampers the most disadvantaged among us, these problems are real. But will those most affected the most bother to do something about it? The public has heard it before, and they will hear it again from me as well – vote. But are people going to do it? Continue reading General President Hoffa here.
A first contract is in place at Rhee Bros., and other news Nov. 10, 2014| On Saturday, Oct. 18th, warehouse workers at Hanover, Md.-based foods distributor Rhee Bros. ratified their first contract since organizing with the Teamsters in December 2013. Members attending the October general membership meeting unanimously returned all Local 570 leaders to office for the January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2017 term. More news here.
Hoffa's message to Teamster active duty military and veterans Nov. 11, 2014| "For more than a century – from World Wars I and II to Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Golf and, most recently, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – the Teamsters have proudly welcomed our fighting men and women home and back to work. And on this Veteran's Day, the Teamsters Union wants all of our veterans to know how thankful we are for their service to our nation..." Continue reading here.
Sysco And US Foods Teamsters protest shareholders meeting Nov. 19, 2014| Teamsters employed at Sysco and US Foods protested outside Sysco’s shareholders meeting today to demand answers to tough questions from the company’s Board of Directors about its proposed purchase of US Foods and the impact on thousands of jobs. “Thousands of workers at Sysco and US Foods are concerned about their livelihoods, but all Sysco will say is that employees will become Sysco associates Day One if the merger is approved by the federal government,” said Ken Hall, International Brotherhood of Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer. Continue reading here.
Facebook bus drivers vote to join Teamsters Nov. 21, 2014| Contract shuttle drivers who serve Facebook’s employees voted 43-28 Wednesday to joint the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, marking a victory in Silicon Valley for one of America’s largest unions. Of the 87 shuttle-bus drivers who work for Loop Transportations, 43 voted in favor of representation by Teamsters Local 853…Continue reading here.
This Black Friday, will you stand with striking Walmart workers? Nov. 26, 2014| Walmart’s owners, the Walton heirs, have more wealth than 42 percent of the United States. Yet Walmart employees aren’t able to afford to feed their families. Just recently in Oklahoma, a Walmart store actually put out a food bin to collect canned goods for its hungry employees. Walmart workers deserve better treatment than this. They want a raise, not charity. So this Black Friday, there will be protests at 1,600 stores across the country to show solidarity. It’s simple to join their protests: Go to BlackFridayProtests.org to find an action near you. Bring a sign and your cellphone, and take a selfie. Post it on your Facebook page or send it to the Facebook page of the Walmart workers organization, Organization United for Respect at Walmart (Our Walmart).
On Saturday, Oct. 18th, warehouse workers at Hanover, Md.-based foods distributor Rhee Bros. ratified their first contract since organizing with the Teamsters in December 2013. The three-year agreement provides wage increases/bonuses, implementation of a wage progression scale, health insurance percentages locked in for the term of the agreement. In addition, workers are guaranteed a 40-hour work week, a grievance and arbitration process, and current vacations and holidays are protected.
Wage negotiations on behalf of United Care Connections (UC2) drivers and day-center aides produced wage increases and signing bonuses effective January 1, 2015.
Negotiations with Leonard Paper began Thursday, Oct. 16th.
Bargaining continues with Bond Distributing and Stroehmanns.
In other news, members present at the Union's monthly General Membership Meeting held Sunday, October 12th, unanimously returned all Local 570 leaders to office for the January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2017 term. The following members were declared elected officers of Teamsters Local 570: Ray Valentine, President Richard Brown, Vice President Sean Cedenio, Secretary Treasurer/Principle Officer Robert Brown, Recording Secretary Moses Jackson, Angelo Wilson, and Christopher Price, Trustees
Beginning Oct. 1: Tow trucks included in Maryland's 'move over' law Oct. 1, 2014| Motorists will be required by law to move over for tow trucks starting Oct. 1, according to Maryland State Police. The law is intended to provide an extra barrier of safety for police, fire and emergency rescue personnel, and now tow truck drivers, police said… Violation of the "move over" law is a primary offense with a fine of $110 and one point added to a driver's license. Read more here.
Election should be about letting all eligible voters vote Oct. 3, 2014| In the first of five in-depth blog posts leading up to the Nov. 4 election that will examine the issues of importance not only to Teamsters, but all workers, Teamster Power writes: "How do you know that Election Day is right around the corner? Because anti-worker forces in key swing states are trying to tamp down on who can and cannot vote." Worth your time to read it here.
Facebook's bus drivers seek union Oct. 6, 2014| They shuttle highly paid Facebook employees to and from the company's headquarters in Silicon Valley, yet many say their pay is so low that they can't afford to live in the area. Moreover, many complain that they start work around 6 a.m. and do not finish until 9 p.m., 15 hours later. Now, some of these shuttle bus drivers, who get Facebook employees to work are seeking representation by the Teamsters union. Learn more here.
There's nothing fair about being a woman in the workplace Oct. 7, 2014| In the second of five in-depth blog posts leading up to the Nov. 4 election, Teamster Power writes: It may be the 21st century, but for too many working women it might as well be the Dark Ages. Their wages continue to lag significantly behind their male counterparts. And congressional efforts to change it have been hampered repeatedly by Senate Republicans. The latest rebuffing of wage equity came last month, when the GOP halted an effort to move forward with the Paycheck Fairness Act…" Worth your time to read it here.
Are you a veteran? The Teamster History Project wants your photo. Oct. 8, 2014| The Teamsters History Project is currently working on a new book for the Teamsters History book series about Teamsters in Military Service and is looking for photos of Teamsters who served in the military at any time during the last 110 years of our history. If you'd like to submit photos of you and/or Teamster relatives who have served in any of the conflicts during that time, you will find additional information and instructions for photo submission here.
Fight against the War on Workers by voting Oct. 13, 2014| Show how you're fighting the War on Workers by printing out the "I'm a Teamster and I Vote" sign, hold it up and take a selfie for the Teamster Facebook page. Click here to get your sign.
Teamsters’ teach-in spotlights environmental injustice at hazardous landfill Oct. 14, 2014| …Speakers at the session, hosted by Teamsters Joint Council 13, emphasized that 1,600 Teamsters and tens of thousands of other workers live within a short radius of the Republic Service toxic landfill in Bridgeton, Missouri. The landfill contains 8,700 tons of un-containerized radioactive waste… The teach-in made clear that unionists, community residents, faith leaders, environmentalists and pro-worker attorneys were going to be anything but invisible. Read the full story here.
Private sector privileges cost regular workers Oct. 16, 2014| …In the third of five in-depth blog posts leading up to the Nov. 4 elections, Teamster Power writes: “The U.S. has a population of more than 317 million people It has more than 146 million registered voters. But increasingly, elected officials seem to believe their only constituency is the Fortune 500… Between big business outsourcing jobs overseas and the billion doled out by the federal government in tax breaks directly to corporations every year, you’ll excuse those who believe President Lincoln’s famous clarion for American government has morphed into ‘Of, By, and For the Company.’ Full story here.
Don't let Congress trade U.S. jobs away Oct. 27, 2014| In the fourth of five in-depth blog posts leading up to the Nov. 4 elections, Teamster Power writes: “…The U.S. is currently involved in negotiating three trade deals – the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership and the lesser-known Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) … TISA could do to public sector workers what NAFTA did to the manufacturing sector. Big business is looking to privatize government services not only in the U.S., but worldwide. Read the full story here.
Workers hold the future of inequality in their hands Oct. 31, 2014| In the final of five in-depth blog posts leading up to the Nov. 4 elections, Teamster Power writes: "Our nation's economic recovery may seem real to those who compile government statistics or for the elites on Wall Street and Capitol Hill. But ask the average rank-and-file worker in cities and towns across America, and you'll likely get a much different answer. Despite a reduction in the U.S. unemployment rate, workers are still struggling. The reason is simple — jobs that paid a fair salary and supported families before the Great Recession have been replaced by those that pay the minimum wage or not much higher. Continue reading here.
Learn about the influential people in our Labor history September 1, 2014| The workplace rights and protections we enjoy today were won for us by generations of America's working heroes. The brief biographies of some the greatest figures in working America history – César Estrada Chávez, Joe Hill, Mother Jones, Frances Perkins and others – may inspire you to join in and continue the fight for American Labor.
'Be strong and believe in yourselves' September 8, 2014| "Employers will continue to shock you with unfair labor practices and it is possible that your employer will do you wrong, but the Teamsters will fight for you. And you will win." Laura Lucafo, a pharmacist and member of Teamsters Local 727 in Chicago, told her story of unfair treatment at last week's 2014 Teamsters Women's Conference. "I was called into the office at my work one day, when I was three months pregnant with my first child, and terminated. I was told my termination was effective immediately. There was no notice or cause given. I was shocked…" Read an excerpt from her story here.
Workers apprehensive about Sysco acquisition of US Foods September 10, 2014| … Food giant Sysco has provided no assurances about what will happen after they finish their acquisition of US Foods however they claim the merger will result in $600 million in savings from what they call "synergies." Full story here.
Tell Sysco CEO to respect his workers NOW! September 12, 2014| Thousands of Teamsters at foodservice giants Sysco and US Foods are worried about their jobs and their livelihoods. Sysco is attempting to purchase its only national competitor, US Foods. Sysco and US Foods have refused to provide workers with information about how the merger would affect their jobs, especially in markets where consolidation is likely to occur. Teamsters are worried. Please sign this appeal today. Join our campaign to demand that Sysco and US Foods honor their agreements with 11,500 Teamsters and protect the livelihoods of the men and women who make these companies leaders in the industry. Please sign this appeal to Sysco CEO William J. Delaney III in support of the Teamsters at Sysco and US Foods who are demanding answers today.
Teamsters celebrate Truck Driver Appreciation Week - again! September 15, 2014| It’s that time of year again! Last year, we asked Teamsters to submit photos of themselves and their trucks to the Teamsters Facebook page. The response was overwhelming Hundreds of Teamsters sent in photos, along with their comments. This year, the Union is asking you again to send photos of you and your trucks, either by posting directly to the Teamsters Facebook page or by sending a direct message to the page. Go ahead, do it!
Trade Commission considers challenge to food merger September 25, 2014| The Federal Trade Commission is considering a possible antitrust lawsuit to block the planned merger of Sysco and US Foods, concerned that combining the nation’s two biggest food suppliers to restaurants, schools and other institutions could threaten competition, according to people familiar with the matter…The commission hasn’t yet decided whether to challenge the deal but a decision could come within weeks, these people said. Full story here.
Burning landfill near a nuclear dump? Sign this petition to Bill Gates! September 26, 2014| Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is the dominant shareholder of Republic Services, which owns the burning landfill. He has the power to convince Republic Services to evacuate families living next to the burning landfill. State health investigators found a high rate of brain and nervous system cancers among the children in the area near the landfill. The Teamsters represent about 9,000 of Republic’s workers and despite a contentious relationship with the company, has joined the call for buyouts and removal of the waste. Bill Gates can help protect families living in the nearby community. Please sign the petition here.
Teamsters praise Obama crackdown on companies that abuse workers Aug. 4, 2014| The International Brotherhood of Teamsters strongly supports President Obama's executive order to crack down on corporations that break laws but still win government contracts. Two members of the Teamsters Union stood with President Obama last Thursday to announce the new policy: Mike Petro of Baltimore (fourth from left), a UPS driver with Teamsters Local 355, and Etta Epps of Landover, Md., also a UPS driver, with Teamters Local 639. "I am so proud of how my union makes sure I earn a good wage, health care benefits and retirement security," Petro said. Continue reading here. Watch the video here. (Note: Local 355, like Local 570, is a member of Teamsters Joint Council 62.)
Teamster: Trade deal caused refugee crises at border August 12, 2014| The nine-year-old CAFTA trade deal caused thousands of desperate children to flock to the U.S. border seeking safety, Teamsters legislative representative Mike Dolan explained recently on the Thom Hartmann Show. He calls them 'CAFTA kids.' They are actually the second generation of economic refugees to leave their land and their homes. The first wave came after NAFTA took effect on Jan.1, 1994. Continue reading here. Related:Blame CAFTA for children at the border
US Foods worker outlines his merger concerns to trade commission August 14, 2014| Frank Rinetti, a Teamster member and employee of US Foods, recently sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) seeking information about the proposed Sysco-US Foods merger and he also outlines his concerns about the merger's impact on jobs. Read it here.
UFCW president issue's statement on the mother of Michael Brown August 22, 2014| Joe Hansen, International President of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), today released the following statement regarding UFCW member Lesley McSpadden whose son Michael Brown was shot and killed by police in Feguson, Missouri.
1934 Minneapolis Teamsters strike, one key precursor to Wagner Act August 26, 2014| The tensions had been simmering for months in Minneapolis. The Teamsters, trying to organize the city's truckers - who were key to transportation of food and industrial goods all over the Upper Midwest - had been browbeaten by the bosses. The so-called Citizens Alliance, a secret able of leading businessmen, was confident it could beat the Teamsters - particularly Local 574 - again. After all, the alliance's virulent and sometimes violent anti-unionism had ruled labor relations in Minneapolis since the early 1900s. This time, in 1934, it didn't turn out that way. Continue reading here.
Hoffa: Weary U.S. workers are still experiencing hard times August 27, 2014| Some naysayers have tried to brush off the income inequality discussion as a trumped-up effete to agitate Americans. However, while they might have wanted to ignore such calls from the Teamsters and other worker advocated, they cannot turn their back on the debate when their friends with ties to the financial world sound the alarm. Full story here.
Spy vs. sp … trucker? July 1, 2014| A case to be heard by the NLRB on August 25th revolves around California trucking company Green Fleet Systems who the Teamsters union claims has used threats, coercion, and the termination of two employees to squash unionization efforts among misclassified independent contractors. Green Fleet Systems is also accused of illegal surveillance of its workers, including using anti-union agents who allegedly made death threats and taught other workers how to harass pro-union drivers…Continue reading. Photo: Green Fleet port drivers fight abusive employer/Image via TeamsterNation. Click to view.
Water. Rest. Shade. July 2, 2014| The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for our area. Heat illness can be deadly. If you work outside you need to protect yourself: Drink water often. Rest in the shade. Report heat symptoms: Dizziness, headache, sweaty skin, fast heart beat, nausea, vomiting, weakness and cramping are symptoms of heat exhaustion. Symptoms of heat stroke are red, hot and dry skin, high body temperature, confusion, fainting, convulsions. Both types of heat illness require emergency care. Check out OSHA's website for additional information and advice about the hazards of working in hot weather.
CA port truckers strike 'indefinitely' over misclassification, right to organize July 7, 2014| MSNBC reports that California truck drivers for three major transportation companies went on strike Monday morning to protest labor law violations. Over 120 drivers are taking action at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, two of the West Coast's largest supply points which handle roughly 40 percent of the nation's imports…Rampant misclassification in the trucking industry is at the heart of the matter. The unscrupulous corporate behavior denies drivers benefits while leaving them on the hook for astronomical maintenance costs. Full story here. Related: This is the fourth strike initiated by the drivers with the backing of the Teamsters union…
Tell Congress to bring the jobs home July 21, 2014| Did you know that U.S. companies can currently receive a tax deduction for certain relocation costs when they move jobs overseas? At a time when the nation's unemployment rate is still too high, why are we rewarding companies for shipping our jobs out of the country? It doesn't make any sense! Senators John Walsh of Montana and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan are trying to right this wrong by introducing the Bring the Jobs Home Act. If passed, U.S. companies that move jobs or business operations to America from other countries would receive a tax break, not the other way around. The tax loophole for companies that ship jobs overseas would be closed. A vote on the Bring Jobs Home Act is expected in the Senate this week. Please email your Senators now and ask that they "Bring Jobs Home" by supporting this legislation.
Workers limited to 6 minutes in the bathroom, Teamsters head to NLRB July 23, 2014| In Chicago, a showdown over bathroom breaks between WaterSaver Faucet Company workers and management has made it to the National Labor Relations Board. New regulations from the company allots six minutes per day for each employee to use the bathroom and violators are being forced to discuss their bathroom activities and face discipline including suspension and termination. Teamsters Local 743 argues that this is an invasion of privacy. Continue reading here. Now, the company is refusing to negotiate a new contract until the workers keep quiet about the discriminatory policy.
Labor lessons from Mississippi Freedom Summer July 25, 2014| (Click image to view.) It's the 50th anniversary of Mississippi Freedom Summer: the 1964 campaign, led by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, to register large numbers of African Americans to vote. Not only hundreds of Black and white college students and other out-of-state volunteers but also thousands of Mississippians bravely joined the effort. Many endured arrests, beatings, bombings. Some were murdered. But in the process, they embarrassed the U.S. on the world stage and moved the country to end Jim Crow. While that summer's campaign focused on political rights, the organizing holds plenty of lessons for unionists. Some, like Larry Rubin, carried those lessons into the labor movement themselves. Read his story here. (Pictured: Freedom Summer activists before leaving training sessions at Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio, for Mississippi in June 1964. Photo courtesy NPR)
Webinar June 17: How to make college more affordable June 3, 2014| Union Plus invites union members and union leaders to register for a free, upcoming webinar June 17 at 1pm EDT where you'll learn tips and strategies for making college more affordable, get college counseling discounts, college test prep discounts, free student loan counseling and more. Sign up here for "Learn Your Way to Earning Your Way. It's free! Check out Union Plus on Facebook too.
Enter essay contest and win cash for class! June 6, 2014| The Teamsters annual Essay Contest has been announced for students attending college – community, 4-year institution, or technical/vocational program – who are age 23 and younger and are the children or financial dependents of eligible Teamster members. Sponsored by the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund, this year's Easy Contest topic is: "The vast majority of union members make more than the minimum wage. Why should Teamsters care what the minimum wage is?" The deadline for essay submission is September 30, 2014. Download the application and instructions here.
Sysco/US Foods Merger News Now Posted in New Section June 9, 2014| Members employed at the two food service companies will find news as it becomes available under the Members tab, "Sysco/US Foods Merger Info," or you can click the bright green box located on the upper right column. If you don't see information there that you have read elsewhere, please email the web editor at teamstersjc62@gmail.com.
Teamsters call on House of Representatives to protect highway safety June 10, 2014| In a letter to U.S. House of Representatives members sent yesterday, Teamsters General President Hoffa urged them to oppose potential floor amendments that would force drivers behind the wheel longer, and allow bigger trucks on the nation's highways. "The tragic accident that claimed the life of comedian Jack McNair and injured many others including actor Tracy Morgan, could have been prevented had Walmart's driver been properly rested rather than reportedly going 24 hours without a break," Hoffa said. Read more here.
Early voting in Maryland is underway June 15, 2014| Your first chance to cast a ballot in the 2014 election for governor and other state and county offices begins today in early primary voting that will run through June 19th. The state primary election will be on June 24th. The general election will be November 4th. As you cast your ballot, consider whether or not your choice of candidates support you and your rights on the job. Do your candidates have a proven track record of defending and improving workers' rights? Do your candidates stand with us on issues that matter to working families? Remember, your vote is your voice. Use it. For the complete list of candidates, click here. For the list of polling places throughout Maryland, click here.
Sysco denies report proposed merger will be challenged by the FTC June 16, 2014| Capitol Forum, a Washington, D.C.-based subscription-based firm that analyzes mergers for policymakers and investors, issued a report on Friday stating: "There appears to be a strong possibility that the FTC will challenge the Sysco/US Foods merger in the near future." Full story at Sysco/US Foods Merger News.
NLRB accuses port trucking firm of 50+ labor violations June 20, 2014| The federal government has accused a trucking company in Carson, Calif., of more than 50 unfair law violations, including firing drivers for union activity, relating against pro-labor employees and planting an anti-union operative amid its workforce. The company denied all the Board’s allegations, stating that it has complied with federal labor laws and that the majority of the firm’s drivers do not support the “heavy-handed” organizing efforts of the Teamsters Union. Full story here.
Teamsters descend on Taylor Farms, rally for food worker justice June 25, 2014| Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa led a major rally on Thursday in support of 900 food processing workers at Taylor Farms, the largest supplier of fresh-cut produce in the world. More than 700 Teamsters, Taylor Farms workers and community supporters packed in front of a stage outside the company’s plant in Tracy, Calif. where low-wage workers have been organizing against poverty pay, abusive working conditions, and extreme anti-union retaliation by the company….Taylor Farms supplies packaged salads and fruits to major retailers, food stores and restaurant chains, including Walmart and McDonalds. Full story here.
Helpful information posted every Monday for members and stewards June 30, 2014| Educational information that can help you better understand your union, your role in it and your responsibility to it is available in the Members Resources section under Members Only and Shop Stewards. Short helpful tips that define a contract campaign, how the bargaining process works, why – and how – a grievance is filed and presented, the importance of confidentiality issues, when a case goes to arbitration, your role in an arbitration, some cautionary notes about insubordination, are among the useful information we've made available to help you be a more informed union member. Don't forget to check in every Monday for something new you can use.
In honor of May Day, Teamster ally gives away labor music
May 1, 2014 | In celebration of May Day, activist and musician Tom Morello is offering his "Union Town" EP for free download today only. "…this record is dedicated to working people of every nationality, age, color, and religion who have the courage to stand up for justice and dignity in the workplace, and beyond.
On April 24, Sysco and US Foods workers distributed information to our colleagues across the U.S. during our second "National Day of Action."
Bright-colored fliers provide information about the "SyscoUSFworkers" Facebook page and how to take the worker survey.
"It's important that all Sysco and US Foods employees – whether or not they are union members – stay informed as the merger process goes forward," said Steve Vairma, Teamsters International Vice President and Warehouse Division Director. "The Teamsters want to protect jobs, and the best way to stay protected is for all employees at Sysco and US Foods to work together."
Sysco and US Foods workers have been posting pictures and comments on the "SyscoUSFworkers" Facebook page. (A direct link is also our home page.)
Local 570 Vice President Rich Brown distributed fliers at US Foods in Severn, Md. where the local represents more than 80 warehouse workers./Teamsters Joint Council 62 photo
Government needs to save workers from these Wall St. wolves Apr.1, 2014| Wall Street just can't help themselves. Elite traders, not satisfied with the deluge of dollars they already were taking in on behalf of hedge funds, are screwing rank-and-file workers by using high-speed networks to find out what stocks others are buying and then buying them first. This rigging of the system – perfectly legal under current rules – allows them within milliseconds to buy and then sell shares and take in tiny profits, over and over again…Government cannot expect hard-working Americans to buy into a system that is crooked. Full story at teamsters.org.
Union is a symbol of our rights Apr. 7, 2014| ...A union is you. It is me. It is the ideology that we have a voice; that we all have the right to due process. A union is the ability to say, “I am a human being and I have certain inevitable rights as an American.” It is a feeling of self-respect and the knowledge that I am my brother’s keeper. A union is the logic that we have responsibilities to help the less fortunate among us. It is a passion that drives us to do the right thing so our world will be a better place... Read the entire guest column at thegazette.com (Iowa).
Judge Approves $1.25M Wage Settlement for Durham Drivers, Attendents Apr. 7, 2014| Last Friday a district court judge approved the million-dollar settlement that Baltimore City school bus drivers and attendants reached with their employer, Durham School Services. The settlement covers damages for 372 class members over unpaid wages dating back to 2010. “Teamsters are proud to have helped these workers bring this injustice to light. We will continue to stand with them until all wages they have earned and are owed are covered,” said Sean Cedenio, principal officer of Teamsters Local 570. A third-party administrator will calculate and issue checks to be mailed to Durham drivers and attendants within 60 days. Read more here.
Teamsters: Stand up, fight back against ALEC Apr. 8, 2014 | (click image to view) Our union provides information and talking points about ALEC, the secretive organization that wants to make us poorer. “In every state, the corporate-sponsored American Legislative Exchange Council, ALEC, works behind the screens to pass laws that empower billionaires and corporations. ALEC pushes laws to strip workers of their rights, eradicate public education, outsource everything that can’t be nailed down, weaken environmental and consumer protections, suppress voting and increase taxes on the poor and working class while slashing them for the wealthy and for large corporations.” How does ALEC work? Learn more at teamsters/war on workers.org.
Teamster horse-carriage drivers win more support in New York Apr. 17, 2014| Our endangered Teamster brothers and sisters who drive horse-carriages in New York City are winning support from some powerful friends, including the New York Times editorial board, actor Liam Neeson and the New York Daily News. They are defending some 300 horse-carriage drivers from animal rights extremists and Mayor Bill de Blasio, who want to ban horse-carriages and throw the drivers out of work. Full story at teamsternation.org.
Teamsters: Temp work won't get America back on track Apr. 23, 2014| Post-Great Recession America may not be a place of double-digit unemployment. But the number of jobs where workers can earn an honest living that supports a family with the basics has shrunk substantially. And much of that is due to big business hiring tricks that have created an underclass of temporary employees. Increasingly, corporate America is filling its coffers by contracting with staffing agencies that bring in workers that do the same jobs as their permanent colleagues, but for a fraction of the cost. Continue reading at teamster.org.
Local participates in SYSCO/USFoods National Day of Action Apr. 25, 2014| Local 570 representatives distributed information to union and non-union workers at the US Foods facility in Severn, Md., yesterday as part of the national union's effort to raise awareness of the coming merger of SYSCO and US Foods. Read more at Local News. Pictured: Local 570 President Ray Valentine passed out fliers and spoke with workers as they arrived at the US Foods facility.
Teamster Nation introduces a weekly podcast Mar. 3, 2014| The IBT launched a weekly podcast last week that summarizes the latest in headline news from Teamster locals and the national union. Listen to the first 12-minute episode here. Subscribe here to add it to your weekly stop for key Teamster news.
Teamsters back school bus drivers in fight against 'rampant' wage theft Mar. 11, 2014| More than 350 Baltimore-area bus drivers are preparing to celebrate victory in a $1.24 million wage theft case against Durham School Services, an Illinois-based business contracting company with operations across much of the country…The settlement of the U.S. District Court case should be finalized April 4, with distribution of the stolen wage money following immediately afterward, says Moe Jackson, a union organizer for Teamsters Local 570. The Teamsters initiated the wage theft case on behalf of the workers during a 2013 organizing drive. Full story at inthesetimes.org.
IBT: Time for Congress to move on income inequality Mar. 17, 2014| A Senate committee took up discussion of income inequality during a hearing last week focused on how to improve the lives of working families. But unfortunately, not everyone agreed that Capitol Hill needed to lend a hand to lift wages. Full story at teamster.org.
Scholarship application deadline is March 31 Mar. 24, 2014| The James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund awards annual scholarships to qualifying high school seniors who are children or dependents of Teamster members. One category of awards totals $10,000 each. These four-year scholarships are disbursed at the rate of $2,500 per year and are renewable annually. Other awards are one-time $1,000 grants. These scholarships are disbursed to the college or university at the beginning of the recipient’s freshman year. Scholarship application GUIDE is here. Download application here.
Sysco, US Food members connect on Facebook Mar. 26, 2014| With the Sysco-US Foods merger looming later this year, Teamster warehouse and drivers at both companies are looking for information about how the merger will impact their workplaces. The IBT's Warehouse Division created a Facebook page this month "for Sysco and US Foods employees to socialize and discuss the issues in the workplace that concern them." Stay informed and updated at Facebook.com/SyscoUSFworkers – check out the photos of Locals 355 and 570 while you're there - and join the text message alert system: Text SyscoUSFnews at 86466 (not case sensitive).
A brief glimpse of human rights advances in the Teamsters Mar. 31, 2014| Women and minorities have always been active in the labor movement. Much of the critical legislation that has been passed over the years started as grassroots movements from within one or more of these groups, even though they frequently did not receive credit or recognition for their efforts. Click here for information and stories that provide examples of the activities, issues and concerns of women and minutes, and how they are viewed and supported by the Teamsters.
ACT NOW: Fast Track is the wrong track for Teamsters February, 2014| Fast Track is a measure that requires Congress to take only a quick up-or-down vote on secret trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership and does not allow such agreements to be amended. It limits Congress' constitutionally mandated oversight of such trade deals and lets others decide what's best for America. The result is fewer good-paying U.S. jobs and unsafe food and products for Americans. Like previous "free trade" agreements, the TPP would be a boon for corporations while hurting workers and the environment. The trade agreement would devastate American manufacturing. Though Teamsters, generally, do not represent workers in the manufacturing industry, every Teamster would be affected because a big part of what we do – from warehouse work to transporting products – is related to manufacturing. Take a few minutes right now to follow the steps here and fight fast track! Watch Jim Hoffa tell MSNBC's Ed Schultz how Fast Track is the wrong track for America. Update 2/17: Vice President Biden says trade deals are on hold, at least for now.
Black History is Teamster history Feb. 4, 2014| The contributions of black members to the success of the Teamsters Union are numerous, varied and as old as the union itself. Black team drivers attended the first Convention in 1903 and were active in all aspects of the union from the beginning. That commitment remains strong today. The Teamsters Union has traditionally been ahead of other unions in terms of the treatment of minority members, calling for "no color line" in the union as early as 1906. Continue reading at teamster.org.
Teamsters back legislation reining in anonymous campaign money Feb. 6, 2014| Our union yesterday threw in its support behind new legislation that seeks to reform the political campaign finance system and return government to everyday Americans. By approving the Government by the the People Act, introduced by Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.), Congress would curb the warped priorities that hamper today's political system and return it to one that is of, by and for the people. Giving regular Americans a vehicle to fight back against anonymous billionaires will ensure lawmakers are held accountable by their own constituents above outside interests. Also, Teamsters support campaign reform finance bill.
Teamster attorney sets the record straight in Letter to Editor Feb. 7, 2014| Jim Rosenberg, attorney for Baltimore Teamster Unions 311, 355, and 570, sent a Letter to the Editor in response to The Baltimore Sun's coverage of President Obama's recent visit to the Costco store in Lanham as part of his efforts to promote a national higher minimum wage. The newspaper failed to report that a significant portion of Costco's stores are unionized. (Four local stores are represented by Teamsters Local 311.) Rosenberg sets the record straight. Read it here.
4 steps to improve your retirement savings this year Feb. 10, 2014| The New Year is well underway, so how are your resolutions holding up? Most of us have already given up on one or two, but the Department of Labor's Phyllis Borzi has a recommendation for a resolution that's easy to keep and has major rewards – and now is a great time to make it. Why not resolve to start saving for retirement or save more in your employer's retirement savings plan. Here's how…
Union-made sweet treats for your Valentine Feb. 12, 2014| When you're searching for something sweet for that special person for Valentine's Day, buy union-made-in-America treats. Candy products made by the UFCW, UFW, and BCTGM include Hershey Kisses, Cadburys Fruit & Nut Bars, and Ghiradelli Chocolates. More choices here. As with a lot of traditionally union-made products, more are being cross-produced (union-non-union; US-Mexico), so be sure to read labels to ensure that your candy is union-made in the U.S.
Durham School Services drivers and attendants to receive unpaid wages Feb. 21, 2014| Baltimore school bus drivers and attendants have reached a $1.25 million wage settlement with their employer, Durham School Services, the transportation contractor for Baltimore City Public Schools. The settlement covers damages for 366 class members over unpaid wages dating back to 2010...“Teamsters are proud to stand with these workers and help them recover the wages they worked for and were owed,” said Sean Cedenio, principal officer of Teamsters Local 570 in Baltimore. Learn more about the settlement at teamster.org.
Local 570 stewards gather for bi-annual education and training Feb. 25, 2014| Stewards come together for a three-day educational seminar every two years that is designed to improve their skills in contract enforcement and grievance handling. This year's training focuses on the challenges associated with building membership involvement and promoting solidarity, both vital to keeping Local 570 the strong and successful trade union that it is. Teamster leaders from the U.S. and Canada are also on hand to provide historical perspective on the struggles and accomplishments of the nation's most powerful union, and the escalating challenges facing us in today's war on workers. View more photos here.
TPP threatens the livelihoods of 40,000 Teamster dairy workers Feb. 28, 2014| For 26 years, Teamsters Local 463 Jerry Reeves has toiled at Dean Foods' Lehigh Valley on Landsdale, Pa., working in pasteurizing as well as a fill operator. The job has allowed him top provide a solid middle-class life for his family of six. But if the TPP comes to fruition, countries like New Zealand that have a state-run dairy industry would have an unfair advantage over American privately-owned dairies…"The fact of the matter is this is about American families and these trade deals have brutalized the American economy. A trade agreement is not an agreement. It is a gun to the head of the American worker." Read more here and here.
This Letter to the Editor ran in The Baltimore Sun, February 7, 2014. The author is an attorney for Teamsters Local 311, Teamsters Local 355, and Teamsters Local 570.
Costco shows the value of unions
In your editorial about President Obama's visit to the Lanham Costco to advocate for raising the minimum wage you correctly point out that Costco "has prospered by paying higher wages and offering better employee health coverage than its competitors" ("The Costco example," Jan. 29).
What you failed to note, however, is that a significant portion of Costco's stores on the West and East coasts — including four stores in Maryland — are unionized, with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters representing those workers.
The Teamsters have been successful in negotiating industry-leading wages, benefits and working conditions for their members. Costco has to apply comparable (although not quite as good) wages, benefits and working conditions in its non-union stores to keep workers there from organizing.
The lesson is that a certain degree of union density is a rising tide that lifts all boats. The disparity in income in this country, which is unprecedented in modern times, is directly attributable to a reduction in union density, which is itself a consequence of employers taking advantage of toothless labor laws to beat back organizing efforts.
This week's member and steward tip posted today
Jan. 2, 2014 | Your website administrator was off during the holidays, so postings commenced today. Be sure to check back for a new helpful tip every Monday.
Teamsters urged to boycott Yuengling beer
Jan.
Black Friday protests held at 1,500 Walmart stores; more than 100 arrested Dec. 2, 2013| OUR Walmart, the non-union group arguing for labor protections, confirmed that protests were held at 1,500 stores on Black Friday to protest pay and calling for a minimum annual salary of $25,000 and better health care for hourly workers. (The average worker makes $8.81 an hour, forcing many to rely on taxpayer-funded public assistance programs to make ends meet. ) The protests took place in large cities — Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Alexandria, Va. and D.C., Boston and Orlando — and stores in smaller cities and towns like Lakeside, Co., Granbury. Tx., and Hyattsville, Md. The company brought in $17b in profits last year. More at CBS News. Related: DC area Walmart workers, community supporters join protests. Also: Walmart's latest lie: "Unions paid $50 to anyone who protested."— Pictured: Brother Gilbert Castillo, IBT Local 396, arrested last month at a Los Angeles protest in support of Walmart workers. More at TeamsterNation.
Buy Made in America (or Canada) this holiday season Dec. 3, 2013| We know we don't have to remind you to shop at Costco, buy-union made beer and ship your holiday packages by UPS. You can also buy union-made Teamster gear at the Teamster Fund store: Teamster Power golf shirts, Teamster flip flops, Teamster earrings, Teamster trailer hitch cover, and our fav – the Teamster Hero T-shirt (shown at right). More ideas for gifts produced by American workers at Teamster Nation.
Woo hoo! Organizing victory at Rhee Bros., Inc. Dec. 5, 2013| Please welcome our new Teamster brothers and sisters who voted overwhelmingly to join Local 570. They are 35 warehouse workers employed by Rhee Bros., Inc. — a distributor of produce, and dry and canned goods, located in Hanover, Md. The workers are seeking job security, and dignity and respect on the job. Local 570 organizer Mosess Jackson said, "It's been three years since these workers have had a raise, and recent management personnel changes have them worried about their own jobs." Welcome to our great union! (Photo: Local 570 Trustee and Organizer Moses Jackson, left, with Rhee Bros. warehouse employee Raphael Diaz following the Dec. 4, 2013, vote count. Diaz acted as the union's observor during the in-plant voting.)
Hoffa: Detroit bankruptcy doesn't change pension obligations Dec. 13, 2013| The effects of the judgment are dire for Detroit municipal government retirees, and the precedent that such a decision sets cannot be overlooked. A spokesman for the Detroit Police and Fire Retirement System told The New York Times that if it could happen in Michigan it could happen anywhere. "If this ruling is upheld, this is the canary in a coal mine for protected pension benefits across the country," he said. "They're gone."… That cannot be allowed to happen. Read General President Hoffa's commentary here.
Local 570 bargaining news, Fall newsletter available Dec. 19, 2013| A negotiations update is available on our Members Only page. The current issue of our newsletter, The 570 Express, is available for viewing and download at The 570 Express tab on the left.
Teamster-backed D.C. taxi drivers achieve major victory Dec. 20, 2013| Due to the strength and unity of the Washington, D.C. Taxi Operators Association, affiliated with Teamsters 922, the Washington, D.C. government has extended the passenger-console deadline from Dec. 1, 2013 to Jan. 15, 2014…On Oct. 29, more than 1,000 drivers met to form their association. Since that time, the association has stood with drivers who are seeking more input into the rules and regulations imposed by the city. Read more about their victory at teamsters.org.
Sign up today for news and information you can use Nov. 4, 2013| This week in Inside Wire: Tips for Members we talk about the contract criteria under which your employer can cut hours or lay off employees. A new steward might be interested to know when a contract actually becomes a contract and that information plus other helpful steward info can be found in Weekly Steward Tip. To access helpful tips and news you can use, sign up today!
Teamsters support Walmart Black Friday strikes Nov. 13, 2013| Teamsters are out front supporting Walmart workers protests in the run-up to nationwide strikes on Friday, Nov. 29, also known as Black Friday. Teamsters are encouraged to join actions supporting the workers. It's very easy to find out what's gong on near you. Just click on BlackFridayProtests.org and type in your zip code in the giant box.
Lawmakers increasingly realize Fast Track is a fraud Nov. 14, 2013| The Teamsters for years have been an outspoken critic of fast-track authorization which allows bad proposed trade agreements to move through Congress on just a quick up-or-down vote. And in the last week, we were joined by 185 House lawmakers who feel the same way.…Fast track is an attack on democracy. Americans have been kept out of the loop on how the TPP will affect their everyday lives. The last think we need is for politicians to fast-track a Pacific trade deal through Congress that allows them to build in secret provisions that help their campaign contributors, but hurt working- and middle-class families. Full commentary by General President Jim Hoffa at The Huffington Post. Related: Word is getting out that the pending Trans Pacific Partnership "is toxic". [Please educate yourself about TPP. It matters in more ways than you can imagine.]
Why L.A. port truckers are striking Nov. 19, 2013| "We are on strike today to have respect and dignity at work," says Walter Melendez, one of approximately 40 Los Angeles port truck drivers who walked off the job at 5 a.m. yesterday morning in protest of alleged unfair labor practices. The strikes featured the rolling "ambulatory pickets" that the truckers have excelled at — chasing down trucks as they leave the port and setting up picket lines in front of them….The drivers have filed a complaint with the NLRB charging that the company retaliated against them for pushing forward with a drive to join the Teamsters. Full story at In These Times.
Truckers support Walmart workers ahead of Black Friday Nov. 22, 2013| Hundreds of workers' actions against Walmart nationwide will occur of Black Friday, Nov. 29. All the actions are important indicators of the rising discontent nationwide against low wages, bad benefits, income equality and the corporate-engineered "race to the bottom" — with Walmart leading the way….On the ground, more than one third of non-union "independent contractor" truck drivers at the Port of Los Angeles walked out against three firms whose fleets truck imported goods from the port inland to Walmart's warehouses, and to warehouses for other retailers. The walkout "put a serious crimp in their operations," Teamsters Local 848 Secretary-Treasurer Eric Tate, who coordinated the action, said in a phone interview… Continue reading at People's World.
7 tips for staying on budget this holiday season Nov. 27, 2013| Do you overspend during the holidays? Holiday spending isn't a competition. Forget what you gave and how much you spent (and received) last year. Create and stick to a budget based on what you can afford this year. Union Plus has seven helpful tips and discounts to keep you within this year's budget.
Teamster employer is Maryland's ‘Greenest’ Distributor Oct. 10, 2013| Local 570 warehouse workers employed by Leonard Paper joined other employees and invited guests Tuesday in a ceremony marking the company's switch to full solar power from traditional energy reliance, making it one of Maryland's most energy efficient distributors. The family-owned company, a wholesale supplier of environmentally-friendly janitorial supplies and food service disposables, employs more than 153 workers at its Baltimore plant, including 31 union warehouse workers. Leonard Paper is one the first companies organized by Local 570, with collective bargaining agreements dating back to the late 1940s. Full story at Local News. (L-R) James Bishop, Billy Cook, Darryl Anderson, LU 570 Vice President/Business Agent Rich Brown, Dick Stacharowski, George Dubiel, Jerry Gibson, Gary Anders, and Matthew Gross
Top 5 reasons to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 5 Oct. 25, 2013| Election day is coming. Are you registered? It's important — and not only because people have gone on hunger strikes and been murdered so their fellow Americans can vote. Voter registration is one of the most powerful means union members use to make our voice heard, and it's a priority of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Find out why it is important for you to register and show up on November 5.
UC2 drivers, day center aides, residential aides unite for justice Sept. 25, 2013 | Workers employed by Unified Community Connections (UC2) who serve children and adults with varying disabilities came together Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013, at the Union Hall to celebrate their recent affiliation with the Union, build unity, and discuss strategies for winning first contracts. On hand to address the workers were Secretary-Treasurer and Chief Negotiator Sean Cedenio, NAACP/Baltimore Chapter President Tessa Hill-Aston, Trustee/Organizer Moses Jackson, and IBT organizer Katie Finn.
Reminder! New Maryland cell phone, seat belt laws in effect Oct. 1 Sept. 27, 2013| Effective Tuesday, October 1, if you are caught driving while talking on your hand-held cell phone, you will be pulled over and issued a $75 ticket. Previously, police could only ticket a driver for cell phone use if the driver was stopped for a primary offense, such as speeding. Maryland's new get-tough law upgrades the state's existing hand-held cell phone law to primary status. A second offense will cost you $125, a third and subsequent offenses, $175. Additionally, the new seat belt law requires all passengers to wear a seat belt while traveling in the backseat of any vehicle. It is a secondary law and carries a $50 fine. (The primary law covers an unrestrained driver and/or passenger in the front seat.)
Local 570 members employed by Leonard Paper joined other employees and invited guests Tuesday in a ceremony marking the company's switch to full solar power from traditional energy reliance, making it one of Maryland's most energy efficient distributors.
The family-owned company, a wholesale supplier of environmentally-friendly janitorial supplies and food service disposables, started business 73 years ago with four employees and one truck. It now employs more than 153 workers at its Baltimore plant, including 31 Teamsters Local 570-represented warehouse workers and 35 Teamsters Local 355- represented drivers.
Leonard Paper is one the first companies organized by Local 570, with collective bargaining agreements dating back to the late 1940s. The company serves a wide range of customers in the Baltimore-Washington region.
Dick Stacharowski (left), senior warehouseman with 37 years on the job, said the switch to solar power will give the company significant savings long-term but an immediate benefit for him and his coworkers will be more reliable heat during cold weather. "There are times when the guys complain about the lack of heat in the aisles when its cold outside and those doors [on the dock] have to be open. That can be stressful. The new system will keep us warm. It's a great improvement!"
The latest upgrade to its facility — the installation of 1,700 solar panels on the plant's roof — will allow the company to generate clean sustainably energy for the next 30 years. According to company literature, it has fully automated on demand sensing lights in its distribution facility, nightly on-site refueling of its trucks which reduces fuel consumption, and zero landfill impact as a result of its comprehensive recycling program.
The solar commissioning ceremony included comments by senior members of the Leonard family and presentation of a Proclamation to Maryland's Greenest Distributor from Governor O'Malley by the state's comptroller, Peter Franchot.
Pictured above right: Robert Buckalew (22-yr. employee) and Marvin Hightower (19-yr. employee)
Social Security National Day of Action in Baltimore tomorrow July 1, 2013| Join the Maryland and DC Alliance for Retired Americans on July 2 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. at the Woodlawn Social Security Office, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD. as they join hands to for a "human chain against the chained CPR." This National Day of Action — only one of dozens in cities across the nation — will showcase the broad base of support of Americans who support protecting and enhancing retirement security, not dismantling Social Security inch by inch. The chained CPI is a cold, calculated benefit cut to all current and future retirees. For information and directions, click here. News you can use: The CPI, explained.
Obamacare Will ‘Destroy The Very Health and Wellbeing’ of Workers July 15, 2013|The Wall Street Journal - The roll out of President Obama’s health care reform package was always going to be tricky, with vehement opposition from his political opponents and pushback from employers large and small. But after announcing last week that penalties for companies failing to comply with the law will be delayed by a year, the Affordable Care Act has a new, high profile set of dissenters: Unions. The leaders of three major U.S. unions, including the highly influential Teamsters, have sent a scathing open letter to Democratic leaders in Congress, warning that unless changes are made, President Obama’s health care reform plan will “destroy the foundation of the 40 hour work week that is the backbone of the American middle class.” If that’s not bad enough, the Affordable Care Act, if not modified, will “destroy the very health and wellbeing of our members along with millions of other hardworking Americans,” the letter says. Full letter here.
Helpful union tips for members are posted every Monday June 10, 2013| Information that can help you understand how the union works and your role in it is avaialble right here on this website. What a contract campaign is, how the bargaining process works, the unwritten laws of the workplace, your role in the grievance and arbitration process and more is over on the left under the Members Only drop down menu. Stewards will find information under the Shop Stewards tab that will increase their effectiveness as the Teamster representative on their shop.
Union Plus benefits for Teamsters June 20, 2013| Because you are an IBT union member or union retiree, you and your family are automatically eligible for Union Plus benefits. Why pay more? As a Teamster, you qualify for many union-only deals and discounts on numerous services or products with savings that could add up to more than $4,000 a year. Learn more about your Union Plus savings and discounts here.
Good news for members in 401(k) plans June 25, 2013| For those of you who have access to and are taking advantage of your employer-based 401(k) plan, you are probably paying less for your mutual funds than retail investors. The Dept. of Labor's Employees Benefits Security Administration reports that on a recent study from the Investment Company Institute finding that 401(k) plan participants in mutual funds tend to hold lower-cost funds, and that the expenses plan participants have incurred for investing in mutual funds have declined substantially in the past 15 years. For helpful information about timelines in retirement planning, click here.
When you and the President sought our support for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), you pledged that if we liked the health plans we have now, we could keep them. Sadly, that promise is under threat. Right now, unless you and the Obama Administration enact an equitable fix, the ACA will shatter not only our hard-earned health benefits, but destroy the foundation of the 40 hour work week that is the backbone of the American middle class.
Like millions of other Americans, our members are front-line workers in the American economy. We have been strong supporters of the notion that all Americans should have access to quality, affordable health care. We have also been strong supporters of you. In campaign after campaign we have put boots on the ground, gone door-to-door to get out the vote, run phone banks and raised money to secure this vision.
Now this vision has come back to haunt us.
Since the ACA was enacted, we have been bringing our deep concerns to the Administration, seeking reasonable regulatory interpretations to the statute that would help prevent the destruction of non-profit health plans. As you both know first-hand, our persuasive arguments have been disregarded and met with a stone wall by the White House and the pertinent agencies. This is especially stinging because other stakeholders have repeatedly received successful interpretations for their respective grievances. Most disconcerting of course is last week’s huge accommodation for the employer community—extending the statutorily mandated “December 31, 2013” deadline for the employer mandate and penalties.
Time is running out: Congress wrote this law; we voted for you. We have a problem; you need to fix it. The unintended consequences of the ACA are severe. Perverse incentives are already creating nightmare scenarios:
First, the law creates an incentive for employers to keep employees’ work hours below 30 hours a week. Numerous employers have begun to cut workers’ hours to avoid this obligation, and many of them are doing so openly. The impact is two-fold: fewer hours means less pay while also losing our current health benefits.??
Second, millions of Americans are covered by non-profit health insurance plans like the ones in which most of our members participate. These non-profit plans are governed jointly by unions and companies under the Taft-Hartley Act. Our health plans have been built over decades by working men and women. Under the ACA as interpreted by the Administration, our employees will treated differently and not be eligible for subsidies afforded other citizens. As such, many employees will be relegated to second-class status and shut out of the help the law offers to for-profit insurance plans.
And finally, even though non-profit plans like ours won’t receive the same subsidies as for-profit plans, they’ll be taxed to pay for those subsidies. Taken together, these restrictions will make non-profit plans like ours unsustainable, and will undermine the health-care market of viable alternatives to the big health insurance companies.
On behalf of the millions of working men and women we represent and the families they support, we can no longer stand silent in the face of elements of the Affordable Care Act that will destroy the very health and wellbeing of our members along with millions of other hardworking Americans.
We believe that there are common-sense corrections that can be made within the existing statute that will allow our members to continue to keep their current health plans and benefits just as you and the President pledged. Unless changes are made, however, that promise is hollow.
We continue to stand behind real health care reform, but the law as it stands will hurt millions of Americans including the members of our respective unions.
We are looking to you to make sure these changes are made.
James P. Hoffa
General President
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
First Transit steward Renald Duverneau likes to fix problems
May 8, 2013 | First Transit driver and shop steward Renald Duverneau doesn’t like the spotlight, yet he willingly steps into it again and again, because he believes that being a steward is never about him — it is all about his co-workers.
Editor's note: As the key point of contact between you and union leaders, local stewards work daily to represent you and your best interests. Here they'll tell you a bit about themselves, and what motivates them to take on the important role of shop steward. Check back with us periodically as we introduce you to another Local 570 shop steward.
Renald Duverneau likes to fix problems, loves the occasional ‘thank you’
First Transit driver and shop steward Renald Duverneau doesn’t like the spotlight, yet he willingly steps into it again and again, because he believes that being a steward is never about him — it is all about his co-workers.
Renald’s quiet, deliberate manner belies the passion and commitment he feels about his work as a steward. “When my co-workers cried out for my help, I answered their call. There’s something in me that wants to help someone who can’t help themselves. I cannot stand by or look away if I can help.”
Renald, currently serving a second term as a Local 570 steward, has been employed at First Transit since June, 2007.
Born in Haiti, Renald came to the United States in 1981 to live with extended family, first taking a job as a cashier in a family-owned garage in New York City and then in 1987, he moved to Maryland where a cousin got him a non-union warehouse job at a Marriott Distribution Center.
“My cousin bragged about what a great place Marriott was to work but after a while I saw it differently because during the 1990s while President Clinton’s policies had created a booming economy, we were closing up on eight years without a raise.”
Local 570 had tried to organize the warehouse once before but the workers received lavish promises of raises from the company, dooming the campaign.
“Everything I heard from the employer about the union was negative. But the company’s tactics opened my eyes. If the union was such a bad thing, why would the company work so hard to defeat it? Once the election was over, it really was over because the company failed to deliver on its promises.”
Unwilling to give up his determination to bring fairness and respect to his workplace, Renald began a second organizing campaign almost immediately. “People were crying out for raises. The night shift got some raises, but the day shift was denied. People with the most seniority worked the day shift. How was that fair? So I got myself moved to nights which gave me the opportunity I needed to talk to everyone about the Teamsters and get cards signed.”
The next union election was “a blowout.” More than 300 warehouse workers voted to join Local 570, but shortly after a 5-year contract was ratified Marriott shut down every one of its warehouses across the country.
Renald had had enough of warehousing. He got his CDL (commercial drivers license) and sought out employment as a driver in a union shop. He came to First Transit via its predecessor companies: Yellow Transportation, CONNEX and Veolia.
When asked what he found most rewarding about his work as a steward, Renald laughed, saying, “If I can solve a problem without filing a grievance? That makes me happy.”
“People ask me why I do this shop steward work. You don’t get paid, they say. But it’s not about money. It’s about what you can do to help others. I have a daughter. I’d like to think someone would help her.”
As rewarding as the union work is, some things do keep him awake at night. Like when he learns a union member has been critical about the union to management. “If we have a problem with our union, we should resolve it among ourselves.”
Renald worries about his members who have troubled work histories. He worries about how to help them improve and stay employed. He worries that he’ll get a call from someone in trouble and after investigating the complaint, realizes he won’t win a grievance. Then he worries about how he’ll find a way to win the grievance anyway.
“My responsibility as a steward is to learn everything I can because a steward should never let management define the contract.”
Renald feels strongly that union members must be involved in the political process and vote in every election, including local elections. “We can’t expect to move our union forward without raising our voices. Together we stand, divided we will fail.”
He hopes younger members will learn about the union and its history. In doing so, they will better understand why they pay dues to the union and how that money works for them. “Read your contract. Look at the protections it gives you. That’s where your money goes. Then try to imagine working without it.”
Renald draws inspiration from a quote by author David J. Schwartz: “Where success is concerned, people are not measured in inches or pounds or college degrees or family background; they are measured by the size of their thinking.”
Renald resides in Elkridge, Md., with his wife and 2 children.
Maryland lawmakers pass tougher cell phone use law Apr. 10, 2013| A get-tough bill that upgrades enforcement of the state's existing handheld cell phone law to primary status becomes effective October 1. The law significantly increases fines for distracted driving violations. Read more at Local News.
Don't buy your prescription drugs at chains like CVS and Rite Aid... Apr. 10, 2013| It's costing you big time. According to a new Consumer Reports investigative study, there is rampant variation in the price of generic drugs as large U.S. pharmacy chains—including CVS, Rite Aid, and Target—marking up the prices of generic drug versions for common medications by as much as 18 times what wholesale chains like Costco charge. That price variance ends up costing Americans, who spend an average of $758 out-of-pocket on drugs every year, hundreds of dollars in unnecessary spending each month. Full story here. (Note: You don't need to be a member to use Costco's pharmacy.) Related stories: It pays to shop around for prescriptions drugs...
Members with CDLs: Take this safety survey and be eligible for a free iPad3 Apr. 2, 2013| John Hopkins University is recruiting IBT members who are full-time commercial drivers for a study on distracted driving. By taking this quick, 10-minute online survey, you can enter a drawing for a free iPad 3. All answers are confidential. You must be over 18 and able to read English to participate. Don't wait! John Hopkins will only take the first 500 drivers who complete the survey. Questions? Contact the study staff at JohnsHopkinsDriving@gmail.com
Is your financial advisor working in your best interest? Apr. 1, 2013| How can you tell? Selecting someone who is being paid to provide you with investment advice is a crucial decision. You want to make sure that the advisor you select is working in your best interest and that your retirement savings are protected. Asking the right questions, up front, will help you protect yourself and your assets. The DOL has a fiduciary guide fact sheet available here.
Sign the petition to keep knives off planes Mar. 21, 2013| The TSA proposal to lift the ban on certain knives aboard planes would put Teamster members who work in the aviation industry – flight attendants, pilots, and other airline employees – more at risk, as well as the general public. Not all flights have air marshals aboard, nor are pilots armed. While pilots now fly behind reinforced cabin doors, flight attendants have little protection from knife-wielding passengers wanting to do harm. The proposal to allow knives aboard planes is ill-conceived and dangerous. Please sign the petition today!
Local union news update posted Mar. 18, 2013| News about recent and on-going contract bargaining is available here in the Members Only section. If you haven't yet signed up, now would be a good time to become a registered user of this website.
Tell Congress to cancel the cuts Mar. 18, 2013| Call your member of Congress at 888-659-9401 and tell them to repeal sequestration. The across-the-board cuts will cost more than 1 million jobs this year and many more jobs over the next decade. On a just-released important message from the IBT, General President Jim Hoffa said, "By not acting to end the sequester, Republicans are telling us that those tax loopholes and their billionaire benefactors are more important than creating jobs and stimulating commercial activity in their own country." Don't wait. Call now: 888-659-9401. Tell Congress to repeal sequestration.
Maryland distracted driving update: A get-tough bill that upgrades enforcement of the state’s existing handheld cell phone law to primary status has cleared the House and Senate. The measure also would make significant increases in fines for distracted driving violations.
First offenses will bring a $75 fine. A second offense could bring a ticket of up to $125, and a third to $175. The current fine for violations range from $40 to $100. The plan to assign points was removed by amendments.
The removal of the secondary enforcement provision of the handheld cell phone law means police can stop and cite violators for that reason alone.
The bill, sent to the governor on April 8, was a rerun of previously unsuccessful legislation by Del. James Malone. “They can’t have (a cell phone) in their hand whatsoever,” Malone says. The legislature did water down the penalties in the original bill.
Two other 2013 bills also sought to remove the secondary enforcement limitation on the state’s existing handheld cell phone law.
State Sen. Nancy King puts a spin on the enforcement issue. Her Senate Bill 193 of 2013 specifies primary enforcement if a child under the age of 8 is in the vehicle when the driver violates Maryland’s handheld cell phone law. King, D-Montgomery County, also sponsors a bill seeking to increase penalties for not safely securing a child in a vehicle.
The state made several technical adjustments to its existing distracted driving laws during the 2012 legislative session.
They included a separation of cell phones and texting devices under the legal definition of a “wireless communication device.”
Current prohibitions:
Text messaging prohibited for all drivers.
Handheld cell phone use banned for all drivers.
Fines between $40 and $100.
Drivers under the age of 18 prohibited from any use of cell phones.
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Members employed at Carroll Home Services mourn the loss of coworker John Freeman who passed away April 1, 2020. Freeman, an oil delivery driver at Carroll since 2009, leaves his wife, Andrea, and three-year-old son, Justin.
Shop steward Derrick Westry enjoyed a 14-year friendship with Freeman. "John wasn't hard to get along with at all. He had a sense of humor and liked to play the jokester. We shared an interest in good restaurants, especially places that served lamb chops. He loved good lamb chops, especially the homestyle chops served at Granny's Restaurant in Owings Mills. John loved his family and was really close to his mom who, sadly, passed away just this past weekend. He will be missed."
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There can be no greater honor than serving as General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Everyday since you first elected me 21 years ago I have worked hard to earn the trust and support of you, the members I serve. Working together we have accomplished many great things for our beloved Teamsters Union. 
Feb. 13, 2020 
Members at Chef’s Warehouse approved a contract that included a significant bump in wage rates upon signing, annual increases over term; maintenance of Health & Welfare benefits; the sick leave policy updated to comply with Maryland law; and language improvements that benefit the members.
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need to put workers first and address their concerns if they want to prevail in November 2020. Bread-and-butter issues like good-paying jobs are paramount. James “Curb” Curbeam, left, the union’s Southern Region Organizing Coordinator and Chairman of the Teamsters’ National Black Caucus, said workers want to see candidates focus less on social issues and spend more time talking about topics that will put more money in their wallets. “Blue-collar workers want someone to stand up for them and fight for them,” he said. “We need people who are going to stand up for all Americans, not just a handful.”… 
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Do you have your REAL ID license yet?
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Be aware that you risk having your driver’s license declared invalid if you don’t pay attention to the new requirements' deadline. A police officer will confiscate the revoked license if you are stopped for a traffic violation and you’ll have to go through the trouble to go to an MVA office with the proper documentation to get it back. 
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Teamsters celebrate Women’s History Month
Teamsters celebrate Black History Month
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New contracts ratified at Entenmann’s/Stroehmann, others 
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[ Sussex County resident Chris Johnson (right), a Local 355 shop steward employed by Burris Foods, Inc., was among dozens of speakers who voiced opposition to the RTW provision. "I speak to you as a Teamster member but also as a resident, a father and husband... I'm proud to be a union member earning a good wage that supports my family," Johnson told the five-member Council, adding that he and his members bargain for all they have, including good wages, a grievance process and the right to arbitrate. "But the bargaining procedure is not free or cheap. Our dues structure is built to pay for the collective bargaining that help us support our middle-class communities." Johnson also pointed out that as a member of the Millennial generation 
Thornburg said in recent years there have been efforts pushed by state GOP lawmakers to approve so-called RTW. But Democrats have succeeded in blocking them. So when County Councilman Ron Arlett 
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Slusher said he is grateful for the Teamsters, too. Understanding how important being a union member is to his working conditions and economic well-being, Slusher said he never missed a contract proposals meeting. “That is the most important meeting a member can attend. I mean, that’s your livelihood – it’s the time when you get to understand how very grateful you should be for the union.”
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“US Foods is legally required to bargain with its workers’ representatives about a possible decision to close the distribution center. Instead, the company announced that it would not bargain with us until workers agreed to concessions that would slash their compensation by more than 50 percent,” said Teamsters Local 355 President Denis Taylor.
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• The TPP forces U.S. employers into competition with companies exploiting workers in places like Vietnam, where the minimum wage is just a third of what it is in China’s manufacturing centers, and Malaysia, where an estimated one-third of all electronics workers are victims of human trafficking. 
Aug. 27, 2015
A proposal meeting held at the Local Union hall February 14, 2015, gave the newly organized workers an opportunity to learn the benefits of union membership. Secretary-Treasurer and Principle Officer Sean Cedenio reviewed provisions of the National Agreement – section by section – and provided answers to the workers’ numerous questions.
“We can’t artificially inflate proposals that we can’t achieve but our goal is that when we reach a tentative agreement, we’ll know we did the very best we can do so you can say yes when it comes time for you to vote on your supplement,” explained Cedenio, the the Union's chief negotiator. Other bargaining committee members included Trustee and Organizer Moses Jackson, (
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Horseshoe Baltimore Casino workers bet on union
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“We are being proactive,” Dixon told members. “Together with 570, we’ll be more than 3,400 Teamsters strong. Yes, we have the funds to continue on alone but we’ve lost members in recent years and when a Local loses members, it loses some of its strength. This is really all about building our strength by increasing our numbers. We’ll increase our charter, increase Local 570s’ charter and this merger will give us wider opportunities to organize and grow our union which will help build our power.”
A secret ballot was conducted after the Q & A session during which members asked questions on a variety of issues, including how the health & welfare and pension plans will be administered going forward, seniority (by industry), the time frame for the merger’s completion, and what the integration of the locals’ executive boards will look like.
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Bright-colored fliers provide information about the "
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Local 570 representatives distributed information to union and non-union workers at the US Foods facility in Severn, Md., yesterday as part of the national union's effort to raise awareness of the coming merger of SYSCO and US Foods. Read more at 
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Local 570 warehouse workers employed by Leonard Paper joined other employees and invited guests Tuesday in a ceremony marking the company's switch to full solar power from traditional energy reliance, making it one of Maryland's most energy efficient distributors. The family-owned company, a wholesale supplier of environmentally-friendly janitorial supplies and food service disposables, employs more than 153 workers at its Baltimore plant, including 31 union warehouse workers. Leonard Paper is one the first companies organized by Local 570, with collective bargaining agreements dating back to the late 1940s. Full story at 
Sept. 25, 2013
Local 570 members employed by Leonard Paper joined other employees and invited guests Tuesday in a ceremony marking the company's switch to full solar power from traditional energy reliance, making it one of Maryland's most energy efficient distributors. 
Dick Stacharowski (left), senior warehouseman with 37 years on the job, said the switch to solar power will give the company significant savings long-term but an immediate benefit for him and his coworkers will be more reliable heat during cold weather. "There are times when the guys complain about the lack of heat in the aisles when its cold outside and those doors [on the dock] have to be open. That can be stressful. The new system will keep us warm. It's a great improvement!" 
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Born in Haiti, Renald came to the United States in 1981 to live with extended family, first taking a job as a cashier in a family-owned garage in New York City and then in 1987, he moved to Maryland where a cousin got him a non-union warehouse job at a Marriott Distribution Center.
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