Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien: ‘Amazon Is An Abusive Employer’

April 12, 2022 | Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien issued the following statement in response to a new report from the Strategic Organizing Center showing that Amazon’s overall injury rate increased by 20 percent from 2020 to 2021 and Amazon’s operations continue to be dramatically more dangerous for workers than the rest of the warehouse industry. “Amazon is an abusive employer. They show total disregard for working people. Injury rates at Amazon continue to climb, which is why workers are taking action and organizing. Enough is enough. It’s time to face the bully head-on,” O’Brien said. Read the report: The Injury Machine: How Amazon’s Production System Hurts Workers

As We Move into the Third Year of the Covid Virus, Here's Where Things Stand Now

April 14, 2022 | Countless frontline and essential workers, including hundreds of thousands of Teamster members, have become infected, ill, or have died from exposure to COVID-19 at work. These workers have frequently faced life-threatening hazards while providing medical care, food, shelter and transportation, and other essential services we all need. So far in the United States, close to 1 million have died, and 140 million have been infected with COVID-19. Throughout the past two years, the IBT Safety and Health Department have dedicated itself to providing the best information possible to Teamster members and local unions, lending support to bargaining between local unions with employers, and participating in the regulatory and legislative process to help protect our members and communities from infection and spread of COVID-19. A variety of information on COVID-19 is available on www.teamstersafety.org, including updated safety and health facts, the rights of workers and unions and responsibilities of employers, and model contract language. 

O’Brien, Zuckerman Visit With Rank-and-File Members Across the Country

April 20, 2022 | During the first month of their administration, Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien and General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman have been barnstorming the country, visiting with rank-and-file members and shop stewards at local unions nationwide. To follow along as O’Brien and Zuckerman continue visiting with and listening to members, follow the updates on the Teamsters Facebook page and Instagram. 

Building Momentum in the Teamsters Waste Division

April 21, 2022 | Six companies. 10 locations. 30 days. 1,000 members and counting. That’s the contract count for the Teamsters Solid Waste and Recycling Division since the O’Brien-Zuckerman administration took office less than a month ago.

“As soon as the new administration took office, we noticed a dramatic difference in negotiations throughout the industry,” said Chuck Stiles, Director of the Teamsters Solid Waste and Recycling Division. “It’s been non-stop success at the bargaining table nationwide, even in locations where negotiations had stalled.

The companies realize that this is a more militant union now. They know they’re on notice.” The Teamsters’ winning streak kicked off March 27 in Rhode Island, where 60 workers at two Stericycle-owned businesses—represented by Teamsters Local 251—overwhelmingly ratified their respective first contracts after more than a year of hard-fought negotiations.

“We weren’t afraid to make our voices heard, and we are proud to have taken a brave stand during negotiations,” said Chris LaFlamme, a 23-year Shred-it driver. “The need for a strong contract was never lost on any of us. That’s why we never wavered, despite the company’s slow pace during negotiations. This agreement reflects our strength and solidarity. My co-workers and I are proud of what we have accomplished with this first contract, and we are thrilled to finally have true protection on the job.”

Local 251 wasn’t the only contract victory that weekend. More than 4,000 miles away, in Simi Valley, California, 200 workers at Waste Management, Inc. (WMI) overwhelmingly ratified a first contract at Local 186. Shortly after, Local 117 announced an agreement had been reached at Republic Services for workers in the Seattle area. Topping off the weekend, Local 50 secured an excellent agreement for a longtime unit at Republic Services in Southern Illinois... Continued at Teamsters

General-President O’Brien: Workers’ Memorial Day 2022

April 28, 2022 | “On April 28th, the labor movement honors the memory of workers whose lives were lost or who suffered injury or illness because of their work. I call upon our members to join in solidarity with all workers in this country and across the globe, to plan and participate in workplace and community events, ceremonies, and awareness campaigns to highlight the toll of dangerous workplace conditions on workers, their families, and loved ones. On this Workers’ Memorial Day, we wish to recognize Teamster members and other essential workers who have kept America’s economy moving during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teamster members answered the call to keep the supply chain intact and provide critical services in many sectors, including health care, public transit, freight, UPS, public services, grocery and warehouse and many others represented by our great union. With so much of society coming to a standstill, Teamster members were the beating heart that kept the American economy in motion. And just as the Teamsters never stopped working during the pandemic, we will never stop fighting to improve our members’ working conditions on the job. Nobody should have to risk their life while working to earn a living...”

Read General-President O’Brien’s full statement here

Statement from Peter Finn, Director of the Food Processing Division here