After 17 years with Joint Council 7, this is my last column as your political director. It has been an immense honor to work with our union.
Starting as an organizer
I was first hired into the Teamsters in 2006. Under the direction of our then Joint Council President, I ran the organizing campaign with misclassified truck drivers at the Port of Oakland. At the campaign’s peak, we put 5,000 people on the streets of downtown Oakland.
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Ernie Yates, former principal officer of Teamsters Local 665, died on November 30. The following is a joint statement from Local 665 Executive Board principal officer Tony Delorio and Mike Yates, president of Local 665 and son of Ernie Yates:
“Our union brother, Ernie Yates, was a Teamster his entire working life. His guidance, wisdom, and leadership benefited the lives of countless working men and women through his tireless efforts at the negotiation table and in worker advocacy in California and the United States.
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The 40 drivers and mechanics at GreenWaste of Palo Alto in Santa Clara, Calif., voted overwhelmingly on November 17 to become Teamsters. This group will join join the thousands of waste workers throughout the Bay Area already represented by Local 350.
“Ever since I started working for this company, I felt we needed representation. Everyone around us was doing better because they were Teamsters. We’ve seen the support, protection, and contracts they get from the union.
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More than 1,200 union members who work in the parking industry in San Francisco’s commercial and hotel sector announced unanimous approval of a new 4-year agreement slated to provide the best wages and benefits in that industry, nationwide.
“We’re very proud of this agreement,” said Tony DeIorio, Principal Officer of Teamsters Local 665. “It will continue to provide economic security and job protections for workers at nearly 300 off-street parking locations in our City.”
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More than 4,000 members who work in the cannery industry across the Central Valley ratified their new collective bargaining agreements in July.
Stanislaus Foods and Con Agra Brands, two national industry leaders in tomato processing, were part of the three-year Master Agreement. The 2,400 members at those two facilities agreed to a contract that also contains historic wage and benefit increases. The Master Agreement also covers Local 856 members in San Joaquin County and several other locations in Northern California.
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The 60 forklift drivers, loaders, unloaders, and sanitation workers at US Cold Storage in Tracy ratified a new two-year contract that includes historic wage increases, improved working conditions, a better health care plan, a better attendance policy, and other major improvements.
“I would like to give credit to Business Agent Gil Gomez, and the members themselves, for a great job,” said Secretary-Treasurer Sal Lomeli. “The talks were very contentious, but in the end,
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The three-person clerical unit at Recology of the Coast in Pacifica, CA, voted in September to ratify their first-ever agreement with the Teamsters Local 350. The unit had initially voted to join the union in May of 2022.
“I am thrilled to be part of the strong bond and support of the brotherhood and sisterhood of the Teamsters Union!” said Bernadette Chursin, a four-year employee and bargaining committee member.
Upon ratification,
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The UFW and supporters marched 335 miles from Delano to Sacramento to get public support for AB 2183. This bill would enable voting in union elections by mail or at an Agriculture Labor Relations Office,enabling farmworkers to vote without the threat of employer intimidation.
On August 26, supporters came to Sacramento for a rally—honoring those who walked during the heat of summer and pushing the governor to sign the bill.
JC7 was there—President Jason Rabinowitz addressed the crowd,
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Can you tell that it’s 108° out? Across the nation, unions turned out at restaurants serviced by Sysco to let Sysco’s customers know that the company is not bargaining in good faith. Unfortunately, Local 853’s assigned day was the hottest in human memory! Fortunately, that didn’t stop the intrepid staff from leafleting at Cheesecake Factory restaurants in Pleasanton and San Jose in August.
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Workers at Dole—Soledad ratified their new three-year contract in August. They will get wage increases of up to $4/hour and numerous improvements and upgrades. President Crescencio Diaz and Business agent Luis Flores credited the gains to the strong and experienced Teamster committee who represented the workers.
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