Members in Focus: Danny Nocom
December 23, 2022
Local 315
Long talks with Republic finally completed
October 19, 2022
It might have taken ten months, with the union soliciting support from local city officials while simultaneously filing charges of unfair labor practices through the Labor Board, but Local 315 business reps and members who work at Republic Services in Richmond finally have a contract.
The agreement includes strengthening seniority provisions and adding a bi-monthly scheduled arbitrator within the grievance language who will hear and protect the members’ rights for years to come.
Keep readingLiquor drivers ratify first contract
June 23, 2022
After voting to unionize in 2021 by a vote of 17 to 1, the 25 drivers from Zephyr Express (Winebow) in Benicia unanimously ratified their first contract in March. These drivers deliver alcohol to grocery stores, BevMo stores, and other liquor retailers.
“We believe that the talks went smoothing precisely because of the resolve these drivers showed in demanding a union,” says Secretary-Treasurer Don E. Garcia. “And that resolve paid off. Their day one wage increases ranged from $2 per hour to $10.16 per hour.
Keep readingMany firsts at TransDev Napa
March 30, 2022
Joyful sounds of celebration rang throughout the Teamster Union Hall in Vallejo on Sunday, February 27 when the 78 members at Transdev Napa voted to ratify a five-year agreement, reports Business Agent Dustin Baumbach.
Although this location has been under Teamster contract for decades, there were several “firsts” in this contract, Baumbach reports. “It was the first long and secure five-year agreement, and the first time these fixed-route drivers, paratransit drivers, and maintenance mechanics saw wage increases anywhere near these percentages.”
Keep readingConcord Naval base project to be re-developed all union
December 17, 2021
The City of Concord and the building trades unions reached an agreement in August for a project labor agreement under which they’ll redevelop the Concord Naval Weapons Base. This facility, originally a storage depot in World War II, was used for military staging up through the Gulf War before getting mothballed. It will soon become a new residential and commercial development with significant open space and parks projects built by a consortium of Discovery Builders,
Keep readingHelping a member displaced by fire
September 27, 2021
On May 31, a fire started near an Antioch apartment building and quickly spread to a second building where Teamster Juan “JC” Jaurgui lives with his wife and two kids. JC is a Local 315 member who works at Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery as a solid waste driver.
According to NBC News, aggressive fire response stopped further spread of the fire, caused by fireworks, but 40 residents in eight apartment units were displaced.
Keep readingTrina Johnson – UPS Richmond (Local 315)
May 30, 2021
Trina Johnson has worked for UPS at the Bayside hub in Richmond for 21 years, and she loves her work and her union. “I’m a gal in brown. With the uniform that you wear, you’re proud. During the pandemic, when everyone was in shutdown, we were out there, bringing good things.”
Dealing with different people each day is one of the most interesting aspects of Trina’s job. “You bond with your customers. It’s like we’re all family.
Keep readingGreg Doench – UPS (Local 315)
May 28, 2021
For 36 years, Greg Doench has been a package car driver for UPS, first in Concord and then in Oakley. What he enjoys most about his work is being outside and being active.
“My job allows me to work in the city I grew up in and that I still reside in,” he says thinking about the residential route he’s had for the past 18 years. “I get to see a lot of people that I grew up with,
Keep readingEric Wright – City of Hercules (Local 315)
Eric Wright calls himself a “jack of all trades and master of none,” but after 24 years of working for the City of Hercules as a Maintenance II lead worker, he’s really a renaissance man with a wealth of skills who has a strong dedication toward achieving his job duties.
Wright works with an 8-person maintenance crew and they take care of the parks, trees, irrigation, concrete, roads, and basically whatever needs maintenance and repair.
Keep readingMatthew Whaley – UPS (Local 315)
May 18, 2021
The Ten Point Commentary
(Sung to the tune of A Horse With No Name, by America.)
I drive through the city on a car with no name
Giving space, visibility.
Safe by choice is not by chance…A way to be accident free.
La la, etc.
This is one of several songs that Matthew Whaley wrote to promote safety for the drivers at UPS when he served as co-chair of the safety committee.
Keep reading