Teamster News

Members stand strong for better contract

Local 890 is currently in negotiations with Organic Girl, Taylor Farms Yuma AZ, Dole Value Added, Monterey Disposal, Olam, and Bud of California. At press time, the agricultural workers from Bud of California rejected the company’s proposal and the committee is back at the table. “Teamsters Local 890 will continue negotiating strong contracts and great benefits for the members,” said Business Rep Jesus Rangel. “We hope to be able to report a contract at Bud in the next issue.”

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Steward Appreciation Day resumes after pandemic year

On October 2, nearly 200 Local 856 shop stewards gathered at the Westin SFO in Millbrae for the Local’s annual shop steward appreciation day.

The event included a retrospective on the past two years showcasing the essential work Local 856 members have performed in nearly every industry throughout the pandemic, including health care, public services, hospitality, airline, and school districts. 

“Our steward appreciation day has become a Local 856 tradition, and we are grateful that we were able to resume it this year,

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UPS members learn about Amazon threat and what to do

“Ten years ago, there were zero Amazon warehouses in California,” said Shaun Martinez, from the IBT’s Strategic Research and Campaigns Department “Today, Amazon is the state’s largest employer.”

Speaking at a training about Amazon for about 100 Local 853 UPS members at the San Jose Teamster office on November 13, Martinez reviewed Amazon’s growth, from bookseller to major customer of UPS to now being UPS’ biggest competitor—already surpassing Fed-Ex’s market share.

The battle has already begun.

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Third strike’s the charm: Contract finally reached for transit workers

On December 2, Local 533 members employed by Keolis Transit for the Reno-Sparks-Washoe transit agency ratified a new contract agreement. Getting there took three unfair labor practice strikes and 60 days on picket lines, beginning with the Hot August Strike, winding through Striketober and into December.

“This new deal will eliminate the need for further ‘repetitive and harmful strikes’ caused by Keolis,” says Local 533 President Gary Watson. “From day one, this has always been about the safety of our members and riders and improving working conditions in our profession.”  

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Best grocery warehouse contract in nation

Local 439 Secretary-Treasurer Sal Lomelli reports that he, and the negotiating committee of Ed Speckman and Phil Creamer, negotiated the Safeway Albertsons contract in October. “It’s one of the best contracts in the nation. It includes excellent wages up front, double-time; an extra holiday; and for the warehousemen, we got forever medical.” The contract was easily ratified by the 1,600 at Safeway’s Tracy warehouse in October.

“There are no more part-timers; they’re all full-time after they make probation.

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Valdivia Trucking drivers join union, ratify first contract

Drivers with Valdivia Trucking voted overwhelmingly on October 13, to be represented by Teamsters Local 665. The 25 drivers haul materials to and from construction sites in San Francisco and the North Bay.

The campaign to organize the family-owned company was swift and decisive, taking only three months from initial organizing until the vote. The drivers had been seeking a voice on the job, and their organizing began when a Valdivia driver spoke with a family member who works at Republic Services,

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Concord Naval base project to be re-developed all union

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,

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New Leadership Elected at IBT

After a hard-fought campaign, the votes have been counted and the O’Brien-Zuckerman Teamsters United slate has been elected by a significant margin to lead the International Brotherhood of Teamsters for the next five years.

Congratulations to the new officers, particularly General President-Elect Sean O’Brien. They face numerous challenges ahead — for the Teamsters Union, the labor movement and all working people.

No matter who you supported, now is the time to unite our union and move forward together.

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IBT Women’s conference celebrates “High Stakes and Standards”

Coming together for the 20th IBT Women’s Conference from September 12-15, Teamsters paid homage to the Las Vegas location with the theme “High Stakes and Standards.” As Conference Chair Nina Bugbee said as she opened the event, “if you bet on a Teamster woman to get the job done, it’s the smartest bet you’ll make.”

In the last major event of his 22-year administration, IBT President James Hoffa spoke about some of the many accomplishments his administration has achieved over the previous 18 months—from electing the most pro-union president ever,

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Ten-day strike for health care

The fixed-route transit members of Teamsters Local 533 stood strong for ten days on an unfair labor practices strike that lasted from August 3-12, in Reno, Nevada. The members were on strike for the right to maintain their healthcare that is ever so valuable during a global pandemic. 

The Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County (RTC Washoe), and its contractor Keolis Transit, the 70% French government-owned company that operates the bus services in Reno/Sparks and Washoe County,

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