“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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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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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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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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Incotec workers in the Salinas Valley voted to become Teamsters in June. Incotec is a seed enhancement specialist that improves the quality of seed technology. The work performed by the new members contributes significantly to the development of sustainable agriculture. 

The employees at Incotec were inspired to seek union representation because they wanted to be treated with respect on the job. The union election was held by mail. Even though the company held several anti-union meetings,

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Local 150 member Jim Stenson is a Driver for American Metals in West Sacramento.  On August 30, 2021,  he was driving down Interstate 80 in Richmond and witnessed a carjacking in progress. A fugitive on the run from law enforcement was attempting to pull a woman out of her vehicle by her hair just 2 vehicles ahead of his tractor. 

Jim, an active shop steward with Local 150 and an 18-year veteran Class A driver with American Metals,

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