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March 19, 2024

Today in 2005
Walmart agrees to pay a record $11 million to settle a civil immigration case for using undocumented immigrants to do overnight cleaning at stores in 21 states. ~ Labor Tribune

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355 News & Information
Mar 13, 2024
Reminder: Apply for a Teamster Scholarship today
Mar. 1, 2023 | Thousands of educational scholarships are available to the children and dependents of active Teamster members through the Teamsters Scholarship Fund. Applications are open and available through the Teamsters Scholarship Fund portal here. Deadline for applications is March 29!
Feb 20, 2024

IBT increases future strike benefits* for Anheuser-Busch workers 
Updated Feb. 8 to include Molson Coors Teamsters.   Feb. 5, 2024 |  In a major development in the fight for a strong contract protecting 5,000 Teamsters at Anheuser-Busch, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters announced today it will more than double strike pay to $1,000 per week for Anheuser-Busch Teamsters nationwide. The increase will go into effect in the event Anheuser-Busch forces the Teamsters who brew, package, and ship Budweiser, Bud Light, and dozens of other beverage brands out on strike March 1. O’Brien, Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman, and the Teamsters General Executive Board approved the increase in strike benefits in a special vote today, which was announced at the union’s annual Brewery, Bakery, and Soft Drink Conference. On February 8, the Union announced it would increase strike benefits to $1,000 per week for Local 997 members who are fighting for a new contract at Molson Coors in Fort Worth, Texas. Learn more here.

Applications available for the 2024 Local 355 Scholarship Awards
Feb. 12, 2023 | For the past 49 years, our Local has offered scholarships to the children and stepchildren of Local 355 members who seek to fulfill their dreams through higher education. Applications are now available for the Teamsters Local Union No. 355 50th Annual Scholarships to be awarded during the May 2024 regular monthly membership meeting. Eligibility requirements: You must be in continuous good standing in Local 355 for 12 consecutive months before May 2024, and your student must be a graduating senior this year. There are no tests and no lengthy application process. Additional information and application here.

Washington State Teamsters lead the way with pro-union legislation
Feb. 15, 2023 | Thanks to the dogged advocacy of Washington Teamsters, three pivotal bills aimed at safeguarding workers’ rights, enhancing safety measures, and addressing critical issues impacting the labor movement are making their way through the state legislature. “The issues we are advocating for in Olympia will determine the future of the labor movement in our state and nationwide,” said Rick Hicks, Teamsters Western Region International Vice President and President of Teamsters Joint Council 28. Learn more here.

Teamsters strike Molson Coors
Feb. 20, 2023 | Members of Teamsters Local 997 at Molson Coors in Fort Worth, Texas, were forced to strike [Saturday] over the company’s disgusting pay package and complete unwillingness to reach a fair agreement with workers. Teamsters walked off the job after Molson Coors failed to come to terms on a new three-year contract that respects the 420 workers who make, package, and warehouse the company’s beer and beverage brands. The strike shuts down production at the only brewery that services the entire Western region of the United States with major Molson Coors products. Learn more hereRelated: ‘Honk for beer’

Colorado Teamsters applaud introduction of Worker Freedom Act
Feb. 26, 2023 | The Worker Freedom Act is critical legislation that seeks to enhance workers' rights by outlawing employers from forcing workers to attend captive audience meetings. “We thank our allies in the state legislature for introducing this important piece of legislation that will uplift the rights of working-class people in our state,” said Dean Modecker, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 455, which represents over 10,000 members working throughout the Rocky Mountain region. Connecticut, Maine, Minnesota, New York, and Oregon have all passed similar legislation banning mandatory captive audience meetings. Learn more at Local 455.

President Biden to meet with Teamsters leadership March 12
Feb. 27, 2023 | The union will host a rank-and-file Presidential roundtable with President Joe Biden on Tuesday, March 12, at the union’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. President Biden has committed to meet with union members, the Teamsters General Executive Board, General President Sean M. O’Brien, and General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman. The union held a roundtable with former President Donald Trump in January, and convened roundtables with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Asa Hutchinson, Marianne Williamson, Dr. Cornel West, and Dean Phillips in December. Nikki Haley declined to participate. Learn more here.

Teamsters applaud FTC’s block to grocery merger
Feb. 28, 2023 | President Sean M. O’Brien and Teamsters Warehouse Division Director Tom Erickson issued a statement Monday on the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) lawsuit to block the Kroger-Albertsons merger: “The Teamsters commend the FTC for taking decisive action against the Kroger-Albertsons merger, recognizing the detrimental impact it would have on workers at both companies.“We extended numerous opportunities to Kroger and Albertsons to prioritize our members, but they repeatedly declined. Rather than cooperating and working with us, Kroger and Albertsons chose to partner with C&S Wholesale Grocers, the grocery industry’s worst operator for organized labor.” Learn more hereRelated: The lawsuit alleges that a combined grocery giant would make elective bargaining more difficult.

Tentative agreement reached with Anheuser-Busch
Feb. 29, 2023 | Yesterday, the Teamsters Union reached a five-year tentative agreement significantly raising pay, improving health care and retirement benefits, and providing critical job security for all 5,000 Teamsters at Anheuser-Busch breweries nationwide. Texas Teamsters at Molson Coors continue to hold out for a fair contract. Learn more here.


Jan 29, 2024
January 29, 2024 A group of 27 delivery drivers employed by Up To Date Laundry in Baltimore, Maryland, unanimously voted on January 24, 2024, to join Teamsters Local 355 in a secret ballot vote supervised by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Up To Date Laundry is one of the largest healthcare laundries on the East Coast, processing 70 million pounds of linen annually.
Jan 15, 2024

Teamsters respond to UPS layoffs at Louisville facility
Jan. 3, 2024 
| On Thursday, UPS said it would eliminate the day shift sort at the Louisville Centennial ground hub (LCH) in February 2024. The company said the move was made due to low package volume. The company said the layoffs are not related to the unionization effort by some administrative and specialist employees. In a statement released Friday, Teamster Local 89 said it’s unclear how exactly UPS plans to accomplish the closing. However, the union is actively investigating the situation and plans to meet with UPS Labor Management soon to discuss the company’s plans. WHAS11.com

2023-2028 National Master Agreement now available
Jan. 4, 2024 | A full copy of the UPS Teamsters National Master Agreement is now available on the UPS Teamsters app. Members are encouraged to view the full document and use it as a reference and resource to help enforce their rights and job protections. Open the UPS Teamsters app or use the link below to access the National Master Agreement. Supplemental contract books will all be added to the UPS Teamsters app soon. Look out for more updates. View the contract here.

16,000 CWA-IBT members at American Airlines ratify contract
Jan. 8, 2024 | Passenger service workers at American Airlines, jointly represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA)-International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Association, have voted by a three-to-one margin to ratify a groundbreaking, five-year agreement. The contract covers approximately 16,000 passenger service workers and provides for average initial wage increases of 20 percent for members, many of whom have not received pay raises in four years despite working for one of the largest U.S. airlines. Learn more here.

Senators, Amazon Teamsters call out Amazon’s mistreatment of delivery drivers
Jan. 10, 2024 | Amazon delivery drivers from Palmdale, CA, joined Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and a bipartisan group of senators on Capitol Hill this morning to put a spotlight on Amazon's exploitative Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program. Murphy led 28 of his Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy requesting information about the company’s business model, which subcontracts delivery drivers while controlling their working conditions at every level. Continue reading at 355 News

DHL-CVG Teamsters ratify contract by 98%
Jan. 11, 2024 | Following a 12-day unfair labor practice strike that saw picket lines extended nationwide, 1,100 DHL ramp and tug Teamsters at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) have ratified their first contract with the logistics giant by a 98 percent margin. The new contract significantly increases hourly wages, doubles the company’s 401(k) retirement contribution, establishes a worker safety committee at CVG, and requires DHL to pay for the costs of health care premiums. Represented by Teamsters Local 100, workers load and unload airplanes at the company’s largest and busiest logistics hub in North America. Press release hereWhy this matters: Local 355 proudly represents DHL Express drivers and clerical workers in Hanover, Maryland.

Teamsters celebrate King’s struggle for civil rights, workers’ rights
Jan. 15, 2024 | The Teamsters are proud to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of fighting for civil rights and workers’ rights on January 15, 2024. King, an honorary Teamster member, gave his life in 1968 while standing alongside striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee. With the help of strong unions, much progress has been made for workers in the years following Dr. King’s work, but the fight for higher wages and better working conditions for all workers continues. The Teamsters remain committed to continuing Dr. King’s fight for social and economic justice for workers and their families across North America. Teamsters

Baltimore Sun sold to chairman of Sinclair TV stations
Jan. 16, 2024 | The Baltimore Sun, the largest newspaper in Maryland, has been sold to David D. Smith, the executive chairman of the nationwide Sinclair network of television stations and other media. Mr. Smith, who grew up in Baltimore, bought Baltimore Sun Media, which includes The Sun, in a private deal from Alden Global Capital. In an interview with the paper, Mr. Smith said, “We have an absolute responsibility to serve the public interest,” adding, “I think the paper can be hugely profitable and successful and serve a greater public interest over time.” New York Times  Why this matters: Teamsters 355 proudly represent The Sun’s delivery drivers.

Teamsters, union allies make the case for unionization at Delta Airlines
Jan. 19, 2024 | The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) joined the Congressional Labor Caucus on Capitol Hill for a roundtable on the coalition’s ongoing organizing campaign at Delta Air Lines. In November 2022, the Teamsters, AFA-CWA, and IAM announced a coordinated campaign to unionize the 45,000 workers at the passenger carrier. “Airline technicians and mechanics are highly skilled at their craft and are the reason we are safe when traveling via aircraft,” Teamsters Organizing Director Chris Rosell said. “But one of the biggest issues these workers are facing across the country is maintenance outsourcing…” Learn more here.  Did you know? Teamster 355 mechanics, dispatchers, and store clerks are employed at Piedmont Airlines on the Eastern Shore. Piedmont is a regional subsidiary of American Airlines, Inc., and is headquartered at the Salisbury Regional Airport.

Trump, Biden invited to meet with members, leadership on Jan.31
Jan. 24, 2024 | The Teamsters Rank-and-file Presidential Roundtables will continue on Wednesday, Jan. 31, as former President Donald Trump has committed to meet with union members, the Teamsters General Executive Board, General President Sean M. O’Brien, and General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman at the union’s international headquarters in Washington, D.C. President Joe Biden has been invited to join a Teamsters rank-and-file roundtable the same day. The Teamsters have extended invitations to all Presidential candidates, regardless of party, to sit down with union members and discuss issues most important to working Americans. Learn more here.

Teamsters at Anheuser-Busch ‘prepared for full-scale strike and national boycott’
Jan. 26, 2024 | Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien delivered a stern message to Anheuser-Busch as contract negotiations resumed [yesterday] in Washington, D.C. — agree to the demands of the workers or risk another brand boycott and national walkout. Joined by Teamsters Brewery, Bakery, and Soft Drink Conference Director Jeff Padellaro and the Anheuser-Busch Teamsters National Negotiating Committee, O’Brien reminded AB InBev negotiators that Teamsters will not work a minute beyond the expiration of the current contract on Feb. 29, without a new deal. After telling Anheuser-Busch to respect the workers and sign the model contract that Anheuser-Busch Teamsters across the country overwhelmingly pre-ratified last week, O’Brien walked out of negotiations. Full release hereWhy this matters: More than 5,000 Teamsters at Anheuser-Busch brew, package, and ship Budweiser, Bud Light, and other products, maintain breweries and equipment, and care for the world-famous Clydesdales. 

Drivers at Up To Date Laundry vote unanimously to join Local 355
Jan. 29, 2024 | A group of 27 delivery drivers employed by Up To Date Laundry in Baltimore, Maryland, unanimously voted on January 24, 2024, to join Teamsters Local 355 in a secret ballot vote supervised by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Jamon Conway, a driver with the company for 13 years, was pleased with the vote’s outcome. “We knew we were not getting a fair shake, so we reached out to the Teamsters for assistance.” More at 355 News

Trump attends rank-and-file presidential roundtable
Jan. 31, 2024 | Former President Donald Trump met with Teamster union workers from around the country on Wednesday, including the Teamsters General President, General Secretary-Treasurer, and General Executive Board, as the union continued its series of rank-and-file Presidential roundtables. Trump met with the Teamsters for more than an hour at the union’s international headquarters in Washington, D.C., and heard directly from rank-and-file Teamsters about critical issues for the labor union of 1.3 million members. Read more on Teamsters Facebook.


Jan 10, 2024

Jan. 10, 2024  |  Amazon delivery drivers from Palmdale, CA joined Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and a bipartisan group of senators on Capitol Hill this morning to put a spotlight on Amazon's exploitative Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program. Murphy led 28 of his Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy requesting information about the company’s business model which subcontracts delivery drivers while controlling their working conditions at every level.

The senators expressed concerns that Amazon's DSP program is a scheme to avoid legal liability for high injury rates and the persistent mistreatment of DSP drivers. “Delivery drivers at Amazon have an injury and accident rate of 20 percent,” Murphy said. “It’s time for Amazon to do the right thing and take responsibility for the working conditions of some of its most important employees.”

"We filed our case with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in April and we need your help to pressure the NLRB to do its job so myself and my co-workers can get back to work driving for our true employer, Amazon," said Jesse Moreno, a DSP driver and member of Teamsters Local 396. "We thank everyone who has signed on to this letter and we encourage more to sign on so every Amazon employee can fight for what our brothers and sisters at UPS have: a fair contract, a livable wage, and the respect we all deserve."

“Amazon is the hand. Amazon has decided to get all of its goods delivered across America by pulling on a glove. That is, using a corporate third-party to shield the hand. With the hand in that glove, Amazon feels safe to break laws that guarantee drivers fair and safe working conditions and to ignore the union that represents those drivers,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who has signed on to the letter to Amazon.

“Make no mistake, these workers are paid for by Amazon, they wear Amazon’s uniform. They are, in effect, Amazon workers. Amazon doesn’t have to treat these workers unfairly. It doesn’t have to injure these workers. It doesn’t have to avoid its responsibility to make a profit. It’s all about corporate greed,” added Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), another signatory to the letter.

The letter to Amazon from Murphy and others cites numerous alleged violations of the National Labor Relations Act, including refusal to recognize and bargain with workers who joined Teamsters Local 396 last year, holding captive audience meetings to stifle worker organizing efforts, reducing DSP routes in response to union activity, and terminating DSP employees in retaliation for union organizing and other protected activities.

"Amazon controls nearly every aspect of DSP drivers’ jobs, including their routes, and subjects them to constant surveillance and harassment. Yet Amazon claims these drivers are not its employees. Amazon has created a vast delivery network that is driving down wages and safety standards, undermining good American jobs in the industry. It’s time for Amazon to be held accountable for this dangerous business model," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien.

"Last year, my co-workers and I came together to organize for better working conditions, wages, and benefits -- all of which are controlled by Amazon," said Jarrid Long, a Local 396 Amazon driver. "Amazon refuses to recognize or bargain with our union because it claims we don’t work for them. So we are fighting back. We've been on strike since June and have extended our picket line to dozens of Amazon delivery stations and warehouses. Everywhere we go, we find other Amazon workers who are fed up and ready to join the fight."

"As Amazon drivers, we are regularly put in unsafe conditions while on route. My kids shouldn’t have to worry about mom getting home safely because of Amazon’s greed and negligence," said Brandi Diaz, another Amazon Teamster from Palmdale.

Other U.S. senators who signed the letter: 

Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) 
Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)
Ben Cardin (D-Md.)
Bob Casey (D-Pa.)
Catherine Cortez Mastro (D-Nev.)
Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.)
Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)
Martin Heinrich (D-N.Mex.)
Maizie Hirono (D-Hawaii)
Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.)
Ed Markey (D-Mass.)
Roger Marshall (R-Kansas)
Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)
Gary Peters (D-Mich.)
Jack Reed (D-R.I.)
Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.)
Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)
Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.)
Tina Smith (D-Minn.)
J.D. Vance (R-Ohio.)
Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)
Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.)
Peter Welch (D-Vt.)
Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)
Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)

Originally posted on Teamsters Facebook


Dec 15, 2023

O’Brien, other labor leaders speak to AI threats at Harvard workers panel
Dec. 1, 2023 
| General President Sean M. O’Brien joined other labor representatives for a deep discussion into artificial intelligence, automation, and the current state of democracy during a workers panel at the Harvard Kennedy School of Business in Cambridge, Mass. “The Teamsters and all of labor face a seismic shift with the expansion of AI and the rise of autonomous vehicles. For the Teamsters especially, the issue is not about rejecting technology. Change of this nature and on this scale must come down to the future and preservation of jobs in this country,” O’Brien said. Learn more here.

Update* Teamsters authorize strike at DHL’s largest hub
Dec. 4, 2023 
| DHL Teamsters at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. The vote allows the DHL Teamsters Negotiating Committee to call a work stoppage at any time should DHL fail to remedy its illegal behavior and come to terms on a fair contract covering 1,100 ramp and tug workers. The members of Teamsters Local 100 load and unload airplanes at DHL’s largest and busiest logistics hub in North America. Learn more here  Update Dec. 7: Teamsters strike DHL over unfair labor practices and stalled contract negotiations.

Apply now for a JRHMSF academic or vocational scholarship
Dec. 4, 2023 
| The application process is now open for James R. Hoffa Memorial scholarships. Scholarships range from $1,000 to $10,000 for Academic and $500 to $2,000 for Vocational. Eligible students must be high school seniors who are the sons, daughters, or financial dependents of Teamster members. The deadline for completing the application process is March 1, 2024. Apply here.

UPS fires newly organized workers in Louisville hub
Dec. 8, 2023 
| The roughly three dozen affected specialist and administrative workers at UPS's Centennial hub in Louisville, Kentucky, organized with Teamsters Local 89 this autumn, the union said. It would respond to the firing of about 35 newly organized workers at the delivery company by filing unfair labor practice charges and potentially striking. "If UPS doesn't get its act together, they'll be on strike next. Our union will not hesitate to act, and we will not back down," said Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien. Learn more here

UPS reinstates recently organized workers who were fired 
Dec. 11, 2023 
| About 35 recently organized workers were reinstated on Friday after they were laid off by UPS, the Teamsters union said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. The reinstatement avoids any potential labor action. All affected workers will receive full back pay and return to their positions on their next scheduled workdays. “The union achieved a great result for our UPS members in Louisville, and we couldn’t be happier to see them clock back in as Teamsters,” O’Brien said. “Both sides immediately came together and were able to resolve the situation on the ground. This is the outcome we were looking for. Now it’s time to do what the Teamsters do best, and that’s get back to work.”

Teamsters kick off first presidential roundtables
Dec. 15, 2023 
| The International Brotherhood of Teamsters will host its first member roundtables with five declared candidates for U.S. President on December 14-15 in Washington, D.C. Candidates will participate individually in a conversation with O’Brien, Zuckerman, and members on issues important to Teamsters and their families. The union is scheduling with all campaigns and will announce additional roundtables in the New Year. Learn more.

Teamsters expand DHL-CVG strike over unfair labor practices
Dec. 15, 2023 
| Members of Teamsters Local 100 on strike against DHL Express at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) have expanded their picket lines to numerous locations nationwide. On December 7, DHL walked away from the bargaining table in an attempt to slow-walk negotiations until January, leaving Local 100 with no choice but to launch an unfair labor practice strike over the holiday season. Teamster members from Boston to Los Angeles have stood in solidarity with Local 100, refusing to cross the picket lines established by CVG workers at various DHL locations across the United States. Learn more here. Related: Philly-area DHL Teamsters honor Ohio picket line

Protect yourself from excessive overtime: Sign the 9.5 list!
Dec. 18, 2023 
| Stronger protection against excessive overtime was a major part of our historic contract fight at UPS this year—and it was a huge part of our victory. The 9.5 list is designed to stop UPS from working you over 9.5 hours per day more than twice a week—and to make UPS pay for violations. When UPS violates your 9.5 rights, the company must adjust your work schedule and pay triple time for hours worked over 9.5 hours in a day. Drivers have a major role to play in enforcing this new language: Talk with your steward and sign up for the 9.5 list! Learn more here.

By 99%, Teamsters authorize strike at Anheuser-Busch
Dec. 19, 2023 
| The resounding vote allows the Teamsters National Negotiating Committee to call a strike if Anheuser-Busch fails to come to terms on a strong new contract. The union is seeking an agreement that improves wages, protects jobs, and secures health care and retirement benefits for 5,000 Teamsters across the company’s 12 U.S. breweries. “Anheuser-Busch can’t kick this can down the road much longer. The Teamsters don’t want to be forced onto the picket line at any employer, but we are fully prepared to walk if Anheuser-Busch doesn’t get serious about negotiating a record contract that also protects good union jobs,” said Jeff Padellaro, Director of the Teamsters Brewery, Bakery, and Soft Drink Conference. The current agreement expires Feb. 29, 2024. There are no dates currently set for negotiations. Learn more here.

Update: Teamsters reach tentative agreement at DHL-CVG
Dec. 20, 2023 
| After a 12-day unfair labor practice strike that united thousands of Teamsters in nationwide picket line extensions, the Teamsters Union has reached a tentative agreement with DHL Express to bring all members back to work. The agreement protects 1,100 ramp and tug workers of Teamsters Local 100 at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) who were forced out on strike on Dec. 7. 

FedEx Express workers seek to join Teamsters
Dec. 26, 2023 
| Thousands of FedEx Express mechanics and related workers have signed Teamsters Airlines Division Authorization cards. Bob Fisher, Deputy Director of the Teamsters Airline Division, said compensation, representation, job security and working conditions as issues the union is committed to fight for on behalf of the future members. FedEx Express is the largest cargo line in the U.S. Learn more here.


Nov 13, 2023
Amazon Teamsters extend strike from California to NY Nov. 1, 2023 | Amazon drivers picketed an Amazon warehouse on Long Island on Saturday over the company’s unfair labor practices. The picket at the DYY9 warehouse is just the latest in a four-month strike by drivers from the company’s DAX8 delivery station in Palmdale, CA, that has spread to warehouses around the country.
Nov 08, 2023

Nov. 8, 2023 | Massachusetts Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren have formally requested the Department of the Treasury to act to preserve union jobs while ensuring taxpayer money is not used to reward Yellow Corp.’s bad behavior.

The senators sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen expressing concern about Teamster jobs put in jeopardy by Yellow’s bankruptcy, noting the company’s financial troubles despite Teamster concessions and a $700 million loan from the federal government.

“Yellow workers from Massachusetts and around the country should not be forced to bear the brunt of Yellow’s mismanagement, and neither should the taxpayers,” Senators Markey and Warren wrote. “We urge the Treasury Department to consider all options at its disposal to protect union jobs at Yellow while ensuring the taxpayers are not on the hook for Yellow’s misdeeds, including delaying the due date of Yellow’s federal loan.”

The letter points out that liquidation may only result in partial payment to unsecured creditors, including Yellow workers. Instead, Yellow could accept a bid by another company to save jobs. A number of companies have offered to extend such bids, which may also require an extension of the maturity date of the federal government’s loan.

Yellow Corp. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Aug. 6, resulting in job losses for 22,000 hardworking Teamsters. With bankruptcy proceedings underway and the threat of liquidation of Yellow’s freight and real estate assets, the Teamsters are fighting for significant corporate bankruptcy reform to ensure workers are first in line for financial restitution. Teamsters at Yellow were the company’s biggest creditors, voluntarily sacrificing more than $5 billion in wage and pension concessions to keep Yellow afloat for the last 20 years.

“Teamsters remain laser-focused on Yellow’s bankruptcy proceedings, and we thank Senator Markey and Senator Warren for standing up for American workers,” said General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Working with lawmakers and the federal government, our union is doing everything in our power to protect workers and union jobs in the industry in the wake of Yellow’s reckless corporate mismanagement.”

Read the letter here.


Oct 20, 2023
The First Place Team: (L-R) Scott Harris, Ken Shaw, Anthony Ercolano, and Josh Blake, UPS/Aberdeen

October 20, 2023 

Fifty-four Local 355 golfers on Saturday, October 14, waved off inclement weather to participate in the Local’s Fall Golf Outing on the challenging 18-hole course in Westminster, Md.

Local 355 staff and retirees joined members employed at Amtote, ABF, DHL Express, UPS (Hunt Vally, Quad Ave., Aberdeen, and Baltimore), and the movie industry. 

Photo Gallery images are here. Click on the first photo to enlarge it, then use the arrow at the bottom right to navigate through the file. All photos are ready to download.

In Second Place: (above, L-R) Joe Deisvaldi, Travis Charette, Peter Williams, and Michael Lynch, UPS Feeders

In Third Place: (L-R) Matt Parks and  Matt Gunzelman, UPS/Hunt Valley; Felix Guinto, Local 355 staff; and Brandon Carter, UPS/Hunt Valley.

Closest to the Pin: Scott Harris, UPS/Aberdeen

Longest Drive: Matt Parks, UPS/Hunt Valley


Oct 19, 2023
UPS retro paychecks coming this month
Oct. 2, 2023 | New pay increases secured in the UPS Teamsters historic contract went into effect August 27 and are retroactive to August 1, 2023. That means all UPS Teamsters have retro payment checks covering August 1-August 26 which are being processed now by UPS. These checks will be issued by mid-October. Retroactive contributions to health care and pension funds have been made throughout the month of September.

Local 355, Hoffa scholarships help fund science, technology studies
Oct. 3, 2023 
| This year’s recipients of the Teamsters Local 355 48th Annual Scholarship Awards are Jamie Jones, daughter of David Jones (UPS), and Trinity Mosley, daughter of Autumn Mosley (Kraft Heinz). They will each receive $4,000 paid out at the rate of $1,000 per academic year. Patrick Fangmann, son of John Fangmann (Sysco), and Charles Bradshaw, son of Michael Bradshaw (Piedmont Airlines), each received a $1,000 Bootstrap Award from the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund. We reached out to the students recently to find out about their academic aspirations. Read more at 355 News.

Jobs, jobs, jobs! at the Maryland Dept. of Transportation
Oct. 6, 2023 
| The Maryland Dept. of Transportation, in conjunction with the Maryland Workforce Association, has scheduled three job fairs this month that may be of special interest to Local 355 members impacted by Yellow Corp.’s bankruptcy filing. Click here for more information. To register, scan the QR code.

Notice of nomination and election of Local 355 officers 
Oct. 12, 2023 
| Official notice is hereby given of the nomination for election for the following officers of Local Union 355: President (Principal Officer), Secretary-Treasurer, Vice President, Recording Secretary, and three Trustees. The terms of office for these officers will commence on January 1, 2024, and conclude on December 31, 20026. Nominations, seconds of nominations, and Candidates’ acceptances must be made in writing and received by the Local Union Secretary-Treasurer no later than 5:00 p.m. Friday, November 3, 2023. For detailed information, read the Official Notice posted here.

UPS Teamsters take winners circle in Fall Golf Outing
Oct. 20, 2023 
| Fifty-four Local 355 golfers on Saturday, October 14, waved off inclement weather to take part in the Local’s Fall Golf Outing in Westminster, Md. Get the details on the winners and see the photos here.

Senators step up to help secure financing, save Yellow Corp. jobs
Oct. 23, 2023 
| Eight U.S. senators have formally requested the Department of the Treasury consider a potential “going concern” bid to save good-paying, union trucking jobs as Yellow Corp.’s bankruptcy proceedings continue. They have asked the Treasury to work with the U.S. Justice Department to extend the maturity date of loans that Yellow obtained under the CARES Act — a move that would secure financing for the bid and help retain thousands of trucking jobs that may otherwise remain lost in the wake of Yellow’s collapse. Learn more at Teamsters.

Rest in Peace: Cesar Yepez, US Foods/Manassas, 1990-2023
Oct. 27, 2023 
| Local 355 mourns the tragic death of Teamster Cesar Yepez on Oct. 2 from injuries suffered in a fiery crash the evening of Sept. 18 while operating a US Foods semitrailer in Sterling, Virginia. The truck was struck by a speeding driver, flipped over and burst into flames. Yepez leaves his wife, Brianna, and two small children. A Celebration of Life was held Oct. 8. Contributions to a GoFundMe online campaign to support his wife and family can be found here.


Oct 03, 2023

Local Union 355 and James R. Hoffa scholarships help to fund educations in Science and Technology

Oct. 3, 2023 | This year’s recipients of the Teamsters Local 355 48th Annual Scholarship Awards are Jamie Jones, daughter of David Jones (UPS), and Trinity Mosley, daughter of Autumn Mosley (Kraft Heinz). They will each receive $4,000 paid out at the rate of $1,000 per academic year. Patrick Fangmann, son of John Fangmann (Sysco), and Charles Bradshaw, son of Michael Bradshaw (Piedmont Airlines), each received a $1,000 Bootstrap Award from the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund. We reached out to the students recently to ask them about their academic aspirations.

JAMIE JONES (right), is the daughter of David Jones (UPS/Baltimore). She graduated last spring from Western School of Technical and Environmental Science in Catonsville, Md. She is studying Communication Arts -- specifically, in the realm of social media -- at Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore. “I’m interested in the use of algorithms in social media,” Jamie explained. Algorithms are a set of rules and calculations that sort and prioritize content on a social platform. She said more diversification in social media platforms is needed to have a positive impact on all people. She hopes to run an e-commerce business that supports community interests.

TRINITY MOSLEY (not pictured), daughter of Autumn Mosley (Kraft Heinz), graduated from Cesar Romney High School in Dover, Delaware, and is enrolled at Delaware State University in the Bachelor of Science in Biological Forensics program. She thought about studying to be an emergency room physician, but a new forensics science course introduced during her senior year sparked an interest in toxicology. “I was interested in how often science solved crimes. Scientific test results don’t lie.” Trinity also received a full academic scholarship from Delaware State.

PATRICK FANGMANN (left), son of John Fangmann (Sysco) graduated from Baltimore’s George Washington Carver Center for the Arts and Technology. Enrolled in the Information Technology program, Patrick was top in his class for his work in Interactive Media production. He is attending Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in New York, and majoring in computer science. He became interested in computers when he decided to make something fun for a friend. He learned enough programming to make a small game. Interest in programming grew and he chose audiovisual arts for the more structured education in computer science. Patrick likes to follow where ever his interests take him – maybe developing programs for big companies, or “lean into activism.”

CHARLES BRADSHAW (right), is the son of Michael Bradshaw (Piedmont Airlines). An honor roll student in the top 10% of his class, he graduated from Mardela Middle and High School on the Eastern Shore. He played the alto saxophone in the school’s band and marching band. Charles is pursuing a degree in computer science at Salisbury University. Interest in computers began during the pandemic when students had to adapt to online learning. He used the opportunity to build a custom PC and learn about software. Charles’ long-term goal is to enter the field of software development, beginning with a university internship at the Department of Defense or NASA. Writing to us via email, he said, “Ideally, I’d like to find a job that lets me do something positive for the community.” That’s if he “survives his first semester of college in the classroom” environment, he said.

On behalf of the members, Local 355 Officers and Trustees applaud Jamie, Trinity, Patrick, and Charles for their achievments. We wish them much success in their pursuits of higher education. 


Sep 15, 2023

Code Red alert declared for Baltimore region
Sept. 5, 2023 
| As temperatures ticked toward triple digits and broke at least one century-old record, Baltimore City Health Department officials declared a Code Red extreme heat alert through Thursday. “Excessive heat is the leading weather-related killer in the United States,” Acting Health Commissioner Mary Beth Haller said in a statement Monday announcing the alert. The Baltimore Banner Related: Protect yourself by recognizing the symptoms of heat disorders in this Teamsters Safety & Health fact sheet.

It’s National Truck Driver Appreciation Week!
Sept. 11, 2023 
| This week, Teamsters pay tribute to the hard work, sacrifices, and dedication of the truck drivers who keep America moving. Without these men and women behind the wheel, the essential goods and services we take for granted every day would not exist. To salute truck drivers everywhere, you are invited to post photos here of you and your truck or email them to us. Please include what company/employer and Teamster local you’re with in your post. At the end of the week, we’ll share your photos in a gallery on our Facebook page.

Teamsters release principles framework for federal AV policy 
Sept. 12, 2023 
| As a union that represents hundreds of thousands of workers who turn a key for a living, the Teamsters have a deep interest in the outcome of federal autonomous vehicle (AV) regulation and legislation. For the first time in our history, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters is releasing an “Autonomous Vehicle Federal Policy Principles” framework, a guiding document for federal policymakers as they continue to address issues surrounding AVs. Read the (one-page) policy proposal here.

Teamsters fight for union jobs and safe roads in California
Sept. 13, 2023 
| Teamster drivers are on the frontlines in the battle against driverless semi-trucks hitting California’s road without a human operator. AVs pose a serious threat to Californians’ lives and livelihoods. On Monday, Sept. 18, a Teamster convoy will travel from Los Angeles to Sacramento, the state’s capital, to demand that Gov. Newsom sign AB 316 to protect good union jobs and keep California streets safe. Learn more here.

Safe roads: Teamsters rally with Calif. labor allies, public safety leaders
Sept. 19, 2023 
| Teamsters rallied with California elected officials, labor allies, and public safety leaders to demand Gov. Gavin Newsom sign California Assembly Bill 316 (AB 316) into law. The Teamster-backed bill, which sailed through the California legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support, would require a trained human operator in autonomous vehicles weighing over 10,000 pounds. Gov. Newsom has until October 14 to sign the bill into law A recording of Monday’s rally can be viewed here. 

Teamsters urge Senate to begin bankruptcy reform hearings on Yellow
Sept. 20, 2023 
| The Teamsters Union is calling for the Senate to investigate the unfolding bankruptcy at Yellow Corp. following today’s special Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on corporate manipulation of Chapter 11 bankruptcy. An expedited liquidation would preclude a potential purchase of Yellow’s assets from any party that may want to re-establish operations, which would benefit the economy, thousands of workers and their communities, and American taxpayers. Learn more here.

Shop stewards review basics, explore new strategies
Sept. 29, 2023 
| Local 355’s biannual shop steward training seminar was held earlier this month in Williamsburg, Virginia. More than 100 stewards attended the three-day event where in-depth training was balanced with scheduled time for relaxation. Courses included grievance handling, bargaining contracts, and facts and information about the Family Medical Leave Act. Offered new this year – a review of the new UPS national master agreement with Johnny Sawyer, IBT Package Division Coordinator; CPR training conducted by a certified team from Teamsters Local 519; and Paul Trujillo (Teamsters Local 822) from the IBT’s Education & Training Dept. gave us a closer look at the opportunities and challenges social media and generational differences present in today’s workplace. Photo Gallery here.


Aug 08, 2023

Register for the August 6 Atlantic Area Supplement webinar
Aug. 4, 2023 
|  (Updated to include video.) Local 355 UPS members are covered by the Atlantic Area Supplement, which includes wage increases, pension benefits, and other gains specific to the new TA. In the webinar on Sunday, August 6, at 7 pm, we’ll hear from International Vice President and Atlantic Area Chair James Wright and the supplemental committee for updates on the supplement and a full presentation of the tentative agreement. Registration is requiredActive UPS Teamsters have received voting instructions in the mail. Watch the Atlantic Area Supplement webinar, then this video for step-by-step instructions for casting your ballot.

Members at YRC, New Penn: Visit the Teamsters Career Center for current job openings
Aug. 7, 2023 
|  All Teamsters impacted by Yellow Corp.’s profound mismanagement and its recent shutdown of operations are strongly urged to visit the Teamsters Career Center for state-by-state resources of current job openings at union facilities and other valuable tools. The online database can quickly assist members in need with good-paying union work opportunities and resources regarding health care and retirement benefits. Members at Yellow and other companies can use the Teamsters Career Center to search job openings or find benefit information by local union or geographic areas.

Teamsters want Yellow members ‘first in line’ for relief payments
Aug. 8, 2023 
|  The Teamsters Union on Monday said that, following Yellow officially filing for bankruptcy, its legal and economic teams are closely following Yellow’s moves throughout bankruptcy proceedings. John A. Murphy, Teamsters National Freight Director, said the union will do everything it can “to prioritize our members at Yellow and their families during this bankruptcy.” Commercial Carrier Journal 

Ratification vote update tonight at 8 pm ET
Aug. 22, 2023 
| Join Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien this evening for a full report on the ratification vote results. The update is audio only. No registration is necessary. Listen in at: https://teamster-org.zoom.us/j/81634057818

Local 355 mourns retired UPS shop steward, Bobby Walls
Aug. 24, 2023 
| Robert B. “Bobby” Walls, retired Eastern Shore UPS package driver and shop steward, passed away August 12, 2023 after a long battle with cancer. A Celebration of Life for Bobby will be held at 12 noon on Saturday, August 26, 2023 at Avenue United Methodist Church, 20 N. Church Street, Milford, Delaware, where friends may visit with the family from 11 – 12 pm. Obituary and details here.

Contract Update: Ratifications at Dry Ice, ABF, Kraft-Heinz, others
Aug. 24, 2023 
| Contracts recently approved by Local 355 members will provide substantial wage increases and improvements to benefits and contract language. Three national master agreements were ratified, including an “historic” contract with the largest private-sector employer of unionized workers in the nation, UPS. Sadly, there was bad news for 150 Local 355 Yellow Corp. freight drivers and 22,000 of their Teamster brothers and sisters nationwide who, despite giving back more than $5 billion in wages and benefits since 2009, were abruptly out of jobs at the end of July. Details herePHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

Final supplement ratified; contract takes effect
Aug. 25, 2023 
| The Teamsters’ new National Master Agreement with UPS has officially gone into effect, protecting more than 340,000 full- and part-time workers, after an outstanding supplemental contract was resolved and ratified in Florida. The LAI supplement for 174 members of Teamsters Local 769 was voted and successfully passed by affected workers Friday afternoon. New wage increases for 340,000 UPS Teamsters will take effect on Sunday, August 27. UPS will soon issue retroactivity checks to workers for the month of August. Teamsters

Ryder Transportation Solutions workers join Local 355
Aug. 30, 2023 
| Workers at Ryder Transportation Solutions in Eldridge, Md. have voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local 355. The 15 drivers distribute Hill’s pet food to retailers along the East Coast. The new Teamster members stood strong, overcoming a well-funded anti-union campaign by their employer. “We wanted to have a voice at work, so we collectively decided to join the Teamsters,” said Tony Lewis, a 13-year driver. “We were well prepared for the anti-union tactics the company used in attempt to trick us, but their attempts to divide us only made us stronger.” “These drivers endured weeks of harassment and stress from management, and they held together in solidarity. I am proud to have the opportunity to represent such a strong and united group,” said Mark Gary, President of Local 355. “This is the first organizing victory under my administration, and we plan to keep the momentum going. We have several groups who have inquired about joining Local 355, and we are confident we will follow our success at Ryder by helping more workers gain strong Teamster representation.”


Jul 19, 2023
UPS is down to the final hours to reach a deal with Teamsters July 3, 2023 |  (Click image to view.) All day Sunday, the Teamsters National Negotiating Committee got its remaining economic priorities in line, meeting at times with UPS negotiators to drive home how critical these final hours will be for Big Brown. National negotiations resumed today at 9 a.m. in Washington.
Jun 26, 2023
Local 355's annual golf outing at a favorite links venue, Queenstown Harbor Lakes Course on the Eastern Shore, was held Saturday, June 10, 2023. Sunny skies and warm weather graced the 8:30 a.m. shotgun start and continued through the day as foursomes completed the 18-hole course, after which golfers enjoyed lunch and liquid refreshments. Congratulations to the winners.
Jun 08, 2023

O’Brien: SCOTUS attacks all U.S. workers
June 1, 2023 
|  “The political hacks at the Supreme Court have again voted in favor of corporations over working people,” said General President Sean M. O’Brien in a statement on today’s Court ruling in Glacier Northwest, Inc. v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local Union No. 174 which opens the door for corporations to sue their own workers. “These corruptible justices should be ashamed of themselves for throwing out a long-standing precedent and legislating from the bench. The ability to strike has been on the books for nearly 100 years, and it’s no coincidence that this ruling is coming at a time when workers across the country are fed up and exercising their rights more and more.” Full statement here. NBC News: Supreme Court rules company can pursue strike damage claim

Sign up for June 7th webinar for latest updates on national negotiations
June 2, 2023 
|  All UPS Teamsters are strongly encouraged to join an important Zoom webinar scheduled for Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at 8 pm ET. General President O’Brien, General Secretary-Treasurer Zukerman, and other members of the National Negotiating Committee will provide updates on the status of negotiations, the contract campaign, the current campaign timeline, a summary of the tentative agreements reached to date, and other important news. Registration is required! Click here to sign up.

Successor contracts at Perishable Deliveries and RNDC ratified
June 5, 2023 
|  Local Union 355 bargaining for a new contract at Perishable Deliveries produced an agreement that increases wages 25 percent over its three-year term. In addition, members will receive an increase in the employer’s contribution to the pension and a reduction in the number of hours employees must work to receive overtime pay. In April, with 90 percent of eligible members voting, a new contract at Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) was overwhelmingly approved. Wages will increase by 15.5 percent over the term of the three-year agreement. Other significant improvements include... Continued

Teamsters Rail Conference wins gains, protections for members
June 6, 2023 
|  The Teamsters Rail Conference recently notched victories in the ongoing fight to improve the lives of its members. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) in May reached a tentative agreement with Norfolk Southern Corporation to provide seven paid sick days per year to BLET members. More at teamster.org

Union reaches tentative agreement with ABF
June 7, 2023 
|  The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) and ABF Freight System have tentatively agreed to terms for a new national contract. Once ratified, the proposed five-year contract will provide members with wage increases and improvements to benefits and working conditions, among other gains. Teamster representatives will meet in Chicago next week to review the tentative agreement before sending it to the membership for a ratification vote. The Teamsters represent approximately 8,600 ABF truck drivers, dock workers, and other members nationwide. The current five-year agreement expires June 30. Full release here.

Temp Check! New feature available on the UPS Teamsters app
June 12, 2023 
|  Right now our National Negotiating Committee and Safety and Health Subcommittee are pushing UPS to take meaningful steps to protect UPSers from heat-related injury and illness. To that end, a new feature on the UPS Teamsters app allows members to report issues related to heat safety and health risks, including water fountains, moldy ice machines, and excruciating temperatures. Tap “Report Heat Issues” on the app, then complete the simple form and attach photos.

Secret ballot strike authorization vote scheduled for TForce Teamsters
June 7, 2023 
|  The strike authorization vote for the Elkridge TForce members is scheduled for Sunday, June 11, at 10 am at Local 355's Baltimore union hall. The vote for Federalsburg TForce members will be conducted at the Federalsburg terminal on June 12, 7:30-9:00 am. Results will be announced on Friday, June 16.

Secret ballot strike authorization vote schedule for UPS Teamsters
June 7, 2023 
|  The schedule for the UPS Teamsters strike authorization vote in Baltimore and on the Eastern Shore is set. Click here to viewStrike authorization votes will be recorded in person at the local union halls and at the gates of UPS facilities. Results will be announced on Friday, June 16.

UPS must negotiate with Teamsters before introducing new technologies
June 12, 2023 
|  UPS Inc. and the Teamsters union have reached 24 separate tentative contract agreements, including the ban on UPS introducing new technologies without first bargaining with the union. Under one of the agreements, UPS would be required to negotiate with the Teamsters at least 45 days before it introduces certain technology such as drones, driverless vehicles, and platooning into its network, Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien said during a webinar on Wednesday updating members on progress in negotiating a new master contract once the current five-year agreement expires July 31. Freightwaves

Teamsters secure air conditioning for UPS fleet
June 14, 2023 
|  The Teamsters and UPS agreed to tentative language to equip the delivery and logistics company’s fleet of vehicles with air conditioning systems, new heat shields, and additional fans during national contract negotiations on Tuesday. The new contract language would mandate UPS equip in-cab air conditioning systems in all larger delivery vehicles, smaller sprinter vans, and all of UPS’ most recognizable brown package cars purchased after Jan. 1, 2024. Read more here.

President Denis Taylor retires; Executive Board appoints Mark Garey 
June 14, 2023 
|  Effective June 1, 2023, Teamsters Local 355 President Denis Taylor retired, concluding almost 30 years as the Local’s principal officer. The Executive Board appointed Mark Garey, Local 355 recording secretary since 2016, to complete Taylor’s term. The Board also appointed Business Agent Mike Petro to fill Garey’s position. President Garey said about Taylor’s well-earned retirement, “I want to extend my personal thanks to Denis for all his years of service to the members of this Local Union. Denis took pride in representing them with integrity and honesty, and his commitment to always do the right thing on their behalf was indisputable. Congratulations to Mike Petro on his new role as Local 355 recording secretary. He will be a valuable asset to our Executive Board.” 

Union officials unanimously approve national contract proposal
June 15, 2023 
|  Union local leaders have announced their endorsement and support for the tentative agreement reached between the Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) and ABF Freight. The national contract covers over 8,500 members. Highlights of the tentative agreement here.

Ninety-seven percent of UPS Teamsters approve strike
June 16, 2023 
|  UPS Teamsters have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, giving the union maximum leverage to win demands at the bargaining table. The powerful vote allows the UPS Teamsters National Negotiating Committee to call a strike should UPS fail to come to terms on a strong new contract by July 31, when the union’s current National Master Agreement expires.Read more here.

Ninety-one percent of TForce members approve strike 
June 16, 2023 
|  Teamsters at TForce Freight have overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike. This strong mandate reflects the strength and unity of the members’ fight for a strong national contract. The Teamsters represent more than 7,000 workers at TForce nationwide. Read more here.

Teamsters honor Juneteenth
June 19, 2023 
|  Today, Teamsters join communities around the nation to honor the 158th anniversary of the first Juneteenth, a federal holiday marking the end of slavery. In recognition of Juneteenth, Teamsters Human Rights & Diversity Commission Director Anthony M. Rosa released the following statement: “As a union that is deeply committed to social justice and equality, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters is proud to celebrate Juneteenth. …While June 19, 1865, marked a historic day in our nation’s history, it was only the beginning of a long journey towards true social and economic freedom for Black Americans.” Read the full statement here. Related: The UPS National Negotiating Committee is pushing the company to do the right thing.

BREAKING: Teamsters, UPS come to terms on all non-economic issues
June 20, 2023 
|  With a tentative agreement on new language — and new money — to safeguard members and their vehicles in company parking lots, the Teamsters and UPS came to terms on all non-economic issues during national contract negotiations on Tuesday. “We have reached tentative agreements on well over 40 non-economic issues that affect all our members at UPS, and we did it as a team. The Teamsters haven’t sacrificed a single concession in these negotiations,” said Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman. Read more here.

Tonight! UPS Teamsters member update webinar
June 21, 2023 
|  Hear about the status of national negotiations from General President Sean M. O'Brien, General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman, and other members of the UPS Teamsters National Negotiating Committee tonight at 8 pm. Registration is required: https://t.co/dxD8aJicP2.

ABF members to vote Sunday, June 25 on contract TA 
June 23, 2023 
|  ABF Teamsters nationwide are currently voting on the tentative agreement reached between the Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee and ABF Freight. Local 355 will conduct the in-person secret ballot vote beginning at 10 am Sunday, June 25. The submission deadline for ballots to the IBT is June 29. 2023-2028 ABF National Master Freight Agreement & Supplements and Highlight Flier

Teamsters to UPS: No more meetings until money gets real
June 23, 2023 
|  UPS executives gave the Teamsters National Negotiating Committee an appalling economic counterproposal on Thursday as negotiations resumed in Washington. The company’s proposal, which would affect more than 340,000 UPS Teamsters, included minimal raises and overall wage cuts to workers’ cost-of-living adjustments. The Teamsters’ committee unanimously rejected UPS’s disrespectful package. The negotiating committee told UPS they will not meet again until the company makes a realistic and respectful economic offer. Read more here.

General E-Board reviews organizing, contract fights, national campaigns
June 26, 2023 
|  The Teamsters are prepared to mount and win big battles for better contracts and secure protections for more workers organizing into the union for the first time. That was the message made clear by General President O’Brien and General Secretary-Treasurer Zuckerman during a regular meeting of the union’s General Executive Board on Saturday in Washington. Teamster leaders from across the country and Canada reviewed the growth of organizing victories from the previous three months and analyzed legislative campaigns to put more pressure on elected officials to support working people at federal and local levels. “On any given day, corporations are out there looking for every chance to take something back from working people. Weaker wages, fewer rights. The Teamsters will not take our eye off this constant threat,” O’Brien said. “We will grow, we will attack, we will never back down, and workers will reclaim what’s rightfully theirs.” Teamsters Facebook

Spring Golf 2023: And the winners are…
June 26, 2023 
|  RNDC Teamsters (right) denied their UPS brothers another winners circle sweep with a Third Place score at this year’s spring golf outing on the Eastern Shore. Details and photos at 355 News.

Teamsters blast Yellow Corp.’s baseless lawsuit 
June 27, 2023 
|  The union today called out the freight company for false claims and gross mismanagement. It categorically denies the baseless allegations made by Yellow Corporation in its frivolous lawsuit filed today. Read the full press release here.

Teamsters to UPS: You’ve got one week
June 27, 2023 
|  UPS returned to the bargaining table with the Teamsters National Negotiating Committee on Tuesday morning — without a revised or respectful economic proposal in hand. With the full committee behind him, General President Sean M. O’Brien took UPS to task, harshly reiterating that the Teamsters will not work beyond July 31 without a new contract. “UPS has wasted enough time and hoarded these record profits. Our members want what they have earned.”

National contract overwhelmingly ratified
June 30, 2023 
|  ABF Teamsters have overwhelmingly ratified a new national contract at ABF Freight, as well as 25 of 27 supplemental agreements. The five-year master agreement provides members with improvements to wages, benefits, and working conditions, among other gains. Ballots were counted today after two weeks of in-person voting. The agreement covers approximately 8,600 members at 137 local unions throughout the U.S.  Learn more here.


Jun 07, 2023

Secret Ballot UPS Strike Authorization Vote Schedule

June 8: 
Hunt Valley: 7:00 - 10:00 am and 3:30 - 7:00 pm
Aberdeen: 7:00 - 10:00 am and 3:30 - 7:00 pm
Easton: 7:30 - 11:00 am and 3:30 - 7:00 pm

June 9:
Hunt Valley: 7:00 - 10:00 am and 3:30 - 7:00 pm
Quad: 7:00 - 10:00 am and 3:30 - 7:00 pm
Harrington: 7:30 - 11:00 am and 3:30 - 7:00 pm
BWI: 5:00 - 7:00 am and 7:00 - 9:00 pm

June 11:
Baltimore Union Hall: 11:30 am - 5:00 pm
Salisbury Union Hall: 11:30 am - 5:00 pm

June 12: 
Baltimore: 6:00 am - 10:00 am
Baltimore Main Gate: 9:00 pm - 12:00 am

June 13:
Baltimore: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm 

Baltimore Main Gate: 5:00 - 7:00 pm

June 14:
Salisbury: 3:30 - 7:00 pm


May 11, 2023

Logistics workers at DHL’s largest hub join Teamsters
May 1, 2023 
|  Our union scored a massive organizing victory for more than 1,100 DHL Express workers at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). Ramp and tug workers voted to join Teamsters 100 in Cincinnati after a yearlong campaign for representation. Throughout their organizing campaign, DHL-CVG workers were fiercely supported by DHL Teamsters around the country, including Local 355 DHL employees Doni Mason and Eric Garcia. Watch Mason deliver his advice and support via FB video herePHOTO: DHL shop steward Doni Mason, right, with a DHL-CVG worker during the organizing campaign.

Union makes gains across supplements
May 2, 2023 
|  In today’s UPS Teamsters Contract Update, the union lists five areas where gains have been made. Across supplements, riders, and addenda, the Teamsters have given nothing back. UPSers will make gains under all new agreements. Note that all supplemental agreements are subject to a tentative agreement of the UPS Teamsters National Master Agreement. Download a one-page copy of the update here.

End unfair treatment of UPS Teamsters
May 5, 2023 
|  In its latest update, the Union, on behalf of more than 340,000 UPS Teamsters, calls on the company to “stop harassment by management and supervisors, reject the installation of driver-facing cameras, and quash unfair discipline in all its forms. UPS executives will not just roll over hardworking Teamsters.” Yesterday, the Union reported that tentative agreements have been reached on all supplements and riders except for the Northern California Regional Supplement and the Local 89 Air Rider. “After making $100 billion on the backs of our members last year, UPS is dragging out these negotiations over a few dollars and cents,” said General President O’Brien. Read the latest updates on the UPS Teamsters app. Additional info and photos on the Teamsters Facebook page.

Teamsters blast CSX for putting profits over workers
May 22, 2023 
|  Updated 2:53 pm For over a week, 40 dedicated Local 355 Teamster carhaulers have been subjected to an outrageous lockout at the CSX railhead in Annapolis Junction, Md. This is a blatant display of corporate greed by CSX, where the company shamelessly prioritizes profits over the very workers who make their success possible. The Local 355 members have stood strong since the lockout began May 9, protesting outside the company gates to call on CSX to do the right thing. The lockout at CSX is not just an attack on the workers; it's an assault on the entire community and on Teamster carhaulers nationwide. Teamsters call on CSX Transportation to end the lockout in Baltimore

Membership meetings suspended until September 
May 22, 2023 
|  Members in attendance at the May meetings in Baltimore and Salisbury voted to suspend meetings in June, July, and August. Dates for the September meetings will be posted as soon as they are scheduled. Photos from this month's membership meeting in Baltimore can be viewed here.

Union keeps eye on protecting jobs as UPS reviews tech
May 23, 2023 
|  The union’s National Negotiating Committee and company heads convened multiple times on Monday, May 22, in Washington. UPS discussed technology and external relationships, particularly with the United States Postal Service. Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien reminded management that attempted implementation of any advanced technology that may harm workers or eliminates jobs will be combatted aggressively by the union. Continue reading the latest update here

In case you missed it: TForce and ABF Freight negotiation updates
May 30, 2023 
|  The union’s National Negotiating Committees met last week with TForce Freight in Chicago and ABF Freight in Kansas City. ABF Teamsters voted by a secret ballot to strike if needed. Read the ABF update here and TForce update here.

Freightwaves: UPS, Teamsters take a break after SurePost agreement
May 31, 2023 
|  UPS Inc. and the Teamsters union will resume national bargaining June 5 as both sides spend the week negotiating the final two supplemental agreements covering workers in Louisville, Kentucky, and Northern California. The hiatus comes as both sides reached a tentative agreement to reduce the size of UPS SurePost packages eligible for handoff to the U.S. Postal Service, according to a report in Supply Chain Dive confirmed by a Teamsters spokesperson. In an email to FreightWaves, Kara Deniz said that “we’ve reached (a) tentative agreement … to reduce the overall size of packages eligible for SurePost delivery — so more existing volume is going back onto Teamster trucks rather than coming off.” Read more.


Apr 17, 2023

New local contracts ratified, national contracts still in talks
Apr. 1, 2023 
|  Though negotiations are ongoing for successor national master agreements at ABF, TForce, and UPS, Local 355 members working under contracts with individual employers like Capitol Carbonic, Linde, and Penn Fibre, approved pacts providing significant wage increases. Details here.

Teamsters to UPS negotiators: A hard ‘NO’ to cost-neutral bargaining
Apr. 3, 2023 
|  The union put UPS on notice during supplemental bargaining meetings throughout the country last week, refusing the company’s outrageous insistence on cost-neutral agreements. While some progress was made on various proposals by the union, Teamsters also saw some disturbing backsliding by the company… The Atlantic Area Supplement Negotiating Committee met with UPS for three days last week. No major tentative agreements were reached. The Teamsters addressed the ability for members to requalify and the company expressed it wanted something in exchange for extending the time period for requalifying. The next bargaining date is scheduled for April 10. Get the full update on the UPS Teamsters app; scan the QR code below.

Teamsters triumphant at Sysco
Apr. 10, 2023 
| The union won big for workers as members at two Sysco locations ratified record-breaking contracts. The victories successfully ended two-week strikes by securing higher wages and better retirement benefits for more than 160 members of Teamsters Local 135 in Indianapolis and 100 members of Teamsters Local 89 in Louisville. Strike lines extended to more than 1,000 workers nationwide. The new five-year agreements mark the latest round of coordinated bargaining for Sysco members in Indianapolis and Louisville. More at Teamsters Facebook

Supplemental Update: UPS refuses to talk money
Apr. 11, 2023 
|  The union held the line on its proposals during supplemental negotiations with UPS last week. While some progress was made on various proposals from the union, the overall pace of bargaining remains slow as UPS refuses to discuss economic provisions. The Atlantic Area Supplement Negotiating Committee did not meet with UPS last week. Bargaining resumed yesterday (April 10). Full update on the UPS Teamsters App. (If you are experiencing any difficulties with the app, go to the App Store or Google Play on your device and download the latest update from there.)

Teamsters oppose TForce’s efforts to shrink workforce * Update
Apr. 11, 2023 
|  As negotiations resumed today, union representative Kris Taylor blasted the company for trying to shrink its workforce through the use of job reductions masquerading as “buyouts.” TForce has been trying to lure certain drivers to voluntarily leave the company, thereby shrinking the workforce. “We oppose the elimination of any union driver jobs. What makes it even more offensive is that the company already diverts an unacceptable amount of freight to rail and purchased transportation. We intend to put a stop to this,” Taylor said. Teamsters press release  * Apr. 14, 2023: Progress was made on numerous supplemental agreements, including the Central Region, Central Pennsylvania, and Western Pennsylvania supplements. National negotiations formally resume on April 24. Update here.

Teamsters to UPS: No national talks until supplemental contracts resolved
Apr. 12, 2023 
|  The union today demanded UPS stop stalling and negotiate in good faith to finalize supplemental contract negotiations as soon as possible, telling the company that bargaining for a new national agreement will not start until UPS gets its act together. The Teamsters began supplemental negotiations with UPS in January. Out of 40 supplements to the national contract nationwide, 30 remain unresolved after repeated delays by UPS. Teamsters Press release

Update on ABF negotiations 
Apr. 14, 2023 
| This week, the Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) met with ABF Freight in Kansas City to continue negotiations for a new ABF National Master Freight Agreement (NMFA) to succeed the current agreement expiring on June 30.  Progress was made on numerous supplemental agreements, including the Central Region, Central Pennsylvania, and Western Pennsylvania supplements. Teamsters National Freight Director John A. Murphy is leading negotiations. “We had a lot of good discussions across the table on a wide variety of issues. The company knows our positions,” Murphy said. Full update here.

National committee continues to push UPS on supplemental agreements
Apr. 19, 2023 
|  For the third straight day, UPS National Negotiating Committee members broke up into regional supplemental committees and continued to negotiate their respective supplements with the company. Yesterday, the regional committees worked on their agreements late into the night with members of the Western Region, Southern Region, and Atlantic Area supplements working until midnight in meeting rooms at the International. One rank-and-file Teamster said, "These negotiations involve a lot of moving pieces..." Read today's entire update on the Teamster UPS app.

Tell your senators: Confirm Julie Su as Secretary of Labor
Apr. 24, 2023 
|  We need your help today to make sure Julie Su becomes the next Secretary of the Department of Labor (DOL). She had her nomination hearing with the Senate HELP Committee last week and will now be voted on by the full Senate this week on Wednesday, April 26th. As Deputy Director at the DOL, she helped implement pro-Teamster policies, job-creating initiatives, directing funds and resources to workforce training programs and apprenticeships. Ms. Su is exactly the right person to take on this job because of her extensive experience and dedication to worker rights. With such a slim majority in the Senate, every vote counts, so please ask your Senator to vote YES on confirming Julie Su as the next United States Secretary of Labor. Click here.

Union praises Calif. law requiring human operators in autonomous big rigs
Apr. 25, 2023 
|  The Teamsters has issued a statement of support for a proposed California law that would require humans inside the cabs of autonomous tractor-trailers. Autonomous vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds would need trained operators, according to California Assembly Bill 316 (AB 316), which passed through the Assembly’s Communications and Conveyance Committee on Wednesday, April 19, with broad bipartisan support. Learn more here

Teamsters securing agreements, staying locked in
Apr. 28, 2023 
|  After another long night Thursday, with many Teamster negotiating committees working past 3 am, the union emerged Friday morning securing more movement from UPS on a range of issues affecting supplemental agreements. But with some key articles – including grievance procedure language, meal breaks, and the MLK holiday – still being opposed by UPS negotiators. Full update now available on the UPS Teamsters app. 

Mourn for the dead, fight for the living
Apr. 28, 2023 
|  Today, Teamsters and other trade unionists worldwide honor Workers' Memorial Day, remembering and taking action on behalf of workers who have died, been injured, made ill, or disabled from their work. 2.6 million workers were injured on the job in 2021, per the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Decades of effort by workers and their unions have significantly improved working conditions. But workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths continue to inflict enormous pain and suffering on millions of American workers and their families. Teamsters Facebook

Teamsters add a seat on Yellow’s board
Apr. 28, 2023 
|  Yellow Corp. said Tuesday it has approved Teamsters' selection David Webber to serve on its board of directors. As a holder of the company’s series A preferred stock the union is allowed to hold two board seats. … In recent weeks, Yellow and the Teamsters have been involved in a heated exchange regarding the carrier’s proposed change of operations it asserts is integral to its survival. Union heads maintain the proposed change of operations violates supplements in the National Master Freight Agreement and is merely a workaround to the existing agreement. It had previously suggested reopening the contract a year early, which Yellow has formally requested. More at Freightwaves


Mar 19, 2023

Update: Atlantic Area Supplement negotiations
Mar. 6, 2023 
| The Atlantic Area Supplement Negotiating Committee met with UPS February 17 through March 2, exchanging 30 proposals and counter-proposals between the parties. Tentative agreements were reached on two proposals. Bargaining is set to resume Monday, March 13. 

Teamsters begin negotiations at TForce Freight
Mar. 6, 2023 
| The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) met with TForce Freight today in Washington to begin negotiations for a new TForce National Master Freight Agreement (NMFA). The Teamsters will formally exchange proposals with the company this week. The current national agreement expires July 31. “We have assembled a top-notch negotiating team with the experience and know-how to take on this company and put members first. We have a plan, and a vision focused entirely on the membership,” said Teamsters National Freight Director John A. Murphy. Mark Garey, a Local 355 officer and business agent, is a member of the committee. Teamsters

O’Brien testifies at Senate hearing on unlawful anti-union activity
Mar. 8, 2023 
| Today, Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien testified at a hearing held by the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP). The committee hearing — “Defending the Right of Workers to Organize Unions Free from Illegal Corporate Union-Busting” — was initiated by HELP Committee Chair Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in response to unlawful anti-union activity at Starbucks, Amazon, and other multi-billion-dollar corporations. O’Brien gave extensive testimony to senators about the various ways that corporations break the law with impunity and shut down operations in response to union organizing and collective bargaining efforts, often with no consequences. Learn more at Teamsters.

Meet the Teamsters unionizing the cannabis industry
Mar. 15, 2023 
| As more states and districts around the country push for legalization, the cannabis industry has exploded in recent years, with researchers estimating that the industry could generate over $70 billion in sales by 2030. While investors and business owners have dollar signs in their eyes, though, it is the everyday employees, from growers and packers to bud tenders, who are making the industry run. But the vast vast majority of those workers are not reaping the benefits of these booming profits… Learn more here.

Attention UPS stewards!
Mar. 17, 2023 
| A National UPS Teamsters Call with Stewards will be held on Sunday, March 19, at 12 pm ET to discuss April rallies and other actions, provide information on contract action training for members, and share details about the upcoming kickoff of national negotiations. We urge all Stewards to register for this call and participate to hear important updates from General President Sean O’Brien, General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman, and other leaders from the International. To register for the call, click here.

Update: ABF negotiations begin March 27
Mar. 17, 2023 
| The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) is meeting today with local representatives in Arlington, Va., to review contract proposals for the new national agreement at ABF Freight. General President Sean M. O’Brien and National Freight Director John A. Murphy will chair negotiations, which begin March 27 in Arlington. The negotiating committee is made up of Teamster leaders from around the country as well as rank-and-filers who are committed to securing a new national agreement that raises standards. The national contract, which expires June 30, covers approximately 8,500 ABF Teamsters nationally; 85 are members of Local 355. Photos at Facebook/Teamsters

Update: Atlantic Area Supplement negotiations continue March 27
Mar. 20, 2023 
| Supplemental bargaining continued nationwide last week as Teamster negotiating committees for 14 of the 30 open supplements and riders met with the company. While committees have reported some progress over the last week, UPS continues to stonewall on substantive Teamster proposals. Bargaining is scheduled to resume March 27-29. To get updates on the Atlantic Area Supplement negotiations – and the national negotiations set to start April 17 – download the UPS Teamsters app.

Union rejects proposed operations changes at Yellow Corp.
Mar. 23, 2023 
| The Teamsters forcefully rejected change of operations proposed by Yellow Corp. during a meeting today with the company at union headquarters. Yellow’s proposal seeks to jam through operational changes without a vote of the Teamsters’ freight membership, a clear violation of Article XII of the union’s constitution as the company’s request would change the terms of the current collective bargaining agreement. At the direction of General President Sean M. O’Brien and General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman, the Teamsters canceled a Change of Operations Committee meeting with Yellow planned for April 5-7. Learn more here

On Strike: Sysco Teamsters in Indianapolis, Louisville
Mar. 27, 2023 
| Teamsters at Sysco Louisville and Sysco Indianapolis are on strike in response to unfair labor practices (ULPs) after weeks of contentious contract negotiations at both locations. Picket lines could extend to more locations across the country in the coming days. “We’re asking to be compensated fairly for the hard work that we do,” said Michael Bonner, a Sysco driver and Teamsters Local 89 member in Louisville. “The company would rather put its employees and customers in a negative situation than just compensate us fairly.” The Teamsters represent more than 10,000 Sysco workers nationwide. Learn more here.

Teamsters begin negotiations with ABF
Mar. 28, 2023 
|  The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee met with ABF Freight this week in Arlington, Va., to begin negotiations for a new national contract for more than 8,000 members at the company. “We are militant in our resolve, and we will not settle for anything less than a contract that reflects the value of our members’ hard work and dedication,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “We are demanding a national contract that protects our members and resets standards in the freight industry.” The current national agreement expires June 30. Full update here.

Teamster committees call out UPS at the table, uphold union proposals
Mar. 28, 2023 
| The Teamsters’ supplemental negotiating committees are holding firm against UPS’s concessionary proposals. In bargaining meetings with the company last week, 11 supplements continued to hold the line on issues ranging from 22.4s to market rate adjustments (MRA), and PVDs. With UPS negotiators initially dragging their feet and failing to take bargaining seriously, supplemental negotiating committees saw more movement on the company’s side as committee chairs reminded UPS of the looming April 17 deadline. Full update at UPS Teamsters app.


Feb 13, 2023

Teamsters oppose House bill that would threaten worker, motorist safety
Feb. 1, 2023 
| Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien sent letters to members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee urging them to oppose H.R. 471, the Safer Highways and Increased Performance for Interstate Trucking (SHIP IT) Act. The legislation, introduced by Representatives Jim Costa (CA-21) and Dusty Johnson (SD-AL), would jeopardize the safety of workers, motorists, and any American that uses an interstate highway – all while doing nothing to address the root causes of our nation’s supply chain woes.” Press release at Teamsters.

Negotiations Update: Contracts ratified at Penn Fibre, Baltimore Sun
Feb. 2, 2023 
| Local 355 members employed at Penn Fibre on the Eastern Shore ratified in January a new three-year contract providing wage increases averaging 18% to 24% over the term. Members will be covered by the Teamster health plan at no cost. Other wins include an increase to shift differentials, no exclusions of probationary employees regarding holiday pay or paid holiday shutdown, and an annual safety shoe allowance increase. Baltimore Sun drivers ratified a new one-year contract with additional money to the Health & Welfare Fund to maintain the drivers’ benefits and a signing bonus. Bargaining continues for successor contracts at Auto Warehousing, Horseshoe Casino, Renzenberger, Republic National Distributing Co., and Capitol Carbonic. 

Teamsters applaud call to pass the PRO Act, antitrust laws during Biden SOTU
Feb. 8, 2023 
| In a statement released today, our union applauded the call on Congress to pass the PRO Act during President Biden’s State of the Union address. New labor legislation that puts the needs of working people ahead of corporations was mentioned throughout the speech, including bipartisan antitrust legislation to rein in the power of Big Tech bullies like Amazon. But such laws must be passed and enacted to actually turn the tide in the battle against corporate greed. Read it here.

Applications now available for the 2023 Local 355 Scholarship Awards
Feb. 6, 2023 
| For the past 48 years, our Local has offered scholarships to the children and stepchildren of Local 355 members who seek to fulfill their dreams through higher education. Applications are now available for the Teamsters Local Union No. 355 49th Annual Scholarships to be awarded during the May 2022 regular monthly membership meeting. Eligibility requirements: You must be in continuous good standing in Local 355 for 12 consecutive months before May 2023, and your student must be a graduating senior this year. There are no tests and no lengthy application process. Download the instructions and application here.

Union prepares for major freight negotiations with TForce, ABF
Feb. 10, 2023 
| The Freight Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters is preparing for upcoming national negotiations on new collective bargaining agreements protecting more than 15,000 Teamsters at TForce Freight and ABF Freight. The current ABF Freight agreement expires June 30. The agreement with TForce Freight expires July 31. The negotiating committees will be made up of leaders from around the country as well as rank-and-file members committed to securing strong new agreements. Learn more at Teamsters.

Teamsters demand answers to proposed operation changes at Yellow
Feb. 15, 2023 
| The Teamsters Union is demanding answers to the proposed change of operations at Yellow Corp. after the company sent revised change-of-operations notifications to the union on Feb. 7. The massive proposal — following the withdrawal of a previous draft Yellow issued in December — fails to address serious concerns raised by the union. The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) does not endorse or approve any operational changes at Yellow. The Teamsters demand that established work standards and contractual protections be maintained, that primary lanes be preserved, and traditional road driver classifications and dock workers be protected. Teamsters

UPS cutting back on some jobs as Teamster labor talks loom
Feb. 16, 2023 
| United Parcel Service on Monday confirmed it is taking steps to reduce its workforce in regions where delivery demand has softened, a comment that comes days after a local union reported that the company had begun nationwide layoffs of some drivers. UPS is "reassigning" affected employees, the company said in a Monday email. [The company] announced plans to lay off so-called 22.4 drivers, a lower-paid category of drivers created during the last round of negotiations in 2018, Washington State's Teamsters Local 174 said in a web posting dated Feb. 9. National talks are scheduled to start on April 17 in Washington, D.C. Reuters

Tell your representatives to support the PRO Act
Feb. 17, 2023 
| With public support for unions at a historic high, it is more important than ever that working people have an enforceable right to organize.  Let’s make Congress fight for us by making sure our nation’s labor laws work as intended. Let’s level the playing field and give workers a voice to effectively fight for safer workplaces and fair pay. Click here to email your members of Congress to tell them to support working-class families by becoming a sponsor of the PRO Act today.

Auto Warehousing workers in Michigan join Teamsters
Feb. 17, 2023 
| Rail loaders and yard workers at Auto Warehousing Company (AWC) in Flint, Mich., voted to join Teamsters Local 332 yesterday. “The entire Teamsters Union congratulates this group for staying strong to win a voice on the job. They deserve it. Now, we will fight at the table to address their concerns and get them covered under our national carhaul contract,” said Mark Barnhart, Local 332 Secretary-Treasurer. “I want to thank the Teamsters Organizing Department, the Teamsters Carhaul Division, and Locals 299, 710, and 355 for all the support during the campaign.” Teamsters

America’s workers are fighting back, exercising right to strike
Feb. 23, 2023 
| In a press release issued yesterday, General President O’Brien responded to the release of 2022 work stoppage numbers by the Bureau of Labor Statistics: “Workers are increasingly taking action and going on strike. There is a clear reason for this. America’s workers are fed up and they are fighting back. The ability to strike is the most powerful tool workers have to demand better and safer working conditions.” Full statement at Teamsters

Update: Teamsters UPS Supplemental negotiations
Feb. 27, 2023 
| The UPS Teamsters’ supplemental negotiating committees have been at the table with company negotiators throughout the country over the last three weeks. Out of the nearly 40 supplements and local riders, 30 are open — and 27 have met so far. Several others have reached memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and have not been reopened. Rank-and-file members sit on all supplemental negotiating committees. The Atlantic Area Supplement Negotiating Committee met with UPS earlier last week and exchanged initial proposals. Further meetings are scheduled for this week. Full update at the UPS Teamsters app.


Jan 12, 2023

UPS drivers: Last day to sign the 9.5 list
Jan. 5, 2023 
| Today is the last day to sign up on the 9.5 list and protect yourself from excessive overtime. The 9.5 list gives drivers the right to file grievances over pay when they are worked more than 9.5 hours more than twice a week. Talk to your shop steward to get signed up on the list.

UPS National Screening Committee convenes to review proposals
Jan. 9, 2023 
| This morning, General President Sean M. O’Brien and General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman opened a meeting of the screening committee where representatives from dozens of UPS locals are gathered to review more than 4,000 pages of national proposals submitted by locals to the Package Division. In total, the Division received more than 11,000 Master Agreement proposals, which were sorted and compiled for today’s meeting. Learn more here.

The New Yorker: 'UPS and The Package Wars'
Jan. 10, 2023 
| The company offers old-fashioned middle-class jobs and is enjoying record profits. So why is a strike looming? … according to many drivers, the job is far more stressful and demanding than a customer might imagine: they describe being subject to extreme time pressures, constant surveillance, and the risk of injury from handling heavy packages. And, of the Teamsters working at UPS, only about forty percent are drivers. The rest toil inside UPS buildings… Continue reading here.

O’Brien: Supreme Court must uphold the right to strike
Jan. 10, 2023 
| The following is a statement from General President Sean O’Brien on Glacier Northwest, Inc. v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local Union No. 174 being heard today by the U.S. Supreme Court: “Workers in America have the fundamental right to strike, and American workers have died on picket lines to protect it. The ability to withhold your labor is the one powerful tool throughout the history of unionization that has ensured workers can improve their working conditions. This right is now on trial at the Supreme Court. The anti-worker case before the Court is undemocratic and disregards long-standing legal precedent… Continued at Teamsters

Striking Pittsburgh Post-Gazette workers asking for your help
Jan. 12, 2023 
| For more than two months, workers at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette have been on strike after management unilaterally canceled employee health insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic, refused collective raises for 16 years, and harassed striking workers with private security and public law enforcement. The workers, members of the Communications Workers of America, The NewsGuild-CWA, and the Teamsters, are fighting for dignity, and they are calling on the community for support. The workers are asking supporters and allies to write a letter to the Pittsburgh Steelers football team, asking it to reconsider and cancel its media sponsorship with the newspaper. Click here to lend your support.

Tonight at 7 pm: Senator Sanders on the State of the Working Class
Jan. 17, 2023 
| “Before we can effectively go forward in terms of economic policy, it’s necessary to know where we are at. On Tuesday, I will give a speech at the U.S. Capitol on the state of America’s working class and how we address the existing crises.” – Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator from Vermont. Watch his national address live from the U.S. Capitol at www.facebook.com/senatorsanders.

Energizer plans to outsource Teamster jobs
Jan. 20, 2023 
| The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is fighting plans by billion-dollar company Energizer to outsource more than 600 good-paying jobs after the company announced intentions to close its battery plants in Fennimore and Portage, Wisconsin. Last year, Energizer gave $93 million to shareholders through quarterly dividends and posted a gross profit of $1.1 billion. Learn more at Teamsters.

Amid gains, railroaders seeking quality-of-life improvements 
Jan. 30, 2023 
| Even though track maintenance workers in the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division union aren’t on call the way train crews are, they are increasingly being sent on the road for days at a time to tackle construction projects and repairs, prompting many to reconsider whether the job is worth the sacrifice, Teamster BMWED union spokesman Clark Ballew said. “To date, we haven’t seen genuine concern from management about these quality-of-life decisions that our members increasingly wrestle with.” Associated Press


Dec 19, 2022

Unions form coalition to coordinate bargaining with United Airlines
Dec. 7, 2022 
| Airline unions representing 78,000 workers at United Airlines, including 10,000 Teamster maintenance technicians, announced the launch of the United Airlines Union Coalition today. Together with the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), the IAMAW District 141, the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, and the Professional Airline Flight Control Association (PAFCA), the Teamsters will coordinate closely on bargaining and other issues. "The old adage says, 'It takes a village'," said General President Sean M. O'Brien. "United, we are stronger. We have each other’s backs always and will take on the fight together."

Victory for Teamster Retirees: Central States Pension Fund awarded $36B
Dec. 8, 2022 
| Nearly 350,000 Teamster retirees are celebrating today over an announcement that the Central States Pension Fund (CSPF) will be granted $36 billion by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. The grant ensures they will enjoy their full pension benefits for the rest of their lives. The grant was made possible by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021. Rank-and-file Teamsters held rallies, made hundreds of visits to elected officials, and made thousands of phone calls to ensure their pensions would be secure. "This is an issue of fairness — of this country keeping its word to hardworking, honest people who did everything they were supposed to do in life," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien. Teamsters

Tell Congress to increase funding for the NLRB
Dec. 14, 2022 
| The National Labor Relations Board is struggling to meet its goals as an agency. It needs more funding or it won’t be able to fully do its job protecting the right of workers to bargain collectively. Every other worker protection agency in the government has received funding increases over the years; the NLRB has not seen an increase since 2014. Congress can fix this problem now. Congress must pass a government spending bill by December 16. Tell your representatives that the bill must fully fund the National Labor Relations Board. Click here to take action.

UPS drivers: Protect yourself – sign the 9.5 list
Dec. 20, 2022 
| You have until January 5th to sign up on the 9.5 list and protect yourself from excessive overtime. The 9.5 list gives drivers the right to file grievances over pay when they are worked more than 9.5 hours more than twice a week. When UPS violates 9.5 rights, Article 37 of the National Master Agreement calls for the company to reduce the driver’s workload and pay triple time – instead of time and a half – for time worked in excess of 9.5 hours in a day. Talk to your shop stewards to get signed up on the list.

ABF Freight bargaining surveys are out
Dec. 20, 2022 
| The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee wants to hear from you! Earlier this month, a letter was mailed to all members at ABF with instructions for a new electronic bargaining survey. The Freight Division encourages all ABF Teamsters to participate to help the negotiating committee secure the strongest contract possible in 2023! It only takes a few minutes to fill out on a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Surveys are completely confidential and an important step going into national contract negotiations, so make sure your voice is heard. Follow the sign-in instructions provided in the letter and click here to take the survey today.


Nov 18, 2022

Piedmont Airline mechanics ratify historic new contract
Nov. 1, 2022 
|  Nearly 400 Teamster mechanics and related employees at Piedmont Airlines saw a historic new contract go into effect today after voting overwhelmingly for higher pay, more rest time, and retirement security. The 390-person unit is represented by multiple Teamster locals, servicing airline workers in New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland (Local 355)... Building and Ground Mechanics will see up to 25 percent wage increases. In addition to the strong wages, an 8 percent signing bonus was added for all Teamsters. Learn more here.

General President O’Brien among '100 People Transforming Business'
Nov. 17, 2022 
|  The financial and business news website Business Insider lists O’Brien among its annual list of people transforming business in 2022: “It has been the year of the union as Americans across the economy have organized for better conditions… O’Brien, the general president of the Teamsters Union, is one of the loudest voices in the resurgence.” Responding via Twitter, O’Brien said, “Honored to be on list. Not about me though. All about our great members. 2023 will again be a year of continued change & innovation. And workers' interests will be at the forefront. Transforming business by holding employers accountable.”

Teamsters help community save park from being turned into Amazon warehouse
Nov. 18, 2022 
| For about 7,000 kids in Freeport, Long Island, Cleveland Avenue Field is the only green space around. Spanning about nine acres, it serves as an athletic field for the local school district and a public gathering spot. It’s been empty for over 20 years and lets neighboring residents get sunlight, fresh air, and exercise. But in July, Freeport tried to sell the land to develop a last-mile delivery warehouse. The Freeport mayor promised jobs and economic development, as well as the renovation of a park further downtown, but residents say that’s not what they want. And now, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters is involved.  Read the full story here.

Contract Update: Ralph Adams, Mid-Atlantic Baking, Avis Budget Group
Nov. 18, 2022 
| Members at three Teamster Local 355 companies recently ratified contracts that provide wage increases and maintain medical benefits, in addition to other contract enhancements. After more than a year of intense negotiations, a first contract at Avis Budget Group was overwhelmingly ratified. The agreement merges into one three contracts that had historically covered Avis Rent-A-Car and Budget Rent-A-Car Teamsters at BWI. The two companies merged their operations in 2021. Details at Local 355 News  Photo: Avis Budget Group bargaining committee members (L-R) Brian Stokes, Juliet Spritzer, LaCretia Givans, and Bryan Winfield.

Applications open for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund
Nov. 30, 2022 
| The application process opens today for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship for sons, daughters, and financial dependents of Teamster members. Academic scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 are available for high school seniors planning to attend a four-year college or university, and Training/Vocational program awards of up to $2,000 are available for use at community colleges and trade schools. This year, the Fund awarded $1.2 million in scholarships. For more information on the 2023 JRHMSF application, visit www.jrhmsf.org. The submission deadline is early March 2023.


Nov 18, 2022

Nov. 17, 2022

Teamsters at Mid-Atlantic Baking approved a successor contract that provided a 4% increase across the board, reduced employee contributions for their medical plans, and increased holiday pay. In addition, employees working Saturday and/or Sunday as part of their normal schedule will receive 1.5 times their route pay for those days. The contract has a three-year term.

Members at Rapa Scrapple ratified a new three-year contract that includes significant wage increases, adds the day after Thanksgiving as a paid holiday, maintains medical benefits, and adds an employer match up to 6% in the 401k.

Avis Rent-A-Car and Budget Rent-A-Car members approved by a 95% margin of victory a new collective bargaining agreement that merges three contracts with two companies that combined their operations in 2021. The new five-year deal with Avis Budget Group (ABG) delivers substantial wage hikes in all classifications, maintains Health & Welfare, provides an employer dollar-for-dollar match of up to 6% to the 401k, enhances the paid time off (PTO) language, and provides full retroactivity for eligible members. The contract covers 115 customer service representatives, rental sales associates, shuttlers, technicians, mechanics, and service agents. The ratification concluded nearly a year of intense negotiations with the BWI car rental agency.

Coming Up:  Auto Warehousing Group; Renzenberger; Penn Fibre


Oct 17, 2022
Take the UPS Teamster Bargaining Survey Oct. 3, 2022 | As the Teamsters UPS National Negotiating Committee prepares to negotiate the new national master agreement, it is important that all UPS Teamsters weigh in on the key issues that need to be addressed at the bargaining table.
Sep 28, 2022

Congratulations to Felix Guinto, Matt Parks, Matt Gunzelman, and Brandon Carter (UPS/Hunt Valley) for their First Place win in Local 355's fall golf event at the Westminister National Golf Course, Westminster, Md.

Sept. 28, 2022 | On Saturday, September 24, 2022, Local 355 golfers employed at ABF, DHL, the Movie Industry, and UPS hubs in Aberdeen, Baltimore, Quad Ave., Harrington, and Hunt Valley –– along with Local 355 staff and retirees –– teed off the 18-hole course at 8:30 a.m. in a modified shotgun start format. 

Photo Gallery images are available here
Click on the first photo to enlarge it, then use the arrow at the bottom right to navigate through the file.

Second Place winners were the UPS/Aberdeen team, Bob Williams, Scott Harris, Michael Chaney, and Tim Wojtek.

Third Place winners were Rob Dandy, Mitch Drzewiecki, Bill Joynes, and Mike Lynch, UPS/Hunt Valley.

Adrian Davis (UPS/Quad Ave) took the prize for the longest drive.

Tim Wojtek (UPS/Aberdeen) claimed the prize for closest to the pin.


Sep 19, 2022

Teamsters Union launches new Amazon Division
Sept. 7, 2022 The Teamsters Union on Tuesday formally launched its Amazon Division, a new arm of North America’s strongest union dedicated to uniting Amazon employees, securing more workplace protections in the warehouse and logistics industry, and defending workers from the unchecked exploitation of one of the world’s most dangerous employers. Randy Korgan, Secretary-Treasurer and Principal Officer of Teamsters Local 1932, will lead the new Amazon Division. “For Teamsters, and the labor movement as a whole, Amazon poses an existential threat to the rights and standards that our members have fought for and won for over 100 years,” Korgan said. “The new Amazon Division is ready to create and support direct action by workers across the country to beat back this corporate threat to working people.” Read more at Teamsters.

Teamsters statement on tentative rail deal
Sept. 15, 2022 The International Brotherhood of Teamsters applauds the tens of thousands of members of the Teamsters Rail Conference for working long into the night to reach a tentative agreement averting a potential railway strike. The Teamsters Rail Conference includes the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division (BMWED). “Collective bargaining works. The labor movement works. And we know through lifetimes of experience and unbelievable sacrifice, Teamsters across America’s railroads work harder than anyone,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “The Teamsters thank all of our members and negotiating partners for staying at the table until this job was done. We’re not yet to the end of the line, but the process is working.” Continued at Teamsters

Airline Division members: Webinar on Sept. 25
Sept. 15, 2022 An important update for Airline Division members will be held at 11 am EST on Sunday, Sept. 25. Please join General President Sean M. O’Brien and Division Director Joe Ferreira. Scan the QR code to register, or you can sign up here.

Motion Picture Division members: Webinar on Sept. 25
Sept. 19, 2022 Motion Picture and Theatrical Trade Division members will receive an important update in a webinar to be held at 12:30 am EST, Sunday, Sept. 25. Please join General President Sean M. O’Brien, General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman, and Director Lindsay Dougherty for an important update on the division. Scan the QR code to register. You can also register here.

Teamster golfers take on a new, but challenging, course  
Sept. 28, 2022 
Last weekend, 60 Teamster golf enthusiasts trekked up to Westminster, Maryland, for the Local’s Fall Golf 2022 outing. Despite the rolling, hilly terrain of the new course, great weather and team spirit made for a fantastic day outdoors. Overheard on the fairway: “My worst day on the golf course still beats my best day at work.” Check out the winners and photosClick the image to enlarge. 

Sysco Teamsters in Syracuse, N.Y., on ULP strike 
Sept. 30, 2022 
Teamsters Local 317 members at Sysco Syracuse are on strike after weeks of contentious contract negotiations with the company. More than 230 drivers and warehouse workers walked off the job Tuesday night in response to unfair labor practices being committed by management. Picket lines could extend to more locations across the country in the coming days. Learn more at Teamsters.


Aug 19, 2022
New app now available for UPS Teamsters Aug. 1, 2022 | Teamster members at UPS began a nationwide call to action today. With the current contract expiring in exactly one year, members are mobilizing now for the strongest possible contract in 2023. As part of the campaign launch, a new UPS Teamsters app is now available for download here.
Jul 18, 2022

23,000 Teamster freight train engineers voting on strike authorization
July 5, 2022 If the authorization passes, it would give the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen (BLET) leadership the OK to call a strike should one become necessary to settle the current national contract dispute with the nation’s largest rail carriers. Key issues are erratic and long hours, pay, job safety, and health protection—especially against coronavirus—and rail carriers’ constant push for one-person crews on all freight trains. The struggle with the carriers is important because railroads are key carriers of bulk freight—from oil and gas to cars and corn—in the nation’s increasingly strained supply chain... People’s World  Ballots were mailed on June 24 and must be returned on July 12... Teamsters

Carhaul members ratify national agreement 
July 12, 2022 Teamster carhaulers ratified a new National Master Automobile Transporters Agreement (NMATA) today, securing the most lucrative carhaul contract in Teamster history. The contract addresses members’ top priorities and establishes a national organizing model. All three regional supplemental agreements were also ratified. Ballots were counted before an independent observer, and the agreement was ratified by a 63 to 37 percent margin. Voter turnout was the highest in years… Details here.

Teamster Freight Division leaders hold TForce strategy meeting 
July 12, 2022 (Click image to enlarge.) The Freight Division held a strategy meeting Monday, June 11, 2022, in Washington to discuss the upcoming TForce Freight negotiations. National Freight Director John A. Murphy and Assistant Director Danny Avelyn are working with regional coordinators on how to best address members' concerns under a strong new agreement. "I want to know what's best for the members—and what they care most about in this agreement," Murphy said. "I want to know everything they want to get them a contract that puts members first.” IBT Photo: Mark Garey, second from left, is Local 355 Recording Secretary and IBT TForce Freight Co-Chairman for the Eastern Region. More photos here.

Biden names board to help end freight railroad, union contract disputes
July 18, 2022 Biden signed an order on Friday ahead of a deadline to intervene in nationwide U.S. railroad labor talks covering 115,000 workers or open the door to a potential strike or lockout that could threaten an already fragile economy and choke supplies of food and fuel... Reuters Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien and General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman welcomed President Joe Biden’s decision today to officially appoint a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) to help thousands of union rail workers secure a strong contract... Teamsters

Ring Doorbell Video Shows UPS Driver Collapse in Extreme Arizona Heat
July 21, 2022 An Arizona homeowner is sharing video of a UPS driver collapsing in front of his door in a bid to warn people to stay safe in the extreme heat the state has been experiencing for more than a month. The Ring video shared by Scottsdale resident Brian Enriquez shows the delivery person walking slowly to the front door. As he bends down to put down a package, the delivery man falls over and lands in a sitting position, where he sits for a little while before lying down on the porch. NBC News The Teamster Union responds: “Teamsters demand UPS protect drivers amid record heat…” facebook.com/teamsters

Virtual Townhall: 'Workers Standing Up and Fighting Back'
July 26, 2022 General President Sean M. O’Brien, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) President Sara Nelson will headline a virtual townhall Wednesday night at 8 pm ET where they will take on Amazon, UPS, and all of Big Business who are holding workers down. Tune in at live.berniesanders.comVia Teamsters on Facebook 

Warehouse Division: Webinar to Update Members
July 29, 2022 A division-wide webinar call will be held for all Warehouse Division members on Sunday, July 31 at 1 pm ET. General President Sean M. O’Brien and General Secretary-Treasurer will be on the call to provide an update on the future of the Warehouse Division. Click here to register.

Public Services Division: Webinar to Update Members
July 29, 2022 A division-wide webinar will be held for all Public Services Division members on Sunday, July 31 at 12 pm ET. General President Sean M. O’Brien will provide an important update for Teamsters employed in the public sector. Click here to register.


Jun 16, 2022

Congratulations to Justin Thom, Cory Tribbett, Mike Howard, and Chris Towers (UPS Easton), for their First Place win in the Local's bi-annual golf event at the Queenstown Harbor Golf Course in Queenstown, Md.

June 16, 2022 | Last Saturday, June 11, 2022, 76 Local 355 golfers returned to Queenstown, Md., for Local 355’s bi-annual Golf Outing event. Teams comprised of members employed at ABF, DHL, Kraft-Heinz, Movies, Penske, Piedmont Airlines, UPS hubs in Aberdeen, Baltimore, Easton, Harrington (Delaware), and Hunt Valley, along with Local 355 staff and retirees teed off the 18-hole course at 8:30 a.m. in a modified shotgun start format. Photo Gallery images are available here.

Click on the first photo to enlarge it then use the arrow at the bottom right to navigate through the rest.

Second Place: UPS Baltimore team Michael Lynch, Petter Williams, Travis Charette, and Joe Lowman placed in a scorecard playoff.

Third Place winners are Felix Guinto, Brandon Carter, Matt Parks, and Matt Gunzelman - UPS Hunt Valley.

Henry Ortega (Penske) took the prize for Longest Drive.

Closest to the Pin was claimed by Bryan Holewinski (ABF).


Jun 15, 2022
Tentative agreement reached; members’ top priorities addressed June 1, 2022 | The Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee (TNATINC) reached a tentative national carhaul agreement this evening.
May 06, 2022
Proposals exchanged; negotiations scheduled for this week May 2, 2022 | In the lead-up to negotiations, the union launched a member-driven campaign to listen to the concerns of carhaulers throughout the country. Earlier this month, the Teamsters Carhaul Division put out a bargaining survey for members to provide feedback on the issues that mattered most in the new contract.
Apr 12, 2022
UPS Member Update Call to be held Sunday, April 10 UPS members will be updated in a Zoom call to be held at 1 pm on April 10. General President Sean O’Brien and Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman will be reviewing the changes to the Package Division to assist local unions in the representation of our UPS members.
Mar 14, 2022

Hoffa: After 23 years, Teamsters are in a better position
Mar. 2, 2022 For the last 23 years, I have had the honor of serving as the General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, fighting to help the hardworking 1.4 million members of this great union get the dignity and respect on the job they deserve. Serving the members has been fulfilling beyond what I could have dreamed when my fellow brothers and sisters first elected me in 1998. I am forever grateful for being given the opportunity to follow in my father’s footsteps as Teamster president. When I took over the reins in 1999, the union faced tremendous obstacles… Continued at Teamsters

Available now: The 2022 Local 355 Scholarship Award applications
Mar. 3, 2022 For the past 47 years, our Local has offered scholarships to the children and stepchildren of Local 355 members who seek to fulfill their dreams through higher education. Applications are now available for the Teamsters Local Union No. 355 48th Annual Scholarships to be awarded during the May 2022 regular monthly membership meeting. Eligibility requirements: You must be in continuous good standing in Local 355 for 12 consecutive months before May 2022, and your student must be a graduating senior this year. There are no tests and no lengthy application process. For details  and a downloadable application, click here.

Teamster joins panel unveiling DOL, DOT collaboration to increase union jobs
Mar. 7, 2022 A California UPS feeder driver joined with a panel of union workers Monday to tell top Biden administration officials how the federal government can make changes to improve the lives of workers so they can have good-paying union jobs that allow them to support their families. Local 986 member and second-generation Teamster Art Silvas explained to U.S Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and others that a union job has allowed him to provide for his family so he could send his daughter to college and cover all the family’s medical bills. But in order for more workers to have that quality of life, elected officials need to do more... Continued at Teamsters

General President Hoffa honored at JRHM Scholarship dinner
Mar. 14, 2022 More than a thousand attendees joined together for the 2022 James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund Dinner in Los Angeles to honor Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa as he approaches the end of his final term as the head of the 1.4 million-member union. “I look around this room and see the faces of men and women that I have had the honor of working with for more than two decades,” said Hoffa. “Together, we brought this union back from the brink of financial ruin. We organized and built Teamster power through industry-leading contracts. We saved the pensions of millions of active and retired members. And we helped return the Teamsters to the most powerful union in the world! Thank you for all you have done for this union.” Read more at Teamsters

Teamsters at Yellow Freight to receive a cost-of-living adjustment
Mar. 14, 2022 Teamsters at the Yellow Freight companies covered by the YRCW National Master Freight Agreement will receive a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) this year. For more information, click here.

Teamsters honor Women’s History Month
Mar. 3, 2022 March is Women’s History Month and on March 8 annually we celebrate International Women’s Day. The Teamsters Union is proud to honor and recognize the achievements of our sisters during this month and throughout the year. As an organization that advocates and fights for the rights of working people, it is thanks to the tireless efforts of the trailblazing women throughout our history that our union is strong and a force for good for workers across this continent.… Teamsters

In Memoriam - Jeffrey Lee Cash, Sr., retired
Mar. 22, 2022 Retired UPS Teamster Jeffrey Cash passed away on March 3, 2022. A long-serving shop steward, Brother Cash retired following 33 years with UPS; he also worked as a limousine driver and on HBO’s The Wire. Services for Brother Cash will be held in St. Marys, Georgia (obituary link here), where he lived at the time of his passing. On behalf of our members, the Teamsters Local 355 Executive Board extends its sincere condolences to Brother Cash’s family. 

Transition at IBT: O’Brien, Zuckerman, Executive Board, begin 5-year term
Mar. 22, 2022 Sean M. O’Brien was sworn in today as the new General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman and the newly-elected General Executive Board also took the oath of office. Following a swearing-in ceremony, O’Brien and his team went straight to work, holding their first board meeting to discuss the priorities of the new administration. “We have a lot of work ahead of us…” Continued at Teamsters

IBT donates $1 million to concrete industry members on ULP strike in Seattle
Mar. 28, 2022 The International Brotherhood of Teamsters announced Friday a $1 million donation to Teamsters Local 174 members in Seattle who have been on an unfair labor practice (ULP) strike for nearly five months against companies that control the concrete industry in the region. The members are standing up for basic healthcare benefits for retirees and are seeking modest wage increases that would bring their pay in line with that of other construction trades in the region. The unions’ $1 million donation will directly support members standing strong on the picket line by providing necessary financial stability to their families at home. Continued at Teamsters.


Feb 18, 2022
Teamsters testify at Congressional hearings on automated vehicles Feb. 3, 2022 | Automation and the future of the workforce is a topic of great importance to Teamsters, transportation workers, and the American public. Testifying before the U.S.
Jan 14, 2022
Hoffa: Increased resolve needed in the new year to tackle worker concerns Jan. 5, 2022 | As we turn the page on 2021, the Teamsters have much to celebrate. Years of hard work in Washington culminated with a multi-employer pension fix that will protect the hard-earned retirement nest eggs of more than 1 million Americans.
Dec 23, 2021

Dec. 23, 2021

More than 8,500 toys were donated to hospitalized and disadvantaged children this year by Guinto’s Helping Hands, a charity organization founded by Felix Guinto, a Teamsters Local 355 UPS driverDeliveries were made to the Kennedy Krieger Institute, the Ronald McDonald House, and United Communities Against Poverty.

Coworkers Dion Di Pasquale, Brandon Carter, Jeff Matin, Steve Kennedy, and Chris Serp helped Guinto organize and deliver this year’s gifts. Throughout the year the charity receives support from toy collection, fundraising, and UPS coworkers who support the foundation. Toys are donated by Guinto’s UPS customers during the year. Most of his customers leave toys for him when he makes their deliveries.

Covid restrictions have limited Guinto’s Helping Hands access to the children. “I wasn't able to walk around with carts full of toys this year, so we’ve sent monthly donations to local hospitals.”

Last week, twenty local families also received a delivery of gifts. “We have families submit a small questionnaire and details about specific gifts they hope to receive,” Guinto said, explaining the selection process. “Honestly, if they take the time to complete the questionnaire, they need the help. This will be the third year making family deliveries and it’s worked out well. The children and their families in hospitals are in need of support but I truly embrace the family deliveries; it’s a small give-back to the community.”

Visit www.guintoshelpinghands.com to make donations and learn how you can volunteer to help.


Dec 13, 2021
Hoffa: Don’t blame workers for delivery delays this season  Dec. 1, 2021 | This holiday season, there are many things for which we should be grateful. But the state of the U.S. supply chain is not one of them…There is understandable frustration out there about where things stand.
Nov 19, 2021
Urge your lawmakers to come together to pass these bills  Nov. 1, 2021 | The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill & Reconciliation Bill mean investments in things that working people have been waiting to see for decades. The Build Back Better framework will level the playing field by making corporations and the wealthiest pay their fair share.
Oct 29, 2021

Delayed a year, shop stewards catch up at bi-annual training

Oct. 28, 2021 | Postponed in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic, Local 355 held its 2021 Steward Seminar earlier this month at the Princess Royale Hotel & Conference Center in Ocean City, Md. The three-day educational program was attended by 114 stewards representing workers at 40 companies.
   One of only a few of its kind in the Teamsters Union, the Local 355-sponsored program is designed to provide its shop stewards with essential training in grievance handling and contract negotiations, focusing on the specialized skills required to represent their coworkers effectively. 
  “The purpose of this seminar is to educate, encourage and recognize the hard work and dedication necessary to be a job steward in Local 355,” said President Denis Taylor in his welcome to the group. 
   
Under the direction of labor educator Grainger Ledbetter of the Labor Education Program in Little Rock, Arkansas, new and first-time stewards learned their roles and responsibilities and received instruction on grievance handling and arbitration preparation. Dennis Hower, President, IBT Local 773, delivered immersion instruction on contract negotiations, along with helpful tools to assist them in being a more effective member of their bargaining committee. 
   
Prudential Financial experts conducted a class for veteran stewards designed to enhance understanding of complicated issues about 401k pensions and the UPS Teamster 401k. Others attended a course presented by attorneys from Local 355’s legal firm where important facts about Health & Welfare plans were presented and discussed. Another class covered the grievance and arbitration process related to Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) disputes. President Denis Taylor, the Director of the IBT Package Division, led an in-depth discussion for UPS and TForce-UPS Freight stewards about the growing threat Amazon poses to UPS and other contractual matters of regular concern to members.
  
 In a new Drug & Alcohol Awareness class, Officer Bill Alexander Jr., Maryland Transportation Police, guided stewards on the potentially harmful effects of a wide range of substances such as alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, prescription, and other drugs used while operating a motor vehicle. Information about medical conditions that can mimic drug impairment was also provided. 
   
The steward seminar has instructed Local 355 shop stewards since its first training session rolled out in 1996. Since then, hundreds of hard-working men and women committed to enforcing a Teamster contract have gone on to effectively represent and protect their members, thus improving conditions in their workplace. Stewards are the Union’s eyes and ears on the shop floor. Without their dedicated commitment, our members could not benefit from the Union’s robust and active presence in the workplace.

Local 355 Officers and Trustees: (Front row) Vice President Bill Alexander, Secretary-Treasurer David White, President Denis Taylor, Recording Secretary Mark Garey. (Back row) Trustees Christopher Greene, Sysco; Dale Pink, UPS/Harrington; Janet Genovese, UPS/Baltimore

More photos in the Photo Gallery. (Be patient; galleries are loading slowly. We hope to have the glitch fixed soon.)
Oct 15, 2021

Congratulations to Brandon Carter, Matt Gunzelman, Felix Guinto, and Matt Parks (UPS/Baltimore), above, for their First Place win in the Local's bi-annual golf event held Saturday, Sept. 25th at Chesapeake Golf Course in Rising Sun, Md.

Oct. 15, 2021 | On Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, Local 355 golf enthusiasts made the trek to Rising Sun, Md., for the Local’s bi-annual event, held for the first time at the Chesapeake Bay Golf Course. Members from ABF, DHL, Kraft-Heinz, Piedmont Airlines, and UPS joined Local 355 retirees and staff members on the 18-hole course under sunny skies and warm weather. Photo Gallery images can be viewed here. Click on the first photo to enlarge, then use the arrow at the bottom right to navigate through the file.

Above, Second Place: Above, Charlie Huber, Scott Mandel, Troy Palmisano, and Mike Schiller (UPS/Baltimore).

Right, Third Place: Sean Chesnavag, Tony Moscella, Richard Albright, Cody Geho (UPS/Quad).

This year Brandon Carter (UPS/Baltimore), below left, took two prizes – Longest Drive Hole #16 and Closest to Pin, Hole #15. 

Peter Williams (UPS/Hunt Valley), bottom left, won Close to the Pin, Hole #5

Hamilton Brannon (DHL), below right, won Straightest Drive, Hole #1.

Kevin Hopp (DHL), not pictured, won Closest to Pin, Hole #13.


Oct 12, 2021

Ballots for IBT election will be mailed beginning Monday, October 4th 
Oct. 1, 2021 The time has come again for us to decide the future of our union’s leadership. Submit your ballot to vote for our new General President, General Secretary-Treasurer, and other crucial positions that will shape our union's direction for the next four years and beyond. The ballots will be counted beginning November 15, 2021. Click here to learn more about your ballot and the voting process. When Teamsters vote, we all win.

Watch the Debate: Teamsters General-Secretary Candidates 
Oct. 4, 2021 Last week’s General-Secretary candidates’ debate was organized by the Independent Office of the Elections Supervisor for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Moderator is Stephen Franklin, Labor writer, author and academic. Joel Bleifuss, editor of In These Times, and Sam Sanders, a journalist covering issues related to working families at the internet news site, More Perfect Union. NoteThe debate begins at the 11:00 point in the video.

Hoffa: Biden’s infrastructure plan will put workers first 
Oct. 6, 2021 Congress is on the cusp of taking action to implement President Biden’s Build Back Better Plan which will put our country on a path toward not just recovery, but prosperity. American workers have been repeatedly cast aside by ruling political elites in Washington who have decided to support policies backed by big campaign donors and other monied interests. But that can change right now. Two measures that would fuel economic growth and give a needed hand to hardworking Americans… Teamsters

Your vote will help decide the future of our union 
Oct. 6, 2021 For more than a century, Teamsters have come together to fight for better pay, stronger protections, and fair benefits for all workers. The strength of our union is because of members like you, and this fall, we need Teamsters to once again come together -- this time to decide the future of our union. Ballots were mailed Monday, Oct. 4th. Watch for yours then make sure your voice is heard by marking and returning your ballot by November 15thQuestions? Information about your ballot and the voting process is here.

Teamster feeder driver to House Committee: ‘The threat to the industry I work for is Amazon’ 
Oct. 12, 2021 In a hearing last week held by the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law, UPS feeder driver and Teamsters Local 177 member, Dan Gross, urged Congress to pass antitrust laws addressing the excessive power that large, powerful corporations, like Amazon, have over their workers. “I’ve seen firsthand what large corporations try to get away with due to corporate greed when workers don’t have a collective voice to demand decent pay and working conditions,” said Gross to members of the Subcommittee… Watch Gross’ testimony (beginning at 37:16): “Reviving Competition, Part 4: 21st Century Antitrust Reforms and the American Worker.

Negotiations Update: Contract ratified at Old Line Custom Meats 
Oct. 13, 2021 Local 355 members employed at Old Line Custom Meats Company voted September 30, 2021, to accept a new three-year contract. The agreement provides a five percent increase in the first year and increases in the remaining two years. The raises were retroactive to the original expiration date of September 6, 2021. The new term of the contract will be from September 7, 2021, through September 6, 2024. Old Line Custom Meats is among Maryland’s largest meat processing companies, providing services to individual customers and wholesale clients.

Fall Golf 2021 winners, photos 
Oct. 15, 2021 Fifty Local 355 golfers made the early-morning trek to Rising Sun, Md., located in the far northeastern part of the state, for this year's Fall Golf Outing. The bi-annual event was held Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. It was the Local's first event at the Chesapeake Bay Golf Course. Check out the top finishers here, and additional photos in the photo gallery, 2021 Fall Golf.

Teamsters stand in solidarity with striking John Deere UAW workers 
Oct. 14, 2021 The Teamsters Union is proud to support some 10,000 striking John Deere workers represented by the United Auto Workers who walked out today after the company failed to address worker concerns with wages, working conditions and retirement benefits.  “These frontline workers, who have been on the job throughout the coronavirus pandemic, build the equipment used to harvest crops and feed America,” said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. “As brothers and sisters in the labor movement, the Teamsters understand the struggle for fairness on the job and will honor the UAW’s picket lines.” … Teamsters

Shop stewards catch up on training at this year's seminar
Oct. 29, 2021 Postponed in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Local 355 held its 2021 Steward Seminar earlier this month at the Princess Royale Hotel & Conference Center in Ocean City, Md. The three-day educational program was attended by 114 stewards representing workers at 40 companies. One of only a few of its kind in the Teamsters Union, the Local 355-sponsored program is designed to provide its shop stewards with essential training in grievance handling and contract negotiations, with a focus on the specialized skills required to represent their coworkers effectively. Story, Photo Gallery link at 355 News.

Hoffa urges passage of infrastructure, Build Back Better bills 
Oct. 29, 2021 Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa issued a statement yesterday on the need for Congress to quickly pass physical and human infrastructure bills that will invest and rebuild essential networks while also providing affordable child care job training programs and tax credits for low-wage workers. Read it at Teamsters


Sep 20, 2021
Reminder: General President Candidates’ debate is tonight Sept. 1, 2021 | Make sure you know where the candidates stand on the issues that matter to you. Don’t miss out on tonight’s first live debate with the candidates for Teamsters General President at 6:30 pm ET.
Aug 23, 2021

Teamsters mourn the loss of AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka
Aug. 5, 2021 In a statement today, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said: “Today, the entire labor movement lost a true champion for working men and women. Richard Trumka was a friend, a colleague, and my brother in the fight for workers’ rights in America. Throughout his outstanding career, Rich’s tireless work and dedication improved the lives of millions of union members and he will be remembered as one of the greatest labor leaders of our generation. On behalf of the Teamsters Union, I offer our deepest condolences to Rich’s family during this difficult time. He will be missed.” 

Local 355 47th Annual Scholarship Award recipients announced
Aug. 11, 2021 Koron Lambert, son of Deric Lambert Sr. (Yellow Freight), and Kaitlyn Matheny, daughter of William Matheny (Dow Jones), are the 2021 recipients of the Teamsters Local 355 47th Annual Scholarship Awards. The students’ names were selected on August 6, 2021, in a drawing of scholarship applications at the Local Union hall in Baltimore. Koron and Kaitlyn will each receive $4,000 paid out at the rate of $1,000 per academic year. Aaron Brown, son of Mark Brown (UPS), and Anna Harmon (UPS) are runners-up. If for any reason Koron or Kaitlyn cannot finish their college program, the runners-up will be eligible for the remaining scholarship award. Congratulations to all!

Watch the General President candidates' election debate Sept. 1
Aug. 23, 2021 The candidates running for Teamster General President will discuss their vision for the union at a forum Wednesday, September 1, 2021, at 6:30 pm., at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. You can watch it live on Facebook here. The internet audience can submit questions that may be posted to the candidates during the debate. You can also watch the debate later or read the transcript at www.ibtvote.org. Learn more here.

Biddle to retire from IBT Package Division
Aug. 23, 2021 Assistant to the Director of the IBT Package Division Keith Biddle, a longtime member of Local 355, will retire effective October 1, 2021. Brother Biddle is a member of the Division team instrumental in coordinating the UPS Master Agreement and Supplements, among other Division responsibilities. Anticipating his retirement, he said, “It has been my absolute privilege to serve the UPS members and assist the Local Unions in understanding and enforcing the National Master UPS Agreement." Biddle worked at UPS from 1977 to 1994, and served as a Local 355 Business Agent and Recording Secretary from 1994 until 2006 when he joined the IBT staff as a Package Division Representative. In a memo to UPS Local Unions announcing Biddle's retirement, Division Director and Local 355 President Denis Taylor said, “We, the Package Division, and all members working at UPS, benefited greatly from Keith’s commitment to the union. He will be sorely missed and we all wish him well in his retirement.”

Teamsters to join March on Washington fight for voting rights
Aug. 24, 2021 The Teamsters are renewing their commitment to voting rights and racial equality with their participation in this year’s March on Washington on Aug. 28. The union is calling on members to meet and join together with tens of thousands of other Americans in rallying for justice at the ballot box, in the workplace, and in our communities. That means pushing for new laws that protect the rights of all to participate in democracy as well as to join together as an advocate for better pay, benefits, and workplace safety on the job… Continue reading

Hertz emerges from bankruptcy
Aug. 25, 2021 Hertz has emerged from bankruptcy more than a year after filing and all Teamster contracts are still in force. The Teamster employer was one of the first major companies to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after the pandemic halted most travel in 2020. The company was already struggling with debt before COVID-19. During the bankruptcy, the union worked overtime for Hertz Teamsters. In addition to negotiating contract extensions for the Teamsters that continued working through the pandemic… Continue reading


Jul 20, 2021

July 20, 2021 | Teamsters across the country are taking part in a week of action in support of the PRO Act (fact sheet here).

Stronger unions mean higher wages, safer working conditions, and dignity for workers. Passing the PRO Act is a crucial step to making that a reality. To find out more information about events near your Local Union, check out this AFL-CIO PRO Act toolkit. Be sure to post your pictures and videos with #PROAct.

Thanks to the work of Teamster members in 2020, we have a real chance to pass this historic pro-union legislation. The PRO Act is the most significant worker empowerment legislation since the Great Depression.

Together we can push this over the finish line!


Jul 16, 2021

Successor contract ratified at Penske Truck Leasing
July 6, 2021 Teamsters Local 355 members recently ratified a new three-year contract with Penske Truck Leasing. The agreement provides a 2.5% wage increase, an improved vacation entitlement increase after 25 years, a new $200 boot allowance, an extra $1 per hour hourly compensation for those who regularly work off-site, among other improvements. The contract covers refrigeration techs, mechanics, preventative maintenance techs, apprentice techs, and customer service reps at the Jessup and Wicomico Street locations.

2021 Teamsters Convention: A virtual first for the union
July 6, 2021 The 30th International Convention of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters held June 22-25 was like no other event in the union’s 118-year history. Delegates and alternates from Maryland Locals 355, 453, 570, and 888 (below, click to enlarge), were among 1,600+ delegates representing more than 500 Teamster locals... Continued at 355News   More photos in the Photo Gallery.

(L-R) Front row: Alternate Nick Hart, Local 355; Bill Heil, staff, Local 570; Delegate Dave White, Local 355; Alternate Larry Kelly, Local 570; Alternate Dale Pink, Local 355; Alternate Tim Seto, Local 355; Alternate Alvinia Crowell, Local 888; Alternate Karen Miller, Local 570; Delegate Sean Cedenio, Local 570; Delegate Janet Genovese, Local 355; Delegate Gilbert Howdershelt, Local 355; and Alternate Felix Guinto Jr., Local 355. (L-R) Back row: Delegate Moses Jackson, Local 570; Alternate Richard Taylor, Local 570; Delegate Denis Taylor, Local 355; Delegate Joe Fowler, Local 570; Alternate Al Richardson, Local 355; Delegate Mark Garey, Local 355; Alternate Gary Ward Jr., Local 355; Delegate Bill Alexander, Local 355; Delegate Chris Greene Sr., Local 355; Delegate Richard Brown, Local 570; Delegate Larry Wolfe, Local 453; and Delegate Larry Geho, Local 888.

Hoffa: Teamsters unite to take on Amazon threat
July 7, 2021  The Teamsters Union at its 30th International Convention late last month made a historic decision to commit and unite the union to protecting and improving the wages and workings standards in the goods movement industry under threat from Amazon’s exploitative employment model. Amazon’s reprehensible labor practices are well documented and recent groundbreaking reporting confirms there are continuing abusive practices. A recent analysis by Jeff Bezos’ own Washington Post and a report by the Strategic Organizing Center shined a light on Amazon’s atrocious health and safety record that found, among other things, Amazon workers are injured at rates twice the industry average… teamster.org

Maryland offers $50,000 scholarships in vaccine push for teens
July 8, 2021 State residents ages 12-17 who both live and are vaccinated in Maryland will be eligible to win in Maryland’s “VaxU” incentive program. Two scholarships a week will be awarded every week through Labor Day… Details here

First-contract proposal meeting for Harrington US Foods drivers
July 13, 2021  Drivers at US Foods in Harrington, Delaware had their first contract proposal meeting Sunday, July 11, at the Local’s Salisbury office. The workers brought their ideas and proposals for improved benefits, including better health coverage. “The group is seeking to have the terms of their working conditions and benefits guaranteed in a legally binding contract,” said Ed Mulford, Local 355 business agent. A date to begin negotiations has yet to be scheduled.

The other victims of the pandemic: Workers killed in fights over masks
July 19, 2021 Essential workers have borne the brunt of a pandemic poisoned by politics. BuzzFeed News found at least four frontline employees who died in fights over masks, including Local 355 member Frankye Duckett, a Baltimore MobilityLink bus driver killed in January 2021. “How do you kill somebody because they tell you to put your mask on?”... Continued at Buzzfeed News

Important Senate hearing tomorrow: The Right to Organize
July 20, 2021 The PRO Act Week of Action is underway with Teamsters attending rallies and events around the country calling on the Senate to pass this historic pro-union legislation, putting power in the hands of workers and strengthening our unions. Our allies in the Senate are taking an important step. Tune in at 10 am ET as the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee holds a hearing on the PRO Act. Link is here. This hearing is crucial to getting the PRO Act through the Senate and to President Biden’s desk. Strong unions mean higher wages, safer working conditions, and dignity for workers all across America. Make your voice heard: Share your story – tell Congress why passing the PRO Act matters to you.

Local 355 mourns the passing of Brother Don Riley
July 23, 2021 Retired UPS package driver Donald Joseph Riley passed away June 14, 2021. Brother Riley was a proud member of Local 355 for 33 years. He served as a shop steward at the UPS facility in Hunt Valley, Maryland for many years, and as a Local 355 trustee from 1999 until his retirement from UPS in 2008. A Memorial Service will be held at 11 am August 7, 2021, at Peaceful Alternatives Funeral and Cremation Center, P.A., 2325 York Road, Timonium, Md. 21093. An informal reception is open to all beginning at 10 am.

Teamsters go big in pushing the PRO Act
July 27, 2021 Teamsters from coast-to-coast turned out in force last week with their fellow union brothers and sisters to urge the Senate to pass the Protect the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which would empower hardworking Americans in their efforts to join together and fight for better wages and benefits as well as safer jobs. Whether it was through rallies or other events, the Teamsters were on the ground getting the word out that more has to be done to help workers… Teamsters 

Application deadline for Local 355 scholarships is Friday, July 30 
July 28, 2021 This is your reminder that applications for the Teamsters Local Union No. 355 Annual Scholarship must be received at the Local Union office no later than Friday, July 30. Applications are available for download here.

Hoffa: New NLRB members will ensure workers are heard
July 30, 2021 The Senate confirmed two labor union attorneys this week to serve on the National Labor Relations Board. In a statement issued today, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said, “For too long, workers’ efforts to join together and bargain for fair wages and working conditions have been stymied at the NLRB. But that changes with the additions of David Prouty and Gwynne Wilcox, whose decades-long careers prove they value the rights of working Americans to organize on the job if they choose…” Teamsters

 

 


Jul 06, 2021

View photos more here

July 6, 2021 | The 30th International Convention of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters held June 22-25 was like no other event in the union’s 118-year history. Delegates and alternates from Maryland Locals 355, 453, 570, and 888, were among 1,600+ delegates representing more than 500 Teamster locals engaged in the work of the union in a total virtual format. In addition to passing a landmark resolution to build worker power at Amazon, delegates approved the following amendments to the union’s Constitution:

  •  Article VII, Section 7(b) The amendment confirms the current practice of providing copies of reports prepared by International Auditors for local unions in Canada to the President of Teamsters Canada.
  • Article XII, Section 1. 2 and 6 Provisions regarding the ratification of local union and master collective bargaining agreements and for authorizing strikes were rewritten to eliminate the 2/3 rule provisions and limiting the ability of the negotiating committees to impose contracts that have not been approved by a majority of the voting members.
  • Article XII, Section 14(a) The proposal increases the minimum amount of out-of-work benefits and provides for the payment of benefits from the first day of a strike as long as the strike and defense fund has at least $150 million at the start of the strike.
  • Article XIII, Section 4 This clarifies that the Organizing Assistance Fund can be used to support organizing campaigns for workers who have been misclassified and are not considered to be “employees.” This will allow support of credible campaigns to organize workers being exploited by the “gig” economy. 
  • Article XXII, Section 4(a) The changes reflect changes in the Department of Labor regulations governing union elections and authorize the General Executive Board to adopt changes in nomination and election procedures in the event we are confronted with another crisis that prevents in-person meetings. It also provides for the General Executive Board to adopt procedures in the event the Department of Labor or any responsible provincial body permits election of officers to be conducted electronically.
  • Article XXII, Section 4(e) The new language further defines an “extraordinary” expenditure between the time of an election and the start of the term of the newly elected officers in order to make clear that established and funded benefit funds can be paid provided the financial stability of the local is not adversely affected.
  • Article XXVI, Section 6(c) This confirms the current practice whereby the President of Teamsters Canada notifies the General President in the event it is determined that a problem exists in a Canadian local union that might require a trusteeship to be imposed over the local.
  • Article XXVI, Section 6(f) This also confirms existing practice and provides that the International Auditor assigned to Canada will send the audit report to the President of Teamsters Canada at the same time it is forwarded to the General Secretary-Treasurer. Via teamsters. org


Jun 16, 2021
Congratulations to Shawn McCoy, Tony Petraglia, Dave Schultz, and Robby Arnold (UPS/Baltimore), above, for their First Place win in the Local's bi-annual golf event held Saturday, June 12, at the Queenstown Harbor Golf Course in Queenstown, Md.
Jun 16, 2021

COVID-19 vaccine offers freedom, so do your part to help
June 2, 2021 In a column published in the Detroit News yesterday, President Jim Hoffa wrote that the vaccines against the coronavirus that has held us captive for 15 months are allowing hardworking Americans and their families to reclaim their lives, just in time for summer. But everyone must do what they can to get us back on track. “The Teamsters have a vested interest in snuffing out the coronavirus. After all, more than a million of our members are essential workers and put their lives and those of their families at risk to show up on the job each day… They deserve to be safe. That won’t happen, however, unless more people get immunized.” Read Hoffa's column here.

‘Right to Work’ fails in NH, thanks to work of Teamsters
June 7, 2021 New Hampshire Teamsters are celebrating a state House vote last night that rejected so-called right-to-work (RTW) legislation that would have weakened workers and their unions in the Granite State, a long-time goal of corporations and their elected cronies. In a 199-175 bipartisan vote, lawmakers turned back an effort backed by big business that would have drained union coffers by forcing them to represent bargaining unit members not paying fair-share fees… Continued

US Foods workers in Harrington, DE vote to join Local 355
June 11, 2021 Drivers working out of a US Foods drop yard in Harrington, Delaware voted on Thursday, June 10, 2021, in favor of joining Teamsters Local 355. Despite their employer’s surprisingly intense anti-union campaign, the workers stayed strong in their drive for better and more affordable health insurance, and the security and respect on the job that a Teamster contract will provide. There are 11 drivers in the bargaining unit.“We welcome this group of US Foods drivers and we will work hard winning them a first contract that addresses their concerns,” said Denis Taylor, President of Local 355.

Maryland governor ending COVID-19 state of emergency July 1
June 16, 2021 Maryland will end a state of emergency for COVID-19 on July 1, Gov. Larry Hogan announced Tuesday. The governor made the announcement as health metrics continue to improve in the state. “Masks or face coverings will not be required in any settings anywhere, including schools, camps, and child care facilities," Hogan said. “If you have been vaccinated, you are safe, but those who have not gotten vaccinated will continue to be at risk." But restaurants, venues, and other businesses and workplaces may continue to require themUpdate 6/17: Baltimore will follow the state and end both its state of emergency and mask mandates on July 1.

UPS workers to receive cost-of-living wage boost
June 11, 2021 Today, June 11, the Package Division sent out the attached memorandum to all UPS local unions about a COLA increase. Click here to view memo.

Local 355 golfers glad to be back on the links *
June 16, 2021 Local 355 golf enthusiasts got together for the first time since September 2019 for the Local’s bi-annual golf outing held on Saturday, June 12, 2021, at the Queenstown Harbor Golf Course in Queenstown, Md. Check out the top finishers and additional photos herePhoto Gallery: 2021 Spring Golf

Juneteenth holiday enshrines importance of freedom for all
June 18, 2021 Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa and Marcus King, the Director of Human Rights and Diversity Commission, issued this statement Thursday on the signing of legislation that would memorialize Juneteenth, the June 19 anniversary of the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Texas were finally notified they had been freed as a result of the end of the Civil War two months earlier, as a paid federal holiday.

Teamsters 30th Convention opens Tuesday, June 22
June 21, 2021 The International Brotherhood of Teamsters 30th Convention opens tomorrow, and this year’s event will be like no other Convention in the union’s 118-year-old history. This 30th Convention will be online. Planning has taken place over the past year and a determination about the format had to be made by January 1 of this year, when no in-person, large-scale events were taking place. Guests speakers will include President Biden and former President Bill Clinton; Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; and, international and U.S. labor leaders. Delegates will view the Convention on a special platform, and an app has been created to follow the events. For officer campaign election campaign info, convention committee reports, five-year reports, and proposed resolutions, or view convention videos and visit the convention store, register on the convention website here. You can also watch the convention here (no password is required).

Tribute Video: Jim Hoffa, Retiring Teamsters General President
June 25, 2021 On Thursday evening, Jim Hoffa brought down the Convention gavel for the final time as he closed his final convention as General President of the Teamsters Union. “It has been a tremendous honor to chair my fifth Convention during my 22 years as General President,” Hoffa said. “Good luck, and God bless the Teamsters Union.” Read more here.   Jim Hoffa Tribute Video from Jim Saah on Vimeo

Listen to the latest podcast about the 30th International Convention
June 25, 2021 Hear how the union is building on the past successes to power its latest organizing effort at online behemoth Amazon. Plus, Teamster leaders Jim Hoffa and Ken Hall share their words of wisdom about the future of the union.

Teamsters pass landmark resolution to build worker power at Amazon
June 25, 2021 On Thursday, June 24, 2021, delegates of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters voted overwhelmingly to formalize a resolution to address Amazon’s exploitation of its employees, contractors and employees of contractors. The resolution states that the union will fully fund and support the Amazon Project and supply all resources necessary. It also calls for ultimately creating a special Amazon Division to aid Amazon workers and defend and protect the standards in Teamster-represented industries from the existential threat that is Amazon. Continue reading at Teamsters.


May 20, 2021
Bainum continues his quest for Tribune, The Sun as time runs out May 3, 2021 | Bainum notified Tribune Publishing last Wednesday that he planned to have $300 million in financing that would go toward a revised offer valuing the company at roughly $680 million, according to three people with knowledge of the proposal.
Apr 13, 2021

Maryland to open COVID vaccine eligibility to all adults
Apr. 5, 2021 People age 16 and older can get shots starting Tuesday at the state’s mass vaccination sites. The state will require every vaccine provider in Maryland to offer shots to people 16 and up as of April 12. Learn more at The Baltimore Sun.

Rival group makes fully financed, roughly $680M bid for Tribune
Apr. 5, 2021 The Wall Street Journal reports that a special committee of Tribune Publishing’s board has determined that a roughly $680 million, $18.50-a-share bid submitted late last week by Choice Hotels International Inc. Chairman Stewart Bainum and Hansjörg Wyss is reasonably likely to lead to a proposal that is superior to Alden’s $635 million deal, people familiar with the matter said. That is legal deal-speak indicating Alden may need to raise its bid or risk losing the deal.

Tell your representatives to vote YES on the PRO Act
Apr. 8, 2021 Our outdated labor laws are no longer strong enough to protect us in the workplace. The #PROAct would change that. It’s the most significant worker empowerment legislation since the Great Depression & the Senate is the final obstacle to getting it passed. Lawmakers gave us their word they would make the PRO Act a top priority. It’s time for them to keep that promise. Stronger unions mean higher wages, safer working conditions and dignity for all people who work. The PRO Act is our first step to get there. Click here to call now.

Teamsters statement on Amazon election results in Alabama
Apr. 9, 2021 “The Teamsters commend the efforts of Amazon workers in Bessemer who came together to fight for respect and to provide a better life for themselves and their families,” said Randy Korgan, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters National Director for Amazon. “Despite going up against one of the world’s richest men in a country with weak labor laws, the workers in Bessemer brought national attention to issues that many non-union workers face in this industry. This fight is not over, and the Teamsters will always support workers who want to build power by standing together and demanding dignity, a safe workplace, and a fair return on their work.”

Harris, Rosen applaud Teamsters’ role in vaccine rollout
Apr. 13, 2021 The Teamsters understand what is at stake when it comes to combatting the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Teamsters have been working on the front lines during the pandemic, keeping our communities safe and our economy moving. The union is doing all it can to not only deliver the COVID-19 vaccine but to create opportunities for members to be vaccinated as well. And those efforts are not lost on elected officials, who are noticing and giving thanks to the union… Continue reading at Teamsters

Tribune sticking with Alden offer for now
Apr. 14, 2021 Update 4/19: After Wyss backs out, Alden Global regains upper hand in bid for Tribune but Bainum remains committed to purchasing the newspaper chain. The special committee of Tribune Publishing’s board of directors continues to recommend shareholders approve a buyout of the company by Alden Global Capital even as it considers a higher offer from Stewart Bainum Jr. and his business partner, Hansjörg Wyss. In an updated filing Wednesday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the newspaper group cited a number of factors in the reasoning to endorse Alden’s deal, valued at about $630 million, over a tentative $680 million offer by Bainum and Wyss… Baltimore Sun

Mark your calendar: 2021 Spring Golf Outing will be held June 12
Apr. 20, 2021 Local 355 members and retirees are invited to sign up for our Spring Golf event to be held at Queenstown Harbor in Queenstown, Maryland, Saturday, June 12. We’re limited to the first 60 golfers to sign up. Click here for details.

Teamsters statement on the conviction of Derek Chauvin
Apr. 21, 2021 Teamsters Human Rights and Diversity Director Marcus King issued this statement: “The International Brotherhood of Teamsters stand with the family of George Floyd and all of those who fight for racial justice following the Derek Chauvin’s murder conviction today. Though today’s verdict is a positive step in the right direction, this is just one instance of an unwarranted police killing of an unarmed Black man in the United States, and a harsh truth that we must accept – equal justice under the law is not a reality for all Americans…” Continued

Workers’ Memorial Day: Remembering the world’s workers
Apr. 21, 2021 Listen to the latest edition of the Teamsters Podcast and hear how the union is commemorating Workers’ Memorial Day by fighting to make workplaces safer. Plus, learn about the Teamster-authored new book focused on Long Island migrant camps. 

Tentative agreement reached for one-year carhaul contract extension
Apr. 21, 2021 Updated 4/22 to include TA link - The Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee (TNATINC) has reached a tentative agreement with the Employers Association for a one-year contract extension with Maintenance of Benefits, including a monetary increase…Teamsters Click here to download a PDF of the tentative agreement.

Ahead of April 30 sale, UPS Freight releases additional info for union employees
Apr. 26, 2021 “With the approaching close of the transaction, we’re excited to share what can be expected after the close of the sale on April 30…” Continued

American Families Plan helps workers bring balance to daily lives
Apr. 28, 2021 The following is a statement from Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa about today’s unveiling of President Biden’s American Families Plan, a sweeping measure that lifts up hardworking Americans by expanding education opportunities, mandating paid leave, subsidizing child care, and health care for low- and middle-income workers and providing tax relief to the middle class. “The modern American family is being pulled in a million different directions that make it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. The current pandemic has especially placed additional strains on women workers…” Continued

Local 355 mourns the passing of Brother Amos Batts
Apr. 28, 2021 It is with great sadness that we inform our members of the sudden death of Amports Teamster Amos A. Batts. A senior rail crew member with 15 years of service at Amports, Inc. in Baltimore, Brother Batts died of a heart attack at his home on April 20, 2021. A public viewing will be held Monday, May 3, 2021, 3:30 pm - 7:00 pm at Vaughn C. Greene Funeral Services, 4905 York Road, Baltimore, MD 21212. Brother Amos’ Celebration of Life can be viewed via Live Stream Tuesday, May 4, 2021: Wake at 2:30 pm, service at 3:00 pm at www.vaughncgreene.com

Teamsters take a stand to keep American families united
Apr. 29, 2021 The Teamsters are urging Congress to take up soon-to-be-introduced legislation being discussed in a House subcommittee hearing today that would help fix the nation’s broken immigration system by halting the separation of U.S. families that have both legal and undocumented members. The union is coming out in favor of the American Families United Act in part to support 20-year member Jason Rochester, a Georgia UPS worker. Rochester and his wife Cecilia have been separated since 2017… Continued

Local 355 mourns the passing of Brother George Lucas
Apr. 30, 2021 It is with deep sadness that we inform our members that Brother George Lucas recently lost a battle with COVID-19. A longtime Teamster, Brother Lucas worked for more than 10 years as a loader at US Foods until 2016 when the company closed its Severn, Maryland facility, and at the time of his death, he was a driver for ABF Freight System. Condolences and cards for his family may be sent to Victory Ministries of Christ, 240 S. Hilton Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21229.


Apr 05, 2021

April 4, 2021

Via The Wall Street Journal

A Maryland hotel magnate and a Swiss billionaire have made a bid for Tribune Publishing Co. that the newspaper chain is expected to favor over a takeover deal it already struck with hedge fund Alden Global Capital LLC.

A special committee of Tribune’s board has determined that a roughly $680 million, $18.50-a-share bid submitted late last week by Choice Hotels International Inc. Chairman Stewart Bainum and Hansjörg Wyss is reasonably likely to lead to a proposal that is superior to Alden’s $635 million deal, people familiar with the matter said. That is legal deal-speak indicating Alden may need to raise its bid or risk losing the deal.

The decision came after the two men indicated they plan to personally contribute more than $600 million combined, up from a previous total of $200 million, the people said.

Now that the group has submitted a fully financed bid, it will get access to private financial data to conduct due diligence and negotiate other terms, a big step toward completing an agreement that could replace Alden’s, they said. There is no guarantee the group will succeed in doing so, and it is still possible it could change its offer or walk away after reviewing the company’s finances.

If Alden loses the deal, it would mark a stunning, 11th-hour turnaround for the New York hedge fund, and a major victory for critics who say its model of aggressive cost-cutting has hurt the local news industry. Alden had spent nearly a year-and-a-half positioning itself to take over Tribune, publisher of nine large-market daily newspapers including the Chicago Tribune, New York Daily News and the Baltimore Sun.

Alden struck a deal in February to pay $17.25 per share for the rest of the company. It had agreed to separately sell Mr. Bainum the Baltimore Sun for $65 million once the Tribune deal was finalized. That side deal fell apart over disagreements about the cost of continuing services the Sun would have received from Tribune after the sale.

Alden owns a newspaper company called MediaNews Group that has amassed a portfolio of about 70 daily papers through a string of acquisitions, most notably the Denver Post, San Jose Mercury News and St. Paul Pioneer Press. The hedge fund has been a lightning rod for criticism in the media industry for aggressive cost-cutting at titles it acquires.

Over the past decade, it has slashed newsroom staff by more than 75% at many of its papers, according to the News Guild. At one paper, the Norristown Times Herald in Pennsylvania, the newsroom went from 45 in 2012 to just five today, the union said.

That approach helped lead to the rival offer, with reporters at several Tribune papers launching campaigns to find alternate bidders. Mr. Wyss, who founded a medical-device maker later bought by Johnson & Johnson, has said he was inspired to join with Mr. Bainum after reading such a plea from reporters at the Chicago Tribune.

As is typical, the Tribune board has continued to recommend Alden’s deal to shareholders and will do so until another proposal is officially deemed superior. Assuming that happens in the coming weeks, Alden would have a four-day window in which to match the counterbid or walk away with a breakup fee.

The agreement stipulates that it would be owed $20 million if Tribune scraps their deal in favor of another. In that case, Alden could also make a profit on its 32% stake in the company.

On March 16, Mr. Bainum made a nonbinding offer of $18.50 a share to buy Tribune that was conditional on him being able to raise the financing. He agreed to put up $100 million of his own money for the effort and Mr. Wyss later committed an additional $100 million with the intention of ultimately taking control of the Chicago Tribune.

People close to Mr. Bainum have said that he has long been saddened by the decline of the Sun, his hometown paper. He has said that if his bid is successful, he intends to ultimately hand control of the paper to a nonprofit trust.

Florida investor Mason Slaine, who holds a 3.4% Tribune stake, had expressed interest in joining the effort in order to acquire the publisher’s Orlando Sentinel and Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, but isn’t part of it, the people said.

Public company bidding wars, typically a rare phenomenon, are popping up frequently this year, partly because of sky-high valuations that leave a limited number of attractive acquisition targets and low interest rates that make financing cheap and abundant.

Last week, a pair of private-equity investors agreed to boost the price for transportation-technology company Cubic Corp. after an interloper emerged. Laser maker Coherent Inc. was the subject of a frenzied three-way bidding war that ended in a nearly $7 billion deal last month.


Mar 19, 2021

Jennifer Bates    PHOTO/RWDSU

March 19, 2021
Via Press Associates, Inc.

What is it really like to work at Amazon, owned by the world’s richest person, Jeff Bezos, which is also fighting unionization by the 5,805 low-paid oppressed and exploited workers, many if not most workers of color, at its Bessemer, Ala., warehouse? Jennifer Bates, a “learning ambassador” there and a leader in the workers’ fight to unionize with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union/UFCW, brought the inside story to the Senate Budget Committee on March 17. We reprint her testimony below. The workers are voting by mail now. Results will be announced on March 29:

“Good morning, Chairman Sanders, Ranking Member Graham, and members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today.

“My name is Jennifer Bates and I work in Bessemer, Ala., where my coworkers and I are trying to form a union at Amazon with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.

“Amazon brags it pays workers above the minimum wage. What they don’t tell you is what those jobs are really like. And they certainly don’t tell you that they can afford to do much better for their workers.

“Working at an Amazon warehouse is no easy thing. The shifts are long. The pace is super-fast. You are constantly being watched and monitored. They seem to think you are just another machine.

“I started working at Amazon in May of 2020, not too long after they opened. By my third day, I was hurting. I looked around and saw it wasn’t just me. I mentioned it to my sister who also worked there at the time, and she just told me it only gets worse.

“At Amazon, you are on your feet walking all the time and climbing stairs to get to your station and move products. We have two 30-minute breaks during a 10-hour shift which is not long enough to give you time to rest. The place is huge--the size of 16 football fields. Just walking the long way to the bathroom and back eats up precious break time.

“My co-workers and I—older, younger, middle-aged people—limp from climbing up and down the stairs in the four-floor building. When I first came in to work, I noticed there was one elevator for human use. When I tried to use it, a co-worker stopped me and told me we weren’t allowed to use it.

“Then I noticed that around the facility there were plenty of elevators, but the signs say, ‘material only, no riders.’ I couldn’t believe they built a facility with so many elevators for materials and make employees take the stairs on a four-flight facility.

“The work itself is also grueling. We have to keep up with the pace. My workday feels like a 9-hour intense workout every day. And they track our every move. If your computer isn’t scanning, you get charged with being time-off-task. From the onset, I learned that if I worked too slow or had too much time off task I could be disciplined or even fired. Like a lot of workers, it was too much for my sister. She ended up quitting. 

“I thought there should be another way. I mean why can’t such a large and wealthy company do better for their workers? Amazon even took away our essential worker pay in the middle of the pandemic. Meanwhile, Amazon has made tons of money during this crisis. Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world. And now he’s even richer thanks to us workers.

“They expect us not to expect anything we didn’t already have. Like we do not deserve better. Amazon goes into poor communities claiming they want to help with economic growth.

“That should mean paying its employees a living wage and benefits that truly match the cost of living, and ensure workers work in safe and healthy conditions. Because we are not robots designed to only live to work. We work to live. We deserve to live, laugh and love, and have full self-fulfilling lives.

“We the workers deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and deserve to be given the same commitment that we give to the job every day we go in. We give 100% at work, but it feels like we’re being given back 30%. We’re committed to making sure the customers get a nice package, the whole product in a couple of days. But who is looking out for us?

“We, the workers, made the billions for Amazon. I often say we are the billionaires--we just don’t get to spend it. “We first started to talk about unionizing one day during a break. One guy said, ‘They wouldn’t be doing this to us if we had a union.’ People were upset about the breaks being too short and not having enough time to rest. About being humiliated by having to go through random security checks to make sure we’re not stealing merchandise and then not even being given that time back from our break time.

“Others didn’t like that they never actually spoke to a manager--they just got messages on the app or by text. It’s all so impersonal and at times just plain weird. And then there’s job security. People are concerned about people getting fired for no real reason and not being given the opportunity to speak to anybody at Amazon about it.

“They deny us good working conditions and claim we should be happy with what we have, and then go around spending millions to tell us we don’t need a union. “As soon as Amazon found out about us working with RWDSU, they started going hard trying to stop the union drive. We were forced into what they called ‘union education’ meetings. We had no choice but to attend them. They would last for as much as an hour and we’d have to go sometimes several times a week.

“The company would just hammer on different reasons why the union was bad. And we had to listen. If someone spoke up and disagreed with what the company was saying they would shut the meeting down and told people to go back to work. Then follow up with one-on-one meetings on the floor.

“A lot of what was said in those meetings was untrue, like telling people they'd lose their benefits if they joined the union. It was upsetting to see some younger people who were on board with the union get confused by what was being said in the meetings. “All around the plant, Amazon put up anti-union signs and messages. They sent messages to workers' phones. They even had signs posted in the bathroom stall. No place was off-limits. No place seemed safe.

“Despite all that, or maybe because of it, we continue to organize and build support for the union. We do it because we hope that with a union we will finally have a level playing field. We hope we will be able to talk to someone at HR without being dismissed. We hope that we will be able to rest more, that there will be changes in the facility to take some of the stress off our bodies.

“We’re hoping we get a living wage—not just [Amazon's] minimum wage, and be able to provide better for our families. We hope they will start to hear us and see us and treat us like human beings. “It’s frustrating that all we want is to make Amazon a better place to work. Yet Amazon is acting like they are under attack. Maybe if they spent less time--and money--trying to stop the union they would hear what we are saying. And maybe they would create a company that’s as good for workers and our community as it is for shareholders and executives.

“Thank you for giving me this time to share my story.”


Mar 15, 2021

Teamsters say they’re organizing an Amazon union in Iowa
Mar. 2, 2021 A unionization effort is underway among employees of Amazon.com's Iowa warehouses, with organizers threatening a strike. International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 238 Organizing Director Buzz Malone said Friday that he has been recruiting workers to organize since November. He said the union has approached "400 to 500" current or former employees, primarily tied to Amazon's distribution centers in Grimes and Iowa City… Continue reading 

Tell your Senators - Protect our pensions now!
Mar. 2, 2021 For years we’ve fought for a solution to the looming pension crisis. Thanks to the continued efforts by Teamster members, retirees, and families, last week, the House passed the COVID relief bill with a solution to save our pensions. Now we need to push a little bit more: The Senate is scheduled to vote this week, and President Biden has pledged to sign the bill. Take two minutes and send a message to your Senator and help us deliver on the promise to Build Back Stronger.     

Contract extended one year at Dow Jones
Mar. 3, 2021 On February 25, 2021, Teamster Local 355 pressmen at Dow Jones and Company, Silver Spring, Md., ratified a one-year contract extension that included a signing bonus. The new term will run through February 28, 2022.

Hoffa: House vote on policing legislation is necessary step toward justice
Mar. 5, 2021 “For too long, communities of color have found themselves unfairly targeted by some in law enforcement. Excessive force is used in too many cases. That needs to stop, and will, when this legislation becomes law…For more than a century, the Teamsters have stood up for equality in the workplace. But that can’t stop at the job site. This union supports comprehensive reform that protects the rights of people of color to equal justice under the law while also allowing the vast majority of those in law enforcement who do their jobs well to continue to do so…” Full statement at Teamsters    

Biden expected to sign LTL driver pension relief package
Mar. 8, 2021 Legislation bailing out financially troubled multiemployer pension plans – including a plan covering thousands of employees and retirees from LTL carriers Yellow and ABF Freight – could be signed into law by President Joe Biden as early as this week. The Butch Lewis Pension Plan Relief Act of 2021 was included in the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue package that was approved on Saturday by the U.S. Senate along party lines. Sources contacted by FreightWaves noted that the pension relief portion of the package made it through the Senate relatively unscathed, so it will likely remain intact when it reaches the White House… FreightWaves

Hoffa: House passage of PRO Act will ease union organizing for US workers
Mar. 10, 2021 “Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on the House’s approval of legislation today that would comprehensively update the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to benefit workers: “In approving the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, the House agreed to restore fairness to the economy at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated income inequality, stifling the ability of far too many hardworking Americans to earn a decent wage that allows them to support their families…” Full statement at Teamsters   

Teamsters celebrate passage of COVID-19 stimulus bill delivering pension relief 
Mar. 11, 2021 Update: Biden delivers on Teamsters' pension priorities in signing American Rescue Plan The Teamsters are euphoric about the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan (ARP) clearing its final legislative hurdle in the House [yesterday], ensuring more than 1 million U.S. workers and retirees in struggling multiemployer pension plans will receive the nest eggs they were promised while other Americans hit hard by the global pandemic get the help they need.

New on Teamsters Podcast: Promises made - promises kept
Mar. 12, 2021 Listen to this special edition of the Teamsters Podcast and hear how President Biden and Congress delivered pension relief to more than one million Americans after years of lobbying on the issue by the Teamsters.

Baltimore Sun deal may be off as Md. businessman looks to buy all of Tribune Publishing
Mar. 15, 2021 A deal for a nonprofit backed by a Maryland businessman to buy The Baltimore Sun and its affiliates may be off — or at least stalled. According to a report in The New York Times, negotiations for Steward Bainum Jr. to acquire Baltimore Sun Media from Alden Global Capital “has run into complications.” Bainum may be organizing a competing bid for all of Tribune Publishing… Baltimore Sun

Democrats saved union pensions after Hoffa’s long campaign
Mar. 17, 2021 No one knows better that elections have consequences than labor union leaders, who secured an $83 billion pension-fund bailout in President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan Act. "Without Joe Biden winning, and we won the two Senate seats in Georgia and we were able to do reconciliation, none of this would’ve happened," James P. Hoffa, the general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said in a telephone interview with NBC News

Will Baltimore Sun buyer Stewart Bainum go all in?
Mar. 17, 2021 New York Times report Sunday evening is likely raising hopes in Tribune Publishing newsrooms that an impending takeover by hedge fund Alden Global Capital can be averted. In an anonymously sourced story, the Times suggests that Stewart Bainum Jr., who has agreed to buy The Baltimore Sun for $65 million, may be putting together a bid for all 10 of the company’s papers. That’s possible, but not all that likely… Poynter Institute Media Business Analysis

Md. to open vaccine eligibility to Phase 2 in waves starting Tuesday
Mar. 18, 2021 Beginning Tuesday, COVID-19 vaccinations will be open to all Marylanders 60 and older, who can already preregister for appointments at Maryland’s mass vaccination clinics on the phone or online, reports The Baltimore Sun. The rollout will expand starting March 30 to include all residents over the age of 16 who have underlying medical conditions that increase the risk for severe COVID-19 illness, and on April 13 for anyone 55 and up or who are essential construction, food services, utilities, transportation, financial and IT workers, among other critical industries. By April 27, all Marylanders 16 and older will be eligible.

UPS Freight releases important information about proposed sale
Mar. 19, 2021 UPS Freight responds to frequently asked questions from Teamsters employees regarding the sale of the company to Montreal-based TFI International. Read it here.

Union condemns uptick in violence against Asian-Americans
Mar. 22, 2021 The Teamsters are condemning the ongoing spate of violence targeting the Asian community since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which came to a head earlier this week in a series of shootings in the Atlanta area that took the lives of eight people, including six women of Asian descent. “The coronavirus has tested the resolve of the American people,” Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said. “But it should in no way be used as an excuse for violent actions taken against anyone living in this country, no matter what their background… Continue reading

New on Teamsters Podcast: The 411 on the COVID-19 vaccine
Mar. 24, 2021 Listen to the latest edition to hear how the union’s Safety and Health Department is educating the membership on the need to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.

Bainum hopes to offer $650M for Sun parent, Tribune Publishing 
Mar. 25, 2021 Maryland business executive Stewart Bainum Jr. wants to purchase Tribune Publishing Co. for $650 million — 10 times the amount he agreed last month to pay for one of its newspapers, the Baltimore Sun. It’s an effort to edge out an already agreed-upon $630 million offer for Tribune from Alden Global Capital, an investment fund known for acquiring and slashing newspaper operations… Continue reading

Swiss billionaire teams up with Bainum to acquire Sun, Tribune
Mar. 29, 2021 An octogenarian Swiss billionaire who has donated hundreds of millions to environmental causes has entered the bidding for Tribune Publishing, the New York Times reported Saturday afternoon. Hansjörg Wyss, 85, the former CEO of medical device manufacturer Synthes, told the Times Friday that he had agreed to join with Maryland hotelier Stewart W. Bainum Jr.'s previous effort to buy Tribune, an offer that could upend Alden's plan to take full ownership of the company… Crain’s Chicago Business

UPS Freight Update: Pension issues
Mar. 29, 2021 Information has been received from UPS Freight concerning pension issues, reports Kris Taylor, UPS Freight Coordinator, Teamsters Package Division. Read the update Taylor sent today to all Teamster local unions representing UPS Freight members.

 


Feb 15, 2021
Stronger unions are key to a stronger America Feb. 1, 2021 | Working Americans have been hit hard by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic – not just their health, but their wallets as well. Millions are out of work and struggling to keep food on the table.
Jan 26, 2021
Biden begins to address organized labor's federal policy priorities Jan.
Download:
TeamstersFederalPolicyPriorities2021.pdf

Jan 13, 2021

Nomination notice for 2021 IBT Convention delegates, alternates
Local 355 will conduct nominations for delegates and alternates to the 2021 IBT Convention on Sunday, February 7, 2021Click here for important information including eligibility requirements and nomination instructions.


Alden bids to acquire Baltimore Sun parent, Tribune Publishing
Jan. 1, 2021 Hedge fund Alden Global Capital has submitted a bid to acquire Tribune Publishing according to a filing Thursday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The deal is valued at $520 million. The offer was submitted to Tribune Publishing’s board Dec. 14… it hoped to move to a final agreement within two to three weeks. If successful, Alden would gain control of the Chicago Tribune, the New York Daily News, the Orlando Sentinel, and the Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale among several large metros, and may sell off The Baltimore Sun. In its offer letter, Alden says that another investor, Maryland businessman Stewart Bainum Jr., has expressed an interest in buying “certain assets” of Tribune as part of a deal. That possibility is worth exploring, Alden says… The hedge fund, notorious for draconian job cuts and other expense cuts, already owns dozens of newspapers… Poynter

Teamsters Women’s Conference offering free webinars
Jan. 5, 2021 The Teamsters Women’s Conference is continuing to provide timely, topic-specific webinars they hope are helpful to you during this unusual and stressful time. While the webinars do not take the place of the in-person conference, it’s an opportunity to hear from experts in their fields regarding issues that affect all Teamster women. Check them out here.

2021 International Convention to be conducted virtually
Jan. 7, 2021 In a memo issued yesterday, General President Jim Hoffa and General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall announced, “It is with regret that we advise that the General Executive Board has determined that the pandemic will prevent the International Union from conducting the International Convention in-person… While we are hopeful that the new vaccines will be distributed and administered to much of the public before June, we cannot put delegates and convention planners at risk.” Read the entire memo here.

Union denounces assault on democracy, mourn murder of U.S. Capitol police officer
Jan. 11, 2021 The International Brotherhood of Teamsters join our brothers and sisters across the labor movement in condemning the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday and decrying the murder of U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick. Officer Sicknick was a member of the U.S. Capitol Police Labor Committee. “This past week we witnessed an unprecedented assault on our democracy, as a mob of extremists stormed the sacred halls of the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to thwart the will of the people and prevent the certification of the Presidential election… Continue reading here.

Local 355 plan approved for nomination, election of IBT Convention delegates, alternates
Jan. 11, 2021  The IBT Election Supervisor has approved the Local 355 plan for conducting nominations and elections for seven delegates and seven alternates to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Convention to be held in June 2021. Click here to read in English and Spanish

Talks with State of Maryland break down over 1% pay offer
Jan. 12, 2021  Members in Bargaining Unit H may be interested in this news summary by labor news service, Press Associates, Inc., on the current status of union negotiations with the Hogan administration.

Building stronger unions for American workers
Jan. 15, 2021 The U.S. next week will begin a new chapter with the swearing-in of Joe Biden as president and Kamala Harris as vice president. And the Teamsters are ready to turn the page and move forward with policy objectives that will empower American workers so that they will be able to more easily come together and fight for higher wages, better benefits and safer workplaces… Continue reading here.

Teamster statement on Biden’s nomination of Trottenberg for Transportation Sec’ty
Jan. 19, 2021 The following is a statement from Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on President-elect Joe Biden’s nomination of former New York City Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg as the next deputy U.S. Secretary of Transportation. “The nation’s transportation needs are broad and diverse. That’s why the Teamsters laud President-elect Biden’s choice of Polly Trottenberg as the next Deputy Secretary of Transportation. She knows how to prioritize our infrastructure needs so the country can better serve the more than 700,000 Teamsters who work across the industry as well as all Americans who use the nation’s roads, rails and airports… Continue reading here.

School bus, transit workers are high priority for Covid-19 vaccine
Jan. 22, 2021 “The vaccination of frontline workers is essential to their protection and the protection of the public-at-large," said Rick Middleton, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 572 and Director of the Teamsters Passenger Transportation Division in a statement issued today. "Much attention has been given to the heroic workers who have continued to keep our country functioning during this terrible time – those in industries like the supply chain and health care are owed an immeasurable debt of gratitude. We shouldn’t forget, however, another group of workers who are owed that same debt – those in school bus and transit..." Continued here

Biden begins to address organized labor's federal policy priorities
Jan. 22, 2021 In recent days our Union issued a flurry of press releases responding to some of the first actions of the new Biden administration to improve the lives of American workers: Learn more here.

Penske Logistics members approve new contract
Jan. 25, 2021 Local 355 members employed Penske Logistics (Halperns) ratified on Saturday, January 23, a new collective bargaining agreement with a five-year term. The deal includes wage increases in every year of the contract and additional financial bonuses in the third, fourth, and fifth year. The Covid-19 pandemic has decimated the supply chain industry due to wide-spread restaurant closures. This deal will provide financial stability for Penske Logistics members.

Update from the Diary and Food Processing Divisions
Jan. 26, 2021 Division Director Rome Aloise reports, “There’s no point in mincing words: last year was, for the most part, pretty terrible. With that in mind, there are a number of reasons I have to hope that this year is going to be a whole lot better. In the final weeks of last year… Continued here.

Update from Teamsters Express Division
Jan. 26, 2021 Division Director Bill Hamilton reports, “As we approach the one-year mark of the pandemic in the United States, it is critically important that we all remain extra vigilant and take all of the necessary health and safety precautions to protect ourselves, our families and our coworkers. The COVID-19 infection rate at DHL… Continued here.

TFI to acquire UPS Freight for $800M
Jan. 26, 2021 TFI International has agreed to acquire UPS Freight for about $800 million, the Canadian trucking and logistics company and UPS said Monday, in a deal that will transform it into a North American less-than-truckload juggernaut. UPS Freight will operate as TForce Freight. Its 14,500 employees will shift to the new TFI unit, which will also continue serving UPS’ LTL needs under a five-year agreement…. Freightwaves  "All operations will remain status quo, until further notice..." Teamsters update on UPS Freight sale 

We mourn tragic death of brother Frankye Duckett*
Jan. 30, 2021 Teamsters Local 355 MTA MobilityLink van driver Frankye Duckett was shot and killed Friday evening in NE Baltimore while on the job. A suspect has been arrested and charged with his murder; a warrant has been issued for a second suspect. In a statement to the Baltimore Sun, Mark Garey, Local 355 Recording Secretary and business agent representing mobility drivers for First Transit MTA, said, “I am saddened to hear of the tragic loss of brother Frankye Duckett. I hope they catch who was responsible for this violent act, and on behalf of the entire Teamsters Union, our prayers and thoughts go out to his family.” Anyone with information about the fatal shooting can call detectives at 410-396-2100, or dial 1-866-7LOCKUP to leave a tip with Metro Crime Stoppers. * Updated Feb. 2, 2021, to include news of a suspect's arrest, links to recent news reports, and a statement from the Teamsters Union.


Dec 18, 2020

Local 355 Schedule 
2020 Holiday Season

Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Friday, Dec. 25, 2020 CLOSED

Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Friday, Jan. 1, 2020 CLOSED

Everyone at Local 355 wishes you and your family
a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Stay safe, be well!


Dec 11, 2020
Truckers may be among the first to get the Covid vaccine Dec. 1, 2020 |  Truck drivers and other workers in critical and essential jobs could be the earliest people to receive COVID-19 vaccinations as several major pharmaceutical companies begin working with major transportation firms to deliver the vaccines.
Nov 13, 2020

Local 355 Officers, Trustees declared elected to 2021-2023 term
Nov. 2, 2020 |  Today was the deadline for nominations, seconds of nominations, and candidates acceptances for Local Union Office to be received by 5 p.m. by the Local Union Secretary-Treasurer. All incumbents were nominated and seconded. As the final number of candidates nominated does not exceed the number of offices to be filled, the candidates are declared elected for the term January 1, 2021, through December 31, 2023.: President, Denis Taylor; Secretary-Treasurer, David White; Vice President, Bill Alexander; Recording Secretary, Mark Garey; Trustees, Janet Genovese, Chris Greene, and Dale Pink. View the official notice here.

Teamsters statement on Biden-Harris victory
Nov. 9, 2020 |  The Teamsters congratulate President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris for their hard-fought victory. This union endorsed it because the Biden-Harris campaign put forward a bold pro-worker agenda that will enhance the ability of hardworking Americans to join together and collectively bargain for better pay and working conditions… Continue reading here.  Related: Counting every vote is essential to ensuring democracy.

Covid-19 Update: Hogan issues new restrictions as Md. crosses into ‘danger zone’
Nov. 10, 2020 |  Gov. Larry Hogan announced today a slew of new restrictions and guidance as Maryland’s Covid-19 numbers have surged in the past week amid a nationwide increase in cases. As part of the new measures, effective Wednesday at 5 p.m., jurisdictions must decrease the maximum indoor capacity for restaurants and bars from 75% to 50%. The state health department will also issue advisories. The rising case numbers have already led Baltimore City to take action at the local level, with new restrictions on capacity and gatherings set to take effect in the city on Thursday.

Two long-time UPS members retire
Nov. 11, 2020 |  On Friday, Oct. 30, 2020, 27-year veteran Matt Edwards, and 25-year veteran John Speed III, wrapped up their careers as UPS package drivers. Family members and coworkers joined the combined retirement celebration at the Quad Avenue facility in Baltimore. Local 355 Business Agent Mike Petro, their former coworker and shop steward, said Edwards and Speed were role models for other workers. “They were well-liked and consistently came to work and got the job done with little fanfare. That was good for them, good for the company, and good for the Union.” Edwards will continue to operate a home inspection business he shares with his dad. Speed said that, for now, lots of skiing is on his calendar. Photos: Top, John Speed III with (L-R), mom Courtney, daughter Sydney, son Josiah, wife Tanya, and son John IV, a new driver at the Baltimore facility; Left, Matt Edwards with son Robert, and wife Tammy. 

Here’s a Maryland county-by-county list of new Covid-19 restrictions
Nov. 13, 2020 |  With case rates and hospitalization numbers climbing statewide, Maryland’s Gov. Hogan tightened coronavirus restrictions. Several jurisdictions have tightened restrictions further. Here’s where things stand…

UPS ends ban on beards and natural Black hairstyles
Nov. 13, 2020 |  UPS is lifting several of its longstanding strict rules on the personal appearance of its employees who interact with the public -- mostly its army of delivery drivers. The changes loosen the previous strict limits on facial hair, how long men could wear their hair, and hairstyles. The Teamsters praised the change… Continue reading here.

Tips for members & shop stewards posted every Monday 
Nov. 16, 2020 |  Members, research shows that union membership brings a sense of empowerment that comes with the security of a union contract. Every Monday we offer information and tips to help you learn more about the Union and your role in it. Check out Weekly Tip for Members under the Members Only tab on the left. Are you a new steward? There are a few things you should know if you want to be effective: Learn more at the Weekly Tip for Stewards under the Shop Stewards tab on the left. (Note: If you've forgotten your password, email teamstersjc62@gmail.com for assistance.)

New Podcast Edition: Members power political victory
Nov. 18, 2020 |  Listen to the latest edition of the Teamsters Podcast and hear how Teamsters reached out to their fellow members to make sure they voted for pro-worker candidates. Plus, drivers hear from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) about how to keep their trucks clean during the coronavirus pandemic. Listen here.

Having fun is their new job: Three UPS members retire
Nov. 19, 2020 |  On Friday, Oct. 30, 2020, the UPS hub in Harrington, Delaware was the site of another retirement fete for three Teamster drivers with 99 years combined service with the company. Family, friends, and active and retired UPS Teamsters celebrated Frank Biddle (35 years, right), Ron Harris (33 years, below right), and Michael Taylor (31 years, below left) with refreshments and well wishes. Jim Statum, UPS driver (and event coordinator), said Biddle “loves the water” and just bought a new boat. It’s not hard to guess what his retirement plans are. Harris likes the outdoors and hunting, and Taylor, who takes pride in his home projects, looks forward to spending time at home with his family, “time he hasn’t had for three decades.” More photos here.

Bargaining News: Successor contracts approved at Allied Binding, NuStar*
Nov. 25, 2020 |  (*Updated Nov. 30 to include Capitol Carbonic.) Members employed at Allied Binding Co. unanimously ratified on Nov. 23, 2020, a new seven-year agreement providing annual wage increases and enrollment in the Teamsters National 401k Savings Plan. Other gains include an increase in the Company’s payment to Health Care, plus improvements to the vacation and sick leave language. Also in November, NuStar members approved a new four-year contract that provides annual wage increases of 3.5%, an increase to the night shift differential, and an increase in the pay for working out of classification (supervisory). The contract was retroactive to the Sept. 30, 2020 expiration date. Members at Capitol Carbonic ratified late in November a new three-year contract that includes annual wage increases, night differential, driver's safe-driving bonus, an increase to the pension contribution, and maintenance of H&W. Important to this contract is  “bid language” for warehousemen and drivers. Wage increases retroactive to Dec. 31, 2019. Negotiations for new agreements continue at RNDC (Republic National Distributing Co.), and the State of Maryland. Upcoming negotiations: Anne Arundel County.

Hoffa Scholarship Fund now accepting applications
Nov. 30, 2020 |  The James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund has begun accepting applications for the 2021 award year. The Fund awards financial scholarships to the sons, daughters, and financial dependents of Teamster members. Academic awards in the amount of $1,000 or $10,000 are awarded to eligible high school seniors. Vocational/Training program awards are available ranging from $500 to $2,000. In 2020, $1.2 million in scholarships were awarded. Details on the application process can be found here.


Oct 30, 2020

October 30, 2020

Despite the coronavirus pandemic threat that remains all around us, negotiations put on hold during the early months of the year were resumed, issues resolved, and contracts extended or new agreements ratified:

Members at Belair Produce are working under an extension of their contract which remains status quo through Sept. 30, 2021. However, the company will pay a safety bonus to those who worked through the pandemic.

A one-year contract was approved in October by members at Budget Rent-A-Car providing a one-time bonus and wage increases. The contract expired in May.

Carism-Samuel Meisel members approved a 4-year contract with a wage freeze in the first year but annual increases in wages, pension, and H&W in the remaining years of the agreement.

The Teamsters and DHL Express reached an agreement back in April to ease vacation-use rules aimed at reducing any potential layoffs. The Letter of Understanding (LOU) between the Teamsters DHL National Negotiating Committee and DHL Express relaxes rules pertaining to vacation use if shipping volumes dropped.

Republic National Distributing Co. (RNDC) drivers approved a 34-month contract with wage increases, an increase in the layover per diem, and retro back to May 1, 2020. The employer picks up the cost of H & W. A two-tier wage schedule will be eliminated in the second year of the term, creating wage and vacation parity for all drivers.

Transdev members approved a three-year contract that provides above-average annual wage increases across the board, and an increase in paid time off (PTO), with provisions. For this contract term only, Local Union negotiators successfully argued against the employer’s plan to reduce members’ hourly compensation for the benefit of enrollment in the Health & Welfare plan.

Contracts under extensions while negotiations continue: Allied Bindery, Capitol Carbonic, First Transit, Republic National Distributing Co. (helpers), and NuStar.

Contracts expiring before the end of the year: Signature Flight SupportState of Maryland


Oct 15, 2020

Delivery drivers at US Foods in Manassas, Virginia, met with Local staff for their first-contract proposal meeting on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020, in Manassas, Va. The meeting was held at a local chapter of the American Legion, where everyone followed the veterans' organization’s safety protocols that required face masks inside the hall. The drivers voted in September to join Local 355.


Pensions and the 2020 election
Oct. 2, 2020 | America is facing a pension crisis, and the retirement security of more than 1.5 million Teamsters and other union members is at risk. We need a legislative fix now and we need to elect leaders that will fight for us. Go to www.teamstersvote.com and learn more about where the presidential candidates stand on pension reform. And remember to vote this November!

Notice: Proposed plan for nomination and election of IBT Convention delegates
Oct. 3, 2020 |  The Local 355 plan to nominate and elect delegates to the 2021 IBT Convention was submitted to the Election Supervisor Sept. 28, 2020. The informational Notice to All Local 355 Members is posted here. The Election Plan is available for review at www.ibtvote.org.

Brewery and Soft Drink Conference update
Oct. 5, 2020 |  From Director Greg Nowak: “As part of the army of essential workers who have continued to work all though our country’s pandemic, thank for the job well done, which you continue to do. The Brewery and Soft Drink Conference, representing workers in production facilities for beer, wine, spirits, water and soft drinks, and lal the delivery drivers for the and suppliers for these products, have kept products distributed for the changing habits of consumers…” Continue reading here.

Hoffa: Teamsters Need A Bold Plan. This Is It
Oct. 8, 2020 |  2020 is a year for the record books. A global pandemic has wreaked havoc not only with the health of Americans, but also on their wallets. Tens of millions of Americans have lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic, and millions are still out of work. But if we are honest with ourselves, these tumultuous times did not start back in March. Working families all over the country have been struggling for years with a federal government that’s prioritized the corporate class over the working class. That’s why we’ve seen a curtailing of union rights and a lack of attention to pension security issues. We need a change at the top… Continue reading here.

RTW and the 2020 election
Oct. 8, 2020 |  So-called right to work is wrong for workers and wrong for America.That’s why the Teamsters are prioritizing stopping the spread of RTW in states across the country in 2020 by supporting candidates who oppose it. (Watch our video here.) Big business understands that when workers unite, we win.  So let’s prevail at the ballot box! Go to www.teamstersvote.com to learn more. And remember to vote this November!

Notice of nomination and election of Local 355 officers
Oct. 9, 2020 |  Official notice is hereby given of the nomination for election for the following officers of Local Union 355: President (Principal Officer), Secretary-Treasurer, Vice President, Recording Secretary, and three Trustees for the 2021-2024 term. Nominations, seconds of nominations and Candidates’ acceptances must be made in writing and received by the Local Union Secretary-Treasurer no later than 5:00 p.m. Monday, November 2, 2020. For detailed information, read the Official Notice posted here.

Update from the Public Services Division
Oct. 14, 2020 |  In these challenging times, the Teamsters Public Services Division is standing strong to protect worker health and safety. We are also fighting to ensure your jobs are protected throughout the pandemic. At every level of government, from city council to the halls of Congress, we are flexing our political power to ensure public-sector workers can continue to serve the community. Our local governments are taking a hit, and they need the support of our federal government to ensure that the public service you perform can continue… Continue reading here.

Update from the Newspaper Conference
Oct. 14, 2020 |  With the U.S. Presidential election coming up in just a few weeks, the importance of news coverage has only increased, despite the enormous amount of articles and reports generated since the beginning of the COVID-19 virus pandemic. Our Newspaper Conference members have held fast and continued printing, mailing and delivering the news on a daily basis throughout the country… Continue reading here.

US Foods workers in California vote to join Teamsters Local 63
Oct. 16, 2020 |  A group of 68 warehouse workers at US Foods in Fontana, Calif. have voted to join Teamsters Local 63, six weeks after a group of 57 drivers at the same facility voted to join the union. The mail-in votes were counted on September 3 for the drivers; October 14 for the warehouse workers. “It feels real good to win. Now it will be about winning better benefits and respect from managers,” said warehouse worker Raymond Ballard. “Every day, my coworkers and I would say to each other, ‘it’s in the bolsa,’ to remind us it’s in the bag.” Full story at teamsters.org

Early voting in Maryland begins Monday. Here’s what to know.
Oct. 26, 2020 |  The end is in sight. With eight days left in the U.S. presidential campaign, early in-person voting begins today in Maryland. In an election reshaped by the coronavirus pandemic and colored with uncertainty, more than 800,000 Maryland voters have already submitted ballots by mail or dropbox. Here are answers to some commonly asked questions.

Download your Teamster ‘I Voted’ Facebook frame
Oct. 26, 2020 |  Let everyone know that you’re a Teamster and you voted! Download these frames as your profile picture on Facebook to show that Teamsters are making our voices heard at the polls in this historic election.

US Foods, Sysco workers ratify ‘historic’ contracts in So. California
Oct. 27, 2020 |  Foodservice workers at US Foods and Sysco in Southern California have ratified contracts that contain historic increases in wages and pension-benefit contributions, providing the workers with a secure future over the next six years and beyond. Local 630 represents 187 warehouse and office workers at US Foods in La Mirada, Ca., and 143 warehouse and office workers at Sysco in Walnut, Ca. Local 848 represents about 200 drivers at the same US Foods center, and about 245 drivers at Sysco. All four units either unanimously ratified the contracts, or did so with just a few no notes. Continue reading here.

Md. election officials: Don’t mail ballots – use drop boxes
Oct. 29, 2020 |  With reports of slow mail delivery across the country, Maryland election officials are urging voters to return their mail-in ballots at drop-boxes throughout the state instead of using the Postal Service. Learn more here.

Bargaining news: Belair Produce, Budget Rent-A-Car, RNDC, others
Oct. 30, 2020 |  Local 355 continues to operate as close to normal as possible under conditions that restrict how and where we conduct our in-person meetings with members and employers. Despite the coronavirus pandemic threat that continues, negotiations put on hold during the early months of the year were resumed, issues resolved and contracts extended or new agreements ratified. Read the update here.


Sep 21, 2020

Listen to the latest Teamster podcast for the latest news
Sept. 3, 2020 Listen here to the latest edition of the Teamsters Podcast and get the latest news about the union, including its endorsement of the Biden-Harris ticket, participation in 2020 March on Washington and health and safety concerns.  Featuring audio from Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa; Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall; Teamsters Canada President François Laporte; Human Rights and Diversity Commission Director Marcus King; Health and Safety Department Director Lamont Byrd; and Department of Political and Legislative Action Director Christy Bailey.

Update from the Teamsters National Freight Division
Sept. 4, 2020 | From Division Director Ernie Soehl: “The industry in general continues to see improvements in volume. YRC Freight and Holland are actively seeking to hire in many locations. Likewise, ABF is actively seeking to hire road drivers in many locations. There continue to be some COVID-19 infections and the established protocols are being followed. Nevertheless, it is absolutely critical that everybody continues to keep their guard up. Any let down in terms of the use of masks, social distancing or hand sanitizing can easily result in another wave of the virus hitting hard and causing another shutdown. In fact, in terms of the general public…” Continue reading here.

Update from the Teamsters Carhaul Division
Sept. 10, 2020 | Division Director Kevin Moore writes, “In mid-March, all U.S. automotive plants were idled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but by mid-May virtually all U.S. Automotive assembly plants began restarting production. As of September 2020, nearly all U.S. assembly plants are running at full production. This is welcome news as our unionized carriers were severely impacted by the loss of revenue during this period. Jack Cooper Transport exited bankruptcy on November 4, 2019. The sale and restructuring placed Jack Cooper in the best position to succeed. The company was able to begin an aggressive re-fleeting plan. This success and momentum was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these losses, our Teamster carriers are once again operating… Continue reading here.

Hoffa: Honoring Ginsburg, a friend to working, disenfranchised people
Sept. 21, 2020 | The following is a statement from Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President, on the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. “On Friday evening, we lost this nation’s leading judicial voice for everyday Americans who have been repeatedly overlooked and cast aside in this country. When labor and civil rights advocates sought justice at the Supreme Court, we knew that Justice Ginsburg would be there for us. One example came in May 2018, when Justice Ginsburg authored a strong dissent to a 5-4 Supreme Court ruling that … Continue reading here.

New Teamsters Podcast: Rounding Up the Vote 
Sept. 23, 2020 Listen to the latest edition of the Teamsters Podcast and hear how Pennsylvania Teamsters are using different techniques to turn out the vote this year. Plus, get a Capitol Hill update and learn from a NIOSH official how to stay safe on the job. 

Update from Teamsters Express Division
Sept. 24, 2020 | The following is from Division Director Bill Hamilton: “At DHL, business has been very busy. The company has provided a $350 Covid bonus to workers. The company has doubled its workforce in Philadelphia with nearly 150 workers being hired in Philadelphia during the past three months. Other locations are also seeing significant hiring… In fact, the demand for drivers is so high that DHL has been paying $500 to anyone who refers a driver to the company, provided the driver stays on with the company… Continue reading here.

Hertz backs new $400M ABS deal to restock vehicle fleet
Sept. 24, 2020 | Hertz Global Holdings Inc. is backing a new effort to raise $400 million that would allow it to keep its rental car fleet stocked with new vehicles for a return to business once the coronavirus pandemic eases. The new securitization deal between Donlen Corp., which supplies Hertz with cars, and Barclays Bank PLC is separate from Hertz’s search for chapter 11 financing in the form of a $1.5 billion loan that will preserve the company until business returns to normal levels… Read more here.

US Foods drivers in VA vote to join Teamsters Local 355 
Sept. 25, 2020 | Delivery drivers at US Foods in Manassas, Virginia, who are seeking a strong voice on the job and a more secure future, have voted to join Teamsters Local 355. The vote was 50-30. Voting took place in recent weeks and ballots were counted on Thursday, September 24. “We welcome the drivers in Manassas to Local 355 and we will work hard to win them a strong contract,” said Denis Taylor, President of Local 355. “US Foods closed its Baltimore facility years ago shortly after losing its bid for a merger with industry leader Sysco, sending a portion of that work to the nonunion Manassas facility. So now, those drivers are once again part of the Teamster union family.” There are 110 drivers in the bargaining unit. The drivers, frontline workers in the pandemic, voted Teamster to improve working conditions and their health and welfare protection. Sadly, Carlos Hurtado, a leader of the group of workers who voted to form their union, never got to see the vote results. Hurtado, 44, died on September 10, 2020 after suffering a heart attack before the votes were counted on September 24. More information here and here.

Local 355 mourns tragic death of Burris Foods selector
Sept. 28, 2020 | Joseph Herrmann, Jr. died following a workplace accident on Tuesday, September 22, 2020. An electrician by trade, Herrmann was a recent hire at Burris Foods. He is survived by his wife, Angel, and four children. Services will be held tomorrow, September 29, 2020 at Melvin Funeral Home, 15522 South DuPont Hwy., Harrington, Delaware. The Local 355 Executive Board extends its deepest condolences to Herrmann’s family and friends during this difficult time. Read his obituary here.

Find out how you can vote absentee or by mail
Sept. 29, 2020 | This November, Teamsters can elect leaders who will support Teamster members and our families. But it doesn’t mean you need to head to the ballot box on Nov. 3. To find out how you can vote absentee or by mail in your state, and check if you are registered too, go to teamsters.org now! 

New Hours of Service regulations in place
Sept. 30, 2020 | On June 1, 2020, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) revised four provisions of the hours of service regulations to provide greater flexibility for drivers without adversely affecting safety. Motor carriers are required to comply with the new HOS regulations starting on Sept. 29, 2020. Read the information on the revised provisions here.


Aug 18, 2020

Safety SuccessEvery morning, Local 355 UPS Teamsters new on the job receive mentoring from a Safety Committee member to help them succeed as a driver. They learn essential safety skills and tips that will help them perform their job safely. The latest  new driver group at the UPS hub in Aberdeen, Md. received instruction from Shop Steward Tim Seto. Left to right, Melvin Godwin, Ken Shaw, Caleb Macie, Terrell Varnado, Jacob Blackburn, Yasir Alkhatib, Dylan Powers, Jason Lee, Christian Posko, Christian Trabert, Sean Ussery, and Greg Toban. (Click image to enlarge.)


UPS wage increases update
Aug. 4, 2020 | As of August 1, 2020, UPS wages increase by 80 cents per hour for employees who had seniority on August 1, 2018.  This brings the increases to a total of $2.25 per hour in the first three years of this contract.  Two general wage increases remain. More info here. This flyer explains how the new contract structure works for part-time employees.

Teamsters rally against racism
Aug. 7, 2020 Listen to the latest edition of the Teamsters Podcast and how learn how the union joined with labor allies in the Strike for Black Lives. Plus, we hear from a NIOSH official about how truckers can remain safe on the job. Featuring interviews and audio from Teamsters Human Rights and Diversity Commission Director Marcus King; UPS driver and Local 804 member Antoine Andrews; Local 322 member Kim Campbell; Local 777 President Jim Glimco; and Dawn Castillo, the director of the Division of Safety Research for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Teamster Union provides latest updates on Covid-19 daily
Aug. 13, 2020 | The IBT continues to closely monitor the global health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The IBT's most recent update is here. The news updates regularly provided also include helpful guidance via short videos such as – what the difference between quarantine and isolation here; suggestions for managing the anxiety and stress we may experience while living through the pandemic era here; CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, MD discusses how we can slow the spread of COVID-19 here; and tips for safer summer travel here. Fact sheets from the Union’s Safety & Health Department are updated as additional information becomes available. You can find those here.

Teamsters celebrate 100th anniversary of 19th Amendment
Aug. 18, 2020 | In a message to the union’s members today, Teamsters Women’s Conference Director Nina Bugbee wrote, “August 18, 2020, marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. It’s been a century since women could first cast a ballot. This may seem like a long time ago, but 100 years ago we were facing similar challenges—a global pandemic, and a movement of disenfranchised and marginalized members of our society rising up for justice and equality. The right to vote is a powerful one and one that we must never take for granted… Continue reading here

Join your fellow Teamsters in standing for justice!
Aug. 25, 2020 | The Teamsters will be reaffirming its support of racial and economic justice on Friday, Aug. 28th, when union members participate in the 57th anniversary of the original March on Washington. The event, called the Commitment March this year, will bring thousands of Americans together to urge Congress to take action to empower people of color so they can fully participate in this democracy. Highlighted among the issues are changes to policing as well as voting rights. The Teamsters are a co-sponsor of the event being hosted by the National Action Network… Learn more here.

Groups push Gov. Hogan to issue COVID-19 workplace safety rules
Aug. 28, 2020 | Labor and environmental organizations are pushing for new workplace protections in Maryland, saying current state rules aren’t adequate to keep workers safe in the coronavirus pandemic. The groups want Gov. Larry Hogan to issue an executive order requiring the state labor department’s occupational safety program to adopt new regulations for businesses in the pandemic. In a statement issued Wednesday, the groups said Hogan has ignored their previous calls for pandemic workplace safeguards… The Baltimore Sun

Teamsters join historic March on Washington 2020
Aug. 28, 2020 | Teamsters joined the 2020 March on Washington Friday to confront the systemic racism that plagues the United States and to demand widespread change. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters co-sponsored the historic demonstration, and the union’s Human Rights and Diversity Commission Director Marcus King (pictured) delivered remarks to the crowd of thousands about the importance of confronting systemic racism and economic exploitation by demanding solutions from the government and corporations. The union is fighting to dismantle racist corporate and government policies and advocating that the Senate prioritize the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 (H.R.7120)…. Continue reading here.


Jul 14, 2020

July 14, 2020

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is available.

NewsGuild journalists representing 10 Tribune Publishing Co. publications across the country have launched a collective campaign to return these institutions to local ownership.

In a sweeping vote of no confidence in Tribune’s current leadership, NewsGuild members at publications including The Capital Gazette, The Chicago Tribune, The Hartford Courant, The Morning Call, The Orlando Sentinel, The Virginian-Pilot and more are seeking local investors who recognize that local newspapers are vital community institutions.

These campaigns will run parallel to The Baltimore Sun Guild’s Save Our Sun campaign…  “These cities will be better served by local ownership, including not-for-profit models, who share our vision of serving our communities with a vibrant newspaper,” said Phil Davis, a reporter for The Baltimore Sun and a NewsGuild steward. “We hope to build a future in which profits are reinvested back into the newsroom.”

The campaigns build on a foundation laid by the Baltimore-Washington News Guild. In Baltimore, the Abell Foundation, the Goldseker Foundation, and Ted Venetoulis, a former Baltimore County executive, have stepped forward to express interest in buying the paper. Within three weeks, more than 6,000 people including a broad range of community leaders signed onto the campaign to help Save Our Sun… Learn more here

Photo: The Sun Building, 1317 F Street NW, is the oldest skyscraper in Washington, D.C. Since it’s inception in 1837, The Baltimore Sun kept a correspondent in Washington. In 1872, it started a Washington bureau based at 1418 F Street NW. The newspaper’s founder, Arunah Shepardson Abell, built The Sun Building in the 1880s.


Jul 13, 2020

Public Services members: Listen to the latest Member Town Hall
July 7, 2020 | Check out the Public Services Division’s “Member Town Hall” webinar recorded on June 25 to learn what Teamster members can do to keep safe and stay sane during the COVID-19 pandemic, featuring video messages from General President James P. Hoffa and Public Services Division Director Jason Rabinowitz as well as an informative discussion from Gretchen Grindle, LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) and Lamont Byrd, of our Safety & Health Department. Listen here.

Burris Foods driver's daughter, a Hoffa Scholarship winner, becomes a doctor
July 7, 2020 | Nine years ago, the daughter of long-time Local 355 Teamster and Burris Foods driver, Leonard Russell, set her sights on a medical career. With her father’s encouragement, Rebecca applied for and received a $10,000 award from the 2011 James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund. Today, as Rebecca Jean Russell, M.D., she is doing her medical residency at Christiana Care Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware. Dr. Russell achieved her dream of becoming a family physician specializing in geriatrics after a grueling eight-year educational quest. “Thank you so much for supporting me and my family on my journey to becoming a medical doctor,” Dr. Russell wrote in a recent letter to the Teamsters... Continue reading at 355 News  (Pictured: Proud dad, Leonard, with daughter Dr. Rebecca Russell)

Public sector jobs at risk due to Senate inaction
July 10, 2020 | The coronavirus pandemic has obviously taken a toll on the nation’s economic security. Millions have lost their jobs in the last four months. But while there have been some encouraging signs, millions of additional public sector jobs are hanging in the balance because hard-hit state and local governments might not be able to cover their salaries in the months to come. A recent blog by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) explains what’s at stake. State and local governments are facing a shortfall in tax revenues while doling out additional services due to COVID-19. Female and Black workers will be disproportionately affected by such cuts because they are employed in the public sector at higher rates. That’s why the Teamsters and other unions have been… Continue reading here.

Tribune Publishing journalists launch campaign seeking new ownership 
July 14, 2020 | NewsGuild Union journalists representing 10 Tribune Publishing Co. publications across the country have launched a collective campaign to return these institutions to local ownership. In a sweeping vote of no confidence in Tribune’s current leadership, NewsGuild members at publications including The Capital Gazette, The Chicago Tribune, The Hartford Courant, The Morning Call, The Orlando Sentinel, The Virginian-Pilot and more are seeking local investors who recognize that local newspapers are vital community institutions. These campaigns will run parallel to The Baltimore Sun Guild’s Save Our Sun campaign… Continue reading at 355 News

New edition of Teamsters podcast available
July 16, 2020 Listen to the latest edition of the Teamsters Podcast and hear how a former attorney for the union is now running for the U.S. Senate. Plus, an update on critical federal legislation to keep workers safe and economically secure, and two Local 743 health care workers share what it’s like to on the frontlines of the coronavirus. 

Update from the Teamsters Express Division
July 17, 2020 |  From Division Director Bill Hamilton: “As the Covid-19 pandemic continues and is worsening in some parts of the country, I hope our Express Division Teamsters are staying healthy and as safe as possible. At DHL Express, shipping volumes are up drastically, especially in the Philadelphia area where I am. In Philadelphia, 49 additional full-time positions were filled on July 13, bringing the total to 160. And with volumes increasing, that number could go to 220 by September….” Continue reading the update here

Hoffa on passing of Congressman John Lewis
July 20, 2020 | “Last night, our country lost a lion of the civil rights movement and a national force for good. As Teamsters, we are devastated to learn of the passing of Congressman John Lewis. “John Lewis dedicated his life to causes that were bigger than himself. For more than 60 years, his courageous leadership gave hope to the entire nation, reminding us all to be better. “More than anything, John Lewis was a fighter… Continue reading here

Teamsters across the country strike for Black lives
July 21, 2020 | Workers with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters joined other major national labor organizations, leading racial and social justice groups, and activists in the national Strike for Black Lives. Hundreds of Teamsters across the U.S., joined by thousands more who walked off of their jobs for eight minutes and 46 seconds in honor of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many other Black people who are victims of police violence. “The International Brotherhood of Teamsters was founded on the principle of winning justice for all workers, and that cannot happen unless we dismantle racism and racist systems that continue to hold Black workers back,” said Marcus King, Director of the Human Rights and Diversity Commission at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Read the full press release hereRelated: Workers in 25 cities held a short strike to protest systemic racism in society and the economy

‘Emergency Pension Plan Relief Act’ must be included in Senate’s stimulus package
July 23, 2020 |The shutdown of the U.S. economy in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic continues to amplify the pension crisis facing many Teamster members, retirees and their families. Since this pandemic began, our Union has demanded that Congress address this crisis as part of any federal legislation to stabilize and stimulate the economy. The House passed the HEROES Act (H.R. 6800) which included the Emergency Pension Plan Relief Act, creating a special partition program at the PBGC to rescue financially troubled multiemployer pension plans without cutting benefits.  We support the Emergency Pension Plan Relief Act.  Unfortunately, the HEROES Act also included the GROW Act, which we oppose. That was in May. Click here to tell your Senators to pass their own stimulus bill NOW.

Hoffa: Infrastructure investment holds key to improving economy
July 27, 2020 | Most Americans use these systems every day, including hundreds of thousands of Teamsters, be it as truckers, railroad workers, bus drivers, building tradesmen and others. Our nation’s failure to maintain and improve this infrastructure is costing Americans. The irony is that increased infrastructure spending is widely supported, with a recent poll showing 80 percent back it. Increasing investments in necessary networks is essential to turning the economy around. Why? Because infrastructure jobs, unlike those in other sectors, can’t be outsourced… Continue reading here.

Package Division update from Denis Taylor, Director
July 30, 2020 | As all of you are aware, we are living through an unprecedented time at UPS. As the Covid-19 pandemic reached the United States, the shopping and buying habits of the general population changed dramatically. From online grocery orders to purchasing everyday items like paper goods and clothing, consumers are staying home and having these things delivered. The residential volume that our members are processing daily exceeds peak season levels by a large margin. No one feels the effects of this surge more than you. As a frontline essential worker you have kept this company afloat. You have worked through equipment shortages, manpower shortages, and personal protective gear shortages. The only thing we haven’t seen shortages of is cardboard… Continue reading here.

UPS shipping volume soars 65%
July 31, 2020 | The pandemic-fueled boom in online shopping shows no signs of slowing down, providing more business for delivery companies like UPS Inc. UPS said Thursday that its shipments from businesses to U.S. consumers soared 65% in the second quarter, helping lift the delivery giant to a $1.77 billion profit… Continue reading here   Related: Why UPS skyrocketed on Thursday

What you need to know about Maryland's mask mandate
July 31, 2020 | Gov. Larry Hogan issued an executive order Wednesday expanding mask-wearing restrictions, mandating that everyone older than 5 must wear masks inside all public buildings, including restaurants, houses of worship, gyms, casinos, stores and office buildings starting Friday at 5 p.m. Masks also will now be required outdoors whenever it is not possible to maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet from others. Learn more here.

 


Jul 07, 2020

July 7, 2020

Nine years ago, the daughter of long-time Local 355 Burris Foods driver, Leonard Russell, set her sights on a medical career. With her father’s encouragement, Rebecca applied for and received a $10,000 award from the 2011 James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund. Today, as Rebecca Jean Russell, M.D., she is doing her medical residency at Christiana Care Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware. 

Dr. Russell achieved her dream of becoming a family physician specializing in geriatrics after an eight-year educational journey.

“Thank you so much for supporting me and my family on my journey to becoming a medical doctor,” Dr. Russell wrote in a recent letter to the Teamsters. “I have completed my education at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University [Philadelphia, Pa.]. Completing this dream would not have been possible without the generosity of the Teamsters. Through helping me complete my education, I have gained invaluable experiences at Thomas Jefferson University, which have shaped my outlook on medicine and will no doubt influence my future career.”

The only child of Leonard and Donna Russell, Dr. Russell graduated from Milford High School (Milford, Del.) and was valedictorian of her class. At the time, she aspired to be a dermatologist. Dr. Russell completed her undergraduate education in the Biochemistry/Pre-Med Program at the University of Delaware. She went on to graduate from the University of Delaware with an Honors Degree of Bachelor of the Arts in Biological Sciences with Distinction with minors in Medical Humanities, Medical Diagnostics, and Spanish. At the University of Delaware, she completed a research thesis, worked as a resident assistant, and served as the president of the Biological Honors Society.

“Again, thank you for all your help on this journey! We couldn’t have done it without your wonderful support.”

Local 355 extends its congratulations and best wishes to the Russell family.


Jun 08, 2020

Teamster Nation Podcast: Standing united, demanding racial justice
June 3, 2020 Listen to the latest special edition of the Teamster Nation Podcast and hear how the Teamsters are demanding racial justice in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. Plus, get the latest news from the Passenger Transportation Division, and learn about the challenges facing Local 922 transit workers in the nation’s capital. Click here to listen.

Union applauds unveiling of new transportation legislation
June 4, 2020 The Teamsters are lauding the release of a new House transportation measure today, saying the bill is a win for workers and will enhance roadway safety. It will not only make nearly $500 billion available for road, transit, and rail needs but will also roll back new rules that placed the lives of transportation workers and the traveling public at risk. The INVEST in America Act would suspend changes made to the hours of service (HOS) rules that increase the amount of time truckers could be on the road without a rest break. Read the full statement here.

MDOT MVA will move toward a “phased reopening” Monday, June 8
June 4, 2020 The Maryland Dept. of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) will reopen select branch offices to customers on a limited basis beginning Monday, June 8. Click here for a list of the branches that will reopen. Customer service will be conducted by appointment only in order to reduce foot traffic and limit the number of customers in branch offices at any one time. Recent system upgrades allow CDL holders with a valid medical certificate and REAL ID documents on file to order a renewal license online here. Additional information about CDL forms here.

Baltimore to ease some restrictions Monday, June 8
June 5, 2020  Mayor Young announced today that the city is moving into phase one of recovery, with some coronavirus-related restrictions lifted beginning Monday. The three-stage reopening plan varies slightly from state guidelines. (Gov. Hogan said Wednesday the state is moving into the second phase of his three-phase opening plan.) Learn more ... Baltimore Sun

A message from the Public Services Division
June 5, 2020 In these challenging times, when our members’ lives and livelihood are on the line, and our Union is standing strong to protect worker safety and jobs, communication is crucial to our success. This why the Public Services Division has been working closely with our local unions throughout this unprecedented time, holding biweekly webinars with locals to better address the issues facing all public sector workers during the COVID-19 crisis. We are also communicating regularly with our members through virtual town halls to keep public sector workers informed of all the work the Union is doing to protect workers... Read the full report here.

Reminder! Spring Golf canceled
June 8, 2020 Regrettably, we've canceled our spring outing scheduled for June 13 at Queenstown Harbor on the Eastern Shore. Because the course is not fully opened, it can't accommodate a tournament with our numbers. Hopefully, we'll get tee time together in the fall. We'll let you know.

Shop stewards: The May/June issue of On The Front Line is now available
June 12, 2020 | You may view and download the current issue here. Please note that the newsletter contains clickable links to external pages for additional information. Mail delivery of our Joint Council 62 steward newsletter is suspended until further notice. 

Teamsters launch resources website for non-union essential workers
June 10, 2020  During this public health crisis, bosses aren’t keeping workers safe, the federal government isn’t keeping workers safe, workers are keeping each other safe. We see workers across the country coming together to make their workplace safer and improve work standards and we want all workers to know we’ve got your back… Visit us at solidarityisessential.org

More restrictions are being eased Friday. Here’s what you need to know.
June 11, 2020 | Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced Wednesday that he’s going to ease more restrictions from coronavirus-related shutdowns with indoor dining and outdoor amusements opening Friday and indoor gyms, casinos and malls resuming limited operations next week. Day cares and summer school will also be able to start back up in some capacity. Hogan said the looser restrictions will be safe only if people continue to wear masks and practice social distancing. “The fight against this virus is far from over.” … Get the details at The Baltimore Sun

Trucker safety and health concerns raised at House committee hearing
June 15, 2020 | More must be done to protect the lives of truck drivers who have placed themselves and their families at risk during the coronavirus pandemic to deliver groceries and other necessities to the public. Testifying in front of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee last week, Lamont Byrd, the Teamsters’ top safety and health official, said the union’s 600,000 members who transport goods have played an important role in keeping other essential workers safe. He noted, for example, that YRC drivers transported plexiglass safety shields to 1,500 locations nationally so workers and customers could be protected… Click here to read more.

Teamsters has a dedicated page for Hertz bankruptcy news
June 16, 2020 | Our union has started a page on their website specifically for Hertz Teamsters as the company works its way through bankruptcy. It can be found here.  “The Hertz bankruptcy is affecting the lives of thousands of Teamsters and their families, and the union has been working nonstop on behalf of those members,” said Bob Lennox, Western Region Industrial Trades Director and Secretary-Treasurer of Local 495 in West Covina, Calif. “Hertz Teamsters should check this page often for the latest information on the bankruptcy and what their union is doing about it.”

Today in DC: Workers First Caravan for Racial + Economic Justice
June 17, 2020 | More than a thousand union members will hit DC streets today in the Workers First Caravan for Racial and Economic Justice, the headline event of a massive national mobilization with hundreds of actions calling for bold policies to confront the three crises facing America: a public health pandemic, an economic free fall and long-standing structural racism. The Workers First Caravan is organized by AFSCME, AFT, IUPAT, IBT, UFCW, UNITE HERE, and the AFL-CIO… DC Labor

COVID-19 and the food supply chain
June 17, 2020 | In the latest edition of the Teamsters Podcast you’ll hear how union members took action all around the country last week to demand increase safety precautions for food supply chain workers. Plus, Teamsters Safety and Health Department Director Lamont Byrd tells lawmakers more must be done to protect truckers. Listen here.

Newspaper, magazine conference update
June 18, 2020 | Printing the news about the COVID-19 pandemic and providing CDC information on safety guidelines for the public has been an important part of what’s been carried in the news over recent months.  Our brothers and sisters working as “essential” workers in the newspaper industry have diligently gone to work, worn protective gear, and taken other precautions to stay safe and healthy on the job. I am proud that we are part of the news distribution system in the United States. But, our health is of utmost importance. I want to make sure that every one of our members which work the newspaper, magazine, or with electronic media that are part of the Teamsters take special precautions… Read more here

COVID-19 update: Openings & restrictions in our area
June 19, 2020 | We’ve updated our COVID-19 Outbreak Resources for Members. While restrictions on businesses and social activity are gradually lifting in states where our members live and work, their governors and public-health experts warn that lifting restrictions to allow openings have the potential to cause a second wave of coronavirus infections. You can do what you need to do to stop coronavirus so you and others stay safe and well: Wash your hands often. Wear a mask. Keep a safe distance. And read the update hereRelated: Baltimore eases coronavirus restrictions as city moves to Phase 2 of recovery.

Teamsters join other unions in demand for racial, economic justice
June 22, 2020 | Teamsters joined with fellow union members in the nation’s capital and across the country last week to participate in the Workers First Caravan for Racial and Economic Justice, a massive mobilization calling for bold policies to confront the coronavirus pandemic, an economic free fall and long-standing structural racism. Some 1,000 cars met up at locations in Silver Spring, Md. and Arlington, Va. before heading to Capitol Hill, where they drove around the U.S. Capitol demanding passage of the HEROES Act, which would boost worker safety rules, secure pensions and make necessary funds available to state and local governments to keep them up and running and their workers employed… Read more here

Update from the Tankhaul Division
June 23, 2020 | The tankhaul industry has not been hit as hard as some during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teamster Tankhaulers are still working at full employment in most industries. According to industry publications, oxygen demand has increased dramatically due to the pandemic. For any patient diagnosed with COVID-19, access to oxygen is essential. In many parts of the country, Teamsters deliver that oxygen to hospitals and other medical care facilities. Teamster drivers in gasoline and diesel delivery are still working and are considered essential workers. Since many Teamsters in the Tankhaul Division are… Continue reading here

Hoffa: Changes to guest worker programs will help protect U.S. livelihoods
June 30, 2020 | In a statement released yesterday about a White House effort to temporarily curtail guest worker programs during the current economic downturn, General President Hoffa said, “U.S. workers are facing a nearly unprecedented loss of jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. Given the current conditions, it only makes sense to prioritize the lives and the livelihoods of hardworking Americans and protect their wages…” Continue reading here.

Teamster Union lauds Cares Act relief for YRCW workers
June 30, 2020 | A $700 million loan provided by the United States Treasury under the CARES Act will help YRC Worldwide, Inc.’s operating companies pay its employees’ health care and other benefits and get through this pandemic while protecting the livelihoods of about 24,000 Teamsters and their families, Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa said yesterday. The CARES Act assistance will be used to pay for employee health care and pension costs and other obligations. YRCW employs 30,000 freight workers, including 24,000 Teamsters at YRC Freight, Holland, Reddaway and New Penn. Read more here.


May 15, 2020

Shop stewards: The May/June issue of On The Front Line is now available
You may view and download the current issue here. Please note that the newsletter contains clickable links to external pages for additional information. Mail delivery of our Joint Council 62 steward newsletter is suspended until further notice. 


Update from the Motion Picture and Theatrical Divison
May 1, 2020 Director Tom O’Donnell on the current state of the division and the efforts by the union to help its members through this difficult time: On or around March 13, 2020, the Motion Picture & Theatrical industries shut down all across North America. We are now in the seventh week post-shutdown, and employment is still at or near zero. This is the Teamsters response, for then, for now, and for tomorrow… Continue reading the update here.

Local 355 UPS driver featured on Call to Unite program
May 4, 2020 This past weekend, the Call to Unite, a program focused on inspiration and developing community, was broadcast with a segment featuring union members talking about their perspectives as front-line workers during the coronavirus pandemic. The union segment featured Local 355 UPS package driver Dale Pink (first to speak 0:18 into the video) who works out of the Harrington, Delaware hub. Also featured are a UFCW member, a UNITE-HERE member, and a member of the Machinists union. The 24-hour program was organized to raise relief funds for families impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. It included inspirational speakers such as Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra as well as entertainers/actors such as Common, Bebe Winans, and Julia Roberts. Watch the video here.

Maryland Presidential Primary: Voters to receive mail ballots in May
May 7, 2020 The presidential primary election initially scheduled for April 28, 2020 was moved to June 2, 2020. This election will be conducted primarily by mail. You should receive your ballot in early to mid-May. You do not need to ask for a ballot to receive one. (Don’t be surprised that the ballot has “April 28, 2020” printed at the top. There wasn’t time to reprint ballots after the election date was changed to June 2nd due to the coronavirus. The April date does not affect your ballot being counted.) There will be in-person voting for voters who cannot vote by mail. For more information about this election and where voters who cannot vote by mail can vote, click here.

Important update: H&W and Pension Fund contribution
May 12, 2020 The Teamsters National Freight Division released an important update for YRCW Freight Teamsters. Read it here.

New Teamster Podcast: Coronavirus Update 9
May 13, 2020 Listen here to the latest special edition of the Teamster Nation Podcast and hear more health and safety tips for those on the job, a legislative update, and news from the Health Care Division. Plus, Local 355 UPS worker Dave Pink explains the challenges of staying safe on the job.

Local Union Update: New contracts ratified 
May 13, 2020 For the first time in its history, Local 355 is utilizing 21st-century communications technology to negotiate contracts via videoconferencing and, in some cases, conducting contract ratifications via secure electronic voting here at teamsters355.com. Members at Stroehmann Bakeries approved a new contract good for five years. Anne Arundel County fire battalion chiefs and deputy sheriffs ratified new contracts that become effective July 1, 2020. At the Baltimore Sun, following two years of bargaining and numerous contract extensions, Teamster pressmen this week approved a three-year contract. And at Westway Feed, members unanimously approved a three-year deal giving them a substantial wage increase. Click here for details.

Update from the Teamsters National Freight Division 
May 15, 2020 In a message to members today Division Director Ernie Soehl writes: “I want to acknowledge and thank all the business agents and shop stewards out there helping our freight members get through this pandemic and of course all our freight members who are showing great courage during these unprecedented times. The freight industry is very much needed and essential during the pandemic, and I’m proud of all the work our freight members do, day after day, under extremely difficult conditions. Our freight members are the lifeline of America… As for the specific companies in the Freight Division... Continue reading here.

Teamsters denounce new trucker Hours of Service rules for threatening safety
May 15, 2020 The Teamsters are taking aim at new truck driving hours-of-service rules released today by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), saying they would lead to reduced roadway safety for drivers and the traveling public at large. “In an effort to increase so-called ‘flexibility’ for trucking companies, the FMCSA is abandoning safety and allowing drivers to push themselves to the limit even further,” Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said. “Trucking is already one of the nation’s most dangerous jobs. We shouldn’t be sacrificing the health and safety of drivers just to pad the profits of their big business bosses.” Continue reading here.

Former Baltimore County exec: The Sun needs local ownership
May 18, 2020 If a city loses its professional sports teams, it loses its spirit. If a city loses its newspapers, it loses its soul. We fight to keep our ballclubs. It’s time to fight to keep our newspaper. Why should we care what happens to The Baltimore Sun? If we lose our newspaper, we announce to the nation that Baltimore is no longer a big-league city. Here’s a chance to do something noble for our town. Now is the time to rally around the paper. To save it from the corporate demands for profit and restore it to local ownership… The Baltimore Sun

Business leaders, philanthropist hope to buy Baltimore Sun, run it as local nonprofit
May 21, 2020 A group of Baltimore philanthropists, businesspeople, and the union representing journalists are again rallying support for an idea that’s long been floated but never materialized: regaining local ownership for The Baltimore Sun. Now, with the latest campaign in full swing, even some of the players involved say they aren’t sure whether it’s a realistic pursuit or a well-intentioned but futile effort to preserve an iconic newspaper and local institution… The Baltimore Sun

New Teamster Podcast: Coronavirus Update 10
May 21, 2020 Listen here to the latest special edition of the Teamster Nation Podcast and hear from a Local 952 laundry driver about life on the job, plus more health and safety tips, a legislative update, and news from the Graphic Communications Conference.

Important Maryland voter registration and vote-by-mail info
May 21, 2020 Be sure to register and update your voter registration information by May 27, 2020. It’s important that the Board of Elections has your current address in order to mail you your ballot. Click here to make sure your voter information, party affiliation, and address are updated.

Teamsters laud House Coronavirus Panel briefing addressing workers needs
May 22, 2020 In a statement released today about a briefing of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, President Hoffa said, “The Teamsters are glad to see that the House subcommittee is taking the welfare of essential workers seriously by hosting its first hearing and hearing from these heroes who have stayed on the job while many have followed the guidance of public health officials and stayed home. "These people have risked their lives and those of their families by heading to work each day. Whether their job is in a hospital, a grocery store, behind the wheel of a truck, or picking up the trash, Americans are grateful for their actions. So in return, Congress must do everything it can to ensure these workers are protected.” Read the full statement here.

YRCW Teamsters still getting benefits in 8-week extension
May 26, 2020 YRCW employees are starting the third week of healthcare being paid for by the Teamsters’ benefits provider as if they were out of work, even though not all of them are.  The healthcare situation for YRCW employees is just one manifestation of the fiscal problems at the less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier, a slide that has taken the company’s stock price down to $1.40 from a 52-week high of just under $5… FreightWaves

Teamsters: Feds must design a plan to conquer COVID-19
May 27, 2020 The coronavirus pandemic has ravaged this country during the past 10 weeks, taking the lives of some 100,000 Americans and jeopardizing the health of millions more… Elected officials need to stop playing politics with peoples’ lives, especially those who are working hard on the job while others sit at home. That means coming up with a solution that makes the public more secure about the world we work and live in so American society can return to a place that somewhat resembles where it was less than three months ago. Read the entire article here.

Teamsters issue update on Hertz bankruptcy 
May 28, 2020 On Friday, May 22, 2020, Hertz filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the District of Delaware for all its brands. On May 25, 2020, the Teamster Industrial Trades Division issued an update on the development that reads in part: “It's important to note that many companies file Chapter 11 bankruptcy in an effort to reorganize their debt and capital structure so it can continue as a “going concern” business, meaning operating much the way it had but in a more sustained manner. The fact that Hertz filed for bankruptcy does not automatically mean the company will liquidate or close…” Read the important update in its entirety here.

Important update from Teamsters Freight Division
May 29, 2020 National Freight Director Ernie Soehl updates freight members about the current status of the industry. “Here are some facts. This is not fake news. These are the cold hard facts that we have to grapple with every day…” Read the memo here.

Local 355 Bi-Annual Shop Steward Seminar is postponed
May 29, 2020 The Stewards Seminar originally scheduled for September 30 through October 4, 2020 in Ocean City, Md. has been postponed. Your Executive Board has taken this unprecedented step to ensure the safety and well being of the stewards who participate in this event. Click here to read the Executive Board’s full memo.

 


May 13, 2020

May 13, 2020

Note: The Local continues to represent and serve its members during these difficult times when we all must take extreme precautions to avoid the spread of COVID-19. To that end, we've instituted procedures that help us do our jobs while keeping us safe. We're using the latest communications technology to conduct in-person meetings via videoconferencing (Zoom) for grievance meetings and contract negotiations and, in some cases, conducting contract ratifications via secure electronic voting here at teamsters355.com. 

Drivers at Westway Feed unanimously approved in early May a new contract with a three-year term providing substantial wage increases and an increase in pension contributions in each year of the agreement. In addition, Health & Welfare is maintained. 

Anne Arundel County fire battalion chiefs ratified a one-year contract through June 30, 2021, that raises the minimum rate and increases the maximum by two percent, and provides a three and one half percent merit. In addition, the agreement includes an increase in the extra shift bonus pay and preserves members' current cost share of health insurance. 

Anne Arundel County deputy sheriffs ratified a two-year contract through June 30, 2022, that provides a six percent cost-of-living (COLA) increase and six percent merit increases over the term. (Deputy sheriff corporals will receive an additional two percent increase in merit over the term.) In addition, the new agreement provides an increase in on-call pay, preserves members' current cost share of health insurance, and updates the equipment allowance.

Both contracts provide wage re-openers for economic provisions of the MOA if the Anne Arundel County Council fails to fund any part of the agreement.

Local 355 Teamster pressmen employed at The Baltimore Sun ratified this week a new collective bargaining agreement that will provide stability during unstable times in the newspaper industry. The new contract preserves jobs and wages and protects key benefits through April 2023. It also provides a waste reduction incentive plan whereby pressmen can earn incentive payments on a quarterly basis.

Securing a contract following two difficult years of bargaining is no small feat in this industry and given the precarious conditions under which The Sun and other Tribune papers are operating: A global pandemic, steep declines in advertising and circulation and in June, the increase of its ownership stake by Alden Global Capital, a hedge fund known for scoping up struggling companies and eliminating jobs in its vampiric thirst for profits. Hope remains that a local ownership group will step up to purchase Baltimore's only daily newspaper.

A five-year contract was ratified in April by members at Stroehmann's (Bimbo Bakeries) providing wage increases and maintenance of Health & Welfare with a slight increase to cost-sharing co-payments. An improvement to the vacation schedule provides pay on an employee's base equal to 1/52 of the previous year's W2. Mid-term agreements (MOA, LOA) relating to security requirements in the workplace were included in the collective bargaining agreement.


May 13, 2020

Special podcast: Taylor on UPS Teamsters on the front lines
Apr. 1, 2020  Listen to this special edition of Teamster Nation Podcast focused on the UPS Teamsters who are on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic: General President Jim Hoffa provides an overview of work of the Union on behalf of the entire membership; UPS Package Division Director Denis Taylor on the current issues facing front-line UPS delivery workers; and Lamont Byrd from the Safety & Health Dept. on what his department is doing to support UPS members, including an update on the impact of government decisions (such as the FMCSA hours-of-service waiver) on members. In addition, advisories and industry-specific fact sheets that keep you up-to-date on legislative policy developments around the COVID-19 pandemic continue to become available for download. Read the latest Unemployment and Paid Sick & Family Leave Protections.

Carhaul Division update from Director Kevin Moore
Apr. 2, 2020  The Carhaul Division was one of the first divisions impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with the announcement by the Big Three OEM’s & Honda (General Motors, Ford and Fiat/Chrysler). On Wednesday, March 18, 2020 an announcement was made that they would idle production until at least March 30, 2020. The remaining automotive manufacturers, Nissan, Subaru, Volvo, Toyota, Mercedes, and BMW have also idled North American plants and European production…Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the loss of approximately 3,700 jobs or about 60 percent of the Teamster-represented industry and that number will dramatically increase as the distribution system empties out next week… Read the full update here.

Update for members in Package and Feeder Delivery operations
Apr. 2, 2020  | The IBT Safety & Health Department has issued this operations fact sheet that includes guidance for package, feeder and inside operations employees. Because the coronavirus pandemic is proving to be a rapidly evolving situation, this and other fact sheets will be updated as more information becomes available. Be sure to check the end of the fact sheet for the most up-to-date information.

Reminder! When your doctor isn’t available, there’s Teladoc
Apr. 6, 2020  | When you can’t reach your doctor, Teladoc provides you with the care you need. So if you are a member of the 355 Health & Welfare Fund Plan and you (or your eligible plan dependent) needs care right now, rather than heading out to the ER or an urgent care center, you can receive immediate quality care via a simple phone call, or have a video consult via your smartphone or computer. Haven’t signed up yet? Call our Teladoc representative, Hank Christiansen at 774-200-1840, or email him: hchristiansen@caDRplus.com.

Guidelines: The Union’s role in workplace preparation
Apr. 7, 2020  | Under the law, it is the employer’s responsibility to provide a safe and healthy workplace. The union’s role is to make sure the employer takes action. The Teamsters Safety & Health Department issued this updated fact sheet (PDF) outlining some actions that the Union can take to help make your employer ready.

Teamster Nation Podcast: Get the latest health & safety tips for those on the job
Apr. 8, 2020  | Listen to the latest special edition of the Teamster Nation Podcast, and hear the latest health and safety tips for those on the job. You’ll also learn the latest on Capitol Hill legislative action, news from the union’s Industrial Trades and Airline divisions, and inside the daily work of a New Jersey sanitation worker.

New Teamster S&H fact sheet available for law enforcement members
Apr. 9, 2020  As COVID-19 continues to spread, employers and employees should know about laws and recommendations that govern COVID-19 in the workplace. The Teamsters Safety & Health Department’s Law Enforcement Coronavirus Fact Sheet provides vital safety information for essential employees.

Teamsters Public Services to host a town hall webinar for members
Apr. 9, 2020  |  The Teamsters will be hosting a town hall webinar event for members of the Public Services Division on Thursday, April 9 at 5:00 p.m. (EST). The event will feature General President James P. Hoffa, Public Services Division Director Jason Rabinowitz, and the Teamsters Safety and Health Department. Click here to register in advance for the webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Today is the application deadline for the Hoffa Memorial Scholarship
Apr. 14, 2020  |  Due to the national emergency, the deadline for applications for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund was extended to April 14, today. Click the Fund’s website for detailed instructions on submitting your application.

COVID-19 outbreak resources for members
Apr. 15, 2020 We’ve compiled a list of helpful resource links to various coronavirus guidelines, and Federal and State agencies for our members residing in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. The list will be updated as necessary. Click the COVID-19 Outbreak Resources for Members box on the right. For industry-related information click the Teamster COVID-19 News and Fact Sheets.

Teamsters, DHL reach agreement to help minimize layoffs
Apr. 15, 2020  |  The Teamsters and DHL have reached an agreement to ease vacation-use rules aimed at reducing any potential layoffs. The Letter of Understanding between the Teamsters DHL National Negotiating Committee and DHL Express relaxes rules pertaining to vacation use if shipping volumes dropTeamsters

Teamster Nation Podcast: Episode 190 - Coronavirus Update #5
Apr. 15, 2020  Listen to the latest special edition of the Teamster Nation Podcast, and hear an update from the union’s Rail Conference and Motion Picture and Theatrical Trade Division, as well as the Organizing Department. Plus, what it’s like to work inside a grocery warehouse in the age of COVID-19.

Teamsters fight for protection, economic relief for its members
Apr. 16, 2020 More than a month into the nationwide fight to combat the coronavirus, the Teamsters are using their legislative lobbying power to protect workers from both illness and economic distress. The union’s Department of Political and Legislative Action has been active in letting lawmakers know about the needs of members, be it for personal protective equipment (PPE), expanded unemployment benefits or direct stimulus checks many are receiving right now… Teamsters

IBT memo regarding YRCW benefit contribution delays
Apr. 17, 2020 The following is from Ernie Soehl, Director of the National Freight Division: “…Unfortunately, all of the YRCW companies have experienced a sharp decline in volumes over the past few weeks in light of the closure of many of its customers’ operations and the general economic downturn. We also have a number of members on layoff. Nevertheless, the Company has confirmed that it is paying the contractual wage increase that was due April 1 under the YRCW National Master Freight Agreement…Read the entire memo here.

Hertz furloughs continue
Apr. 17, 2020 It is being reported that Hertz is seeking government aid through the coronavirus bailout package to avoid bankruptcy. Hertz employs Teamsters at locations around the country [including Local 355 members at BWI]. The company has already reduced the workforce to 10 percent, including management. “Teamsters are in discussion with our local unions and the company about furloughs and extensions of benefits for our members…” Continue reading at Teamsters

Helpful tips for members & stewards posted every week
Apr. 20, 2020 Do you know what a contract campaign is? Do you know why it's important to file a grievance in a timely manner? Are you aware that besides what is in your contract, your workplace may have its own unwritten rules? Every Monday we provide answers to those questions and quick tips to help you learn more about the Local Union and your role in it. Available under Members, Weekly Tip for Members. Stewards, how do you deal with the Critic? Do you know what your steward rights are? When past practice is relevant? Worried about confidentiality issues? The Weekly Stewards' Tip help make your role as steward a bit easier. Available under Shop Stewards, Weekly Tip for Stewards. (Note: If you've forgotten your password, email teamstersjc62@gmail.com for assistance.)

Hoffa: New workplace safety bill would provide COVID-19 protection
Apr. 22, 2020 Legislation was introduced yesterday that would require the OSHA to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard that establishes a legal obligation for all workplaces to implement infectious disease exposure control plans to keep workers safe during the coronavirus pandemic. General President Jim Hoffa said in a statement: “More than a million essential Teamster workers are going to work each day during this COVID-19 pandemic… These hardworking Americans, and many others like them, are putting their lives on the line for us. The very least our elected officials can do id to ensure that employers are doing all they can to protect these workers. But right now, that isn’t happening. That’s why it is important for Congress to act to quickly change it.” Full text of Hoffa’s statement here.

Survey reveals worker concerns with PPE, lack of info from management
Apr. 23, 2020 Amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has spread and intensified across the United States in the last few weeks, hospital workers say that they are still being forced to ration protective gear and it is hard to get vital information about the workplace from their employers. In a new survey by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents more than 50,000 doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other health care workers nationwide, nearly half of the respondents said … Teamsters

Status Update: Health and Welfare and Pension Fund contribution delays
Apr. 24, 2020 Various news outlets have reported that TNFINC itself has granted a grace period to the YRCW companies to make their Health, Welfare and Pension contribution payments that are due this month and perhaps over the next few months. That is not accurate. TNFINC was/is not in a position to agree on behalf of the various funds. Rather, what has occurred is... Continue reading here

A message from Graphics Communications Conference President Kurt Freeman
Apr. 27, 2020 The COVID-19 crisis is presenting our union with many challenges.  But, it is also showing us how our members and union companies have innovative ideas.  The GCC/IBT has numerous companies that have retooled their operations and are now producing face masks and other PPE… Continue reading here

Workers’ Memorial Day: Mourn for the dead, fight for the living
Apr. 28, 2020 The Teamsters Union, and trade unionists around the world, recognize April 28 as Workers' Memorial Day — an international day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made ill by their work. Workers' Memorial Day is an opportunity to highlight the preventable nature of most workplace injuries and illnesses, and to promote the fight for improving health and safety at each and every workplace. To help mark this important day, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) is providing the following resources to help with the planning of activities at local unions and workplaces… Continue reading here

Remembering the fallen: A message from General President Hoffa
Apr. 28, 2020 Today, April 28, is Workers’ Memorial Day, a day to remember workers killed or injured on the job and to fight for strong safety and health provisions for all workers. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, this day takes on an even deeper meaning. We have had reports of rank-and-file Teamsters who have been infected, and some who have died, from COVID-19. We are in the midst of a national emergency and essential workers—many of them Teamsters—are putting their own health on the line to keep the rest of us safe, healthy and fed. Before COVID-19, an average of 14 workers died each day of workplace injuries. The most recent data available tells us… Teamsters

Postponed: Drawing for Local 355 Scholarship Awards
Apr. 28, 2020 The 2020 Local Union Scholarship drawing was scheduled to be drawn at our Sunday, May 3 meeting in Baltimore. Local 355 is adhering to social-distancing restrictions required by the CDC and State of Maryland so the meeting is canceled and the drawing will be delayed. Applications will continue to be accepted. Please click here for additional information.

Teamsters call for enforceable worker protections and testing following EO requiring meatpacking plants to remain open
Apr. 30, 2020 In response to the executive order issued this week mandating meatpacking plants remain open during the COVID-19 crisis, the Teamsters Union called on the administration and federal, state, and local regulators today to enforce worker protections and increase testing on the job for food supply chain workers. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the food supply chain in the United States to significant uncertainties and vulnerabilities. The Teamsters Union is calling on the administration to immediately enact enforceable safety standards, compel all employers to provide the highest level of protective equipment, ensure daily testing is available for workers and their communities, enforce physical distancing at all plants, provide emergency premium pay, and mandate full paid sick leave for any workers who are infected… Read the full press release here


Apr 14, 2020

June 19, 2020

State-by-state reopenings:

While restrictions on businesses and social activity are gradually lifting in states where our members live and work, their governors and public-health experts warn that lifting restrictions to allow openings have the potential to cause a second wave of coronavirus infections. You can do what you need to do to stop coronavirus so you and others stay safe and well: Wash your hands often. Wear a mask. Keep a safe distance.

Maryland: Governor Hogan issued a stay-at-home order March 30, and ended it May 15, 2020. Moderate restrictions vary by region. Open in most of the state are restaurant dine-in services, outdoor amusement activities, retail stores, personal care businesses (barbershops, salons are by appointment only), and places of worship – all with social distancing and appropriate health and safety protocols. On June 19, other businesses and buildings, including arcades, casinos, daycares, gyms, dance and martial arts facilities, and malls will also begin resuming operations with strict safety protocols. Learn more here.

These businesses reopened on June 5:

Manufacturing
Construction
Large and small retail shops
Specialty vendors
Wholesalers
Warehouses
Offices including information technology firms, legal offices, accounting, banking, financial institutions, insurance agencies, design studios, advertising, and architectural firms
Media production companies
Real estate offices 
Travel agencies
Auto dealers
Showrooms
Bank branches

Delaware: Governor Carney issued a stay-at-home order on March 24 and ended it on May 15, 2020. The state is in the second phase of its reopening plan, which increased capacity limits for some businesses. Strict social distancing must continue to be observed and cloth face coverings must be worn in accordance with the State of Emergency order. Now open are gyms and retail businesses. Personal-care businesses such as barbershops and salons are by appointment only. Dine-in at restaurants is by reservation only. Beaches and pools are open. See Industry Guidance.

Pennsylvania: Governor Wolf issued a stay-at-home order April 1 and ended it on May 8, 2020, when he announced a phased, color-coded plan to reopen the state's 24 counties beginning on May 8. As of June 12, Cumberland and Hagerstown entered the green phase, which eased most restrictions by lifting stay-at-home and business closure orders to allow the economy to “strategically open while continuing to prioritize public health. Some restrictions, like wearing masks, remain in place. Learn more here.

Virginia: Governor Northam issued a stay-at-home order on March 30 and ended it on June 10, 2020. The state moved to the second phase of reopening on June 5. Northern Virginia and Richmond moved to the second phase June 12. Looser restrictions include opening restaurants allowing 50% capacity; gyms and fitness centers at 30% capacity. Learn more here.


Updated May 15, 2020

The following is a listing of useful links to important coronavirus guidelines and various Federal and State services. Updates will be made as necessary. (For additional industry-related information check the IBT COVIS-19 Outbreak Resources.)

Coronavirus Guidelines:

Federal Resources:

State Resources:

Maryland

Delaware

Pennsylvania

Virginia

Washington, D.C.



 


 


Apr 02, 2020

Reposted from The Baltimore Sun
 

April 2, 2020 | Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan issued a stay-at-home order Monday to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Although the order largely didn’t change anything since the Republican governor had already ordered severe restrictions that closed schools, colleges, sit-down restaurants, malls, casinos, gyms, theaters and nonessential businesses. And the governor previously had banned gatherings of more than 10 people.

Hogan said the stay-at-home directive was necessary given the concern that the virus could hinder the federal government’s ability to respond to the crisis. Additionally, he said, COVID-19 could spread to “literally thousands” of facilities in Maryland, including hospitals, detention centers and nursing homes.

“Every Marylander can be a hero, just by staying home,” Hogan said at an Annapolis news conference this week.

But days after the directive was issued, Marylanders still have questions and many are asking the governor’s spokesman, Mike Ricci, directly.

We’ve highlighted 10 of the most frequently asked questions Ricci has answered on Twitter since Hogan issued the order:

Yes, you can still go outside.
    Walking or running around your block or going for a hike at a local county or state park is OK. Taking your dog for a walk is fine, too. The governor’s office just asks that you practice social distancing as you come across others and above all, use common sense.

Can my nanny still come watch my child?
    Yes. Nannies fall under the category of “residential service," which is classified as an essential service, Hogan’s deputy communications director Kata D. Hall said in a tweet.

Can I set up a play date for my child? 
    Probably not the best idea. Coronavirus is highly contagious and easily transmitted. Because of this, Ricci says play dates — and other nonessential gatherings — should be no-gos.  “We want people to use remote forms of communication as much as possible,” he said.

If I’m an essential employee, do I need to carry a letter that says where I work?
    It depends. According to Ricci, the governor’s chief legal counsel said it is “advisable” for employers to provide workers with a letter in case they get stopped by law enforcement. But ultimately it is up to the individual organization to decide. “The burden here is on the employer,” the legal counsel told Ricci.

I commute to a different state for work, groceries or essentials. Can I still go?
    Yes. People are encouraged to try to limit their travel as much as possible, but if it is a necessity to go across state lines, it is OK, Hall said in a tweet.

I’m supposed to move to a new place to live. What now?
    You can still move to a new residence, Ricci said. However, it is important to take extra precautions. But as long as the individual is “confident” in those measures, Ricci said, moving should be no issue.

Sometimes I like to just get out of the house and drive around. Can I still do that?
    Yes again. Drivers should try to not venture too far out of the region if possible, Ricci said, but if you are inside a car and not in direct contact, aside from those who may live with you, there should be no problems.

I want to go hunting or fishing. Is that OK?
    If you are getting food for you or your family, it is allowed. However, social distancing guidelines still must be followed and no groups over 10 people are allowed. Same goes for fishing in a state park or crabbing and fishing from a boat, Ricci said.

It’s a nice day. Can I take my kayak or boat out on the water?
    Until the state of emergency is lifted by Hogan, recreational boating is prohibited. However, activities like kayaking and paddleboarding are considered to be a form of exercise and are permitted. But all participants must still practice social distancing and abide by the social gathering limit.

When does the stay-at-home order end?
    It’s unclear.


Mar 16, 2020


Mar 15, 2020

Teamsters Safety & Health Update: Information and guidelines on coronavirus
Mar. 5, 2020  | Our union issued today important Safety & Health information on the coronavirus. We encourage you to view/download the S&H Fact Sheet (link below) that provides information about what the coronavirus disease 2019 (abbreviated “COVID-19”) is, why it is cause for concern, how it spreads, which workers are at increased risk, the symptoms of the disease, and much, much more. Keep in mind that this is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation. The fact sheet will be updated as needed. Download Teamsters Safety & Health Coronavirus.

Pink sworn in as Teamsters Local 355 trustee
Mar. 2, 2020  | Dale Pink, a 30-year Teamster at the Harrington, Delaware UPS hub, has been appointed by the Teamsters Local 355 Executive Board to replace Trustee Tim Marvel who resigned when he became a Local 355 business agent. It is the policy of the current administration that the office of trustee is comprised of rank and file members. President Denis Taylor administered Pink’s oath of office immediately following the announcement during this month's membership meeting in Baltimore. Pink joins trustees Janet Genovese (UPS) and Christopher Greene (Sysco) on the Local 355 Executive Board.

Who should the Teamsters endorse in 2020?
Mar. 11, 2020  | Last year our Union surveyed members to find out what issues were most important to them when choosing a candidate for President. All of the candidates were presented with our issues and told the requirements for obtaining the endorsement of the Teamsters Union. We then followed them on the campaign and got their issues on the record, which you can see here. Now, we want to know which of the candidates YOU think has earned the Teamsters’ endorsement. Click here to make your voice heard no later than Monday, March 16.

American Red Cross in need of blood donors
Mar. 16, 2020  | Teamsters members are critical to health care, working in hospitals, nursing homes and health care facilities, including the American Red Cross, where over 1,300 Teamsters are employed. As blood drive cancellations increase due to coronavirus concerns, healthy individuals are needed to give blood or platelets to help patients in need. The American Red Cross has reported that tens of thousands of much-need blood donations have gone uncollected as organizations and businesses that hold blood drives have temporarily closed during this pandemic… Teamsters

Maryland to extend temporary UI benefits during coronavirus pandemic
Mar. 18, 2020  | Maryland’s Senate passed emergency legislation Monday to extend temporary unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to employees who will lose their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. The benefits will be extended to workers who have to be quarantined or whose employers temporarily close, and makes people eligible for benefits when they have to leave their jobs due to the risk of exposure or to care for an infected family member… Baltimore Sun Related: The DC City Council passed legislation providing relief for DC residents and workers. Read the summary here.

Teamsters are urged to patronize restaurants’ curbside pickup, delivery
Mar. 19, 2020  | With more and more states ordering the closure of restaurants as coronavirus continues to spread across the United States, our members working at broadline food distributors are facing severe economic hardship. However, many restaurants are offering curbside pickup or delivery service to customers, and we urge Teamsters and others to patronize the restaurants offering these alternatives. "Our members at Sysco/SygmaUS Foods/FSAPFG/Reinhart, and other companies keep these restaurants operating daily, and the closures are already having an impact on their livelihoods," said Steve Vairma, Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. "By using the curbside pickup or delivery services, where available, it will help not only the restaurants get through this crisis but also our members… Teamsters

Teamsters, UPS agree to COVID-19 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Mar. 19, 2020  | The Teamsters UPS and UPS Freight National Negotiating Committees and UPS have reached an agreement to protect members at UPS and UPS Freight who may be affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19).  In summary, the agreement provides for paid leave for any worker who is diagnosed with COVID-19 and is required to be quarantined or if they are quarantined due to a family member’s illness. While on leave, the pay will be… Teamsters

A message to Warehouse Teamsters from Division Director Steve Varma
Mar. 20, 2020  | As one of the largest divisions in the Teamsters Union, the Warehouse Division has been working with our local unions in the Grocery and Broadline industries during the coronavirus outbreak. In a number of states. restaurants and schools have been closed affecting our members in the Broadline Industry and putting even more pressure on the Grocery Distributors and our members to meet the demands of the public… Teamsters

Coronavirus Update: Resources to help everyone
Mar. 21, 2020  Listen to the March 20 special episode of Teamster Nation Podcast addressing the coronavirus outbreak, where Teamster staff lets members know what they are doing to help members stem both illness and economic loss, and more.

First responders: COVID-19 awareness update
Mar. 24, 2020  | This Teamsters guidance, based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, applies to all first responders, including law enforcement, fire services, emergency medical services (EMS), and emergency management officials, who anticipate close contact with persons with confirmed or possible COVID-19 in the course of their work. Download the PDF

Republic Services: Reinstate employee Greg Dowis NOW
Mar. 25, 2020  | Republic Services, a $10 billion trash and landfill corporation, suspended longtime employee Greg Dowis for speaking out for worker safety during the coronavirus pandemic. Greg is married, has a son serving in the US Army, and has 2 grandchildren. He is just looking to protect his family and community. Please sign this petition to demand that Republic reinstate Greg NOW!

Scholarship deadline EXTENDED to April 14
Mar. 26, 2020  | Due to the national emergency, the deadline for applications for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund has been extended to April 14. Please see the Fund's website for details on how to apply.

Enforcement notice on expiring CDLs * 
Mar. 26, 2020  | FMCSA grants, until June 30, 2020, a waiver from certain regulations applicable to interstate and intrastate commercial driver’s license and commercial learner’s permit holders and to other interstate drivers operating commercial motor vehicles. You can find the Enforcement Notice here* For additional information, see the Teamsters CDL Drivers Coronavirus Factsheet


Feb 27, 2020

Feb. 27, 2020 | After announcing last week that he would not seek re-election in 2022, General President Jim Hoffa posted the following letter to his Facebook page.

Dear Fellow Teamster:

There can be no greater honor than serving as General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Everyday since you first elected me 21 years ago I have worked hard to earn the trust and support of you, the members I serve. Working together we have accomplished many great things for our beloved Teamsters Union.

When I was first elected I promised to:

Unite our great Union. Teamster Joint Councils and Local Unions are working together better today than any time in our history. That is why we are growing, why we are getting strong contracts and why we can hold politicians accountable. Nothing can stop us when we stand together united. 

Run a clean union. Recently the Final Consent Order was implemented demonstrating that the Union and the Government agree that the Teamsters are now corruption-free. 

Deliver strong contracts. I have worked with dedicated Teamster members and leaders to accomplish this most important goal. We have built worker power and exerted it to bring companies to the table to win industry-leading contracts that Teamster members deserve. 

Grow the Teamsters Union. We created a dedicated organizing fund that has turned the Teamsters into the most recognized union in North America for aggressive, strategic and successful organizing. I am proud to say that despite attacks by anti-worker forces and the politicians they have elected, we have more Teamster members now than when I took office. 

Work across political party lines to benefit Teamster members. We fought back against the war on workers over the last decade and I believe we are winning this fight. Through it all the Teamsters Union has been a leading advocate for worker justice, maintaining important lines of communications with Republican and Democrat administrations in State Houses and in Washington, DC. Most recently we were successful in obtaining meaningful changes in the North American Free Trade Agreement. This has been one of our major issues for the past two decades.

Make the Teamsters a democratic Union. Rank and file member engagement is what makes the Teamsters Union strong.  I am proud to have enshrined the direct membership vote in the Teamsters election in the Teamsters Constitution.

There is much more work to be done. We have a pension crisis that must be solved and American workers are still under attack by politicians in Washington and state houses across the country. But I have faith that working together we will succeed for Teamster members. 

My entire life has been dedicated to the Teamsters Union. I grew up walking picket lines with my father and spent my entire career representing and fighting for Teamster members. That is why my decision to not run for another term in 2021 is so difficult. But I know that it is time for new leaders to take the helm and steer our great Union through the difficult years ahead.

And please rest assured that during my final two years in office I will continue to fight to make the Teamsters Union stronger everyday.

Thank you all for of your incredible support over the years. We could not have succeeded without your involvement and participation. It has been an honor to work with all of you. 

In Solidarity,

Jim Hoffa


Feb 14, 2020

Membership meeting, February 16, 2020, at the Local 355 Union Hall in Salisbury, MD

Bill to protect, strengthen workers’ rights headed for a vote this week
Feb. 4, 2020 | H.R. 2474, the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, is headed to the full House of Representatives for debate and a vote on the floor this week. Under current law, many employers routinely violate the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and block workers’ ability to exercise their right to bargain for better wages and better working conditions. The PRO Act would restore and strengthen worker protections which have been eroded over the years. Act now! Tell your representative that you support H.R. 2474 and that you will be watching how they vote on the legislation.

Jimmy Hoffa: In his own words
Feb. 12, 2020 Listen to the latest edition of the Teamster Nation Podcast and hear about the legacy of James R. Hoffa from the man himself as the union remembers him on the 107th anniversary of his birth.

Deadline fast approaching for this year’s Hoffa Memorial Scholarship
Feb. 13, 2020| The deadline for applying for an academic or vocational/training program scholarship from the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund is March 2.  The college and vocational scholarship programs are available only for the sons, daughters and financial dependents of active and retired Teamsters. Visit the scholarship fund's website for information on who is eligible to apply and how to apply.

Black History Month means more to the Teamsters
Feb. 14, 2020| But for the Teamsters Union, black history isn’t just an add on to our story or recognition of advancements. It is part of the core of our history. Black and white Teamsters rallied together after the Civil War to improve conditions, starting the first independent team driver locals. Black teamsters (and women teamsters for that matter) were part of the original conventions forming the Team Drivers International Union in 1898 and its spin-off The National Teamsters Union in 1902. T.A. Stowers, a black delegate from Chicago was a leading voice at the 1903 convention to create the Teamsters Union as we know it today. He helped write the union’s constitution, yet few have heard of him. Stowers was the force behind adopting a creed vastly different from other unions, allowing members of any race, creed, gender or religion into the Teamsters. That’s a mainstay of our history and should be remembered… NJ Today

Take the Teamster poll to rank the remaining presidential candidates 
Feb. 20, 2020  | The Teamsters Union has not endorsed a presidential candidate, and instead has made a concerted effort to get all the candidates on the record on key union priorities such as pension reform and collective bargaining rights. As the primary process continues, the union wants to hear from its members about what candidate they favor. Go to TeamstersVote to see where the candidates stand on the issues and then take the Teamsters Preference Poll to rank the remaining candidates in order of your preference. The Teamsters will use the results to help guide its choice if it does ultimately decide to endorse a candidate for the 2020 Presidential Election.

General President Jim Hoffa won’t seek re-election in 2022
Feb. 24, 2020  | James P. Hoffa on Friday signaled the end of an era for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, telling The Detroit News he will not seek re-election just as the labor union this week makes a historic exit from government oversight. "I think it's time for the next generation to take over," the 78-year-old labor leader said. "We rebuilt this union. We've rebuilt our finances. We rebuilt the spirit. We put the swagger back in the union. ... I'm very proud of what we have done… Detroit News

National health officials warn Americans to plan for the coronavirus *
Feb. 26, 2020  * Updated 3/2: Members enrolled in the Local 355 Health & Welfare Fund can download this handy Telodoc information flier. Dr. Nancy Messonnier of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told reporters yesterday, “It’s not so much a question of if this will happen anymore, but really a question, when it will happen – and how many people in this country, will have severe illness.” As of today, there have been about 15 confirmed cases in the U.S, and an additional 42 who were travelers on a cruise ship docked in Japan and repatriated to the U.S. Learn more about the coronavirus here and how to protect yourself and your family. This infographic shows how the CDC is preparing communities to deal with and prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Finally, stay informed through trustworthy sources, such as the CDC, the World Health Organization (WHO) and your local health departments.

UPS honors Maryland drivers for 25 years of safe driving
Feb. 27, 2020  | UPS today announced that 22 elite drivers from Maryland are among 1,316 newly inducted worldwide into the Circle of Honor, an honorary organization for UPS drivers who have achieved 25 or more years of accident-free driving. David Ostendarp of Baltimore is the state’s senior-most safe driver, with 39 years of accident-free driving under his belt… Yahoo Finance

Dear Fellow Teamster…
Feb. 27, 2020  | After announcing last week that he would not seek re-election in 2022, General President Jim Hoffa posted a letter to his Facebook page. Addressing all Teamster members, Hoffa wrote: “There can be no greater honor than serving as General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Every day since you first elected me 21 years ago I have worked hard to earn the trust and support of you, the members I serve.… 355 News


Jan 15, 2020

Hoffa: New year brings big responsibility for voters
Jan. 3, 2020 Today, America begins a very important year in its existence. Over the next 11 months, voters will decide who they want to lead this country and what they want its future to look like. The process will be tumultuous. But it is a critical decision that will have long-lasting implications for all who call this great nation home. The Teamsters are taking its role in helping to shape this country’s path forward seriously… Detroit News 

Two Teamster UPS drivers die in PA turnpike crash
Jan. 6, 2020 The Teamsters Union mourns the loss of two Teamsters Local 776 members and UPS drivers, Dennis Kehler and Daniel Kepner, who were killed Sunday in an accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The pile-up involved several tractor-trailers that reportedly crashed after a tour bus was unable to negotiate a turn and hit an embankment. Five people were killed and 60 injured. Keller was a 28-year Teamster with UPS and Kepner was a five-year Teamster at the company… 355 News

Attention drivers with CDLs: FMCSA doubles random drug testing rate to 50%
Jan. 9, 2020 The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has raised the random drug testing rate for controlled substances for commercial drivers to 50% from the current 25% of driver positions. The change went into effect Jan. 1… Truck News

Tribune offering buyouts after hedge fund becomes largest shareholder
Jan. 15, 2020 | Tribune Publishing, the parent company of the Chicago Tribune, [the Baltimore Sun] and the struggling New York Daily News, is offering voluntary buyouts to [non-union] employees with eight or more years of service, it announced on Monday. “Although our digital successes provide good momentum, we continue to face industry-wide revenue challenges,” Tim Knight, president and CEO of Tribune Publishing, said in an email to employees at all nine Tribune newspapers. “Further, to reduce expenses and avoid turning to company-wide reductions of the workforce as a last resort, the company is offering this voluntary separation incentive plan to all eligible employees with eight or more years of company service.”  NY Post

Attention credit union members!
Jan. 21, 2020 | The Federal Credit Union located at the Baltimore offices will have a delayed opening Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020. The credit union will be open for business at 1 pm. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Update: Contract ratified at Penn Fibre; negotiations continue at Amports, others
Jan. 22, 2020 | Members at Penn Fibre approved in December a three-year contract that includes modest wage increases, improvements to the vacation allowance, and maintenance of Health & Welfare benefits. A new three-year agreement was ratified in December by members employed at Hallcon (formerly Renzenberger) providing significant wage increases, a signing bonus, cell phone and driver trainer pay, and language improvements that tighten up the employer’s notification obligation to the union. Negotiations continue for successor contracts at Amports; Baltimore Sun (pressmen); Piedmont Airlines and Transdev. Preparations for bargaining are underway at Allied Bindary, Bimbo Bakeries (Stroehmann’s), ALSCO, Airgas East, Contanda, Republic National Distribution Company, and State of Maryland.

Amports Teamsters approve new contract
Jan. 25, 2020 Members employed at Amports overwhelmingly ratified on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, a successor collective bargaining agreement providing wage increases, maintenance of Health & Welfare, and an enhanced vacation benefit according to seniority. The agreement has a four-year term. Amports is one of the largest auto processors in North America, handling vehicles for import and export at the Port of Baltimore. Local 355 represents more than 140 employees working in various classifications. Photos: Top, at the well-attended ratification meeting, members reviewed highlights of the committee-recommended tentative agreement before casting their secret ballot vote. Right, bargaining committee members (L-R) Daniel Stern, Sherry Mason, Danielle Barnes, and Dwayne Miles.

Teamsters stand in solidarity with DHL Express workers in South Korea
Jan. 27, 2020 | Teamsters at DHL Express are voicing their support for DHL Express workers in the Republic of Korea who are members of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union (KPTU). DHL Express workers in South Korea have been seeking a first contract for the last seven months but, according to the KPTU, have been faced with bargaining avoidance and other unfair conduct from management. “We must stand together with our fellow DHL Express workers in South Korea as they continue their struggle against a company that has not treated workers with the dignity and respect they deserve,” said William Hamilton. Read more at IBT (Note: Local 355 represents courier drivers and office clerks employed at DHL Express, BWI Airport.)

New Penn requests additional headcount
Jan. 30, 2020 | New Penn Motor Express, the Northeast regional U.S. unit of less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier YRC Worldwide Inc., has notified the Teamsters union that it plans to add utility employee positions for “improved service and growth.” The proposed “change of operations” would add 86 utility employees traveling within a 175-mile proximity of “three newly established regional velocity centers” in Newburgh, New York, and Scranton and Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, New Penn stated in the notice on Friday… Freight Waves  (Local 355 represents 127 members employed at New Penn and YRC.)

Teamsters at ABF Freight to receive a 1% pay bonus for 2019
Jan. 31, 2020 | Teamsters employed at ABF Freight System will receive a 1 percent profit-sharing bonus—negotiated by the union—after the company reported fourth-quarter results today. Under the Teamsters 2018-2023 ABF National Master Freight Agreement, if ABF Freight achieves an annual operating ratio of 96.0 or below for any full calendar year, each Teamster-represented employee will receive a bonus based on their earnings. ABF Freight reported a 95.2 percent operating ratio in 2019, which resulted in a 1 percent bonus. For example, if a member earned $75,000 in 2019, he will receive a bonus of $750… Teamsters


Jan 06, 2020

Dec 09, 2019

Applications now being accepted for 2020 JRHMSF scholarship 
Dec. 3, 2019 The application process is now open for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund's 2020 college and vocational scholarship programs for the sons, daughters and financial dependents of Teamsters. In 2019, $1.2 million was awarded in academic scholarships for the children of Teamster members – including Ashley Goudy, daughter of a Local 355 retired UPS Teamster. Many scholarships to support the costs of vocational/trade school programs were also awarded. Visit the scholarship fund's website for information on who is eligible to apply and how to apply. The application deadline is March 2, 2020.

Biden campaign workers choose Teamster representation
Dec. 3, 2019 Approximately 120 field organizers for Vice President Joe Biden's national presidential campaign joined Teamsters Local Union 238 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa this week, becoming the latest group of political workers to gain union representation with the Teamsters. Teamsters Local 238 has been at the forefront of organizing political workers during the presidential race, representing campaign workers with Sens. Booker and Klobuchar, and the staff who work for the Iowa Democratic Party. "Political campaign workers deserve a voice on the job as much as anyone," said Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa. "These workers, who face the prospect of long, pressure-filled hours on the campaign trail, need a strong partner like the Teamsters Union that will fight for their rights." Yahoo Finance

Teamsters prez says Dems ‘Better have a message for us’ at Iowa Forum
Dec. 4, 2019  The President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, James Hoffa, is expecting more than 700 union members from across the nation to attend the Teamsters forum in Cedar Rapids Saturday, Dec. 7. [Watch the lifestream – RSVP here.] “I don’t know where we’re going to put them all. We’ll put them outside. We’ll put a TV outside,” Hoffa said in an interview with Starting Line. “It’s an exciting thing and I’m looking forward to it.” Members of the 1.4 million-strong union will hear from six Democratic presidential candidates at the forum: Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, and Tom Steyer. Hoffa said the forum is one of the final steps in the endorsement process for the Teamsters, although there is no set timeline for the IBT’s selection process… Iowa Starting Line

Why did Tribune Publishing roll over for this hedge fund?
Dec. 5, 2019 Tribune Publishing directors wasted no time capitulating to an aggressive new shareholder with a record of eviscerating local newspapers. The publisher of the Chicago Tribune and eight other metropolitan daily newspapers yesterday announced an agreement to give hedge fund Alden Global Capital two seats on the Tribune Publishing board, which will expand to eight from six members…Tribune Publishing eliminated 900 jobs in the past two years alone. Don't be surprised if Alden's directors decide Tribune hasn't cut deeply enough. As board members, they'll be well within their rights to argue for aggressive... Crain’s Chicago Business

Teamsters Local 769 mourns tragic shooting of UPS driver in Miami
Dec. 6, 2019 The following statement from Teamsters Local 769 is in regard to the tragic shooting of a UPS driver in Miami yesterday. “It is with a heavy heart that I write this statement this evening. We are heartbroken by the tragic events from earlier today regarding one of our Teamsters Local 769 members (UPS Driver), who was carjacked while doing his job. He was ultimately victimized in a shootout after a lengthy police pursuit with the carjackers. The cowardly actions of the criminals involved that chose to kidnap this hard-working young man to give themselves some type of “cover” or “shield” are precisely the opposite of what Teamster men and women are and stand for. We pray for the family of this young man, and as further information is available we will, of course, provide those details for Teamster members to show and provide support to his family.”

Tune in to Teamsters presidential forum on worker issues
Dec. 6, 2019 The townhall event in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Saturday, December 7 at 2 PM Central will be live-streamed on our Facebook page, Twitter @Teamsters, our YouTube channel, TeamstersVote.com and on Teamster.org. Six 2020 presidential candidates are confirmed to attend. We'll be asking them about the key issues affecting workers like you - including pensions, trade policy, and collective bargaining rights - and making sure they fight for the Teamsters vote. Be a part of the conversation – RSVP to watch live here: www.ibt.io/12-7rsvp #Teamsters2020

Teamsters LU 117 wins ground-breaking labor protections for Uber, Lyft drivers
Dec. 13, 2019  Teamsters Local 117 has achieved a significant victory in the fight to bring workers in the gig economy a voice on the job. The Seattle-based local led the way in helping to pass a new law this November that will institute a first-ever grievance procedure for the City’s more than 30,000 Uber and Lyft drivers. This groundbreaking legislation establishes first-in-the-nation legal protections and representation for drivers who seek to contest unwarranted deactivations in termination proceedings. The law also establishes a Driver Resolution Center to provide a wide range of support services to drivers… Teamsters

Sysco warehouse workers in Virginia choose Teamsters
Dec. 23, 2019 By a nearly 3-1 margin, Sysco warehouse workers voted for Teamsters Local 822 representation on Dec. 19, the fourth Teamster election win in the past several months at the nation's largest broadline foodservice provider. Drivers at this same location won their election in late August. Sysco South Florida workers in Miami and workers at Sysco-Sygma Kansas City also won their election in August. The latest group in Hampton Roads has 70 warehouse workers in the bargaining unit… Teamsters

Teamsters support improved USMCA, significant improvement over Nafta
Dec. 23, 2019 Teamsters in both the United States and Canada are coming out in support of the new NAFTA following changes to the agreement made by Democrats in Congress. The Teamsters Union has long opposed the North American Free Trade Agreement. Teamsters jobs are tied to trade and our members have suffered the impact of the original NAFTA for more than a quarter-century. Teamsters want trade, but it has to be fair trade that puts working people and their families first. The USMCA includes improvements that will directly benefit Teamster members. Among these is the overdue fix to the cross-border trucking provision that threatened highway safety and the competitiveness of the American trucking industry.… Teamsters

Local 355 UPS driver brings happiness to children in hospitals
Dec. 23, 2019 For 15 years Felix Guinto, a UPS driver and member of Local 355 in Baltimore, has been rallying a team of volunteers that work throughout the year to bring toys to children in area hospitals. Guinto enlists the help of dozens of other UPS drivers who volunteer their time to bring some joy to sick children. “We do this throughout the year,” said Guinto, a 26-year employee of UPS. “The hard part is keeping up the visits every month.”  The Helping Hands team makes up to 65 hospital visits every year, and volunteers also serve two meals to the homeless every month in Baltimore. “It really began with my mother and I doing the work, and since she has passed away, I decided to honor her memory. Now the work has expanded to become a monthly project.  My father was a 30-year Teamster member and it’s because of the union and the volunteers who sacrifice their own time that keeps the Helping Hands project so strong.” If you would like to support this project, please consider a donation through the website: guintoshelpinghands.com Read more about Guinto and Helping Hands here (scroll down) and here.

Ghost papers and news deserts: Will America ever get its local news back?
Dec. 31, 2019 First they started showing up thinner than before. Then they were printed on smaller paper, with local columns replaced by more out-of-town news. Then in some places, especially rural and down-on-their-luck parts, newspapers stopped showing up altogether. Since the Internet arrived in earnest 25 years ago, almost nobody — not the savviest investment bankers, the most well-meaning editors, local entrepreneurs or generous philanthropists — has figured out a sustainable way to continue producing local news… Washington Post  [Note: Local 355 represents drivers and pressmen employed at The Baltimore Sun, a Tribune publication.]


Nov 19, 2019

We want your video questions for presidential candidates
Nov. 6, 2019 Deadline for submissions is Friday, Nov. 22 ... The Teamsters Union is hosting a Presidential Candidate Forum on Dec. 7, 2019, featuring several of the leading Democratic contenders. We want the candidates to hear directly from Teamsters members – that’s why you’re being asked to submit a video with your question for the candidates. Details here.

Joe Reichert, Teamsters Local 355 retirees club officer, activist
Nov. 7, 2019 Joseph Thomas Reichert, Sr., vice president of Local 355’s Associated Retired Members (A.R.M.), passed away Oct. 31, 2019, after a long battle with cancer. A Teamster for nearly 50 years, Joe retired from Sysco in 2000. He was a familiar face around the Baltimore union hall every Tuesday, always ready to offer assistance to Local 355 officers and staff – whether it was mowing the lawn, changing light bulbs, or walking a picket line. “Besides being a dedicated Teamster, Joe was a great friend and colleague,” said Bob Eney, president of the retirees club. “He always went out of his way to be helpful and friendly to everyone. The A.R.M. executive board and I send our deepest condolences to his family. We will always have fond memories of our brother.” On behalf of Local 355 members, the Local 355 Executive Board also extended its deepest sympathy to Joe’s family on his passing. “Joe was a long term, loyal member of Teamsters Local 355. He was active in his union, was our friend and brother. He will be deeply missed.” Joe is survived by his wife, Mildred, three children, seven grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. Godspeed, Brother Joe.

Teamsters honor veterans
Nov. 11, 2019 Dear Active-Duty and Veteran Teamsters: Veterans Day is a time to remember the contributions of all those who are or have served in the nation’s armed forces protecting our freedom. The Teamsters recognize the sacrifice those in the military incur and are honored that so many have chosen to become a part of our union family. Since World War I, Teamster members have been involved in all our nation’s wars… Continued at Teamsters

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette lays off 30 Local 211 Teamsters
Nov. 15, 2019 Block Communications, Inc.’s unconscionable economic assault on unions at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette continues with the illegal laying off Sunday of about 30 Teamsters and three pressmen who are also Teamsters. Those let go have decades of service to the paper yet have only been offered a paltry maximum of six weeks severance pay. In keeping with its cruel tactics, the Toledo-based, Block family-owned media company made sure that most of the Teamsters who remain were put on part-time status, meaning they will lose their health care benefits… Teamsters

Alden Global Capital now Tribune Publishing’s largest shareholder 
Nov. 20, 2019 The company that owns the Baltimore Sun, Chicago Tribune and other newspapers said Tuesday that former chairman Michael Ferro Jr. has sold his shares to Alden Global Capital, known for slashing payrolls at other newspapers it controls. Tribune Publishing Co. said Alden purchased 9.07 million shares from Ferro and his company, Merrick Ventures, for $13 per share. The nearly $118 million purchase represents a 25.2% stake in the company and will make Alden the largest shareholder of Tribune Publishing. Its shares ended Tuesday’s trading at $9.73… Chicago Sun-Times

Teamsters working to secure bipartisan pension solution
Nov. 21, 2019 The Teamsters are aware of a new multiemployer pension reform proposal just rolled out by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and are actively reviewing the proposal and its impact on Teamster funds. The Teamsters have been working with Congress to find a bipartisan solution that best protects the hard-earned pensions of its retirees and workers. House passage of HR 397 this past July was the direct result of years of advocacy on the part of Teamster members both active and retired… Teamsters


Oct 22, 2019

You must be a participant in the Teamsters Local 355 Health and Welfare Fund to be eligible to use Teledoc.

Oct. 22, 2019

Members participating in the Teamsters Local 355 Health and Welfare Fund have 24/7/365 access to a doctor through our virtual care solution provider that connects you to the healthcare you need, quickly, conveniently and securely. Talk to a doctor anytime, anywhere you happen to be and receive quality care via phone or online video at ZERO cost to you.

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With an average call back of nine minutes, you can have a doctor diagnose your ailment, illness or injury and prescribe medication, if necessary, to the pharmacy of your choice. And Teladoc's network of doctors can treat children of any age. 

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In addition, with your consent, Teladoc is happy to provide information about your Teladoc consult to your primary care physician (PCP) or your child’s pediatrician.

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Download the Teladoc flyer for registration information and sign up today. You can set up your free account via phone at 1-800-835-2362, web at Teladoc.com, or download the mobile app.

If you or an eligible dependent have any issues in registering your account or have further questions, please contact our Teladoc representative, Hank Christiansen at hchristiansen@caDRplus.com or call him at 774-200-1840.


Oct 14, 2019

The power of the Public Sector
Oct. 1, 2019 Listen to the latest episode of the Teamster Nation Podcast and learn how Local 1932 in San Bernardino, California stood up for its 11,000 public sector members and in the process got them better health care and pay that will improve the lives of their families for years to come. 

Kraft-Heinz Teamsters ratify new contract
Oct. 9, 2019 Local 355 members at Kraft-Heinz overwhelmingly approved in October a new four-year collective bargaining agreement, concluding 16 months of contentious negotiations. The agreement includes a signing bonus plus an immediate wage increase. Annual wage increases begin Jan. 1, 2020. Members will also have access to additional healthcare coverage options which may help to reduce their costs. The last contract expired in June 2018, and with extensions in place, the parties continued meeting to hammer out a mutually-acceptable successor contract. But in December 2018, members soundly rejected the employer's last, best and final offer (LBFO) and voted to authorize a strike. At issue were regressive proposals including the creation of a two-tier wage system. Working under challenging conditions, members remained on the job despite the absence of a contract. "Our shop stewards held everyone together, kept the focus on our goals and pushed back on every retrogression the employer put on the table," said Business Agent John Caparatta. "Their commitment to the process along with assistance from the International helped get us to the finish line."

Results of Jack Cooper vote released
Oct. 10, 2019 Over a four-day period ending on Sunday, September 8, Teamster members employed at Jack Cooper Transport voted by a 2-1 margin to approve the Last, Best and Final Offer presented by the company. To view a spreadsheet detailing the voting totals by Teamster local, click here.

Hoffa: 'Candidates must take our voices seriously'
Oct. 11, 2019 The Teamsters Vote 2020 survey conducted recently by the International revealed retirement security, collective bargaining rights, and fair trade as the most important concerns of members going into the 2020 election. The survey is just the start of Teamster efforts to make sure members are heard and respected in this election and beyond. “Candidates must take our voices seriously,” said General President Hoffa today in an email to members. “We’re demanding that all of the candidates listen to our members and support our priorities. We have the power to drive the conversation and ensure that issues that affect Teamsters and working people remain at the heart of the 2020 election.” Watch President Hoffa here to find out how the union is holding candidates accountable on members’ issues. Visit this website to learn more about the Teamsters Vote 2020 Program.

Bankruptcy court approves sale of Jack Cooper
Oct. 14, 2019 The Jack Cooper bankruptcy case passed a milestone Friday, with the bankruptcy judge approving the sale of the old Jack Cooper to the Solus-backed new corporate entity JCBuyer (however, the operating name of Jack Cooper will likely remain). While the bankruptcy court approved the sale, the sale will only become finalized at a to-be-determined date likely later this month or early November. We will keep you posted when we are aware of the date. The contract modifications in the approved Term Sheet will become effective when the sale is finalized.

Stewards honor VP Emeritus Erv Williams, Joyce Johnson at biannual banquet
Oct. 15, 2019 Vice President Emeritus Ervin Williams was honored at this year’s steward banquet by the Local 355 Executive Board and Shop Stewards for his many years of leadership and service to Local Union members. President Denis Taylor presented him with an appreciation plaque. Williams, a 37-year Teamster, was vice president of Local 355 from 1999 until December 2015, when he retired to his home in Chesapeake, Virginia. Veteran shop steward Joyce Williams retired last week, concluding a 44-year career with Mountaire Farms. President Taylor presented Johnson with a Certificate of Appreciation for her commitment and service to members. Among the invited guests were surviving members of Business Agent Jim Deene’s family, wife Debbie, daughter Brandi Marie and son, Edward Wetherbee, Jr. Deene passed away suddenly in May. Sponsored by Local 355 and held every other year, the Shop Steward Banquet was held Saturday, Oct. 12th at the American Legion Hall, Kent Island, Md. View photos here.

Sick? Hurt? Talk to a doctor anytime. It's free!
Oct. 22, 2019 Members participating in the Teamsters Local 355 Health and Welfare Fund have 24/7/365 access to a doctor through Teladoc, our virtual care solution provider that connects you to the healthcare you need, quickly, conveniently and securely. Talk to a doctor anytime, anywhere you happen to be and receive quality care via phone or online video at ZERO cost to you. Learn how to set up your account today here.

Miners, Teamsters demand Senate fix multi-employer pensions
Oct. 22, 2019 Retirees from several unions joined Democratic senators on Capitol Hill Oct. 16 to demand that the Senate act on a bill to prevent endangered multi-employer pension plans from going bankrupt. “We need you, Congress, to stop kicking the can down the road,” said retired Teamster Mike Walden of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Multiemployer funds covering about 1.3 million workers and retirees have either already slashed benefits or are in danger of insolvency. The House passed a bill in July that would have… cleveland.com

New contracts are printed and ready for distribution
Oct. 24, 2019 The new Teamsters-UPS Master Agreement is available and will be distributed to UPS members by Local 355 business agents over the next few days. The Regional supplement is included, color-coded for easy reference. Check with your stewards for information on delivery locations and times. If you haven't yet had an opportunity to meet your business agent, now is a good time to do so.

Working Americans are raising the bar for 2020 candidates
Oct. 25, 2019 In a column appearing in the Des Moines (Iowa) Register this week, General President Jim Hoffa wrote: “As we head toward 2020, one thing is clear: Whoever is elected president will have to confront major challenges that have a significant impact on the livelihoods of millions. For Teamsters members and working people across America, these challenges include numerous crises that threaten the existence of our diminishing middle class… Read it here.

Revamped training is needed for workers
Oct. 28, 2019 The nation’s evolving workforce needs are cause for concern and must be mulled carefully to ensure that current and future workers have the skills they require to spur U.S. economic growth and support themselves and their families. While many focus on automation across a swath of industries, changes in the kind of work being done may be a bigger worry. That’s why the Teamsters and other unions have long called for improvements in vocational education so that hardworking Americans can succeed now and in the years ahead. This union has been doing its part to help in that effort, but can’t go it alone… Teamsters

Sale of Jack Cooper finalized, 2,200 jobs saved
Nov. 6, 2019 The sale of Jack Cooper Transport was finalized today, a move that will protect the livelihoods of about 2,200 Teamsters and their families. Jack Cooper filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings this past summer due to extremely high debt and declining sales volumes. While Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings are meant to help companies restructure their debts so they can continue operating, they can be risky and in this case, thousands of jobs were at risk. However, to make the restructuring possible, Teamster carhaul members at Jack Cooper overwhelmingly approved a Restructuring Term Sheet that facilitated the sale to a company backed by Solus Alternative Asset Management, an existing lender in Jack Cooper’s debt structure. The new company will remain operating as Jack Cooper but have entirely new owners, significantly less debt and less future potential liabilities... Teamsters


Sep 12, 2019

On the picket line: (L-R) Business Agent Mark Garey, DHL clerk James Gekas, and Local 355 President Denis Taylor

Sept. 12, 2019 | A group of office clerical staff at DHL Express in Hanover, Maryland, walked off the job early Thursday over the company’s refusal to allow the workers to participate in the same Health & Welfare plan as the other Local 355 members employed as courier drivers at DHL Express.

The group recently elected to become Teamsters represented by Local 355 and have been attempting to negotiate a first contract.

Negotiations between Local 355 and DHL broke down in the face of the company’s insistence that the workers instead accept a costly high-deductible health plan. The company also refuses to agree to allow the clerical workers to participate in the same pension program as the drivers.

“A fair settlement encompasses the same benefits other union employees receive,” said Denis Taylor, President of Local 355. “This issue is the only thing holding up the contract. Union members deserve union benefits.”

Dozens of courier drivers reported to work this morning but exercised their rights under the National Master DHL Agreement and refused to cross picket lines.

“I knew there was a conversation going on about this when I came on in June but I didn’t realize the extent of the problem,” said office clerk Tijani Tajudeen (right, with Business Agent Eric Wood). Nodding toward the group of drivers across the street, he added, “Now I’m in this big brotherhood where everyone is ready to take a stand for us. We want the union health plan. We want to be treated fairly.”

 Among the DHL drivers honoring the picket line are (L-R) Derrick Grady, Dan Wachter, Phillips Hall, and James Anderson


Sep 11, 2019

A Labor Day message from General President Hoffa
Sept. 2, 2019 The American labor movement is responsible for many things we take for granted—the weekend, the 40-hour workweek and anti-child labor laws to name a few. Today, our movement is reinvigorated and working for other profoundly important things: securing wages and benefits that working families deserve and retirees earned, the continued existence of the middle class, and respect and dignity for all working people. I’m proud that the Teamsters Union is at the forefront of this effort. But make no mistake, working families are still being attacked and scapegoated. Corporate-backed politicians have mounted the most vicious anti-union attacks in memory. The labor movement, and the Teamsters Union in particular, is alive and well and is still forcing change… Continued at Teamsters

Retired members: This month's newsletter is posted
Sept. 3, 2019 The September/October 2019 newsletter highlighting "50 Things Everyone Should Know" or, "50 Completely Useless Facts," is posted under the link, Retirees. Enjoy!

Hoffa: Empowering workers now through 2020
Sept. 4, 2019 This Labor Day, unions like the Teamsters find themselves in a strong position. The public’s support of the labor movement is as strong as it’s been in the last 16 years. There is an understanding by a sizable majority in this country that hardworking Americans deserve higher pay and greater respect on the job. But to ensure that continues, workers need to stand up for their rights. That’s why the Teamsters Union, some 1.4 million members strong, is currently weighing all the candidates seeking the U.S. presidency in 2020 for a possible endorsement. To earn it, those seeking to become the nation’s chief executive will have to prove that they side with workers. In an effort to get presidential contenders on the record about the topics workers care about, this union is training members and retirees … Teamsters

CANCELED: Local 355 motorcycle run 
Sept. 5, 2019 Due to the low number of registrations received in advance of Saturday's scheduled event, we've canceled the bike run.

Jack Cooper's last, best and final offer approved 
Sept. 9, 2019 An overwhelming majority of the Teamster members working at carhauler Jack Cooper have approved the company’s Last, Best and Final Offer aimed at saving 2,200 union carhaul jobs. "I want to thank all our Jack Cooper members who took the time to vote on this Restructuring Term Sheet,” said Kevin Moore, Director of the Teamsters Carhaul Division. “Approving this Term Sheet is one key piece for Jack Cooper to emerge from bankruptcy as a healthier company. That, along with substantial debt reduction and new cash investment, should better position Jack Cooper to stabilize and maintain customers and our jobs.” The final vote count will be published at a later date.

DHL Express clerks strike: 'Union members deserve union benefits'
Sept. 12, 2019 A group of office clerical staff at DHL Express in Hanover, Maryland, walked off the job early this morning over the company’s refusal to allow the workers to participate in the same Health & Welfare plan as the other Local 355 members employed as courier drivers at DHL Express. Negotiations between Local 355 and DHL broke down in the face of the company’s insistence that the workers instead accept a costly high-deductible health plan. The company also refuses to agree to allow the clerical workers to participate in the same pension program as the drivers... 355 News

How a 3-person strike in B’more is taking Philly workers off the job
Sept. 18, 2019 The power of a strike lies in its ability to cripple a company’s operations. So when three clerical workers at a DHL facility outside of Baltimore went on strike last week because of a dispute over benefits, it might not have sounded like a big deal. But those workers are represented by the Teamsters, whose members have the right to “honor a picket line” of their fellow DHL colleagues if the picket line shows up outside their workplace. And on Monday, the Baltimore picket line did show up, in Southwest Philly, which meant that about 100 DHL workers didn’t cross the line and instead, went home… The Philadelphia Inquirer

Teamsters stand in solidarity with Amazon workers joining climate strike
Sept. 20, 2019 | More than 1,500 members of Amazon Employees for Climate Justice (AECJ) are joining the Youth Climate Strike and walking out of work to demand that Amazon management “take responsibility for the impact that our business has on the planet and on people.” It’s no coincidence that Amazon announced its “Climate Pledge” right before this walkout. This initial victory reaffirms what we know to be true – when workers come together, we have real power and this is only the beginning. Throughout the history of our union, we have seen again and again that when workers have a voice in how their companies do business, they can make transformative changes to make workplaces and communities safer, healthier and more sustainable… Teamsters

Local 355 strike at DHL strike resolved *
Sept. 20, 2019 Updated 9/23 A week-long strike by three DHL clerical workers represented by Local 355 has been resolved. The employees unanimously approved on Friday an improved offer of settlement from the company that addressed the employees’ concerns about health care. All employees have returned to work. The clerks will be covered by the National Master DHL Agreement. In addition, under the Local Union rider, they will receive wage increases, improved vacation leave, additional sick and personal days, and participation in the Teamsters 355 Health Plan in 2020. Local 355 Principal Officer Denis Taylor stated, “I’m proud of these members for taking a stand and staying strong.  I’m also thankful to the other members of Local 355, Local 107 and Local 500 that honored the strikers’ picket line." Photo: At September's membership meeting, Business Agent Mark Garey, second from left, with clerks Dan DiMarcello, James Gekas, and Tijani ("TJ") Tajudeen.

Baltimore Sun delivery drivers approve new contract
Sept. 24, 2019 | Following a long and hard-fought round of negotiations that included numerous contract extensions and the unfortunate passing of Business Agent Jim Deene, Local 355 Baltimore Sun drivers have ratified a successor contract with a duration through December 31, 2022. Highlights include wage increases, monies to Health & Welfare, and Pension contributions over the term of the agreement. It also includes additional bid jobs and shift guarantees along with other contract language beneficial to the bargaining unit. “It was a very tough situation that we were put in with the passing of Jim Deene in the middle of negotiations,” Business Agent John Moylan said. “But the committee worked hard to get through and get this deal done.” Negotiations on behalf of the paper’s pressmen continue.


Aug 13, 2019

Aug. 13, 2019 | Fifteen Local 355 UPS feeder, freight, and package drivers competed recently in the Maryland Truck Driving Championships (MMTA), bringing home seven individual awards. The competition held on June 1, 2019, in Timonium, Md., included 102 drivers from all over the state. This is the first year UPS Baltimore drivers took home championship titles.

Competing for the nation’s top award, four members of UPS Team Maryland will number among 427 of the trucking industry’s best drivers from every U.S. state at the National Truck Driving and Step Van Championships in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Aug. 14th through Aug. 17th:

  • John Nash – 1st Place, Md. 3-Axle Champion
  • Eric Schiller – 1st place, Md. Step Van Champion
  • Victor Carter – 1st place, Md. Tank Truck Champion
  • Jason Trego, UPS Freight/Federalsburg – 1st place, Md. Twins Champion

Carter was also named Rookie of the Year for achieving the highest overall score among first-time competitors.

Known industry-wide as the “Super Bowl of Safety,” the truck driving competition challenges drivers’ safety skills and professionalism in nine class of trucks. The competition is “a celebration of the extraordinary skills and safety of our state’s finest truck drivers” said MMTA President Louis Campion, in a recent Transport Topics interview.

Other members of the UPS Chesapeake Division were: 

  • Charlie Huber – 2nd Place, Flat Bed class
  • Mo Pleh – 2nd Place, 5-Axle class
  • Wayne Todd – 3rd Place, Twins class
  • David Schultz – 4th Place, 5-Axle class
  • Mike Santos – 6th Place, Sleeper class
  • Lakia Blackford – 10th Place, 4-Axle class
  • Barry Freeberger – 10th Place, Sleeper class

From UPS Freight:

  • Barry Holland (a former Grand Champion) – 2nd Place, 3-Axle class
  • Robert Hess – 7th Place, Straight Truck class
  • Curtis Denard – 8th Place, 4-Axle class
  • William Dickerson – 17th Place, 5-Axle class

Congratulations to all! 

Photos/Maryland Motor Truck Association


Aug 13, 2019

Presidential debate drives Teamster action to influence election
Aug. 2, 2019 The Teamsters continued its drive to getting 2020 presidential candidates focused on the needs of workers this week by having General President Jim Hoffa attend a Democratic Party debate and by holding separate events in South Carolina and New Hampshire where the union gathered insights on what issues matter most to its membership. Hoffa attended Wednesday night’s debate in Detroit in hopes of hearing from candidates where they stand on issues that matter most to Teamsters. And although several shared their thoughts on important issues such as trade and health care, there was a deafening silence when it came to an essential matter for this union – pensions. As Hoffa said on Fox Business' "Mornings with Maria" show, "what are we going to do about retirement security, those who worked hard and played by the rules? Those are the type of kitchen table issues I would like to see these debates focused on, and I’m not hearing that." … Continued at Teamsters

Leaders of Teamster carhaul locals approve a plan to save jobs at Jack Cooper
Aug. 6, 2019 Leaders of Teamster carhaul local unions voted overwhelmingly today to approve sending a Last, Best and Final Offer (LBFO) from Jack Cooper to members for a vote. The LBFO is aimed at saving more than 2,200 Teamster jobs and is in the form of a restructuring term sheet. View documents

Pensions. Trade. Labor rights. What issue do YOU care about?
Aug. 7, 2019 Candidates care about our support. They know working people are going to shape the outcome of this election. That’s why the IBT is conducting a member survey nationwide to hear from each and every one of us. It doesn’t matter what your politics are or who you plan to vote for – the Union wants to hear from you. By completing this survey, you’re giving the Union the information it needs to go to the presidential candidates with clear demands for what any candidate – left, right, or center – needs to do if they want Teamster support. 

Leaders of Teamster carhaul locals approve a plan to save jobs at Jack Cooper
Aug. 7, 2019 | On Tuesday, August 6, 2019, Jack Cooper filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy which enables it to continue to operate as a going concern until a “reorganization plan” is ratified by members and approved by the bankruptcy court. This is not a surprise to us based on our due diligence since we were first contacted by Jack Cooper earlier this summer. We have been preparing for this filing and have our bankruptcy counsel and experts already engaged to monitor the developments during the bankruptcy... Read the full update

Union stands in solidarity with UFCW, condemn Mississippi raids on workers
Aug. 9, 2019 The Teamsters Union stands with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) as it works to protect its members against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that are tearing families apart. Federal authorities raided two food processing plants represented by UFCW [Wednesday] and arrested scores of union members there. Hoffa calls for an end to polices hurting workers and families… Teamsters

UPS, UPSF drivers to compete in national trucking championships this week
Aug. 13, 2019 Fifteen UPS feeder, freight, and package drivers competed June 1, 2019, in Timonium, Md. at the Maryland Truck Driving Championships (MMTA), bringing home seven individual awards. Four Teamster champions comprising UPS Team Maryland will number among 427 of the trucking industry’s best drivers from every U.S. state at the 2019 National Truck Driving and Step Van Championships, August 14-17, in Pittsburgh, Pa… More at 355 News

Local 355 truck driver champions competing this week for the nation’s top award at the National Truck Driving and Step Van Championships are, (L-R) John Nash (UPS/Baltimore), 2019 Maryland 3-Axle Champion; Victor Carter (UPS/Baltimore), 2019 Maryland Tank Truck Champion and 2019 Rookie of the Year; Eric Schiller (UPS/Baltimore), 2019 Maryland Step Van Champion; and Jason Trego (UPS Freight/Federalsberg), 2019 Maryland Twins Champion.

FAQs about Jack Cooper reorganization
Aug. 15, 2019 Based on the questions asked at our teleforum about the Jack Cooper Transport Last, Best and Final Offer and others that have since come in, we are providing this FAQ in addition to a summary and questions found in the Teamsters Jack Cooper Update.

Teamsters National Black Caucus celebrates 11th Annual Women’s Day
Aug. 16, 2019 Teamster brothers and sisters filled the room, dressed in red to represent power, love and Teamster women on the 11th Annual Women’s Day at the Teamsters National Black Caucus Conference. This is a day strictly for the women. The women of the TNBC felt it necessary to celebrate women during the annual conference to pay homage to the women who came before them. It’s also a day to celebrate and educate themselves. “We want to make sure that you enjoy yourself, but most of all educate yourself,” said TNBC Chairman James ‘Curb’ Curbeam. “We want you to go back home and engage your members, counterparts, and communities because if we don’t talk about what we done here, it’s all for nothing...” Teamsters

Voting on Jack Cooper’s final offer scheduled for Sept. 6-9
Aug. 19, 2019 The Last, Best and Final Offer (LBFO) from Jack Cooper will be voted on by the membership over the four days of September 6, 7, 8 and 9, 2019. An informational meeting for Local 355 Jack Cooper members will be held Monday, August 30, 2019, at 6 am, and a ratification vote will be conducted Monday, Sept. 9, 2019, at 6 am. Additional details here. Votes will be tallied by the IBT tallied until Monday, Sept. 9 at 5:00 PM Eastern. The LBFO is in the form of a Restructuring Term Sheet that contains contractual modifications and other requirements from key stakeholders. That Term Sheet, along with a summary and a list of Frequently Asked Questions will be mailed to members’ homes in the next few days. The information is also available here.

Teamsters listening to candidates on the trail
Aug. 20, 2019 Today, the Teamster Nation Blog kicks off a new weekly feature that will detail key issue responses from the 2020 presidential candidate field. It will highlight Teamster interactions with the candidates on the campaign trail, including answers to questions posed to them from union members and staff. We hope you find it useful. Teamster Nation Blog

Teamsters stands with AT&T workers on strike
Aug. 27, 2019 The Teamsters Union stands in solidarity with over 20,000 AT&T workers who went on strike over the weekend in nine states across the Southeast. The workers are striking over unfair labor practices committed by management during negotiations for a new contract. The strike involves technicians, customer service representatives and others who install, maintain and support AT&T’s residential and business telecommunications network in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee... Teamsters  Photo: Reddit.com

 


Aug 08, 2019

21st Annual

MOTORCYCLE
RUN

September 7, 2019

9 a.m. @ the Baltimore Union Hall

to

Muddy Run Park

Holtwood, Pennsylvania

Return fuel, lunch & refreshments will be provided for
those who register.

Please arrive with a full tank of gas.

Participation is limited to Local 355 members and one (1) guest.
(Must be a member of your immediate family.)

You must contact the Baltimore Hall to register:
410-566-5700

Local 355 reserves the right to limit guest participation
to allow full participation by active members.

In case of inclement weather, contact the Union Hall at 410-566-5700
for rescheduling information.


Jul 29, 2019

July 29, 2019
Continued from Main Page...

The Problem Solver

Born in Annapolis, Md., the Samsels moved Tyler, his older brother, and sister to York, Penn., when he was a three-year-old. The decision to move to the historic city 20 miles north of the Maryland border was prompted by their parents’ desire to raise their children where “the quality of life was better and the taxes lower.”

Tyler Samsel (right, with dad Thomas) grew up in a tight-knit family and lived in a comfortable middle-class neighborhood where children played in each other’s yards, and the woods nearby. Thomas Samsel’s youngest son turned to his school studies when his neighborhood friends moved away. Inspired by a fifth-grade math teacher, he developed an interest in mathematics which proved to be a motivating influence behind his decision to pursue a career in engineering. “Math is about solving problems,” Tyler explained. “I am interested in solving puzzles. I’ve learned that there are often multiple ways to solve a problem.”

Conversely, he didn’t like English. “I hate being forced to read things I don’t like.” Except for the science fiction genre, particularly apocalyptic science fiction.

Tyler has joined the National Guard and will head out to boot camp in August. “The Guard allows me to stay close to home with my family while focusing on my higher education.” His Guard contract requires his participation twice a month and two weeks a year which, he says, will work nicely with his online engineering studies. Initially, Tyler will enroll in an online education program, he said. He’ll later transfer to Pennsylvania State University or Millersville University of Pennsylvania, renowned for its engineering degree program.

“I just came back from a 2-day practice boot camp where I learned what to expect when I report. It challenges one’s level of self-discipline! I learned about Army values: Be loyal, honorable, dutiful to your country, have self-respect, and be courteous at all times.” But, Tyler said, it was a grueling two days. “They bring you down to build you up better. It was good prep for boot camp. Being prepared is important for everything in life.”

Tyler thinks it’s good to have options. When asked where he sees himself in five years, he said that he’d be almost finished with his National Guard tour. He might sign on for another term to further his education, or resign and focus on his job, whatever that may be. “That’s three options if I did the math right.”

“I’m very grateful to the Teamsters for my scholarship. I think it’s great that the union works to help the younger generation. It’s good to encourage education because a good education is something kids can use throughout their life to help make the world a better place.”

The Communicator

Ashley Goudy graduated in May from Bel Air High School in Hartford County where she excelled in Advanced Placement (AP) studies, especially in science and math classes. In her senior year, she had only one English credit needed to graduate. Ashley discovered that she could either take courses that might be fun but wouldn’t necessarily benefit her long term. Or, she could get a head start on college by spending her senior year at Harford Community College (HCC) in Harford County.

At the end of her junior year, Ashley (right, with dad, Bill) asked her parents to join her at a special meeting with her guidance counselor. During the session, Ashley was encouraged to accept a rarely-issued waiver that would allow her to take college courses during her final year at Bel Air High School. “Ashley’s counselor has been a student advisor in Harford County for over 20 years. Ashley is only the second student she has suggested for the waiver,” said her dad, Bill. “Academically, there wasn’t any benefit to spending the last year in high school, but she could still graduate with her class.”

“I loved my experience at community college,” Ashley said. “It opened my eyes because I got to take courses like an Internet computer science course and a graphic design course not offered at my school. That allowed me to explore my interests and options. It helped me focus in on what I wanted to do and what I am good at doing. I learned that even though I’m good at science and math, I realized I’m not as passionate about it as other things. And while I do love art in general - I was passionate about graphic design – it isn’t necessarily the path I wanted to take.”

Her brief community college experience opened new paths of possibility for Ashley. She will enter the University of Maryland College Park (UMCP) in September and hopes to earn a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and a Minor in Communications. She wants to work in a business arena where she can utilize her strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills. “I’ve always seen myself taking on a managerial role or executive role, so I feel a career in business suits my personality best.”

Socially, Ashley likes to move around and meet new people. She describes herself as one who can “float” among and between diverse groups. She’s comfortable with those who have different interests and ideas – people who “go with the flow.” Her dad agreed, describing his daughter as “very diversified in her friendships as opposed to cliquish.”

Ashley’s “strong desire to give back to the community” found her involved in volunteer work with groups that provide meals to the hungry and homeless. Also, having played soccer since the age of five (though a series of concussion ended her soccer career by the 10th grade), Ashley volunteered as a clinic youth soccer coach. “I was dealing with six little boys all winter,” she laughed. “And it was one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had. You can learn so much from kids. You learn how much you have to give them. I discovered how much my actions could positively impact others. Helping them develop their skills and work together as a group is what leadership is about.”

Ashley said work in the creative, entertainment, or technology industries that can offer opportunities for travel and a wide variety of experiences hold the most appeal to her. “I would like to thank President Taylor and the Teamsters for this tremendous gift which helps me pursue my lifelong goals,” wrote Ashley in a followup after her interview.  “Someday I hope to pay it forward. I will forever hold the Teamsters in my heart for all it has given my family.”


Jul 21, 2019

Brother Abney remembered during UPS safety cookout
July 8, 2019 During a June 27th cookout coordinated by the UPS Baltimore hub Safety Committee, members took time to remember their friend and coworker, Damian Abney, who died suddenly while at work in the facility on June 14th. Janet Genovese, a UPS Safety Committee member and Local 355 trustee, said the cookout, timed to the 5 pm shift, was planned as a thank-you to all for working safely but also provided an opportunity for Abney’s coworkers to “take pause and reminisce together” about their well-liked friend whom they affectionately called “Bird.” In his honor, many wore Oriole or Ravens garb, while others simply wore orange or purple. Photos of Abney were on display and orange balloons hung alongside the UPS brown and gold. More photos here.

New contracts ratified at Allen Foods, J.W. Treuth, others
July 11, 2019 Following months of difficult bargaining, members employed at Allen Foods and in attendance at last month’s ratification meeting unanimously approved a new contract providing a 90-cent per hour wage increase over its three-year term, improves medical, and provides retroactive pay back to January 2019. Members can also participate in the Teamster Members Pension Plan. Drivers at J.W. Truth ratified... 355 News

Teamsters stand in solidarity with striking Amazon workers
July 15, 2019 Teamsters across North America stand in solidarity with the Amazon fulfillment workers striking in Minnesota. Similar to workers moving Amazon goods, many of our 1.4 million members pick and stow product in warehouses, drive trucks, and deliver packages and have fought for decades to win better working conditions, respect, and a voice on the job. This fight is ongoing. Amazon workers in Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, France and the United Kingdom have also engaged in numerous protests, strikes, or other activities to demand their rights and as Teamsters, we support this growing worker-led movement. Every worker deserves… Teamsters

Baltimore officials issue ‘Code Red’ heat emergency 
July 16, 2019 The heat index is forecast to surpass 100 degrees in and around Baltimore this week, prompting city health officials to declare a “Code Red” heat emergency. High temperatures are forecast in the lower to mid-90s Tuesday through Thursday and then could approach 100 degrees Friday and Saturday. Factoring in humidity, which is forecast to rise over the course of the week, it’s expected to feel like about 100 degrees for the middle of the week and potentially close to 110 degrees Friday and Saturday… Baltimore Sun  Get Teamster info on heat stress.

Important Jack Cooper carhaul update
July 19, 2019 The Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee (TNATINC) met with representatives of Jack Cooper on Tuesday, July 16 and Wednesday, July 17. TNATINC members discussed long-term structural issues that need to be addressed as part of any potential contract modifications the committee might consider. The union committee had substantive discussions on contractual items that the company has proposed. The TNATINC has not yet come to any agreements on any issues. At the close of the last session, the union committee presented a list of conditions and questions that need to be addressed before the committee can move forward. At this point, TNATINC is waiting for a response from Jack Cooper or its lenders… Teamsters 

Tell your member of Congress to protect our pensions
July 22, 2019 We need your help! The Teamsters Union supports the passage of the Rehabilitation of Multiemployer Pensions Act (H.R. 397), which is headed to the full House of Representatives for debate and vote on the floor THIS WEEK! This bill is vital to protecting the pensions of hundreds of thousands of active Teamsters members and retirees across the country. This is the only legislation that would fully protect their hard-earned pension. Congress must act now to help millions of Americans facing an uncertain future as their retirement security is threatened through no fault of their own. PLEASE CALL 888-979-9806 NOW to let your own representatives in Congress know that any legislative solution must keep pensions whole for both active and retired workers. The time is now! (Important Note: The Teamsters Local 355 Pension Plan is not affected by the multi-employer pension fund crisis but please support the Union and make the call anyway.)

2018-2023 contracts are available online
July 29, 2019 The UPS and UPS Freight Agreements including all of the UPS supplements, are now available on the Package Division webpage in PDF format.  Additionally, the agreements are posted on the UPSRising App in searchable form. The UPSRising App is available for download via Google Play and the App Store.

2019 Local 355 scholars set to follow their dreams
July 29, 2019 Tyler Samsel, left, and Ashley Goudy, right, are the 2019 recipients of the Teamsters Local 355 44th Annual Scholarship Awards. The youngest son of Baltimore Sun pressman Thomas Samsel, Tyler graduated from Redline Senior High School in York, Pa. and plans to pursue an engineering degree while serving in the Pennsylvania National Guard. Ashley, daughter of Bill Goudy, UPS retired, will attend the University of Maryland College Park in September. She plans to pursue a career in marketing and communications. (Ashley also received a Hoffa Scholarship, previously reported here.) The students’ names were selected in a drawing of scholarship applications during our General Membership Meeting in May at the Baltimore union hall. Tyler and Ashley will each receive $4,000 paid out at the rate of $1,000 per academic year. Read their stories at 355 News…


Jul 17, 2019

FALL GOLF 2019 OUTING 

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Shotgun start @ 8:30 am

Compass Point Golf Courses

9010 Fort Smallwood Road Pasadena, MD 21122

$60 Entry fee
Includes green fee, cart, range balls, gifts, lunch & prizes

This event is for Local 355 members and retirees

Register early!
We're limited to 48 participants - no exceptions! Places fill up quickly.

Download the sign-up form here.


Jul 11, 2019

July 11, 2019

Allen Foods members in attendance at last month’s contract ratification meeting unanimously approved a new collective bargaining agreement providing a 90-cent per hour wage increase over the contract's three-year term; improves medical; and provides retroactive pay back to January 2019. Members can also participate in the Teamster Members Pension Plan.

Drivers at J.W. Treuth ratified in June a three-year contract providing above-average annual wage increases, a signing bonus, and increases to the pension plan. In addition, the sick leave policy is updated to comply with Maryland law.

A successor contract with First Transit Baltimore MTA was ratified in June by members. Highlights of the three-year agreement include significant wage increases; gains in paid time off (PTO); the addition of a healthcare HMO option in the second year of the agreement that offers lower deductibles; and retroactivity back to January 2019.

Members employed at Hertz/BWI approved in June a three-year contract providing wage increases; raises start rates for all classifications; creates an overnight shift differential, and increases the afternoon shift differential; and maintains Health and Welfare. In addition, the contract provides gains in paid time off for all members.

A new contract covering drivers at Acme Paper is in place. The agreement provides wage increases in each year of the five-year term; maintains 54 employees at the top-tier pay rate; increases company contributions to the 401(k) each year and the company match in the second through fifth year; and adds sick leave at 40 hours per contract year in compliance with Maryland law.

Holly Poultry drivers ratified a five-year contract providing wage increases over the term.

Negotiations continue for a first collective bargaining agreement at Arnold Packaging.

Bargaining preparations are underway at Piedmont/American Airlines on behalf of flight dispatchers.


Jun 27, 2019

June 27, 2019 | Congratulations to Ashley Goudy, daughter of Bill Goudy (UPS, retired), for an award of a $10,000 scholarship from the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund (JRHMS).

Ashley has set her sights on a career in marketing and communications and will attend the University of Maryland College Park (UMCP) in September.

We’ve included below the essay Ashley wrote as part of the application requirements for the JRHMS and is a commentary on how growing up in a union household afforded her opportunities she might not otherwise have had.

In May, Ashley, and Tyler Samsel, son of Thomas Samsel (Baltimore Sun) were awarded Teamster 355 Scholarships. Local 355 has provided scholarships to children and grandchildren of Local Union members and retirees since 1974.

Watch this space for more about Ashley and Tyler.

Published with permission:

     From a young age, I can remember my father working long hours and being ecstatic when he came home to wish me good night. For 30 years my dad worked for UPS and has been an honorable member of Teamsters Local 355. He also served as a Shop Steward for 17 years. My grandfather set a precedent for my father by also being a union member for 39 years. The Goudy name has always been represented by hardworking and honest people. My father instilled those same principles in me from a young age, teaching dedication and gratitude. Being a Union member has helped fortify my family by providing us with the essentials to live an honest life.   
     As a middle-class family, we have learned to reach our goals through our own drive and integrity. However, if we did not have the stability provided by the Union we would not have the means to realize and actualize those dreams. Not only has the Union offered a stable income, but it has given us gifts in the form of affordable healthcare and retirement security that many middle-class families are burdened by. By lifting this weight off our shoulders, the Union has allowed my family to focus our strength on our careers and family life. Without the Union, we would not have the opportunities we do today, and I would not have the honor of representing my family's name just as my father and grandfather have before me.  


Jun 26, 2019

June 26, 2019  |  If you recently received a letter in the mail from MVA about your driver's license, do not ignore it! A valid license allows you to earn a good living. Don't put it at risk. Here's what you need to know:

All Maryland drivers must have a federally compliant REAL ID driver’s license by October 2020. After Oct.1, 2020, you will be required to have a REAL ID compliant driver’s license or ID card in order to use your driver’s license to board commercial aircraft for domestic flights or to gain access to federal facilities. Getting a REAL ID requires you to present documents (see below) for secure scanning that verify proof of age and identity. 

Drivers who are not scheduled to renew their licenses before October 2020 must also provide required REAL ID compliant documentation proving age and Maryland residency with the MVA before October 2020. In addition, drivers who have renewed their licenses since May 2016 but were not asked to provide the federally-required documentation will have to make a trip back to the MVA to submit the information in order to be REAL ID compliant.

Are you REAL ID compliant? The REAL ID Lookup Tool on the MVA website will tell you your status.

Be aware that you risk having your driver’s license declared invalid if you don’t pay attention to the new requirements' deadline. A police officer will confiscate the revoked license if you are stopped for a traffic violation and you’ll have to go through the trouble to go to an MVA office with the proper documentation to get it back.

The following list will give you an idea of the documents required to prove age and Maryland residency. Note: A full list of documents can be found here

1. Original or certified copy of your birth certificate – or a valid passport. (If you have ever changed your name, you’ll also need documents such as a marriage certificate or license, divorce decree or other forms documenting the name change.)
2. Social Security card, W2, or SS 1099 that displays your name and full Social Security number.
3. Two (2) documents proving Maryland residency – such as vehicle registration, insurance card, credit card bill, mail from a government agency, utility bill, or bank statement.

Attention CDL holders: Make sure you let the MVA worker you speak with know you hold a CDL. Members have reported inconsistencies in the information received from MVA employees who may not be familiar with CDL requirements. Some have been charged $20 for a replacement license, others no charge at all. Be sure to ask questions!

It's advisable to make an appointment: Appointments for REAL ID can be scheduled using the Online Document Guide, which also walks you through the documents you’ll need and allows you to pick a branch location, date and time. 
Jun 19, 2019

Local 355's annual golf outing at Queenstown Harbor Lakes Course in Queenstown, Md. was held Saturday, June 8, 2019.

Sunny skies and warm weather graced the 8:30 a.m. shotgun start and continued through the day as foursomes completed the 18-hole course, after which golfers enjoyed lunch and liquid refreshments.

Congratulations to the winners!

First Place, right:

  • Shawn McCoy (UPS)
  • Tony Petraglia (UPS)
  • Tim Duffy (UPS)
  • Jason Swartzendruber (UPS)

Second Place:

  • Carlton Plummer (Piedmont)
  • David Daniels (Piedmont)
  • Adam Davis (Piedmont)
  • Sam Goleb (Piedmont)

Third Place:

  • Tim Wojtek (UPS/Hunt Valley)
  • Craig Wilkerson (UPS/Hunt Valley)
  • Bob Williams (UPS/Hunt Valley)
  • Scott Harris (UPS/Hunt Valley)

Last Place:

  • John Moylan (Local 355)
  • Mark Garey (Local 355)
  • Lou Palermo (DHL)
  • Kevin Hopp (DHL)
Closest to the Pin:

  • Charlton Plummer (Piedmont), right

Longest Drive - Hole #13:

  • Tim Seto (UPS/Hunt Valley), bottom right

Jun 10, 2019

June 10, 2019

Continued from Main Page | Speaking of good things happening: Bhalala and his wife, Pinal Mistry, also a naturalized citizen, met while they were both students at Prince George’s Community College. In 2014, Bhalala said, she became a part of his life.

Secure with a good Teamster job and a happy home life,  Bhalala decided it was time to take the next step: In 2018, he filed his naturalization papers. In a journey that often takes years, Bhalala’s educational and employment path had provided him with the legal requirements to complete the final step to U.S. citizenship.

Bhalala was jubilant when he received his Certificate of Naturalization. Waving his U.S. flag and hugging his wife, he said he was happy but, “Now I’m going back to work where people respect me and respect me as a union member, and I’m very proud of that.”

We’re very proud of you, Brother!


Jun 05, 2019
Union: U.S. workers deserve paid vacation time June 3, 2019 | There’s been a lot of talk about the need for higher wages, quality health care and retirement security in this space. But what about paid time off? The U.S. is the only advanced economy that does not federally mandate any paid vacation days or holidays for workers.
May 15, 2019

May 15, 2019

Continued from Main Page | ... Negotiations for a new contract at Praxair produced a four-year contract providing a 22% wage increase over term, increased vacation time, company-paid uniforms and safety boots, among other gains... Workers at J.W. Treuth approved a three-year contract providing wage increases, a signing bonus, and maintenance of Health, Welfare and Pension.

Bargaining continues for successor contracts at Kraft-Heinz, Allen Harim FoodsThe Baltimore Sun, and DHL clerica.

Negotiations are ongoing for a first contract with Arnold Packaging.

Bargaining begins this week with Hertz Corporation.

In other news...

Local Union members present at our April general membership meetings in Baltimore and Salisbury unanimously approved a motion to award Honorary Lifetime Membership posthumously to Kenny Elgert, the beloved son of (Local 355 Business Agent) Chip and Barbara Elgert, who passed away suddenly in March. Kenny was a smiling face at many Local 355 functions over the years. An energetic and spirited supporter of our union, Kenny loved to accompany his dad to meetings, picket lines, charity fundraisers, steward banquets, and other Teamster events. He was a cheerful and devoted friend to many in the Local 355 family, and his dedication to the Local are acknowledged with the Award. Photo: Kenny, third from right, was a regular supporter on the picket line in 2016 during the union's unfair labor practices strike against US Foods.

In a random drawing from 21 submitted applications for the 2019 Local 355 Scholarship Awards, the winners are:

Tyler Samsel, son of Thomas Samsel (Sun Papers) 
Ashley Goudy, daughter of Bill Goudy (UPS)

We’ll introduce them to you in our next newsletter.

General membership meetings suspended for the summer

Members attending the May monthly meetings in Baltimore and Salisbury approved motions to suspend the meetings for the summer. The action follows a long tradition that recognizes members and their families are away on vacation most often during the summer months.

Our next General Membership Meeting will be held, Sunday, September 8, 2019, in Baltimore, and Sunday, September 15, 2019, in Salisbury.

Eastern Shore UPS members attend the April membership meeting at the renovated Salisbury Union Hall: (L-R) Bill Huber, Erik Kyle, Aaron Skipper, David Elburn and Chris Towers


May 08, 2019

Watch the YRCW ballot count online today
May 3, 2019 The proposed YRC Freight, Holland and New Penn National Master Freight Agreement ballot count will take place today at 4 pm (Eastern). You can watch the ballot count online at here. Or listen live, call 1-866-767-0669.

Teamsters back effort to revamp federal labor law to benefit workers
May 3, 2019 “The Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act will restore fairness to the economy at a time when income inequality has stifled the ability of far too many hardworking Americans to earn a decent wage that allows them to support their families,” General President Jim Hoffa said in a statement issued yesterday. The legislation that would comprehensively update the National Labor Relations Act was introduced yesterday in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.). Read more at teamsters.org  And from Intelligencer: [The PRO Act] would ban employers from forcing hires to sign away their right to pursue collective or class-action litigation and from permanently replacing workers who go on strike. It would also require employers to begin bargaining a contract no later than ten days after a union has been certified...

National Master Contract approved; one supplement rejected
May 4, 2019 Teamster-represented workers at YRC Freight, Holland and New Penn have voted to approve the national master portion of the new YRCW National Master Freight Agreement that raises wages, restores a week of vacation and protects benefits. The national master portion of the agreement, which covers about 25,000 workers, was ratified by a 60 percent to 40 percent margin. However, all but one (Joint Council 40) of the 27 regional supplemental contracts passed. The national contract will not go into effect until that supplement is resolved. The parties currently have an extension agreement in effect. Employees should report to work as usual. More information at teamster.org

Teamster leaders gather for Unity Conference
May 8, 2019 With major challenges facing workers and the 2020 elections looming, the importance of mobilizing members is more critical than ever, Teamster leaders heard at the annual Unity Conference taking place in Las Vegas, Nev. Leaders have been attending important divisional meetings, where they are hearing about the latest issues facing workers and the union, and strategies for winning. The meetings continue today and Thursday … Read more at teamster.org

National Master UPS Agreement contract book is available
May 9, 2019 The full contract of the newly ratified National Master UPS Agreement is now available to view online here.

Important information for UPS part-timers
May 10, 2019 With the new contract now in effect, part-timers may find the information in this flier helpful. The new agreement contains significant increased start rates and wages for part-timers. Click here to learn more.

YRC Freight, Holland, and New Penn contract takes effect immediately
May 15, 2019 The last supplement to the YRC Freight, Holland and New Penn National Master Freight Agreement has now been ratified by the affected membership, which means the new national collective bargaining agreement and all supplemental agreements are now fully ratified and will take effect immediately. The National Master portions of the agreement and all other supplements were previously approved by the membership on May 3. The only outstanding supplement following the May 3 vote, the Joint Council 40 Supplement, was approved this week. “The national contract will now take effect and I want to thank all our members for their support during this long process,” said Ernie Soehl, Director of the Teamsters National Freight Division. “The wage increases are retroactive to April 1 and it is anticipated that any retro pay will be distributed within the next 30 days.”

355 Update: New contracts ratified, and other news
May 15, 2019 Fire battalion chiefs, deputy sheriffs, and park rangers employed by Anne Arundel County recently ratified contracts providing cost-of-living (COLA) increases and merit raises; maintenance of Health and Welfare, and other improvements specific to each unit… Poultry workers at Mountaire Farms of Delmarva, ratified a five-year contract that includes a $1.50 p/hr increase over term, participation in the Teamsters Membership Pension Program, raises for live-haul drivers with job security for the term of the contract and retroactive pay back to December 2018... A new five-year contract is in place at Contanda (formerly Westway Terminals) that provides wage increases, maintains Health & Welfare, allows members to enroll in the Local 355 Teamster Retirement Plan, and reimburses boiler operators for the cost of renewal licenses. Praxair, new owner of dry ice firm Capitol Carbonic, Bridgeville, Del., agreed to recognize Local 355 as exclusive bargaining agent for its employees. Negotiations for a new contract produced... Continued  Pictured: UPS feeder drivers in Baltimore elected new stewards following the May membership meeting. (L-R) Shannon Hilderbrand, Nick Lozzi, Local 355 Business Agent Eric Wood, and Brian Rigg.

Hoffa on trade with China: “They’re keeping us out”
May 16, 2019 Hoffa discusses the impact of President Trump’s tariffs, and what should be done to get tough with China on trade, during interviews with Ali Velshi of MSNBC and Judy Woodruff of PBS NewsHour… Teamsters

Local 355 mourns the passing of Brother Jim Deene (updated)
May 20, 2019 Local 355 officers, staff and members are mourning the sudden loss of Jim Deene, a business agent for Teamsters Local 355 in Baltimore, Md., who passed away suddenly on May 17, 2019. Deene began his Teamster career as a driver for U.S. Foodservice. He served as a shop steward from 1997 until 2002, when he became a business agent for the Local. Friends may visit Thursday, May 23, 2019, from 2-4 pm and 6-9 pm in the Barranco & Sons, P.A. Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Hwy, Severna Park, MD 21146. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, May 24, 2019, at 11 am in Our Lady of the Fields Roman Catholic Church, 1070 Cecil Ave., Millersville, MD 21108.  Photos of Jim can be viewed in our Photo Gallery.

The Baltimore Sun: James 'Jimmy' Deene, trucker, union official and business agent...
May 21, 2019 | Brother Deene was chief negotiator for The Sun's drivers and pressmen. Today it published a nice obituary for our Local 355 brother... Read it here

Teamster Podcast: United in power at Unity
May 22, 2019 Listen to the latest episode of the Teamster Nation Podcast and hear how the union united for power at its annual Unity Conference in May, plus its plans for greater wins in the workplace and at the ballot box.


Apr 10, 2019

LA Teamsters provide members seeking citizenship with valuable assistance
Apr. 1, 2019 Teamsters Local 630 has about 7,000 members. They’re warehouse workers, truckers, and food service employees. Nearly 80 percent of the union is Hispanic. Guillermo Flores’ wife is in the union. For years he has lived, worked, and paid taxes in the United States, thanks to a permanent resident status. On Saturday, March 30 he took a major step toward U.S. citizenship because of Local 630. He submitted the N-400 Application for Naturalization. One of his motivations is political. As a permanent resident Flores isn’t allowed to vote. “The more people that could cast their votes and understand the laws or what’s going to go on in the future, I think it’s better for everybody,” said Flores. Flores’ parents brought him straight to California from Mexico…Spectrum

New contract approved at First Transit Baltimore MTA
Apr. 3, 2019 Workers at First Transit Baltimore MTA have approved a new three-year collective bargaining agreement. Highlights include significant increases in wage rates and paid time off allowance. In a major improvement to their health care coverage, workers will move from the company’s high-cost healthcare plan to a new no-deductibles plan in the second year of the agreement. The new contract covers more than 300 transit operators.

New apprenticeship program puts more Teamsters behind the wheel
Apr. 5, 2019 Anyone who works in trucking or follows the transportation sector knows there is one topic that has dominated the industry in recent years. That topic is the persistent shortage of drivers and how it has plagued carriers nationwide… Today, Teamsters are paving a new road for countless workers who want to build careers in the transportation industry. The new Teamsters Apprenticeship Program is the first national effort by the union that is focused on the transportation industry. “This program is designed to promote the craft and train people to build strong middle-class careers in the transportation industry… The driver shortage is a real problem in the industry and we believe this program offers a unique solution…” Teamsters

Teamsters set April 10 meeting to discuss YRC contract
Apr. 5, 2019 | Two-person teams of the Teamsters union will meet with top union officials April 10 in Chicago to discuss the tentative contract reached last month between the Teamsters and three units of YRC Worldwide, Inc. Under Teamsters bylaws, after the meeting, the two-person teams will brief local leaders and the rank-and-file who will make the ultimate decision to ratify or reject the contract. Between 20,000 and 25,000 employees at national unit YRC Freight and regional units New Penn and Holland are Teamsters members. The current collective bargaining agreement has been extended until May 31, two months past its original expiration date, to allow for the language to be fully vetted and for the rank-and-file to vote…. FreightWaves

The latest on Teamster Podcast: These women work!
Apr. 10, 2019 Listen to the latest edition of the Teamster Nation Podcast and learn how Local 237 in New York City used an event honoring former staffer and journalist Marie Colvin to also pay tribute to three school safety agents who stood up for fair pay for themselves and their colleagues. Plus, the Teamsters create an apprenticeship program to produce more truckers.

Local Union offices will be closed Monday, April 22nd 
Apr. 15, 2019 In observation of the Easter holiday, our Local Union offices will be closed Monday, Apr. 22, 2019, and will reopen Tuesday, Apr. 23 at 9 am. Everyone at Local 355 wishes you and your family a safe and happy Easter holiday.

Eastern Shore union hall opens to members for April membership meeting
Apr. 16, 2019 The Local Union Hall in Salisbury, Md. will be fully operational by September after being closed for necessary renovations since July of 2017. The building, originally constructed in 1940 and suffering accumulated damage from age and environmental wear, has been extensively renovated with an open floor plan. “This is a much better space for our needs,” said Denis Taylor, President of Teamsters Local 355. “It will now accommodate meetings with our Eastern Shore companies. There’s no need to rent other space; all meetings will be held here going forward.” The renovation and repair project was expensive, Taylor said, but well worth it. The Hall will be open for next month’s General Membership Meeting. Photo Gallery: 2019 April Membership Meeting Salisbury 

Final supplement ratified, National Agreement takes effect
Apr. 28, 2019 | The five-year contract covering about 250,000 Teamster-represented workers at UPS will take effect at 12:01 a.m. tomorrow, Monday, April 29, after workers in Michigan ratified the last outstanding supplemental agreement. The national contract will increase wages, protect benefits and create thousands of new full-time jobs. Economic improvements in the contract are retroactive to August 1, 2018. The company has been notified of the ratification and will attempt to implement required raises during the next weekly pay period. More info here.

Teamsters, NewsGuild warn Gannett shareholders about Alden Global Capital
Apr. 29, 2019 In a letter recently released, The NewsGuild-CWA and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters urged Gannett shareholders to reject the slate of directors nominated by vulture hedge fund Alden Global Capital. Through its subsidiary MNG Enterprises, Alden made a hostile bid to buy Gannett (NYSE:GCI) in January 2019. The offer was rejected in February by the Gannett Board of Directors. Later in February, MNG Enterprises launched a fight for the Gannett board by nominating six candidates…“There is a lot at stake in the outcome of this proxy vote for Gannett shareholders and workers alike,” said George Tedeschi, President of the Graphic Communications Conference of the Teamsters. “We urge investors to vote the white ballot to protect the integrity of our business and the future of our company.”  LaborPress


Mar 13, 2019

Economic issues are on the table
Mar. 1, 2019 | The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) reports bargaining resumed this week for a new National Master Freight Agreement (NMFA) applicable to YRC Freight, Holland, and New Penn. The current agreement is set to expire on March 31. This week, comprehensive economic proposals were exchanged by the parties which resulted in a vigorous review of the respective positions. TNFINC Co-Chair Ernie Soehl stated that “obviously, these discussions are becoming more critical and consequential as we go into March and address the most difficult issues. Although we made some progress, the union is disappointed with the wage and benefit package the employer currently has on the table because it simply will not meet the level the members’ deserve or recognize the sacrifice of long-term employees over the past decade.” Nevertheless, the parties have agreed to resume negotiations over the next few weeks to attempt to find a solution. We appreciate the patience of the membership as we strive for the best agreement possible.

Teamsters celebrate Women’s History Month
Mar. 5, 2019 Every year, we commemorate Women’s History Month in March, and March 8 marks International Women’s Day. The theme of International Women’s Day in 2019 is “Balance for Better,” because a more gender-balanced world is a better world. This is a time to reflect on women’s accomplishments in our union and communities at large. Often it’s Mother Jones or Rosie the Riveter who come to mind when we think about strong women in labor history. However, there are many more accomplished women, including Teamsters, who work every day to fight for workers’ rights… Teamsters

Vote results in on three UPS supplements
Mar. 6, 2019  UPS Teamsters covered by the Central Pennsylvania Supplement have ratified the agreement. UPS Teamsters covered by the Western Pennsylvania and Local 243/Metro Detroit supplements have rejected those two agreements. Voting took place over the past several weeks and votes were tallied yesterday. Vote results hereAnother supplement yet to be voted on is the Local 804 Supplement.  However, a tentative agreement on the Local 804 Supplement has been reached and a vote will take place in the near future.

Teamsters are standing up to Sysco
Mar. 13, 2019  Listen to the latest edition of the Teamster Nation Podcast and learn how Sysco Teamsters are standing together against intimidation all across the country by organizing for power.

Local 355 mourns the loss of favorite son, Kenny Elgert
Mar. 12, 2019  Local 355 officers, staff, and members are mourning the untimely passing of Kenny Elgert, beloved son of Local 355 Business Agent Chip Elgert and Barbara Elgert. In order to allow Local Union staff and members to attend his funeral services, the monthly membership meeting on Sunday, March 17, 2019, in Salisbury, Md. is canceledFamily and friends may pay their respects on Friday, March 15, 2019, from 2–6 pm, and on Saturday, March 16, 2019, from 2–6 pm at Barranco & Sons, P.A. Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Highway, in Severna Park, MD 21146. A Funeral Ceremony will be held on Sunday, March 17, 2019, at 10 am at Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Department, 161 Ritchie Highway, Severna Park, MD 21146. Interment will follow in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Baltimore, Md. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Severna Park Athletic Boosters/Drama, Earleigh Heights Fire Department, or to the Anne Arundel County Special Olympics.

Bargaining update: Slow progress on monetary issues
Mar. 18, 2019 | Bargaining resumed this week for a new NMFA applicable to YRC Freight, Holland, and New Penn. The current agreement is set to expire on March 31. Detailed economic proposals dominated the discussions but the parties ended the week without a consensus about what the long-term wage and benefit package needs to be to retain and attract drivers, dockworkers and other employees with the three companies. Co-chairman Ernie Soehl stated: “The union believes the pool of available money needs to expand if we are to conclude these talks on time. We’ve offered significant operational improvements to grow each company in the expanding e-commerce world and addressed inefficiencies that hinder the growth of each company. We believe those changes are being undervalued by the companies.” The union is very disappointed in the companies’ positions but the parties are scheduled to resume talks next week. Complete update here.

Hoffa marks 20 years as head of the Teamster Union
Mar. 19, 2019  Today marks an important milestone in Teamster history. On this date, General President James P. Hoffa became only the second General President to log 20 years as head of the Teamsters Union. “We have accomplished a lot in the last 20 years but there is always more to do. Workers’ rights and the gains we have made never stand still – we are either on the rise or someone is trying to take what we have – we only win by constantly fighting for more.” Reflecting on serving the Teamster membership for 20 years, Hoffa said, “It has been my greatest honor to serve the great men and women of this union… Teamsters

Local 355 mourns the passing of Lance Miller, UPS feeder driver
Mar. 20, 2019  Updated March 22  Lance Miller, long-time UPS steward and a friend to many, passed away Tuesday, March 19, 2019. In their statement received today, his family informed the Local Union that there would not be a funeral. “We will gather to celebrate Lance’s life on Sunday, March 24, 2019, from 1:00 - 5:00 PM at the Dewey Lowman American Legion Post 109 hall in Arbutus [Md].” Lance “will be cremated and some of his organs donated to save another Life.” The family asks that you please pass along this information, adding “Thanks to UPS for all the support for their fellow UPS’ers. He lived and breathed UPS.” Additional information here.

Tentative agreement in principle reached

Mar. 22, 2019 | The Union and the Company have reached a tentative agreement in principle for a new collective bargaining agreement to succeed the current agreement which is expiring on March 31. TNFINC has granted a contract extension of the current agreement through May 31, 2019 in order to allow the parties to finalize some language and a few supplemental issues as well as to allow the union’s ratification process to take place. As with the union’s practice, details of the tentative agreement will not be released until after they have been reviewed at a two-person meeting which will be scheduled in the near future. Full statement here.

Reminder: Hoffa Memorial Scholarship deadline is March 31st
Mar. 25, 2019  The James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund awards scholarships annually to outstanding high school seniors. Scholarship winners are awarded either a $10,000.00 award split up over four years at $1,250.00 per semester or a one-time $1,000.00 award. Winners of the $10,000.00 award will have their scholarship renewed each year, pursuant to the Scholarship Renewal guidelines, and must maintain a GPA of 3.0 (B average) or higher. Training and vocational scholarships are also available. To access the JRHMSF application process, click here.


Feb 13, 2019

Minimum wage increase advances in Md. General Assembly
Feb. 27, 2019 Maryland lawmakers are advancing a bill that gradually increases the minimum wage to $15 per hour but does it at a slower rate that advocates had hoped for. Under the version of the bill approved Monday night by a key House of Delegates committee, the minimum wage would increase from the current $10.10 per hour starting next year and hitting $15 in 2025… The Baltimore Sun

YRC Bargaining Update: Continued progress
Feb. 1, 2019 | The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) and YRC Freight, New Penn and Holland met this week for another round of bargaining for a new national agreement to succeed the agreement that is set to expire on March 31, and more progress was made. Although the parties resolved most of the easy issues in the early weeks, they are now starting to address the more difficult ones. The industry-wide driver shortage remains a central topic of discussion. “We pointed out to the company that when we start getting into economics, one obvious way to help with driver recruitment and retention is to raise wage rates,” National Freight Director Ernie Soehl said. The parties have multiple weeks scheduled to continue negotiations. Read the full update here.

Teamsters file unfair labor practice charges against Jack Cooper Transport
Feb. 5, 2019 | The Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee (TNATINC) sent the following memo to local unions [yesterday] after the committee filed unfair labor practice charges against Jack Cooper Transport: Today, Monday, Feb. 4, 2019, managers for Jack Cooper Transport began contacting Local Unions individually by phone requesting relief from pension contributions. These benefits have been negotiated to conclusion under the current National Master Automobile Transporters Agreement (NMATA) and Supplemental agreements. A letter from T. Michael Riggs on this matter has also been sent by Jack Cooper Transport managers directly to our Carhaul membership in violation of law… Continue reading here

Upstate and Western New York supplement ratified *
Feb. 6, 2019  Official vote results. UPS Teamsters covered by the Upstate and Western New York Supplement have ratified the agreement. Voting took place over the past several weeks and votes were tallied yesterday. Four other supplements remain outstanding: Central Pennsylvania; Western Pennsylvania; Local 804; and Local 243 Metro Detroit. Reminder: The national agreement cannot take effect until all the outstanding supplements are ratified. Once ratified, economic improvements are retroactive to August 1, 2018. Vote counts at teamster.org

Teamsters celebrate Black History Month
Feb. 6, 2019 Since 1903, the Teamsters Union has been at the forefront of the struggle for workers’ rights in North America. During Black History Month, Teamsters honor the contributions of African-Americans in our nation’s history and their important place in the union today. Early on in the union’s history, Teamsters advocated for “no color lines” within the labor movement and would not hold with the practice of separate unions for black members. Women and minorities were... Read more

Teamsters applaud introduction of legislation to protect transit workers
Feb. 13, 2019 The Teamsters support bipartisan legislation that would authorize funding for programs to establish training and technology improvements to help mitigate assaults against transit workers. “All transit workers deserve a safe workplace,” said General President Jim Hoffa. “Whether they drive a bus or work on the rails, these men and women should have the training and technology to help prevent any harm from assault on the job…” Learn more here.

YRC negotiations continue on national items
Feb. 15, 2019 | The last traditional collective bargaining agreement applicable to these companies is the 2008-13 National Master Freight Agreement (NMFA). That agreement was modified and extended through various restructuring MOUs and agreements. The parties are returning to the traditional structural format as the 2008-13 NMFA. After this week, the parties will have resolved most of the non-economic provisions in Articles 1-39. The parties also began discussing supplemental agreements for some regions of the country. Subcommittees were also established to focus on various issues related to the shortage of CDL drivers, purchased transportation, how to grow full-time jobs, job security for the bargaining unit and the unique nature of operations at Holland... Read the full update here.

Teamsters JC 16 statement on Amazon canceling H2 New York plans 
Feb. 15, 2019 George Miranda, President of Teamsters Joint Council 16, had the following statement on Amazon's announcement that it is pulling out of plans to build its second headquarters in Long Island City, NY: "New Yorkers made it clear that Amazon wasn't welcome in our city if it would not respect our workers and our communities. Apparently, the company decided that was too much to ask. We are committed to fighting for the rights of workers throughout the Amazon supply chain and supporting their demand for a voice on the job." Teamsters Related: Amazon’s decision to pull out of New York is a massive blow to corporate welfare and, activists and lawmakers also raised concerns over Amazon’s labor practices and its anti-union track record.


Jan 16, 2019
January 16, 2019 Continued from Main Page Drivers at Mid-Atlantic Baking approved in January a new contract that provides a 12% wage increase over the four-year term.
Jan 10, 2019

AFGE sues government over shutdown
Jan. 2, 2019 | The American Federation of Government Employees on Monday sued the U.S. government on behalf of federal employees being forced to work without pay during the Trump Shutdown.  The lawsuit alleges that the government is violating the law by requiring some federal employees to work without pay, including correctional officers, Border Patrol and ICE agents, transportation security officers, and other employees who are labeled as “essential”.  “Our members put their lives on the line to keep our country safe,” said AFGE president J. David Cox Sr., noting that positions that are considered ‘essential’ during a shutdown are some of the most dangerous jobs in the federal government. Pointing out that many of those working without pay are military veterans, Cox said that “Our nation’s heroes, AFGE members and their families deserve the decency of knowing when their next paycheck is coming and that they will be paid for their work.” The lawsuit was brought on behalf of all federal employees who are required to work without pay during the shutdown. The U.S. Court of Federal Claims has previously ruled in favor of federal employees forced to work without pay during the 2013 shutdown. ~ Via Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO

Teamster members also work for federal government, contractors
Jan. 2, 2019 | The International Brotherhood of Teamsters calls on Congress and the President to end the current budget impasse that could result in the partial closure of the federal government. The Teamsters Union represents thousands of hardworking members who are either federal employees or federal government contractors. Many of these members will be forced to either work without pay or face furlough or layoff during a government closure. The impact on these members and their families, as well as all federal employees impacted by a shutdown, would be catastrophic… teamster.org Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Unions call on the president and Congress to reopen the government
Jan. 9, 2019 | Every day the government shutdown drags on, hundreds of thousands of working people are denied a paycheck and millions lose the vital government services they deserve. America's working families are looking to the president and Congress to end this debacle. Join us for a rally to end the government shutdown at Noon, Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019, at AFL-CIO, 815 16th St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20006. Or, call your legislators and demand that they vote to reopen government: 1-866-803-8830. Download the rally flyer hereDownload the informational flyer "President and Congress Must Reopen the Government" here.

Thousands of federal employee union workers rally for end to government shutdown
Jan. 10, 2019 Teamsters stood with federal workers and other trade union allies at a rally today in Washington, DC to demand an end to the government shutdown. Tens of thousands of our union brothers and sisters are locked out or working without pay. Chanting ‘Shut the shutdown now,” they demanded government leaders “do your job” and reopen the government so they can go back to work. More than a dozen members of Congress joined the rally to stand with the workers including leaders from Maryland (House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, Senators Chris Van Hollen, and Benjamin Cardin) and Virginia (Senator Mark Warner and Representative Don Beyer).

Teamsters go to court over federal rest time ruling
Jan. 11, 2019 In a move that pits business interests against organized labor, the federal agency that regulates big-rig traffic late last year issued a ruling that wipes out California labor laws mandating meal and rest breaks for interstate truck drivers. Within a week of that decision, the Union filed a legal action in federal court challenging the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s ruling. The federal agency is being asked to prove it has the authority to preempt this California regulation… The Press-Enterprise

YRC negotiations resume, continued progress reported
Jan. 14, 2019 The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) met this week to continue negotiations for a new National Master Freight Agreement covering YRC Freight, Holland and New Penn. The parties met for full days over the course of the week and discussed a wide variety of issues. TNFINC secured a tentative agreement with improvements on a number of items such as equipment, safety, stewards and work opportunities. TNFINC Co-Chair Ernie Soehl stated: “We continued making progress for the members and resolved a number of national non-economic items. Obviously, we will still need to tackle the difficult economic issues, but at least so far I am encouraged by the progress.” Negotiations are scheduled to resume later in the month.

Hollywood Teamsters stand in solidarity with striking LA teachers
Jan. 15, 2019 Teachers across California are making bold decisions to take action for their students and for the future of public education. Educators are deeply committed to improving learning conditions in their classrooms and public education calling for crucial changes such as reduced class sizes, improved school safety, less testing - more teaching, and fair wages. IBT Joint Council 42 has sanctioned the strike for Los Angeles Teachers and their fight… Hollywood Teamsters Local 399

New contracts approved at Avis Rent-A-Car, Mid-Atlantic Baking
Jan. 16, 2019 Service agents, rental sales agents, customer service reps, and technicians at Avis Rent A Car ratified a new three-year contract in December that provides annual wage increases; an increase in company pension contribution; enhances sick leave; and increases technicians’ boot and tool allowances. Drivers at Mid-Atlantic Baking approved…355 News

UPS contract update
Jan. 18, 2019 The seven Teamster local unions that represent UPS Teamsters covered by the Upstate and Western New York Supplement have reached a tentative agreement, and voting information will be mailed to members on Tuesday, January 22. Voting will be done over the internet or by phone. Ballots will be counted on Tuesday, February 5. Four supplements remain outstanding: Central Pennsylvania; Western Pennsylvania; Local 804; and Local 243 and Metro Detroit… Teamsters

UPS Freight national contract is now available online
Jan. 18, 2019 The 2018-2023 National Master UPS Freight Agreement is now available online and ready to print. You may access the agreement here. Workers at UPS Freight ratified the new five-year agreement in November 2018 that was the company’s last, best and final offer. Members approved the contract by a 77 percent to 23 percent margin. The agreement covers about 11,600 workers at the company.

Labor hails DC City Council move to protect federal workers
Jan. 23, 2019 | Some good news to share with family or friends affected by the government shutdown and are residents of DC: The DC City Council yesterday unanimously approved the “Federal Worker Housing Relief Emergency Act of 2019” to protect unpaid federal government workers and contractors from foreclosure, eviction, and late fees during a federal government shutdown. The bill, which takes effect immediately following the Mayor’s signature, would benefit as many as 80,000 federal workers and contractors living in DC. ...Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO

Stop the Shutdown National Call-In Day
Jan. 24, 2019 | Union members from all over the country are being asked to call their Senators and Representatives today to tell them to reopen the government and keep it open. Call the Senate: 866-803-8830; House: 855-976-9914. The Senate is tentatively scheduled to vote today on a bill that will reopen the government – the day before many workers will be missing their paychecks. The Teamsters stand in solidarity with workers impacted by the shutdown that has locked out hundreds of thousands of federal workers and forced hundreds of thousands more to work without pay. We believe that the shutdown must end now. Make the call now! Related: Teamsters take part in government shutdown protest on Capitol Hill  Photo/Getty Images


Dec 20, 2018

Hoffa: China needs to make real change to fix trade inequities with U.S.
Dec. 5, 2018 | Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said in a statement today about the agreement reached this week between the U.S. and China to put additional tariffs on hold while negotiating a solution to the ongoing trade imbalance between the two nations: “…America must demand results, not just rhetoric. The U.S. needs a clear vision and must enter this process with open eyes on China revamping its trade practices. There is an urgent need for structural reform if a solution is ultimately going to be reached.” Read Hoffa’s full statement here.

Applications are being accepted for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship
Dec. 10, 2018 | The application process for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship for the 2019 year is now open. Scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 are awarded annually to eligible outstanding high school seniors. Applicants must be the son, daughter or grandchild of an active, retired, disabled, deceased or laid-off Teamster member who has or had at least twelve months of consecutive membership in good standing in the Teamsters Union. The submission deadline is March 31, 2019. Applications are available in English or Spanish, and are available online or at the Local office. For more information, click here.

Update: First of six outstanding supplements approved
Dec. 17, 2018 | UPS Teamsters covered by the Trailer Conditioners, Inc. (TCI) Supplement voted Dec. 14 to approve the agreement. The TCI Supplement is the first of the six outstanding supplements to be approved in a re-vote by the members. Members at TCI repair trailers and are represented by local unions 385, 480 and 745. Five supplements remain outstanding: the Central Pennsylvania; the Upstate and West New York; Western Pennsylvania; Local 243 and Metro Detroit; and the Local 804. The national UPS contract will not take effect until all the supplements have been ratified.

Contract language proposals exchanged with YRC Freight, Holland, New Penn
Dec. 21, 2018 | The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) met with representatives of YRC Freight, USF Holland and New Penn this week to kick off negotiations for a new National Master Freight Agreement (NMFA) covering those companies. The parties exchanged initial proposals on national language items. Economic proposals were not exchanged at this time and will be discussed as negotiations progress. Negotiations are scheduled to resume in early January… Full update here

Bakers Express workers approve successor contracts
Dec. 20, 2018 | Members employed as drivers and warehouse workers at Bakers Express approved this week new three-year collective bargaining agreements. The contracts provide nine percent wage increases over the term of the agreements; a signing bonus; and the maintenance of Health and Welfare with the company absorbing all increased costs in the third year. Most of the members gained additional sick days under a sick leave policy updated to comply with a recently enacted Maryland law that requires all companies with 15 or more employees provide a minimum of five sick days per year. Other highlights include enhanced bereavement leave (grandchildren); an increase in jury duty pay; and improvements in job bidding language. Specific to the warehouse contract: the progression rate for new hires is reduced to six months from 12, and an enhanced premium pay for working weeks containing holidays.


Dec 18, 2018

Nov 30, 2018

Nov. 30, 2018

Press Associates Union News Service

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s “New NAFTA” contains many pro-worker improvements, but still has some remaining holes in worker protections, including the need to eliminate the last remaining vestige of the pro-corporate secret trade courts, Teamsters Legislative Director Mike Dolan says. But at the same time, the pro-worker provisions are so many and varied that Dolan praised the U.S.-Canada-Mexico pact as “a new paradigm” for future U.S. trade deals.

And it was good enough for workers that Dolan gave a proverbial chuckle at the Chamber of Commerce’s “frustration” over the new NAFTA’s pro-worker sections before asking: “Has the Chamber ever opposed a ‘free trade’ deal?”

“Their concerns about the new NAFTA, and their opposition to aspects of the renegotiations the labor movement has historically called for, are auspicious from our perspective. The worm turns and a new model for future FTAs emerges,” Dolan said.

Dolan was one of two pro-worker witnesses to discuss the pact, which GOP President Donald Trump reached with Canada and Mexico – the Canadians and Mexicans would say “jammed down our throats” – earlier this year. Dolan and AFL-CIO Trade Specialist Celeste Drake spoke during the U.S. International Trade Commission hearings on it on Nov. 15-16 (see separate story on Drake’s testimony).

The USITC heard Drake, Dolan and the other witnesses, all representing corporate interests – including the Chamber – in preparation for an ITC report to Trump, and probably Congress, next year on the trade pact’s impact. USITC has set no date for its report. Leaders of the three nations formally signed the new pact on Nov. 30 in Buenos Aires.

Dolan called the new NAFTA “a historic rebalancing” of the benefits and costs of trade, not between the three countries, but for workers as opposed to bosses and investment elites. But the new NAFTA doesn’t quite go all the way to get the union’s wholehearted endorsement, which would be its first ever of a “free trade” pact, Dolan said.

“We have described to the administration” in prior hearings and sessions on the new NAFTA and trade in general “our bottom-line interest in eliminating the incentives for outsourcing by big corporations, which we repeat,” he noted.  Some specifics Dolan said would make the pact, formally the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, even better for workers, include:

• As “America’s supply chain union” – Teamster truckers and train crew members haul the nation’s freight – the union is particularly concerned with working conditions and worker rights in that sector. 

The Teamsters waged a decade-plus fight under the current 25-year-old NAFTA to keep unsafe Mexican trucks, steered by sleepless drivers, from roaming all U.S. roads, restricting them to within 20 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border. The union reiterated that demand in previous hearings and statements, but didn’t explicitly win it in the new NAFTA.

What it got, Dolan said, was “non-conforming measures in Annex I and II relating to trucking (that) will benefit the American trucking industry by explicitly permitting new restrictions on cross-border operating authority for the Mexican truck fleet.”

• While that’s a possible gain, the railroaders lost, he noted. “Mexico retains a non-conforming measure prohibiting U.S. freight rail crews from operating in Mexico, but the U.S. did not table a reciprocal reservation for American crews on U.S. rail beds.”  

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen/Teamsters “report some freight rail companies are already bringing Mexican crews into the U.S…which is depriving Teamster members of work they have historically and patriotically performed along our southern border.” Dolan recommended Trump “negotiate a side agreement with Mexico that will enshrine and enforce the principle of freight rail crew exclusivity with our NAFTA partners.”

• The remnants of Investor-State Dispute System secret pro-business trade court should go, Dolan said. That would reduce incentives by firms to outsource, uprooting factories and moving them south of the border. Of course, firms could still move, Dolan conceded, and take their chances with expropriation, rather than using the ISDS to force governments to repay lost future profits.

Instead, Dolan said such outsourcing firms would have to take out insurance against takeovers – a boost to the insurance industry, he deadpanned.   

 • Dolan greeted Trump’s win on more domestic content for cars and trucks, along with his requirement that at least 45 percent of car and truck workers make $16 an hour. But Dolan said that should be a floor, not a ceiling, on wages.

And the $16 wage should be indexed to inflation, Dolan said, otherwise it’ll lose its value, both as a deterrent to company moves to Mexico and as a wage for workers. Mexican car workers now average $3 an hour – when they get paid.

• The new NAFTA’s chapter on government procurement should “require” bidders for contracts to obey the new NAFTA’s stronger worker rights chapter. It now reads the bidders should “promote” worker rights. Dolan called the word “promote” an oversight. 

• A footnote in the new anti-currency manipulation chapter of the new NAFTA “attempts to reserve the policy space for” all three nations “to address currency misalignment and its effect on overall trade balances, but does not go far enough and could be made stronger by explicitly exempting all fiscal, monetary and foreign exchange rate management tools and policies.”             Though Dolan did not say so, such a change would let the U.S. use all those tools if Mexico ever manipulated the peso or Canada played around with the Canadian dollar, popularly called “the loonie.”              

Both Dolan and Drake urged the USITC to adopt an economic model United Nations economists use to measure the impact of trade pacts that records what happens in the real world. They want the ITC to use it to evaluate the new NAFTA.            

Both denounced the “ideal” model the ITC now uses. It assumes low unemployment and inflation and no widening of income inequality, among other principles.


Nov 13, 2018

Hoffa: Congress has no time to delay pension fix
Nov. 7, 2018 Election season is officially over. The bickering and back-biting of candidates will no longer fill the airwaves. For many of us, that brings a sense of relief. For members of Congress, it is time to get back to work. A top priority must be handling pension reform, which a joint committee was tasked with finding a solution for before Nov. 30. There is not a moment to waste… teamster.org

UPS Freight contract call scheduled for Nov. 11 at 9 pm
Nov. 9, 2018 | Join an important call to discuss the UPS Freight vote results and the next steps. To be connected to the call on Nov. 11 at 9pm Eastern: 866-767-0669

UPS Freight final contract offer ratified; national strike averted
Nov. 12, 2018 | Workers at UPS Freight have ratified a new five-year agreement that was the company’s last, best and final offer, averting a national strike. Members approved the contract by a 77 percent to 23 percent margin at local union meetings held from Nov. 7 until today. The agreement covers approximately 11,600 workers at the company. The final vote was 6,935 in favor and 2,067 opposed with 84 percent of eligible members voting. Local 355 UPSF members with approximately 95 percent participating, voted overwhelmingly to approve the agreement.

Fire contained at Teamsters headquarters in Santa Rosa, Calif.
Nov. 13, 2018 | Firefighters quickly contained a two-alarm fire that broke out Saturday evening at a Teamsters building in east Santa Rosa. The fire, reported around 5:45 p.m., was in a concrete building that serves as a headquarters for the Teamsters Local 665. Flames and smoke were discovered by police officers responding to a burglar alarm likely triggered by the fire … The Press Democrat

UPS Freight contract update
Nov. 14, 2018 | As UPS Freight members are called back to work after voting to approve the company’s Last, Best and Final Offer, local unions are asked to be vigilant to make sure the company abides by the contract. The UPS Freight contract includes a seniority system and local unions should work to insure that the recall process is fair and in accordance with the contract. The company should recall workers by seniority, classification and qualification… Click here for a PDF of the full update.

The Capital moves toward unionization
Nov. 15, 2018 | The Capital, a Maryland community newspaper where five employees were killed in June in a mass shooting, is pushing to unionize under the auspices of the Washington-Baltimore News Guild (WBNG). The initiative, say staffers, is driven by low pay and a sense of alienation that comes with working as part of such a large corporation; the newspaper is a unit of the Baltimore Sun Media Group, which is in turn part of Tribune Publishing… Washington Post

Helpful resources are right here for LU 355 members, shop stewards
Nov. 26, 2018 | Do you know what grievances can cover? And why you should pursue a grievance? How dues are determined? Answers and quick tips to help you learn more about the Union and your role in it, is available on the left column, Weekly Tip for Members. Stewards, need some quick info on how to apply pressure to resolve that grievance you just filled? Do you understand the Equality Rule? Check out Weekly Stewards' Tip in the Shop Stewards link in the left column.

After devastating wildfires, California Teamsters are in desperate need
Nov. 28, 2018 | Roughly 2,000 Teamsters that are under the jurisdiction of Joint Council 7 live in areas affected by the most destructive wildfire season in the history of California. Reports that have been received so far indicate that over 100 members have lost their homes and many more are among the 52,000 displaced who don’t yet know if they have a home they can return to. The entire town of Paradise, home to many Teamster members, was destroyed in the Camp Fire inferno. The recovery process will be long and arduous, and our members are in great need of donations to assist them through this difficult time. Any assistance that can be provided will go a long way towards getting our membership back to some level of normalcy following the blaze. Donations can be made online to the Teamsters Disasters Relief Fund at http://tdr.teamster.org.

Potential bidders for Tribune Publishing will team up
Nov. 28, 2018 | Two of the potential bidders for Tribune Publishing are joining forces. Will Wyatt, the former Starboard hedge fund manager who formed the Donerail Group, is teaming up with AIM Media, headed by former Chicago Sun-Times and Dallas Morning News executive Jeremy Halbreich. They’re now jointly pursuing Tribune Publishing, formerly know as Tronc, which counts the Chicago Tribune, the Baltimore Sun, the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel and the struggling New York Daily News among its holdings. H. Ross Perot, a billionaire and an independent presidential candidate in the ’90s, is among the backers of that bid… New York Post

Retirees decorate the hall with Christmas cheer
Nov. 29, 2018 | Members of Local 355 Association of Retired Members (A.R.M.) spiffed up the union hall's lobby this week with festive Christmas decorations, an annual task they cheerfully undertake the first Tuesday following Thanksgiving. The club, with approximately 600 retirees from Local 355 companies, provides its members with recreation, exercise and fellowship. Members come in every Tuesday to assist with building maintenance and lawn care. Membership meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month, except August and December. Pictured (L-R) are Ray Bularz, William Hopkins, Ron Cain, and Tom Miskimon. Photo/John Hynes

Two outstanding UPS supplements to be re-voted soon
Nov. 30, 2018 | Two of the six outstanding UPS supplements will go to members for a re-vote soon, Teamsters Package Division Director Denis Taylor said following a conference call with the Teamsters National UPS Negotiating Committee yesterday. Chairmen of the outstanding supplements provided updates to the committee regarding negotiations that have taken place since the supplements were rejected during the first vote. The national UPS contract will not take effect until all the supplements have been ratified. Click here for the full update.


Oct 16, 2018

Teamsters are jumping into the immigration fight to support workers who could lose TPS status
Oct. 4, 2018 In a rare move, six big rigs driven by members of the Teamsters union pulled up in front of an immigration detention center in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday as dozens of people were protesting the Trump administration’s decision to end a program that temporarily granted legal status to thousands of immigrants. The trucks’ presence symbolized what has become a rare and surprising alliance between a US labor organization and advocates for immigrants who may soon face deportation orders. “We’re a little late and we were never at the front, but when the dynamics of our people changed we had to change with it,” Ron Herrera, vice president of the Western Region for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters told BuzzFeed News. … BuzzFeed

Contract ratification update
Oct. 11, 2018 Updated to add vote tallies - Despite all the efforts made by the National Negotiating Committee, Local Unions and individual members to provide members with informational summaries (via print and social media) and encourage voting, only 44.3% of the eligible UPS membership participated in the ratification referendum on the National Agreement: 45.8% voted for and 54.2% voted against the proposed contract. The union also announced that UPS Freight Teamsters have rejected a proposed five-year national agreement with UPS Freight by a vote of 2,601 in favor and 4,255 opposed with 66.2% of eligible members voting. Go to UPS Rising for important details about contract ratification rules as outlined in the Constitution, and learn what comes next. Vote by Locals hereVote by Agreements here.

TeamsHERS on the job!
Oct. 16, 2018 Listen to the latest episode of the Teamster Nation Podcast and hear how Teamster women are using union power to earn more, learn more and lead more on the job. Plus rocker Joan Jett tells women to stand up for themselves, even if it gives them a “Bad Reputation.” Listen here.

Ratified UPS National Master Agreement not in effect until all supplements approved
Oct. 17, 2018 The National Master Agreement has been ratified, but it will not go into effect until six rejected supplements have been re-voted and approved. Package Division Director Denis Taylor has reached out to UPS requesting a meeting to discuss the contract. Local Unions will be kept informed as this process continues. Once the six outstanding supplements are ratified, the national agreement will go into effect, with economic improvements retroactive to August 1, 2018. Watch for updates at UPS Rising.

Teamsters give UPS Freight termination notice on Extension Agreement 
Oct. 17, 2018 In light of UPS Freight members rejecting the National Master Agreement, the negotiating committee notified the company October 9 that the current contract's extension agreement will terminate on Nov. 12. Following discussions with local union officers to determine member priorities, the committee will hold further negotiating meetings with the company to address members' concerns. The first such negotiations are scheduled the week of October 22, 2018. Watch for updates at UPS Rising.

Shops stewards review, refresh and relax during three-day training session
Oct. 17, 2018 Last week Local 355 stewards attended the union’s 2018 Steward Training Seminar in Ocean City, Md. More than 100 stewards representing workers employed by 34 companies received instruction in grievance handling, arbitration preparation, and contract negotiations. Veteran stewards engaged in role-playing (employer, union, grievant) to explore resolutions in case studies of difficult grievances. The interactive “Generational Differences” session, challenged our tendency to stereotype generations (Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, and Millennials) and encouraged union leaders to move to “ageless thinking.” Check out the photo galleries: Stewards 1Stewards 2Guests, and Banquet   (Click on images to enlarge.)

When it comes to philanthropy, pink is power at Local 773
Oct. 23, 2018  A common axiom for leadership is that one should lead from the front. When it comes to charity, Local 773 President Dennis Hower has taken this to heart in a big way. “I’ve always encouraged my membership to get involved with their community and take up good causes in their free time,” Hower said. “So when they came to me and asked me to get involved with Real Men Wear Pink, I had to go all in.” Local 773 represents clerical workers at the Bethlehem Area School District in Bethlehem, Pa. A few years ago… teamster.org (Note: Hower was the negotiations instructor at our recent shop steward training seminar.)

Sysco-Boston drivers vote yes for Teamster representation
Oct. 25, 2018 In a major win for workers, 253 Sysco-Boston drivers voted overwhelmingly for Teamsters Local 653 representation at the company’s New England distribution center that serves customers in five states. Sysco is the nation’s largest broadline foodservice provider… Teamsters Local 355 represents 254 drivers and warehouse workers at Sysco’s Maryland distribution center in Jessup.

Early voting in Md. starts today. Here’s what you need to know.
Oct. 25, 2018 If you plan to vote early in Maryland’s election, these answers to frequently asked questions will help you head to the polls.

Last, best and final (LBFO) contract proposal received from UPS Freight
Oct. 26, 2018 The Teamsters National UPS Freight Negotiating Committee has received a Last, Best and Final (LBFO) contract proposal from UPS Freight. You may view the proposal here. Please read the proposal in preparation for the upcoming vote to be scheduled at the union hall. Stay tuned here for the time and date.

Now is the time for all Americans to come together against hatred and bias
Oct. 30, 2018 In a statement issued yesterday about the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, General President Jim Hoffa said, “The Teamsters, like millions of other Americans of good will, were horrified by the senseless, hate-fueled shooting at a Pittsburgh temple this weekend that took the lives of 11 people merely trying to practice their faith as they have a constitutionally-protected right to so as U.S. citizens…” Continued

Contract ratification vote schedules - UPDATE 
Oct. 30, 2018  Teamsters statement on status of UPS Freight. The Eastern Shore ratification vote is scheduled for Saturday, November 10th at 9:30 am at the UPS Freight Federalsburg Terminal. The Baltimore ratification vote is scheduled for November 11th at 10 am at the Local Union hall. It is very important that you make every attempt to attend the meeting. You must be present to vote. If you have any questions, please contact Business Agent Mark Garey at 410-566-5700. 


Sep 28, 2018

Continued from Main Page

Simpson has served the State of Maryland for 26 years and became a Teamster in 2005 when she was recruited by Charles Marshall, a Local 355 business agent now retired. At that time, she was experiencing harassment by a manager in her agency and it was suggested that she reach out to the Teamsters. “Public sector unions are in a struggle today, but I understand the importance of unions and their advocacy on behalf of working people. When I needed an advocate, the union stood with me.”

Simpson has extensive experience in bringing diverse groups together on the local and state level to address problems, find solutions, and accomplish common goals. Currently the Education and Training Manager of the Maryland State Retirement Agency, she also served as a Child Protective Services worker in Harford County and later as a Family Court Facilitator. A survivor of domestic violence and sexual harassment, Simpson is a #MeToo champion for the safety of women and children. Her interest in and concern for all people drive her candidacy for the House of Delegates. She promises to represent the people who elect her and not the special interests of a select few. She will work to provide opportunity, equity, and fairness for everyone in the community.

“Teamsters Joint Council 62 is proud to have the opportunity to endorse Karen Simpson for the Maryland House of Delegates,” said Council President Denis Taylor. “We support any member who is willing to jump into the political process to bring a fair and determined voice on behalf of working people and the issues important to them and their families.”

The Maryland and D.C. AFL-CIO, AFSCME Local 3, and LiUNA! Mid-Atlantic Region has also endorsed Simpson.

Simpson enjoys broad support for her candidacy. “I’m the only one that is surprised I’m running. I’m putting it all in, and I’m prepared to win.” Engaging, friendly, and very focused on her message, she promises, “You will not be alone in our district. I believe we must take care of each other. I will fight for what matters and never stop fighting for those who need a voice.”

Learn more about Karen Simpson at Karen4Maryland.com.

Maryland District 31B includes Gambrills, Glen Burnie, Lake Shore, Millersville, Pasadena, Riviera Beach, and Severna Park.

Local 355 is a member local of Teamsters Joint Council 62.


Sep 17, 2018

Hoffa: Americans recognize union value

September 5, 2018 | Most workers this week received an extra day off for Labor Day, which honors hardworking Americans who for generations have fought for higher pay, better benefits and improved safety on the job. But Labor Day isn’t just about the past; it is still very much about the present. In 2018 alone, thousands of Teamsters gathered in Detroit and Columbus, Ohio demanding that their earned pensions be protected. Teachers in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Kentucky and elsewhere walked out of their classrooms because of low pay and lack of respect on the job. And just last month, more than two-thirds of voters in Missouri overturned so-called Right-to-Work legislation that curbs the ability of workers to come together and negotiate for fair compensation and workplace conditions. Why is this happening? …  teamsters.org

Posting will resume on September 17th
Sept. 10, 2018 | We're on vacation this week. See you back here next Monday.

Hoffa: Appreciating truckers means keeping rules that make roads safer
Sept. 17, 2018 | The nation’s 3.5 million truck drivers do yeoman’s work keeping the U.S. economy humming by transporting goods from coast to coast. The Teamsters thank the President and other elected officials for recognizing the crucial role that these workers play in keeping our country moving forward. However, working as a trucker is dangerous and stressful …  teamsters.org

UPS, UPS Freight members: It’s time to vote!
Sept. 18, 2018 | Balloting information was mailed to you last week. All the facts of the agreements have been made available to you (see the list and links below), and now it is up to you to make your decision. We are asking everyone to participate in this ratification. It is important that you exercise your right to vote. Your decision is critical to the process and the decision is yours. If you did not receive balloting information, call the union office immediately at 410-566-5700.

United in solidarity of sisterhood at the 2018 Teamster Women’s Conference
Sept. 19, 2018 | The 2018 Teamsters Women’s Conference kicked off Sunday, Sept. 16 in Orlando, Fla. and just steps away from the happiest place on earth, Disney World. So this year's theme, “Dream, Believe and Achieve,” seemed more than perfectly fitting for the more 1,300 Teamster women from across North America that packed the room, united in solidarity of sisterhood. “The one thing that I know about Teamster women, there is very, very little that can get in your way when you want to do something. You are motivated, and you know how to make things happen. And that is what a union needs, to make things happen," General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall said … teamster.org  Pictured: (L-R) Local 355 UPS shop stewards who "make things happen," Tawanda Scott (Baltimore pre-load), Carolyn Overby and Janet Genovese (Baltimore Hub) at the Conference.

Members & Stewards: Helpful union resources are only a click away
Sept. 24, 2018 Do you know what a contract campaign is? Do you know why it's important to file a grievance in a timely manner? Are you aware that besides what is in your contract, your workplace may have its own unwritten rules? Every Monday we provide answers to those questions and quick tips to help you learn more about the Local Union and your role in it. Available under Weekly Tip for Members. Stewards, do you know what the 'Cardinal Sins' are? Do you know how to use a grievance as a tactic tool? When past practice is relevant? The Weekly Tip for Stewards under the Shop Stewards link is updated every Monday with helpful tips to make your role as steward a bit easier. (Note: If you've forgotten your password, email teamstersjc62@gmail.com for assistance.)

Are you registered to vote? Register here to make your voice heard in November
Sept. 25, 2018 Today is National Voter Registration Day! The first step to voting is making sure that you’re registered. If you’ve recently moved or haven’t voted in a while, your registration may be inactive and you could have a difficult time voting at the polls. Make sure that doesn’t happen by registering to vote NOW! All year, Teamsters all over the country have been going to worksites to help register voters. Just in case they don’t make it to your workplace, make sure you’re registered by clicking here to update your registration before the deadline in your state.

A newspaper empire in the balance: The continuing saga of Tronc
Sept. 26, 2018 […] The media conglomerate formerly known as Tribune Publishing might yet find a savior (or several). But Tronc’s ongoing troubles paint a larger picture of the challenges facing the industry—and the uncertain future of the journalism it produces… Whether or not these papers find themselves controlled by Tronc, Donerail, Gannett, McClatchy, or an eccentric local billionaire, they will still have to survive a harsh market for legacy print publications, one without a clear path to financial success… The Ringer

Local 355 member Karen Simpson endorsed by Teamsters in Maryland delegate race
Sept. 28, 2018 (This post has been updated.) Karen Simpson, a State of Maryland employee since 1992 and member of Teamsters Local 355, hopes to take her next step in public service as the representative of Maryland’s District 31B when all the ballots are counted on November 6, 2018. Endorsed by Teamsters Joint Council 62, Simpson is among 32 Teamster members across the nation whom the union has confirmed to be running for public office in the November midterms. The tragic death of her older brother in a workplace accident that could have been prevented has been a motivating force in Simpson’s life, a life dedicated to social justice and advocacy. In 1990, Paul, a member of a construction crew working on an Eastern Shore bridge project, plunged 65 feet to the ground as he tried to jump on to a crane-suspended platform from an unguarded concrete pier cap. Despite the site’s unsafe working conditions, Paul was not provided with fall protection. Simpson believes that had he been represented by a labor union, her brother would be alive today. A union is all about taking care of its members, she said. Unions aggressively enforce employer requirements to provide safe conditions for its workers… 355 News…


Aug 14, 2018

Highlights of tentative agreement include new restrictions on subcontracting
Aug. 2, 2018 
One of the primary objectives of the union’s negotiating committee was the reduction in the amount of subcontracting, particularly of road work. The tentative agreement addresses the issue and makes significant improvements: The company will affirmatively and significantly reduce the amount of road contracting it currently does. In the first year alone, we estimate that this will likely amount to the insourcing of over 3,000,000 miles back to our road drivers. The company agreed to hire a minimum of 100 new road drivers… For additional highlights and background on negotations, click here.

Improvements to Safety and Health: Tentative agreement info 
Aug. 6, 2018 
 The UPS National Tentative Agreement includes numerous safety and health improvements for UPS Teamsters, among them prohibiting retaliation against any employee who files an on-the-job injury claim; new language under leave of absence requiring the company "use its best efforts" to provide necessary documents to help employees process disability claims; new language covering equipment, accidents and reports; and language improvements to protect workers in the handling of over 70-pound packages. Download the complete information (flier) here.

Hoffa: Missouri voters side with unions against corporate effort to impoverish workers
August 9, 2018 
 Missouri voters defeated Proposition A on the statewide ballot yesterday, which ensures workers will be able to continue to come together to negotiate contracts that pay more, bring better benefits and protect their safety on the job. “The people of Missouri on Tuesday showed big business and its legislative cronies that they won’t be forced to endure a policy pushed by corporate interests that would result in greater company profits but fewer dollars in the pockets of hardworking people in the Show Me state… less than a third of voters supported the anti-worker policy. That is a resounding defeat, and one that big business should take heed of as it continues its efforts to tamp down on collective bargaining elsewhere…" Teamsters 

Leaders of UPS and UPS Freight local unions approve tentative agreements
August 9, 2018 | Leaders of local unions that represent UPS and UPS Freight Teamsters met today and approved the two separate tentative national agreements, paving the way for members to vote by electronic ballot starting next month. Regarding the UPS tentative agreement, “Today’s vote was a very strong indication of the support nationwide from local union leaders and it sends the national agreement, regional supplements and riders to the members for a ratification vote,” said Denis Taylor, Director of the Teamsters Package Division and Co-Chairman of the Teamsters National UPS Negotiating Committee. Likewise, “The UPS Freight tentative agreement provides our members with economic security and job security over the next five years and beyond,” said Kris Taylor, the Teamsters UPS Freight coordinator. Early next month, members will receive voting information. The votes will be by secret ballot as it always has been, but this time members will vote via the Internet or phone. Click here for the PDF of the complete update.

Local 355 welcomes drivers at Arnold Packaging
August 10, 2018 | Drivers who work at packaging materials and supplies distributor Arnold Packaging in Baltimore voted July 25, 2018 to join Teamsters Local 355. Wages, vacation benefits, and safety issues were at the top of the workers’ agenda. Pictured (L-R) are Will Webster, Tony McKay, Jason Nueder, Ray Jackson, and Nate Dixon. (Click image to view).

Tentative contract provides full-time workers with more secure future
Aug. 14, 2018 
 The tentative National Master UPS Agreement provides full-time workers with a more secure future, including increased wages and improved health and welfare and pension benefits. “The pension-contribution increase is a real shot in the arm and the fact that we have a pension when the vast majority of workers don’t have one illustrates how fortunate we are. The wage increases are solid, especially when we top out at more than $40 an hour. And the union negotiating more full-time jobs in a drastically changing industry is a great achievement.” Rick Pohlig, package car driver, Local 676, Collingwood, NJ. Summary of the proposed improvements here.

Letter from UPS regarding subcontracting
Aug. 16, 2018 
Read the letter from UPS recognizing certain of its obligations under the improved language of Article 44 (Subcontracting) in the tentative agreement.

Hoffa: US-Mexico agreement is first step towards better NA trade
August 28, 2018 | General President Hoffa, responding to the bilateral agreement-in-principle between the U.S. and Mexico to revamp NAFTA, said “The Teamsters Union has long been a leader in demanding real reforms to NAFTA to make it work for workers across all of North America. We have been working closely with the USTR on those demands and we believe that the Administration has taken real steps to deal with our concerns regarding cross-border trucking and highway safety. However, there is still much work to be done…” Teamsters   Related: NAFTA negotiations on track but not done. AFL-CIO

Posting will resume on September 4th
August 29, 2018 | We'll be on a short hiatus through Labor Day. See you back here on Tuesday.

New episode of the Teamster Nation Podcast available
August 23, 2018 | Listen to the latest episode of the Teamster Nation Podcast and learn how the union is organizing workers in the growing cannabis industry in California and across the country. Plus, remembering the Queen of Soul. Listen here.


Jul 12, 2018

Water. Rest. Shade.
July 2, 2018 | The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for our area today, and a heat advisory through July 3 at 8 pm. Heat illness can be deadly. If you work outside you need to protect yourself: Drink water often. Rest in the shade. Report heat symptoms: Dizziness, headache, sweaty skin, fast heart beat, nausea, vomiting, weakness and cramping are symptoms of heat exhaustion. Symptoms of heat stroke are red, hot and dry skin, high body temperature, confusion, fainting, convulsions. Both types of heat illness require emergency care. Check out OSHA's website for additional information and advice about the hazards of working in hot weather.

Buyers circling Balt. Sun parent company, Tronc, after split with L.A. Times
July 5, 2018 | “The L.A. Times was their flagship paper,” said Doug Arthur, an analyst at Huber Research Partners LLC. “When you take out the flagship, what are you left with?” What’s left has caught the eye of potential suitors. Hearst Corp., owner of the Houston Chronicle and other daily newspapers, is interested in buying some of Tronc’s titles but not the company… Bloomberg

Successor contract ratified at Burris Logistics
July 9, 2018 | Drivers, and warehouse and maintenance workers at Burris Logistics (Burris Foods) overwhelming approved a new three year collective bargaining agreement June 24, 2018 that provides wage increases of $1.29 over the term and increases driver commission rates. In addition, the new contract provides an increase in the meal allowance and reimbursement for boots or safety shoe purchase. The union negotiating committee was successful in minimizing a broad company proposal regarding vacation “blackout” dates while still providing the company scheduling relief. Local 355 represents 110 workers at the Milford, Delaware distribution center.

Butch Lewis Act best solution for pension crisis
July 10, 2018 | More than 300 multiemployer pension plans across the country – including the Teamsters’ Central States Pension Fund, currently in critical and declining status – are in danger of failing. The deepening crisis is important to us because more than 400 former Local 557 members and 1,900 retirees who were covered by the Teamster Local 557 plan will be impacted. (When Local 557 merged with Local 355 in 2005, their pension plans remained separate.) A bipartisan congressional pension committee, tasked with finding a solution to the looming pension crisis by this November, is holding a field hearing in Columbus, Ohio on Friday, July 13th. The Teamsters, in conjunction with other international unions, are planning rallies to bring public attention to the crisis. But you don’t have to attend the rally to add your voice in support of the Butch Lewis Act (S.2147/H.R. 4444). What you can do… 355 News

Proposed contract released; supplemental agreements being finalized *
July 11, 2018 | The Teamsters National UPS Negotiating Committee has released the National Agreement in Principal and highlights of the agreement. The highlights are available here and the agreement is available here. Union negotiators are meeting to finalize the supplemental agreements. The Union has agreed to a contract extension that allows the leaders of local unions that represent UPS members to review the proposed national contract and supplements. Upon the leaders’ approval, members will then have the opportunity to vote electronically to ratify the National Agreement and their supplements. * Listen here to the UPS Teleconference Call from July 10th.

Hoffa: Unions want to be heard in fight to protect pensions
July 12, 2018 | The future of more than a million retirees and workers, many of whom worked decades and contributed to their pensions under the understanding they would be supported in their golden years. That is now being called into question, and it’s not right. America is facing a retirement crisis. Unions like the Teamsters, UMW and BCTGM have known this for years. But Congress has been slower to act. That changed this February, when it formed the House-Senate Joint Select Committee on Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Plans. It was tasked with finding a solution to the nation’s looming pension problem and will hear from the public firsthand tomorrow… Columbus Dispatch

Tentative agreement reached with UPS Freight
July 13, 2018 |  “The Teamsters National UPS Freight Negotiating Committee (TNUPSFNC) and UPS Freight reached a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement,” Kris Taylor, IBT/UPS Freight Coordinator, announced today. No further details will be released until leaders from Teamster local unions that represent UPS Freight members meet in the next few weeks at the Two-Person meeting to review the tentative agreement and approve sending it out for a membership ratification vote. The parties agreed to an extension of the current agreement to allow for the ratification process to take place. Once the upcoming meeting takes place, the union will release more information.

Hoffa: Teamsters support Spain’s striking Amazon workers 
July 18, 2018 | In a letter expressing solidarity “to striking Amazon workers at the San Fernando de Henares logistics center,” General President wrote in part, “The growth of Amazon is impacting so many of the industries in which Teamsters work and is changing the way people work and life across the globe.” Thousands of Amazon workers in Spain and Germany struck for during a three-day period, July 16 - 18, and workers in Poland staged a work-to-rule during Amazon’s Prime Day promotion. The workers are demanding labor contracts that guarantee healthy working conditions at fulfillment centers, according to nbcnews.com

Local 355 mourns the passing of two active UPS members
July 19, 2018 | Brother Travis Hughes passed away unexpectedly on July 10, 2018. A driver in the Owings Mills Center out of Hunt Valley, Hughes started working at UPS in 2006. He is survived by his wife Quinn Hughes and son Devin Hughes. The family will receive friends in the Lemmon Funeral Home of Dulaney Valley, 10 W. Padonia Road (at York Road) Timonium, Md., 21093 on Saturday, July 21, 2018, 2 pm - 5pm. Additional details here. Brother John Nicoli passed away July 17, 2018. John began his career with UPS in 1984, and worked as a driver out of the Baltimore hub. He is survived by his wife Victoria, and daughters Regina, Jennifer and Julia. A son, Brian, preceded John in death. Relatives and friends will be received in the Gonce Funeral Service P.A., 4001 Richie Hwy., Baltimore, Md., 21225 on Friday, July 20, 2018, from 3 pm - 5 pm and 7 pm - 9 pm. Additional details here. On behalf of our members, Local Union 355 officers and trustees extend their sincere condolences to the Hughes and Nicoli families.

Local Union leaders to meet to review tentative agreements
July 20, 2018 | The meeting, known as a “Two-Person” meeting because two leaders from each local union representing UPS and UPS Freight workers are invited to review the tentative agreements, will be held August 9, 2018. Meanwhile, after another round of negotiating sessions, the Teamsters UPS Supplemental Negotiating Committees have reached tentative agreements on many supplements to the National Master UPS agreement. However, there are some supplemental agreements which have not been finalized. The outstanding supplements are: Local 804, and Southwest Package and Sort Rider. After the Two-Person meetings, upon approval of the tentative agreements by the local union leaders, the tentative agreements will be sent to the membership for a ratification vote. A pdf of this update is available for download here.

National master contract extended
July 23, 2018 | Local Unions representing ABF employees received notice from the National Freight Division last Friday that the current ABF National Master Freight Agreement has been extended through July 31, 2018 to allow the parties to address those supplements that have not been ratified.

New contracts ratified at Penske, Matheson, and Dry Ice 
July 23, 2018 |  Teamsters at three Penske Truck Leasing locations in the Baltimore area ratified contracts providing substantial wage gains and benefits. Mechanics and fuelers at the Hammonds Ferry Road location approved in April a four-year agreement that provides … Continue reading

FAQs about the National Master UPS Tentative Agreement
July 25, 2018 | Q: What does it mean that part timers will not be in the progression and how much will a part timer make after three years? A: You will find answers to this and other frequently asked questions (FAQs) from UPS members here. (Also available: More information about the new 22.4 combination driver classification.) Watch for more FAQs soon.

ABF national contract has been ratified *
July 26, 2018 |  The last supplement to the ABF NMFA has now been ratified. Consequently, the new collective bargaining agreement has been approved and will take effect. Pay increases will be retroactive to July 1 as per the new agreement. It is the union's understanding that the company will actually implement the new agreement on Sunday, July 29. Also, pay for week ending 7-28-2018 will be processed at the pay rate that includes the July 1, 2018 increase. Retro pay for weeks ending 7-7-2018, 7-14-2018 and 7-21-2018 will be paid by a separate check processed on or about 8-2-2018, and distributed with the paychecks for the week ending 7-28-2018. The ratification bonus will be processed and distributed within the next 30 days. Updated July 31 – New contract provides pay increases, subcontracting protections and more

Part-time start rates, wage increases: Info here
July 30, 2018 
 Information can be found here about start rates and general wage increases for preloaders and sorters, and “all others” as in the UPS tentative agreement. “This agreement will help tens of thousands of part-time workers like me with the increased start rates and wage increases…”

 

Jul 10, 2018

Workers and retirees aren't asking for a handout;
they just want what is rightfully theirs

July 10, 2018

Continued from main page | The Teamsters believe the Butch Lewis Act, introduced in Congress earlier this year, to be the best solution to deliver retirement security to the hard-working Americans who are paying, or have paid, into the pension pool and have played by the rules all their lives.

There are about 1.5 million retirees – including 1,900 former Local 557 retirees  – in desperate need of quick action to save the retirement nest eggs they spent decades contributing to. 

The more support the Butch Lewis Act receives, the more likely it is that the Joint Select Committee will take it up and pass it. 

Please call 888-979-9806 right now and tell your member of Congress to co-sponsor the Butch Lewis Act. 

For more information, click here. 

Additional reading: Pension crisis sparks reform debate

Important Note: The Teamsters Local 355 Pension Plan is not affected by the multi-employer pension fund crisis.


Jun 26, 2018
Congratulations to Shawn McCoy, Chris Mauer, Lance Miller, and Jason Swartzendruber (UPS/Baltimore) for their first place win in the Local's bi-annual golf event held Saturday, June 22th, at the Queenstown Harbor Golf Course in Queenstown, Md. Teams teed off at 8:30 a.m. in a modified shotgun start format, finishing the 18-hole course in just over six hours.
Jun 19, 2018

Bike run postponed
June 8, 2018 | Our 20th Annual Motorcycle Run scheduled for Saturday, June 16 has been postponed until later this year. Members who have signed up will be contacted directly. Stay tuned here for a re-scheduled date. Ride safe, brothers and sisters!

UPS, UPS Freight members vote overwhelmingly to authorize a strike 
June 5, 2018 | UPS and UPS Freight members have approved giving their respective negotiating committees the right to call a strike, if necessary. UPS members voted by a 93% margin to authorize a strike; UPS Freight members by 91%. "This vote by our UPS and UPS Freight members gives the negotiating committees bargaining leverage this week and during subsequent negotiations for the national contract and the supplements," said Denis Taylor, Director of the Teamsters Package Division and Co-Chairman of the Teamsters National UPS Negotiating Committee. "It is very helpful to have the members’ backing as we work toward negotiating strong contracts at UPS and UPS Freight."c vote results live Tuesday, June 5: Join a conference call at 8pm by dialing 877-229-8493 with ID code 111566or listen and watch via a live web page at ibt.io/UPSstrikecount.

Bargaining Update: Committees discuss several important issues
June 8, 2018 | This week the Teamsters National UPS Negotiating Committee convened for the ninth week of negotiations, and the union leaders discussed a variety of topics that are important to members. The committee met throughout the week, winding up Thursday afternoon. Topics that were discussed include pulling loads off the rails to create additional sleeper teams throughout the country; allowing destination locals to file grievances on subcontracting; 70-hour work week; health & welfare and pension; as well as wages and progressions… PDF update here.

Teamsters join legal challenge to presidential executive orders that impair union and employee rights
June 13, 2018 | Today, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters joined with 12 other labor unions in bringing a lawsuit to stop the implementation of three executive orders issued by the President on May 25. Two of the orders impair long-established federal labor relations procedures by limiting the ability of federal workers and their union representatives to perform union business and by weakening the process for negotiating contracts on behalf of unionized federal employees. The third order seeks to impair the due process rights of employees alleged to have performance problems… Teamsters

Hoffa pledges solidarity with UAW during union’s convention
June 13, 2018 | General President Hoffa addressed the 1,100 delegates at the United Auto Workers (UAW) 37th Constitutional Convention in Detroit yesterday. “Their is no greater solidarity than that between the Teamsters and the UAW,” he said. “Next year is a pivotal moment for the UAW as you had into negotiations with the Big 3 [automakers]. I am here to tell you that the 1.4 million members of the Teamsters Union will be there to stand shoulder to shoulder with you.” More at Teamsters

Opioid epidemic’s other battleground: Teamsters vs. McKesson
June 19, 2018 |  A Local Union leader’s speech at the June 2016 convention about the death of his son from an opioid overdose represented a reckoning for the Teamsters, said General Secretary Ken Hall. Dozens of union members would come forward and speak about their own families' struggles with addiction set in motion by opioids. "They've got family members dying from the flooding of the market of these opioids," Hall said. "It's happening in the Teamster family — that made it an issue." It also put McKesson Corp. in the crosshairs of the 1.4 million-member union, creating a new front in the war on opioids. Instead of fighting the epidemic via the health care system, the courts or legislatures, the Teamsters are taking it to McKesson's annual shareholder meeting and corporate boardroom. And in many ways, the union is winning… Teamsters

Settlement in principle reached on National Master UPS Agreement
June 21, 2018 | The National Negotiating Committee has agreed to a settlement in principle on the National Master UPS agreement, subject to the resolution of supplemental agreements and approval by UPS local unions. The term of the national agreement is set at five years, expiring on July 31, 2023. UPS Freight negotiations will continue in Minneapolis, July 9-12, with economics and subcontracting as the main topics. Click here to view the update.

Delaware legislature passes bill to kill RTW in Sussex County
June 25, 2018 | Democratic lawmakers this week quashed the burgeoning Sussex County right-to-work movement and invalidated a Seaford ordinance that limits the influence of labor unions. The Delaware House on Thursday voted along party lines to pass a bill that guarantees the right of private employers to enter into labor deals that require their employees to join or pay fees to a union. The bill, approved by a vote of 25-13, effectively blocks what had been an effort to create a patchwork of individual counties, towns and other geographic zones where "union shops" would be forbidden… Delaware Online Related: Bill requiring union membership in Delaware’s private sector industries approved by Assembly.

What you and your family need to know
June 25, 2018 |  Sometime this week the Supreme Court will issue its ruling on Janus vs. AFSCME. Three things you and your family need to know about the case:

1. The Janus vs. AFSCME case is an attempt by organizations that have spent tens of millions of dollars to eliminate the ability of public employees to have the freedom to negotiate with their employer over benefits, wages, working conditions, and other issues. 
2. In states where similar laws have been put in place, wages and health benefits fall while poverty and workplace fatalities rise. This very real danger not only impacts public employees but entire families in communities across America. 
3. The American middle class was built by working people like public employees who joined together in union. You have the power to ensure that the United States maintains a middle class for future generations by standing together as union members.

Teamster golfers undeterred by damp, humid course conditions
June 26, 2018 | Saturday's steamy weather didn't stop sixty-four avid golfers from attending our bi-annual Local Union golf outing on the Eastern Shore... 355 News

Teamsters don’t mourn, we organize!
June 28, 2018 | Teamsters 396 Secretary- Treasurer Ron Herrera writes: “[Yesterday], the American Labor Movement received some tough news. The U.S. Supreme Court has issued its ruling regarding the Janus v. AFSCME case which effectively makes all public sector workers right to work under a union contract without the obligation to pay for the support of their brothers and sisters. While this decision does not impact private sector workers, we know that our opponents will stop at nothing to destroy all sources of worker power…” Continue reading

Contract Update: New combination driver classification protects weekends for package car drivers, addresses other issues
June 29, 2018 | Since the settlement in principle was reached last week with UPS for the National UPS agreement, plans have been made for negotiations on the supplemental agreements. As stated in the previous contract update (June 21), the supplemental agreements must be resolved and approved by UPS local unions first. This week’s update will focus on the new classification of Full-Time Combination Driver and further materials will be issued about other highlights of the settlement. A new classification, Full-Time Combination Driver, will protect weekends for package-car drivers, will address the issues of excessive, forced overtime and will create thousands of new full-time job opportunities for part-time employees… Full update here. Proposed 22.4(b) contract language here.


May 10, 2018

Continued from main page…

May 10, 2018  – Jose Ramirez, a former XPO Logistics driver from Aurora, Ill. who was fired for his union activity, said during a Capitol Hill press conference today that the bill would prevent businesses from bullying worker who are trying to organize. “Companies like XPO use fear and coercion to scare their workers from forming their own union,” he said. “This bill would protect workers’ federal right to organize and ensure that what happened to me couldn’t happen to them.”

Beyond ending RTW, the bill would 1) allow unions to organize through a majority sign-up process; 2) enact first contract provisions to ensure companies cannot prevent a union from forming by denying a first contract; 3) expand the definition of employer to limit workers being classified as independent contractors; 4) allow for secondary boycotts and picketing; and 5) expand and update the “persuader rule” to limit the use of outside union busters.

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said the legislation would stem rising inequality in this country. “Union workers on average make $11,000 more a year than non-union workers,” he said. “They also have better health and retirement benefits and are safer on the job. If lawmakers want to expand the middle class, this bill is the vehicle to get it done.”

“We must no longer tolerate CEOs and managers who intimidate, threaten or fire pro-union workers, who threaten to move plants to China if their workers vote in favor of a union, and who refuse to negotiate a first contract with workers who have voted to join unions,” Sanders said. “If we are serious about reducing income and wealth inequality and rebuilding the middle class, we have got to substantially increase the number of union jobs in this country.”

Co-sponsored by U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02), the legislation was introduced in the House and Senate Wednesday, May 9 and included many Democratic co-sponsors, including Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Representative Robert C. “Bobby" Scott (VA-03).

“Republicans like President Trump and Governor Walker continue to crack down on unions and push a special interest, corporate-driven agenda that makes it harder for middle class families to get ahead. And while they stack the deck against the American worker, unions are fighting to expand economic opportunity and strengthen the middle class,” said Pocan, a member of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. “The Workplace Democracy Act restores real bargaining rights to workers and repeals the right to work laws like those that Governor Walker has used to undercut American workers. I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Sanders and stand up for the millions of middle class families who are under attack by Republican leaders.”

The Workplace Democracy Act would make it easier for workers to join unions in a number of ways:

• It would end right to work for less laws by repealing Section 14(b) of the Taft Hartley Act, which has allowed 28 states to pass legislation eliminating the ability of unions to collect fair share fees from those who benefit from union contracts and activities.
• Under the legislation, when a majority of workers in a bargaining unit sign valid authorization cards to join a union, they must have a union. Companies would not be allowed to deny or delay a first contract with workers who have voted to join a union. Unions would be given the right to have their voice heard through secondary boycotts and picketing. And workers would have the right to know when their company spends millions of dollars running anti-union campaigns.
• The bill would also stop employers from ruthlessly exploiting workers by misclassifying them as independent contractors or denying them overtime by falsely categorizing them as a “supervisor.”

Read the summary of the bill here.

Read the Senate bill here.


May 08, 2018
Airline pilots may be next in the corporate war on unions May 1, 2018 | Some 550 pilots will start voting Wednesday on whether to embrace the company’s entreaties to dump the Teamsters, which arrived at Flexjet just a few years ago.
May 07, 2018

(Click the photo to enlarge.

(L-R) Joe Bell, Ed Jackson, Max Atwood, Dave Hovel, Bob Schultz, Ron Holleman, Marvan Thomspn, Local 355 Business Agent Jim Deene, Jay Trueth, Jeff Butts, Local 355 Organizer Ed Mulford, Donny Fink, Jerry Northam, Dave Collins, Joe Andrews, Chris Lembech, Stoney Althar, Lou Herron, Rex Patterson, Dave Rosier, Jim Brown, Ray Ridgeway, George Eliou, Tony Bellamy, Doug Robinson, Bill Wilson, Clinton Lucas, Mike Weghprect, Jack Blesse, Jim Ramper, Tony Johnson, Diondre Maybery, and Karl Frey.

Former food service drivers, helpers and mechanics enjoyed an afternoon together, Saturday, April 29, 2018 at a cookout sponsored by Local 355 at the Baltimore union hall.

Not all but most fell in line for a photo and with so many of them, we needed to create a composite image from four (!) photos. It worked!

View more photos here.


Apr 17, 2018

Conference call scheduled for a contract update 
Apr. 10, 2018 | Mark your calendars to participate in an important Teamsters ABF conference call on Thursday, April 12 at 8 p.m. Eastern time to get an update on the contract and the upcoming ratification process. Teamsters National Freight Division Director Ernie Soehl will provide an update and will answer questions about the ABF NMFA tentative agreement. Participants may submit questions during the call and leave questions at the end of the call. Click here for details.

Hoffa on Equal Pay Day: Disparity of women’s pay is nothing to celebrate
Apr. 10, 2018 | Today is a sad reminder of the pay inequity faced by women in the workplace. Despite the annual effort to pass legislation in Congress that would codify paycheck fairness, there has been no progress. And that inaction will cost women and their families more than $430,000 over the length of their careers. Although the overall economy has been improving, the pay gap has barely budged in more than a decade. It hits nearly every occupation and is even worse for women of color. This is not just a low-income problem – it is an every woman problem… Teamsters

Local Union leaders approve tentative contract agreement
Apr. 13, 2018 | Leaders of local unions that represent ABF Teamsters met yesterday and overwhelmingly approved the tentative ABF National Master Freight Agreement and supplements, paving the way for a member ratification vote to begin later this month. Click here to read more about the process, and for highlights of the agreement. Click here to view the actual tentative agreements which show the proposed changes to the existing contract.

Hoffa discusses death of Memphis XPO warehouse worker, and reports of other XPO violations 
Apr. 16, 2018 | President Hoffa was on the Leslie Marshall Show last week to discuss the suspicious job site death of an XPO warehouse worker and multiple accounts of sexual harassment and discrimination at the Memphis warehouse facility. The Teamsters are fighting to win respect and dignity for XPO workers. Listen to the interview herePhoto: Local 355 members distributed union information last week near XPO facilities in Baltimore.

Contract negotiations update
Apr. 16, 2018 | The Teamsters National UPS Negotiating Committee concluded the sixth round of negotiations last week and focused on subtracting and other issues. The UPS Freight National Negotiations Committee made strides on compensation claims, equipment and safety, and other issues. “This week was very productive in terms of moving forward on the issue of subcontracting, which continues to be a major issue for our members in many areas of the country,” said Denis Taylor, Director of the Teamsters Package Division and Co-Chairman of the Teamsters National UPS Negotiating Committee. “We are in a good position now to move into economic proposals and will continue to keep the members update on our progress.” Click here for details.

Anne Arundel County Teamsters ratify new contracts
Apr. 17, 2018 | Correctional program specialists (CPS), deputy sheriffsfire battalion chiefs, and park rangers employed by Anne Arundel County approved earlier this month new collective bargaining agreements with one year terms. Highlights of the contracts include general wage increases with additional increases to minimum and maximum scales; merit increases; maintenance of health, optical and dental insurance; and a wage re-opener provision should the County Council fail to fund any part of the agreements. Specific to the CPS contract is the addition of a wellness bonus, new this contract. Specific to the park rangers contract is a new retention bonus. Specific to the battalion chiefs contract is an increase in extra shift bonus pay. Specific to the deputy sheriffs contract is a new rank of deputy sheriff corporal, to be paid at a higher percentage than the corresponding steps for deputy sheriff.

Report: New ABF/Teamsters contract suggests union negotiators won the day
Apr. 18, 2018 | The first independent analysis of the proposed five-year labor contract between Fort Smith-based ABF Freight and the Teamsters suggests the union negotiators won the day. An April 13 investor note from Little Rock-based Stephens Inc. concludes that the agreement favors the Teamsters “more than what we previously expected.” talkbusiness.net

Teamsters head to Capitol Hill to discuss pension reform
Apr. 19, 2018 | Top Teamster officials twice headed to Capitol Hill in the last week to brief House and Senate staffers on legislation backed by the union that would stabilize failing multiemployer pension plans. Led by John Murphy, an International Vice President-At Large who has headed the Teamsters’ pension reform efforts, the union educated congressional aides about the Butch Lewis Act of 2017 and the history of troubled pension plans… Teamsters

Contract vote on master agreement being conducted by electronic ballot
Apr. 19, 2018 | Voting on the proposed changes to the ABF National Master Agreement is being conducted electronically. Voter information and instructions for voting will be mailed to all eligible members (on or about) today, April 19, 2018. Click here for further information.

Contract negotiations continue this week
Apr. 23, 2018 | The Teamsters National UPS Negotiating Committees reconvene this week in the seventh round of UPS and UPS Freight negotiations. In case you missed the April 13th update, read it here. You can can also see the latest updates at UPSRising on Facebook. Check in with UPS Rising News here. Text “UPS” to 86466 to receive message alerts (message and data rates may apply).

Teamsters sue drug manufacturers over opioid crisis
Apr. 23, 2018 | The Teamsters are concerned about how the opioid crisis is affecting its members and their health and welfare funds. On April 18, a lawsuit was filed in Cleveland, Ohio on behalf of Teamsters’ Health and Welfare Funds in West Virginia and Ohio. The union says they are targeting pharmacy benefit managers along with a range of opioid drug manufacturers and distributors alleging a highly-coordinated scheme promoting opioids to treat pain at the expense of Americans, including thousands of Teamster members, retirees and family members…The group points out that its members are more vulnerable to this crisis as they work in physically demanding jobs – such as construction and manufacturing – are at particularly high-risk because prescription opioids have been commonly prescribed to treat on-the-job injuries… Industry Week

FAA amendment would jeopardize wages, road safety
Apr. 25, 2018 |  The Teamsters are sounding the alarm about a proposed change to the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (FAAAA) that would halt the ability of states and localities to set any workplace rules for truck drivers in their jurisdictions. As an example, the provision would strip truckers of minimum wage protections, and would not require their employers to pay them the given rate in the city or state where they work, only the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour. In addition, the amendment would carve truck drivers out of traditional workplace protections like unemployment compensation and workers’ compensation. And it would also reverse 80 years of worker protections and leave truckers more vulnerable to long hours and abusive working conditions… Teamsters

Teamsters UPS negotiations address economics; UPS Freight focuses on subcontracting, other issues
Apr. 27, 2018 |  The Teamsters National UPS Negotiating Committee concluded its seventh round of negotiations this week in which the committee made an initial economic proposal. The initial proposal addresses Article 22 - Part-Time Employees; Article 34 - Health & Welfare and Pension; Article 40 - Air Operation; and Article 41- Full-Time Employees…The National UPS Freight Negotiating Committee started its initial discussions on Articles 43 and 44 (Subcontracting) with the employer. The committee also closed in on tentative agreements for Article 5 – Seniority and Article 18 – Workday and Workweek. It was a positive week with aggressive gains tentatively outlined in Article 5. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for May 21.  Click here for a PDF of the full update.

You can vote more than once, but only your last vote counts
Apr. 30, 2018 | The company that is coordinating the ABF ratification vote, BallotPoint, received an inquiry from an ABF members who aid he was able to vote multiple times. Click here for BallotPoint’s response to the member’s concerns.


Mar 12, 2018
Teamsters call on Joint Select Committee to move quickly on pension crisis Mar.
Feb 08, 2018

Progress made during second week of negotiations
Feb. 1, 2018 | The Teamsters National UPS Negotiating Committee has made progress on a variety of issues as the second week of contract negotiations with UPS wrapped up today. “We are still early in the negotiations, but we are pleased to report that we made progress on a number of non-economic issues,” said Denis Taylor, Director of the Teamsters Package Division and Co-Chairman of the National UPS Negotiating Committee. “This week gives us momentum as we prepare for the next round of negotiations later this month.” Among other issues, the following were on the table this week… Teamsters

Tentative agreement reached for new 5-year contract
Feb. 1, 2018 | The Teamsters Union and DHL Express have reached a tentative, five-year agreement and leaders of local unions will meet Friday, Feb. 9 to review the proposal. Upon ratification, the contract will be retroactive to April 1, 2017 when the current contract expired. For the latest information, visit the Teamsters Express Division page and click on the DHL contract update button.

Progress slow this week
Feb. 2, 2018 | The second weekly round of bargaining with ABF Freight took place this week for a new collective bargaining agreement to succeed the ABF NMFA that is set to expire on March 31. Unfortunately not a lot of progress was achieved. The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) has made clear that it wants to reach a new agreement but that any agreement will, among other things, need to address: the restoration of the vacation week that was given up last contract; better protections for road drivers from loss of work due to purchased transportation; protection of health and welfare and pension benefits; and reasonable wage increases... Read more here.

Child care tax credit increase for working parents proposed in Maryland
Feb. 5, 2018 | For the first time in more than 15 years, the little-known child care subsidy is getting election-year attention from politicians in Annapolis. A proposal introduced last month would extend access to a child care tax credit to families that earn $150,000 a year, up from the current cap of $50,000, set in 2001... The proposal to increase the subsidy voucher has strong support in the state Senate, where 32 senators have sponsored the measure — eight more than required for passage… Baltimore Sun

 Joint Council 62 Executive Board: (L-R) Trustee Lawrence Geho (President, Local 888); Vice President Sean Cedenio (Secretary-Treasurer/Principal Officer, Local 570); Trustee Tom Krause (Secretary-Treasurer/Principal Officer, Local 992); Secretary-Treasurer Larry Wolfe (President, Local 453); President Denis Taylor (President, Local 355); Recording Secretary Dave White (Secretary-Treasurer, Local 355); Trustee Richard Brown (President, Local 570)

Joint Council 62 officers, trustees elected to another term
Feb. 6, 2018 |  In January Joint Council 62 held nominations for its 2018-2021 term. Local 355 Vice President Bill Alexander conducted the nominations. The incumbents were nominated and unanimously re-elected. The Council, comprised of Teamster leaders from around our region, allows participating Locals to pool resources to address issues of common interest and coordinate bargaining and organizing efforts. Teamster Joint Council 62 is comprised of Local Union 355 (Baltimore), Local Union 453 (Cumberland), Local Union 570 (Baltimore), Local Union 888 (Baltimore Sun), and Local Union 992 (Hagerstown). 

Teamsters support bipartisan Congressional committee to solve pension crisis
Feb. 8, 2018 | The Teamsters Union applauds today’s announcement of the formation of a bipartisan, House-Senate Joint Select Committee to find a solution to the nation’s growing pension crisis which could threaten the retirement security of as many as 1.5 million active and retired workers. The committee, which will be comprised of six senators and six members of the House evenly divided by party, will work toward reporting a bill to solve the pension crisis… Teamsters

Piedmont Airlines steward to members: 'Help us help you'
Feb. 8, 2018 | Veteran steward Stephen Kennedy admits to being worried about the union’s future at Piedmont. “I think our youngest member is 18 or 19 years old. The most senior, and I’m one of them, is close to retirement. If I leave today and take with me my years of union knowledge and labor/management relationship experience, who will take over tomorrow?” Kennedy, a maintenance controller who oversees the daily operational status of Piedmont’s fleet, shares a little about himself and his hope that others will step up when he steps back … Shop Steward Profiles

Members taking active role; negotiations set to resume Feb.19
Feb. 9, 2018 | As the Teamsters National UPS and UPS Freight Negotiating Committees prepare to resume contract negotiations on February 19, members are continuing to take an active role and asking questions. More than 20,000 Teamsters joined the UPS and UPS Freight contract negotiations update call on January 28, and scores of members left questions after the call. Click here for the most frequently asked questions and answers.

Update: Ratification meeting scheduled for Sat., Feb. 24
Feb. 18, 2018 | A meeting to review the tentative agreement and supplement will be held Saturday, February 24, 2018 at 10 am at the Baltimore union hall. A ratification vote will be conducted at the conclusion of the review. Leaders from 26 local unions that represent DHL members unanimously approved the tentative master agreement and supplements on  Friday, February 9 in Washington, D.C. Read the update here. 

Negotiating committee reports progress on some issues
Feb. 19, 2018 |The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) and ABF Freight resumed bargaining last week and the union reported progress on some of the issues. View the contract update here.

‘Day of Action’ set to bring workers together to support their unions
Feb. 22, 2018 | Workers all across the country will come together in cities from coast-to-coast Saturday to urge lawmakers to stand up to big business bullies dumping dollars into an effort to tamp down on the collective bargaining rights of those on the job. As part of the Working People’s Day of Action, attendees will challenge the latest attack on laborers that will come before the U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 26, when oral arguments will be heard for Janus v. AFSCME. The court will decide whether non-union public sector workers should continue to contribute fees to cover workplace representation they receive from unions like the Teamsters. Read more at Teamsters. To find out more and locate the nearest gathering, click here.

Progress at the bargaining table continues
Feb. 27, 2018 | The Teamsters National UPS Negotiating Committee continued to make progress on a variety of issues as the third round of contract negotiations with UPS and UPS Freight wrapped up last Thursday. “We made further progress on a number of non-economic issues,” said Denis Taylor, Director of the Teamsters Package Division and Co-Chairman of the Teamsters National UPS Negotiating Committee. “We look forward to more progress when we resume negotiations next week.” Among other issues, the following were on the table last week… Teamsters Negotiations continue this week.

Md. Teamsters oppose beer reform bill that would hurt union jobs
Feb. 27, 2018 | Dozens of (Baltimore) Local 570 beer distribution members showed up at a hearing last week in Annapolis to support area beer distributors. The companies are concerned The Reform on Tap Act of 2018 will “throw off the balance among brewers, distributors and retailers – the three arms of the state’s tiered alcohol industry.” Speaking to the Baltimore Business Journal, Local 570 Secretary-Treasurer Sean Cedenio said the measure “would have a devastating result on the members we represent…” Teamsters Local 570

National contract ratified
Feb. 28, 2018 | DHL Teamsters have voted to ratify all the national agreements and 95 percent of the supplements by an overwhelming margin. The remaining few supplements are being discussed with the company this week and the union hopes to have all the issues resolved quickly. Look for more updates soon.


Jan 09, 2018

Members protest Sussex County (Del.) right-to-work bill: Local 355 members joined a large contingent of labor union members and anti-RTW activists January 2, 2018, at a protest rally in Georgetown, Delaware, during Sussex County’s public hearing on its right-to-work ordinance. More than 50 speakers addressed Council members at the hearing – most of whom voiced opposition to the bill, including Local 355 shop steward Chris Johnson (Burris Foods, Inc.), a Sussex County resident. Read today's Delaware Online post.

Teamsters, workers win initial Delaware RTW battle
Jan. 4, 2018 | Delaware Teamsters joined hundreds of their union brothers and sisters this week in pushing back against a county effort to institute a right to work (RTW) provision that would curtail workers’ collective bargaining rights and tamp down on wages for thousands in Sussex County. A vote on the RTW measure was postponed Tuesday after it became clear the vast majority of those in attendance were against it. The overflow crowd spread outside of the council chambers, where Teamsters and other union members rallied in the frigid cold against the anti-worker ordinance. The legislation, however, could be brought back up for consideration as soon as next week. Sussex County resident Chris Johnson (right, center), a Local 355 shop steward employed by Burris Foods, Inc., was among dozens of speakers who voiced opposition to the RTW provision. "I speak to you as a Teamster member but also as a resident, a father and husband... I'm proud to be a union member earning a good wage that supports my family…” Continue reading at 355 News

Contract negotiations start Monday, January 8
Jan. 5, 2018 | The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) will begin contract negotiations in earnest with ABF starting on Monday, January 8, three weeks after exchanging initial contract proposals with the company. This first round of negotiations will continue through Thursday, January 11 and multiple dates have been scheduled into March. Details here.

Millennials at Tacoma, Wash. kennel unionize with Teamsters
Jan. 5, 2018 | Federal statistics show the “millennials” are the least-unionized group of workers in the country. Many analysts conclude that’s because millennials don’t know what unions are, what they do, and how they help workers. That’s not the case among the six kennel aides at the Tacoma Humane Society – or Teamsters Local 117, which successfully organized them in late December. Once they learned how the union could help them – and the animals – the recognition vote was 6-0… Peoples World

Note: If you are a Sussex County resident, please register your opposition to the RTW legislation before next week's Jan. 9th County Council meeting. Email the Council here.

Retiree club’s Christmas party another annual fun fest
Jan. 8, 2018 | Local 355 retirees and their guests, some sporting “ugly” sweaters that added to the festive atmosphere of their annual party, met December 21 at the UAW Hall in East Baltimore for another fabulous Christmas party… Retirees

Right to work defeated in Sussex County
Jan. 9, 2018 | In a win for Teamster members who work in Sussex County, Delaware, the Sussex County Council today rejected a right-to-work measure in a 4-1 vote. Councilman Rob Arlett who introduced the proposal last fall was the sole member to vote in its favor. Although four of the five council members said they viewed right to work favorably and would support an initiative at the state level, concerns about potential legal challenges to the legislation – and related costs involved in defending it – ultimately sank the bill. Crowds of union members from Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania joined anti-RTW supporters (including nine inflatable rats and one inflatable corporate fat cat) to protest the legislation. “We’re here to remind them that they work for the people not their own corporate interests,” Local 355 business agent John Caparatta said after the vote. Unions must keep the pressure on local and state governments intent on passing anti-worker laws. “This problem will come back in some other form,” said James Maravelias, president of the Delaware AFL-CIO. “Shame on us if we let it go.” Pictured, from Local 355: (L-R) Business Agent Jim Deene; Shop Steward Michael Bradley/Kraft; Business Agent John Caparatta; Organizer Ed Mulford; Retiree Ernie Warfield/US Foods.

The ugly truth about right-to-work laws
Jan. 10, 2018 | The roots of "Right to Work" is as rotten as the legacy of Jim Crow racism – because they are one and the same. Check out this important video from Teamsters Local 1932 about the ugly truth behind RTW and its insidious growth... Facebook.com/Teamsters

Teamsters, ABF address non-economic issues as negotiations kick off
Jan. 12, 2018 |The meetings this week focused primarily on language issues but ABF continues to raise claims that its employee and operating costs are too high. The National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) however, has made it clear that the members are not interested in a concessionary contract…Teamsters  Follow ABF Teamsters on Facebook

Teamsters win $1 million settlement on behalf of road drivers at YRC Freight
Jan. 12, 2018 | The collective bargaining agreement with YRC Freight limits the amount of over-the-road freight that can be put on trains or hauled by non-bargaining unit personnel. The Teamsters Union monitors those amounts. After reviewing the situation and convening a meeting of the committee that monitors compliance, it was determined that the company had in fact exceeded the permissible amounts… Teamsters

Teamsters honor legacy, celebrate contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Jan. 15, 2018 | Fifty years ago this year, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood up for striking sanitation workers in Memphis [see video below] before an assassin struck him down. “The Memphis sanitation workers’ strike is remembered as an example of powerless African-Americans standing up for themselves. It is also remembered as the prelude to the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.” according to a recent Smithsonian magazine story. Teamsters across the country will honor the legacy of civil rights and labor leader Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 15, 2018. More at Teamsters…

Hogan announces deal with unions on modest raises for Md. state employees
Jan. 18, 2018 | Maryland state employees will receive a 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment under a new contract agreement reached with the Hogan administration. Gov. Larry Hogan’s office announced Wednesday that the administration and the four major unions that represent state employees have struck a three-year deal…The contracts have not been ratified. Union members are scheduled to vote on the tentative agreement Jan. 31. In addition to AFSCME, the contracts affect workers with the Maryland Professional Employees Council, the American Federation of Teachers Healthcare-Maryland and Teamsters Local 355. Washington Post

UPS members: Bargaining has begun. Here’s how you can get involved
January, 2018 | UPS and UPS Freight contract negotiations will kick off later this month. For an update on the process of negotiations and what you can do to be involved, please join Denis Taylor, Director, IBT Package Division, for a conference call on Sunday, January 28, 2018 at 6 pm eastern time. Details here.

Teamsters present initial UPS and UPS Freight contract proposals to Company
Jan. 23, 2018 | The Teamsters National Negotiating Committee presented the union’s initial UPS and UPS Freight contract proposals to the company yesterday, marking the start of negotiations. These are the initial contract proposals and are subject to change during negotiations. The contract proposals are available on the app. (If you have not downloaded the app, we encourage you to do so to receive the most up-to-date information. Download the app by searching “UPS Rising” in the App Store or Google Play.) Negotiations are scheduled to continue through Thursday of this week, and multiple dates have been scheduled for future negotiations. More information will be released later this week.

Hoffa Memorial Scholarship applications available online this year
Jan. 24, 2018 | Applications for 2018 are now being accepted by the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund. The application process must be completed through the on-line portal found on the Fund's website: www.jrhmsf.org (The "Key" for the JRHMSF applications is JRHMSF). Two types of scholarship applications are available: Academic and Training/Vocational. The details and eligibility requirements for each scholarship are available on the Fund's website.

Teamsters tell UPS no drones or driverless trucks
Jan. 24, 2018 | The Teamsters union wants to prohibit United Parcel Service Inc. UPS -0.59% from using drones or driverless vehicles to deliver packages. That was one of the labor union’s initial demands as it kicked off high-stakes contract talks with UPS this week. The Teamsters also want the parcel giant to eliminate late-night deliveries and add another 10,000 workers to the ranks, among other things… Teamsters  Related: UPS tries arming its drivers with an Octocopter drone

XPO ordered to pay up in Miami
Jan. 25, 2018 | A judge has told XPO to pay workers in Miami for raises the company unlawfully withheld after the workers forms their union with Teamsters Local 769. This is the latest legal victory for workers seeking justice at XPO. Teamsters

ABF contract negotiations continue January 29
Jan. 26, 2018 | The Teamsters National Freight Industry (TNFINC) will hold a second round of negotiations with ABF starting on Monday, January 29. This first round of negotiations took place from January 8-11. The initial meetings focused primarily on language issues but ABF raised claims that its employee costs and operating costs are too high. TNFINC, however, made it clear that members were not interested in a concessionary contract… Learn more here.

Teamsters, UPS wrap up first week of contract negotiations
Jan. 26, 2018 | The Teamsters National Negotiating Committee wrapped up the first week of negotiations today after both sides exchanged initial UPS and UPS Freight contract proposals. “This week was for both sides to present their initial non-economic proposals and for both parties to ask questions about their intent,” said Denis Taylor, Director of the Teamsters Package Division. “While these proposals are likely to be amended as negotiations proceed, it was good to finally present the members’ positions. We will reconvene our talks next week in Virginia.” Learn more here.


Jan 04, 2018

Holding signs are 355 members (L-R) Lynnwood Bowe, Burris Foods; John Caparatta, Jr., Penn Fibre; (not visable) Gil Howdershelt, Burris Foods; and Chris Johnson, Burris Foods.

Jan. 4, 2018  |  Delaware Teamsters joined hundreds of their union brothers and sisters this week in pushing back against a county effort to institute a right to work (RTW) provision that would curtail workers’ collective bargaining rights and tamp down on wages for thousands in Sussex County. 

A vote on the RTW measure was postponed Tuesday after it became clear the vast majority of those in attendance were against it. The overflow crowd spread outside of the council chambers, where Teamsters and other union members rallied in the frigid cold against the anti-worker ordinance. The legislation, however, could be brought back up for consideration as soon as next week.

[ Sussex County resident Chris Johnson (right), a Local 355 shop steward employed by Burris Foods, Inc., was among dozens of speakers who voiced opposition to the RTW provision. "I speak to you as a Teamster member but also as a resident, a father and husband... I'm proud to be a union member earning a good wage that supports my family," Johnson told the five-member Council, adding that he and his members bargain for all they have, including good wages, a grievance process and the right to arbitrate. "But the bargaining procedure is not free or cheap. Our dues structure is built to pay for the collective bargaining that help us support our middle-class communities." Johnson also pointed out that as a member of the Millennial generation he may be in the minority, but "we're out here and we're against right-to-work laws." ] 

“We see that they at least heard our voices that this is a more complicated issue than they thought,” said Paul Thornburg, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 326 based in New Castle, Del. “This is people’s livelihoods. They saw that.”

Local 355 members and other Teamsters joined with Local 326 to voice their disgust with the RTW effort, which the Sussex County Council’s own attorney called illegal. Because Delaware is a free bargaining state, a locality cannot on its own to implement such a policy. The county attorney warned that passage of such an anti-worker ordinance would lead to legal action against the jurisdiction and cost taxpayers at least $250,000.

Thornburg said in recent years there have been efforts pushed by state GOP lawmakers to approve so-called RTW. But Democrats have succeeded in blocking them. So when County Councilman Ron Arlett announced in October that he was introducing such an ordinance in the southernmost and most conservative county in Delaware, it was unexpected.

“I was shocked. It was a mad scramble,” Thornburg said. “We were really shocked because we talked on the state level and it’s been thrown out. When it came to local law, we didn’t think it was legal.”

Local jurisdictions have increasingly sought to implement RTW, the effect on workers be damned. Last month, for instance, elected officials in Seaford, Del., which is part of Sussex County, approved their own such measure. Counties in other states have mulled similar actions as well.

These efforts have received the support of the American City County Exchange, an offshoot of the American Legislative Exchange Council, which pushes anti-worker measurers and offers model legislation to its conservative members.

But these attempts need to be called out for what they are -- a corporate-fueled attack on everyday people who are just trying to earn a living to support their families. It’s part of a national effort being pushed by the same big companies and business executives who for years have boosted their profits by sending American jobs overseas. These special interests are trying to lower wages and cut benefits for workers so they can increase their profits even more.

RTW in all its forms is still wrong for workers.

Cross-posted from teamster.org with added quotes from Chris Johnson.


Dec 18, 2017

Package Drivers: Important information regarding the 70-Hour rule
Dec. 3, 2017 | The Package division issued a memorandum about UPS's intent to implement an 8-day/70-hour workweek for purposes of package drivers' hours of service under DOT regulations – View the memorandum here.

Hoffa to UPS CEO David Abney: 70-hour work week not acceptable
Dec. 5, 2017 | General President Jim Hoffa wrote to Abney about the company’s implementation of the 8 day/70-hour workweek for package drivers: “On behalf of the 250,000 Teamster-represented UPS employees, I want to express my outrage and concern over the Company’s decision… We have instructed our Local Unions to utilize all contractual and legal remedies to protest the Company’s actions… I assure you the Union will make every effort at the bargaining table to ensure that its members will not have to pay the price for the Company’s mismanagement in the future.” Read Hoffa’s letter here.

It's time to protect pensions
Dec. 6, 2017 | President Hoffa wrote in today’s Detroit News, “Pensions supply a secure retirement for millions of Americans across the country. But increasingly, some plans have faced financial challenges that threaten the nest eggs of many who toiled for decades with the understanding they would be taken care of in their golden years…” Detroit News

UPS, overwhelmed by online orders, warns of delivery delays
Dec. 7, 2017 | United Parcel Service Inc. UPS +1.19% is struggling to handle the surge in shipments from online shoppers, resulting in delivery delays early in the critical holiday season and prompting the carrier to a push drivers to work extra hours. UPS, which handles deliveries for many of the biggest retailers including Amazon.com Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Macy’s Inc., is adding one or two days in transit time on an unspecified number of deliveries following record sales around Cyber Monday, spokesman Steve Gaut said Tuesday. “We have shifted more employees and other resources to these markets to address this cyber week surge and expect to have the issue resolved by midweek…” Teamsters

UPS and UPS Freight contract negotiations begin January 22, 2018
Dec. 11, 2017 | As the union prepares for UPS and UPS Freight national talks to begin in January, supplemental committees have been meeting over the course of the last two months to exchange proposals and engage in bargaining sessions with the company. Sessions for national negotiations have been scheduled through June. We will provide updates to local unions and members at the end of each weekly negotiating session. Please check Uprising.org, the UPS Rising Facebook page and the UPS Rising mobile app for regular updates as we enter the next few critical months of negotiations in our fight for a strong UPS contract in 2018. Full update here.

Teamsters, ABF to exchange contract proposals December 18
Dec. 14, 2017 |  The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) is prepared to exchange initial national contract proposals with ABF on Monday, December 18, 2017, and TNFINC is ready to negotiate a contract that addresses members’ issues. Following the initial contract proposal exchange, negotiations will commence in earnest on January 8, 2018… Full announcement here.

Attention members! The credit union will close early Friday
Dec. 18, 2017 | (* Correction) This week's credit union hours are as follows: Per its regular schedule it is open today, Dec. 18th, until 7 pm. Regular hours Tuesday and Wednesday: 9 am to 5 pm; Thursday, 8 am to 5 pm. And Friday, December 22, 2017, from 8 am to 12:00* noon

Supplemental committees continue talks with Company
Dec. 18, 2017 |  As the union prepares for UPS and UPS Freight national talks to begin in January, supplemental committees have been meeting over the course of the last two months to exchange proposals and engage in bargaining sessions with the company. Out of the roughly 30 supplemental meetings held since October, common issues that have been raised by the company include flexible workweeks and the day after Thanksgiving holiday… UPS Rising

Reuters: UPS reserves 125 Tesla semi-trucks, largest public pre-order yet
Dec. 20, 2017 |  United Parcel Service Inc said on Tuesday it is buying 125 Tesla Inc all-electric semi-trucks, the largest known order for the big rig so far, as the package delivery company expands its fleet of alternative-fuel vehicles. Tesla is trying to convince the trucking community it can build an affordable electric big rig with the range and cargo capacity to compete with relatively low-cost, time-tested diesel trucks. This is the largest public order of the big rig so far, Tesla said. Tesla unveiled its semi last month and expects the truck to be in production by 2019... Teamsters

On vacation...
Dec. 28, 2017 | Publishing on teamsters355.com is suspended through New Year's. Our next post will be on Jan. 2.


Nov 22, 2017

Closing out his final day with UPS, Stan Boddie reflects on his career during the company-sponsored retirement gathering at the Baltimore, Md. facility. Below right, Boddie with Eric Wood, Teamsters Local 355 business agent.

Nov. 22, 2017 | Continued from Main Page

Once the warehousemen and delivery drivers were back on the job, Boddie reported to his new job. His seniority date was later adjusted to January 4, 1977.

Boddie preferred to work inside the UPS facility. “I didn’t want to drive, so I was happy as an unloader. Besides, I was still going to school for a degree in Business Administration with a focus on real estate, so the schedule worked well for me. Then finally in October of 1989, an opportunity opened for a full-time inside sorter/preload, and I jumped at it. Forty years later, here I am.”

“I’ve met some great people at UPS. As I told my wife, they are all like family to me. In fact, many have known me as long as she has. We’ve celebrated together and mourned together because, with people like those I’ve worked with, we are just like family. And you know, wearing my Teamster jacket all these years has given me the chance to meet Teamsters from other places, too. That’s been a real plus.”

As a senior Teamster member, Boddie said he tried to pass forward to others what he’d learned about the job – and the union. “Teamsters look out for each other,” said Boddie, clearly proud to be union. “For example, I had bought a house and looking to refinance, and one of my Teamster coworkers told me to call the union. Go through the union [Teamster Privilege], he said. I did, and I saved a lot of money.”

Boddie and his wife, Gail, have no big plans for his retirement. He has always been active in his church, and will increase his involvement with the John Wesley United Methodist Church in Baltimore, with plans to continue in the Male Chorus and Media Ministry.

But it is his passion for genealogy and exploration of his roots that will likely keep him busy for a long time to come. He hopes to make frequent trips to the Carolinas for visits to [extended] family members who he found through his research: All of them are descendants of a great-great-grandfather born in 1832. The curiosity that resulted in the search for information about a grandfather who died before his birth launched him on a journey of discovery so compelling that relatives now refer to him as the family historian.

“I’ve learned how to research records which have since helped me piece together the story of our ancestors. Now I’m learning to be a storyteller. My mother passed away two years ago but even at 81 years old, she could tell a story from memory. That’s not true for me; I always have to use notes.”

Best wishes for a happy and healthy retirement, Brother Boddie. Happy trails!


Nov 21, 2017

Continued from Main Page –

“The hospital is such a depressing place to be,” he said. “I remember the pain – my mom’s pain, and my own pain watching her struggle to hold on to life. I do this for my mother. She deserves this. I keep her alive in the work I do.”

Founded shortly after his mother’s death, Guinto’s Helping Hands makes two hospital visits a month, providing sick children and wounded veterans with gifts and staples. Among the hospitals and medical centers on the Helping Hands circuit are Walter Reed National Medical Center, Bethesda, Md.; the Fisher House, Rockville, Md., where family members stay while their loved one undergoes treatment; Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Md., where children with developmental disabilities receive care; Baltimore's Ronald McDonald House and Believe in Tomorrow (Johns Hopkins) where families are accommodated while their seriously ill children are receiving treatment.

Guinto has worked for UPS for 24 years and has been a shop steward for nine years.

"In past years, UPS has supported my non-profit organization, but recently that support has somewhat diminished. Still, I know I can count on strong support from my union. The Teamsters get it. When asked, they never fail to step up and show up."

Guinto and his band of Teamster volunteers often show up pushing carts aglow with brilliant Christmas lights and loaded with toys and gifts. He calls them carts of hope. “Something as simple as colored lights changes the atmosphere in an otherwise depressingly sterile place. One kid who, according to his parents, hadn’t sat up in days popped right up in bed when he saw the cart. It’s amazing to see the glimmer of hope in their eyes.”

“I take stuff for the parents too. They often spent 12-13 hours a day at the kid’s bedside,” explained Guinto, recalling the long days and nights spent by his mother’s hospital bedside. “I know how they feel. Giving them a snack or a crossword puzzle and pencil – it’s a way of saying to them, we understand.”

Although he works year-round seeking charity partners and collecting donations, Brother Guinto can often be found on the streets of Baltimore distributing “survival bags” to the homeless and needy. The bags are filled with snacks and other essential items. “My “Feed Baltimore” project is in line with my mission to lend a helping hand to others,” explains Guinto. “Every month we feed 100-150 members of the homeless community.”

Delivering packages for UPS may be his full-time job but delivering hope and cheer to others on his own time is Quinto’s passion.

“If I won the Mega Millions tomorrow, I’d donate 100 percent of my winnings to be able to do this full time. If I can’t impact the world delivering UPS packages, I can deliver hope to those who are desperate for it. Charity doesn’t punch a time clock; I do it on my own time. I believe any day you can give back, you should grab the opportunity.”


Nov 17, 2017

Taylor, European union leaders meet to discuss UPS
Nov. 3, 2017 | This week, Teamsters Package Division Director (and Local 355 President) Denis Taylor met wth a delegation of Nordic labor union leaders who represent UPS workers in Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden… Continue reading at teamster.org. 

Teamsters denounce House passage of joint-employer ruling rollback
Nov. 9, 2017 | The Teamsters Union today denounced the passage of legislation (H.R. 3441) introduced by House Republicans that rolls back the 2015 National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) “joint employer” ruling in the case of Browning-Ferris Industries, Inc. (BFI). The decision ensured strong protections for millions of American workers by holding accountable employers that rely on temporary or contracted workers when those employers call the shots. The joint employer rule prevents companies from claiming they are not responsible for workers employed by agencies retained by the company… Teamsters

Teamsters Union salute those who serve
Nov. 10, 2017 | Veterans Day is a time to remember the contributions of all this who are or have served in the nation’s armed forced protecting our freedom. The Teamsters recognize the sacrifice those in the military incur and are honored that so many have chosen to become a part of our union family… Continued

Kansas City Teamster drivers strike Sysco
Nov. 16, 2017 |  Teamsters Local 41 Sysco drivers are now on strike at the company’s Olathe, Kan., distribution center after management allegedly threatened reprisals for the workers’ union activity. Pickets went up around 4 a.m. CST, one day before Sysco convenes its 2017 annual shareholder meeting in Houston, Texas, the company’s headquarters. More than 40 Sysco city drivers at Sysco-Kansas City voted to become Teamsters on October 31, 2014. But workers don’t yet have an agreement, said Steve Vairma, Teamsters International Vice President and Warehouse Division Director, because the company has failed to bargain in good faith… Teamsters

Fight for $15 just scored big in Maryland. We have unions to thank
Nov. 16, 2017 | A law establishing a $15-an-hour minimum wage in Maryland’s Montgomery County was signed into law Monday. It’s a meaningful victory for the Fight for $15, the union-inspired campaign to raise wages nationally. Montgomery is the most populous county in the state, with a larger population than the nearby cities of Washington, D.C., or Baltimore. It’s also a bellwether for Maryland politics, where organizing has begun already ahead of the 2018 statewide elections, including organizing aimed at improving Maryland’s wage laws…Working In These Times 

ABF, Teamsters set schedule for bargaining
Nov. 17, 2017 | ABF Freight and the Teamsters union will exchange initial proposals on Dec. 18 and 19 for a new collective bargaining agreement covering about 8,600 unionized employees… DC Velocity

Teamsters LU 162 compels UPS to pay Health & Welfare delinquency
Nov. 20, 2017 | Contracts often contain language that gives the union the right to use important leverage to compel and employer to pay health and welfare contributions in a proper and timely manner. In this case, a recent audit of UPS revealed that it had shorted the Oregon Teamsters Employers Trust over $283,772.32 in health and welfare contributions. With penalties and interest this amounted to a total of $354, 420.38… Teamster

Local UPS driver delivers hope and cheer to hospital patients
Nov. 21, 2017 | Baltimore package driver Felix Guinto is the founder and CEO of Guinto’s Helping Hands (GHH), a charity organization whose primary mission is to bring hope to the sick, the wounded, and the less fortunate among us. His own painful personal experiences as a loving son to parents with long-term medical issues inspired Guinto to the cause he says is his way of honoring his parents: His father is a double amputee. His mother succumbed to cancer in 2006 after a two-year battle with the disease... 355 News

After 40 years with UPS, Baltimore preloader Stan Boddie retires
Nov. 22, 2017 | In early autumn of 1976 Stan Boddie, then a student at Catonsville Community College, applied for a part-time position at UPS in Baltimore for the short holiday season. But the Eastern states Teamsters were out on a strike that ultimately lasted eight weeks. Though he was hired officially on Dec. 15 as a part-time unloader, he couldn’t start until after the strike was over. It was to be his good fortune that the Union ultimately reached a new contract agreement that met its primary objectives, including one that would provide full-scale benefits to part-timers... 355 News

Hoffa to brief members on NAFTA 2.0 goals
Nov. 29, 2017 | The Teamsters are taking a leading role in helping to craft a new North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that puts the people above the powerful. And tonight, Teamster General President Jim Hoffa will brief members about the union’s work. Hoffa will be joined by Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y) during the NAFTA teleforum, which Teamsters can preregister for here. Those signing up ahead of time will receive a call when the event starts at 8 p.m. EST, 5 p.m. PST. More info


Oct 11, 2017
Hoffa: NAFTA should deal with trucking, labor Oct. 4, 2017 | While the third round of renegotiations of the North American Free Trade agreement ended last week, the status of many important issues remains in flux, including workers’ rights and cross-border trucking. At the top of the agenda is fixing the mistake of including long-haul trucking in the original NAFTA.
Sep 13, 2017

This Labor Day, we remember that the purpose of a union is to stand together
Sept. 1, 2017 | In his Labor Day message, General President Jim Hoffa wrote: “Our union’s response to the devastation of Hurricane Harvey makes this Labor Day more meaningful than ever. The Teamsters Union has always been an early responder in times of crisis, donating and distributing emergency supplies, coordinating logistics, raising money for those in need and more. When our members are affected – whether from an unfair employer, legislation unfair to working families or even natural disasters – the union family stands together. Labor Day is a time to reflect on who we are as a union. Our job isn’t just to organize members, bargain and protect contracts. It’s to bring respect and dignity to all working people. That means being there when we are needed..."

Publisher Tronc acquires Daily News, storied NY tabloid
Sept. 5, 2017 | Newspaper publisher Tronc has acquired the Daily News, a storied New York tabloid newspaper that won a Pulitzer Prize this year but has been buffeted by the changing media environment. Chicago-based Tronc Inc., the publisher of the Baltimore Sun, Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune, announced the deal Monday night, and the Daily News posted a story on its website. It was first reported by The New York Times... apnews.com

Teamsters support immigration reform with path to citizenship
Sept. 5, 2017 | General President Jim Hoffa on the decision handed down from the White House today to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) executive order originally put in place under President Obama: “The Teamsters are disappointed by this decision, as the union has long supported immigration reform and a path to citizenship for our nation’s ‘dreamers’. These young people are already citizens in every way that matters and deserve to have all of the same rights and opportunities enjoyed by U.S.-born children. Ending the DACA program punishes these nearly 800,000 people, including numerous Teamster across industries…” teamster.org

Teamsters reject UPS proposal for full-time seasonal personal vehicle drivers
Sept. 5, 2017 | Read the letter Package Division Director Sean O’Brien sent to UPS Corporate Labor Relations President Al Gudim regarding the company’s proposal to create a new classification.

What’s important to you in upcoming bargaining?
Sept. 6, 2017 | As we prepare to begin bargaining for a new ABF National Master Agreement, we need your input. You should have received a letter in your mailbox by now about how you can provide the union with your bargaining priorities. That letter outlines how we’ve made that process easier. Click here for details.

Taylor named Teamsters Package Division Director
Sept. 6, 2017 | The Teamsters Union announced today that Local 355 President Denis Taylor has been appointed Package Division Director and co-chair of the UPS National Negotiating Committee. Having started as a Teamster in the package delivery industry as a driver for UPS, Denis has the experience, commitment and knowledge to lead the upcoming negotiations to continue to build upon and improve our industry leading contract.

Teamsters chief fears US self-driving trucks may be unsafe, hit jobs
Sept. 13, 2017 |  The head of the 1.4-million member International Brotherhood of Teamsters is mounting an aggressive effort to convince Congress to reject new rules to speed the development of self-driving trucks, warning they could lead to the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs and reduce road safety…nytimes.com

Union opposes new seasonal vehicle classification, issues multiple info requests
Sept. 18, 2017 | Last Friday, Package Division Director Denis Taylor sent a letter to UPS Labor to express the objections of both the master and supplemental negotiating committees to UPS’s unilateral move to create a new “Seasonal Personal Vehicle Driver” (SPVD) classification. Taylor’s letter expressed his belief that new job classifications are mandatory subjects of bargaining and UPS needs to negotiate with the union over SPVD drivers. The letter also outlines multiple specific requests for information from the company regarding its SPVD program.

After member is deported, New York Teamsters declare themselves sanctuary union
Sept. 20, 2017 | Following the expedited deportation of one of its union leaders with no criminal record, Teamsters Joint Council 16 passed a resolution to become a sanctuary union. “Immigrant rights and labor rights are explicitly tied together. You can’t have one without the other. It is obvious we are tied together, and there is no way that we could say that we are not a union of immigrants.” A conversation with George Miranda, the president of the 120,000-member Teamsters Joint Council 16, which is an umbrella group made up of 27 different local unions in New York City. inthesetimes.com

Teamsters UPS and UPS Freight screening committees to meet Sept. 25th
Sept. 20, 2017 | The UPS and UPS Freight Screening Committees are scheduled for September 25th and the Two-Person Review is scheduled for October 17th. Teamsters Package Division Director Denis Taylor, Co-Chair of the UPS National Negotiating Committee, will lead the meetings along with Kris Taylor who is Co-Chair of the UPS Freight National Negotiating Committee. Learn more about the proposal process.

Greene named Local 355 trustee
Sept. 20, 2017 | Chris Greene (Sysco), a Local 355 Teamster for 25 years and Sysco shop steward since 2001, has been appointed to the Local 355 Executive Board as trustee. He is one of three Local Union trustees whose duty it is to monitor the finances of the Local and help it achieve its overall mission and objectives.

Tell your senator to vote against another bad health care bill
Sept. 21, 2017 | The Senate is once again considering healthcare legislation that would harm working families in America. The Graham-Cassidy amendment to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act will eliminate certain taxes like the medical device tax but retain the 40% excise tax on high quality health care plans. Known as the “Cadillac Tax”, it ultimately places an unfair penalty on our collectively bargained health care benefits. This legislation will have real, negative impacts on healthcare for American families. Take action now!

Local 355 retirees celebrate summer with annual party
Sept. 21, 2017 | Our Local’s retiree group, Association of Retired Members, are an active organization of more than 600 members who enjoy fellowship and fun. According to A.R.M. president, Bob Eney, this year’s Summer Party was yet another huge success, in large part to the volunteers who work hard to make it all happen. Speaking of work: Every week a core group of Local 355 retirees gather at the Baltimore hall to provide assistance with building and lawn maintenance, preparation of the hall for meetings, and contribute to the end-of-year cookouts. The group also supports our organizing efforts. Check out their newsletters hereMore photos...

After three back-to-back hurricanes, Teamsters leave no stone unturned
Sept. 26, 2017 | In less than a month, our membership has been devastated by three hurricanes that caused such catastrophic damage in so little time, it pales in comparison to anything else in recent memory. In the aftermath of these storms, Teamsters are on the front lines… teamsters.org  Donate to the Teamsters Disaster Relief Fund here.

UPS proposal screening committee conducts first meeting
Sept. 27, 2017 | On Monday, Sept. 25, the UPS National Negotiating Committee (NNC) met in the Washington, D.C. area, to go through contract proposals received from UPS members. The proposals received at the Package Division surpassed the numbers that anyone could recall. The consensus was that, while the UPS contract is far and away the best labor contract in the country, there are plenty of issues and concerns that must be addressed, including… teamster.org

Sign the petition: Tell our government to stop corporate power grab 
Sept. 28, 2017 | Please add your name to this Teamster petition demanding that any NAFTA renegotiation remove the corporate power grab known as ISDS. Known as the Investor-State Dispute Settlement, ISDS is a controversial NAFTA provision that gave big corporations vast new powers that make it easier to offshore jobs and attack the environmental and health laws on which we all rely. More information on petition form here.

Union recruiting volunteer members to help move vital supplies in PR
Sept. 29, 2017 | The Teamsters are joining with other labor unions from across the nation to identify skilled workers to travel to Puerto Rico next week to provide much needed support in critical areas. There is currently a need for volunteer truck drivers who hold a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to transport shipping containers from the port to distribution centers throughout the island. Additionally, the Teamsters Freight, Airline, Passenger Transport, Public Services and Waste Divisions are contacting Teamster employers that operate in Puerto Rico and our local unions throughout the U.S. and Canada to identify avenues of support and volunteers… teamster.org


Sep 06, 2017

In order to negotiate a successful contract, your union needs your input. This year, in an effort to make that process easier and to get more members involved, our contract survey is being done electronically.

Please read the letter you recently received  about how you can help provide the union with your bargaining priorities. The letter provides important information on how to access the survey. You may use a desktop or laptop computer, tablet or smart phone to complete the survey.

Note that for privacy reasons nothing on the survey identifies the individual respondent, and this includes whether you participate or not.

Please take the time to share your ideas. We look forward to you participation.

Questions? Contact your business agent, Bill Alexander at 410-566-5700, ext 110.


Aug 28, 2017

Helpful information posted here every Monday

Aug. 1, 2017 | Educational information that can help you better understand your union, your role in it and your responsibility to it is available in the Members Resources section under Members and Shop Stewards. Short helpful tips that define a contract campaign, how the bargaining process works, why – and how – a grievance is filed and presented, the importance of confidentiality issues, when a case goes to arbitration, your role in an arbitration, some cautionary notes about insubordination, are among the useful information we've made available to help you be a more informed union member or steward. Check in every Monday for something new you can use.

Proposal Meetings: 'For the union to be successful, we need your in put'
Aug. 2, 2017 | UPS membership meetings are scheduled (dates and locations here) to discuss and submit proposals for upcoming contract negotiations. In a message to all UPS and UPS Freight members, Local 355 President and National Negotiating Committee member Denis Taylor, said: “The time is coming very soon when your union will begin to bargain the largest private sector labor contract in the country. For us to be successful, we need your input. What are the issues most important to your family? How can we best protect our working conditions? What can we do to strengthen your job security? Our request meetings are just the beginning of a process that will culminate in an agreement that meets or exceeds the needs of our membership. Your participation along the way is critical to our success. Please attend these important meetings at the times scheduled here.” Please note: If you are not yet a teamster355.com registered user,  sign up now to stay informed!

Hoffa: Get serious about good jobs
Aug. 8, 2017 | … To create good jobs that fuel economic expansion, out country needs to have a well-trained workforce. The Democrats’ “A Better Deal” proposal calls for an increase in registered apprenticeships and work-based learning programs by doubling federal funding for them. If Congress makes such programs a priority, young people and those currently out of work can benefit from the increased government investment. That will raise wages while reducing the burden on various public assistance programs… detriotnews.com

Teamsters convince Congress to block driverless trucks
Aug. 8, 2017 | ... The Teamsters is fighting tooth-and-nail against the legal implementation of autonomous trucks in the US. Last week it successfully lobbied Congress to place a 10,000 pound weight-limit on current driverless vehicle legislation. The legislation represents a rare example of bipartisanship under the current administration; it passed with a vote of 54-0. thenextweb.com

Upcoming Salisbury membership meetings to be held at Hampton Inn
Aug. 28, 2017 | Because our union office/hall in Salisbury, Md. is still undergoing renovations, membership meetings for the months of September and October will be held at the Hampton Inn Salisbury, 121 East Naylor Mill Road, Salisbury, Md. 21801. The meetings will begin promptly at 10 a.m. Questions? Contact your shop steward.

Teamsters Disaster Relief Fund coordinating efforts with South Texas leaders 
Aug. 28, 2017 | *Updated with correct Fund link. General President Hoffa has directed international union staff to provide all necessary support to members impacted by Hurricane Harvey and the resulting floods. Assessments are currently being conducted on how the Teamster Disaster Relief Fund, Joint Councils and Local Unions can best provide support to our members and retirees affected by the unprecedented storm. In the meantime, you can make donations directly to the Fund here and the funds will be earmarked for assistance to members impacted by Hurricane Harvey. teamster.org


Jul 17, 2017

Jack Cooper successfully completes debt reduction 
July 3, 2017 | In a series of financial transactions, Jack Cooper announced on June 29, 2017, that it had successfully reduced the company’s outstanding debt by $300 million which in turn will reduce annual interest by nearly $10 million. “This is good news – really good news for Teamster-represented workers at Jack Cooper,” Said Kevin Moore, Director of the Teamsters Carhaul Division… teamster.org

Teamsters call on Locals to gather up UPS contract proposals
July 7, 2017 | The Teamsters UPS National Negotiating Committee has sent out notices to all UPS and UPS Freight locals requesting contract proposals from members. Separate proposal forms for the UPS Master Agreement, supplements, riders, addenda and the UPS Freight Agreement have been sent out to locals who will be pulling together meetings with UPS members in the coming weeks. Schedule information for our proposal meetings (Baltimore and Eastern Shore) will be available soon. (Proposals must be returned back to the IBT by August 31.)

Teamsters tell Big Pharma shareholders: Vote no on boss’ bonus
July 12, 2017 | The Teamsters are trying to punish Big Pharma for flooding the country with prescription pain killers by hitting one of its top leaders where it hurts – in the eyes of shareholders. The union has taken the unusual step of directly calling on McKesson Corp. shareholders to turn thumbs down on July 26 to the $1.1 million bonus that was awarded earlier this year to its Chief Executive… nbcnews.com Related: Teamsters urge McKesson shareholders to reject CEO pay plan amid opioid probe. (Why this issue matters to our union.)

Solid waste workers in CA win union after 10-year fight
July 13, 2017 | A Teamsters win after a decade-long effort by waste workers in Santa Ros, Calif., highlighted a spate of union victories that produced a total of at least 950 members. But the victory in Santa Rosa at the Ratto Group, a non-union firm that low-balled its pay scales and paid scant attention to safety, was especially meaningful, as Ratto was undercutting other, unionized, solid waste hauler workers… peoplesworld.org

Schooling the boss on safety at UPS
July 13, 2017 | On May 8, Esteban Garcia sat beside a supervisor in his truck for his annual safety ride. As a 16-year UPS driver and member of Teamsters Local 177 in Hillside, NJ, Garcia is well-versed in the safety procedures which are spelled out in the National Master Agreement. But his supervisor didn’t seem to think those policies applied to him… teamster.org

Attention drivers: YRC and New Penn are hiring
July 13, 2017 | If you (or a friend or family member) carry a CDL with hazmat, doubles, and tanker endorsements, and looking for a job, Teamster employers YRC and New Penn are looking for drivers. To apply, visit yrc.com and newpenn.com.

Clare Rose, Teamsters have TA after weeks of strike
July 17, 2017 | Clare Rose and its 130 delivery drivers and warehouse workers have negotiated a new contract, ending a nearly three-month strike against East Yaphank beer distributor, company and union officials said. The deal restores pension contributions for workers but removes a sales function that had been responsible for part of drivers’ pay. Ed Weber, president of Local 812, said in a statement the union was pleased to reach and agreement “that preserved our pension and provides fair wages under a new sales model.” … newsday.com

President Hoffa on Mornings with Maria: We have to get jobs back
July 20, 2017 | Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said in a Fox Business News interview yesterday that the interests of workers must not be forgotten as the administration begins to renegotiate NAFTA. Watch here.

XPO workers in Texas win recognition with Teamsters
July 24, 2017 | XPO workers in Laredo, Texas who voted to form their union with Teamsters Local 657 have won a major victory. The group of drivers and dockworkers were the very first former Con-way Freight workers in the country to form their union with the Teamsters. The workers and the Local Union have fought diligently to be recognized as a union and begin contract negotiations since winning their election in 2014, but XPO has deliberately delayed the process every step of the way. Last week the company lost their court battle and has formally recognized the workers’ union and will begin contract negotiations... teamster.org

Excessive CEO pay fight takes new turn
July 26, 2017 | The fight against excessive CEO pay is a fight the Teamsters know well. For years, the union has decried the disproportionate pay between those at the top of the corporate structure and those who actually do the work that makes the firm profitable. But it has taken on added meaning recently as one of the nation’s richest CEOs continues to collect substantial payment while his company gets punished by the U.S. Justice Department for the role the company played in failing to report suspicious opioid orders. teamster.org Related: Seventy top health care CEOs raked in $9.8 billion since 2010

UPS reports 8% rise in domestic revenue; Teamsters call for ‘fair contract’
July 29, 2017 | UPS announced Thursday an 8.1 precent U.S. domestic revenue bump in their second-quarter earnings, furled in large part by surging ecommerce deliveries. The report drew a call for fairness from the Teamsters union representing UPS aircraft mechanics which is involved in a contract dispute with the company… bizjournals.com

Teamsters support bipartisan effort in Senate to repeal Cadillac tax
July 31, 2017 | Currently, the excise tax, commonly referred to as the Cadillac Tax, places a 40 percent tax on high-quality health care plans. This tax will only hurt working men and women who will see their premiums rise as costs are passed down the line. “Senators on both sides of the aisle are doing the right thing and fighting to repeal this harmful tax on good health care plans,” General President Jim Hoffa said... teamster.org


Jun 29, 2017

By MARK GRUENBERG 
PAI Staff Writer  

WASHINGTON (PAI) — Interrupting a parade of corporate witnesses and lobbyists, union representatives outlined tough and enforceable pro-worker standards for a “new NAFTA” before a special trade panel studying the issue.

AFL-CIO representative Thea Lee, Machinists Chief of Staff Owen Hernstadt and Teamsters Legislative Representative Mike Dolan told the International Trade Commission that, as Lee put it, the current NAFTA “has provided tremendous benefits to CEOs and wealthy corporations, but has not benefited working people.”  

“Too much emphasis has been given to theoretically small net gains” from the current NAFTA, “and too little to the disruptions” to workers and communities from the controversial, jobs-losing U.S.-Mexico-Canada “free trade” pact, said Lee, a trade and economics specialist who will soon formally retire from a top AFL-CIO job.

Lee, Hernstadt, and Dolan spoke on June 28, the second of three days of the “new NAFTA” hearings. Two other unionists, from the Auto Workers and the Communications Workers, were scheduled to speak later. The panel is gathering data for negotiators to use in talks with Mexico and Canada on a new pact to replace the 23-year-old agreement.

Those talks, unlike negotiations that produced the current NAFTA, must be open and aboveboard, said Lee. Plus, each NAFTA country must “demonstrate it adopted and enforced international labor law standards before an agreement goes into place,” added Hernstadt.

The AFL-CIO submitted a 47-page detailed proposal to the commission for comprehensive and enforceable worker rights in a new NAFTA two weeks before the panel session. Both Hernstadt and Dolan endorsed it, but also elaborated on several specific points.

Hernstadt advocated increased domestic content requirements, while Dolan urged the ITC to undo the damage to truckers, highway safety and the environment by the current NAFTA’s provision that lets unsafe Mexican trucks and pooped or ill-trained drivers roll over all U.S. roads. The Teamsters and safety groups have been fighting that provision for 20 years.

Among other points the three made:  

• NAFTA’s secret pro-business trade court, the Investor State Dispute System, must be scrapped. ISDS, staffed by judges who are actually pro-business trade lawyers, can override federal, state and local labor, job safety and environmental laws, Lee testified. ISDS “amounts to crony capitalism and benefits firms who outsource,” Lee said.   That includes Buy American laws, Dolan said. Conservatives should view the ISDS as “an affront to our sovereignty,” as it lets corporations evade or override U.S. laws and courts.

 • NAFTA’s current “side agreements” on workers’ rights must be replaced with text within a new NAFTA that is both stronger and enforceable.  A June 26 ruling against the U.S., in a well-documented labor rights violations complaint the AFL-CIO  brought against Guatemala nine years ago – under CAFTA, a NAFTA-like pact – shows the lack of teeth in the current system, all three said. CAFTA is slightly stronger on the issue than NAFTA, “but even CAFTA couldn’t protect workers from abuse, assassinations and firings,” Lee said.  

• Upgrade the rules of origin for products. Hernstadt elaborated on that point, saying it affects not just steel and cars – bones of contention between the U.S. and Mexico in the past – but aerospace products, too. IAM represents tens of thousands of aerospace workers. The current NAFTA rules of origin let parts made in China be passed through Mexico, the fed’s brief said. And the percentage that makes a car “American-made” is too low, it adds.  

• The new NAFTA should require wage standards, to be enforced by a new Labor Secretariat. The prime impact would be in Mexico, where U.S. firms have decamped to take advantage of low wages, weak labor laws, company unions and lax enforcement. Lee told panelist Carlos Romero of the U.S. Trade Representative’s office that “there are a lot of models out there, most of them on how to meet the costs of living,” in setting wage floors.  

• Currency manipulation should be a trade pact violation, an idea labor has been pushing for years. The AFL-CIO put manipulation in its brief. Dolan said Teamsters President Jim Hoffa “would start with enforceable discipline against currency manipulation.”    

• Negotiators for a new NAFTA should restrict Mexican trucks to within 20 miles north of the U.S. border.That’s due to the lack of data about the safety of Mexican trucks and truckers, Dolan said. After the first 20 miles, cargoes should be transferred to U.S. trucks and truckers that meet federal safety, drug testing, hours of service and other standards. “We’d urge the administration to revisit this controversial provision,” he said.   The union is still fighting that battle, he noted, before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. It’s arguing that NAFTA’s “original negotiators did not have the authority” from Congress “to negotiate exceptions to U.S. highway safety and driving rules.”  

• “Eliminate obstacles to filing cases” about worker rights violations, Hernstadt said. NAFTA, and other subsequent trade pacts, now bar filing such cases unless the violations “impact trade and investment” and are “sustained and recurring.” Those that don’t directly affect trade, or those that are one-time but huge, are barred, Hernstadt testified.  

• Be prepared to leave the talks. “If all these things are not met, our negotiators have to be willing to walk away” from bargaining over a new NAFTA, Hernstadt said.  

Lee said afterward that unionists should not expect an outcome for years. “They (the administration) know what we want, and now it’s up to them to go out and accomplish it. Just saying you’re going to renegotiate NAFTA,” as GOP President Donald Trump has, “doesn’t mean you’ll renegotiate it the right way.”                                   


Jun 28, 2017

Congratulations to Adam Davis, Stewart Meek, David Daniels, and Charlton Plummer (Piedmont Airlines) for their first place win in the Local's bi-annual golf event held Saturday, June 24th, at the Queenstown Harbor Golf Course in Queenstown, Md.

Teams teed off at 8:30 a.m. in a modified shotgun start format, finishing the 18-hole course at the same time in about six hours. The rain cleared out and warm sun plus cold beverages made for a perfect day on the course. Libations and lunch under the club's shaded outdoor pavilion topped off the day.

Second Place: (right)
UPS Package/Baltimore

  • Chris Towers
  • Mike Howard
  • Aaron Skipper

Third Place: (bottom right)
UPS/Baltimore

  • Charlie Huber
  • Mike Ridgely
  • Scott Mandel
  • Tony Petraglia

Long Drive -
Denis Grieve (Movies)

Close to Pin-
Tony Petraglia

View gallery photos here.

Photos/Teamsters Joint Council 62


Jun 20, 2017

Podcast highlights Teamster fight against RTW
June 6, 2017 | In this month’s Teamster Nation podcast, learn more about our Union’s fight to help keep so-called right-to-work law at bay both in states around the country as well as at the federal level, and efforts to halt other anti-worker legislation across the country.

Holly Poultry expansion will add jobs in Baltimore
June 7, 2017 | From the Baltimore Sun: "The Baltimore-based chicken processor, which already employs nearly 250 people, plans to hire 150 more in the next few years as it increases volume to meet a growing demand for poultry. The family-owned company has been expanding since Mike Fine bought it in 1990, though he’s been so low-key about it that he believes few around the city even know the manufacturer is there." Local 355 represents more than 130 drivers, warehouse, and production employees at Holly Poultry. Read more here…

YRC Freight advises Teamsters about operational changes
June 7, 2017 | In a meeting with YRC Freight earlier today, the company advised representatives of the Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) about operational changes later this year. The company is preparing a Multi-Region Network Enhancement Change of Operations and a Utility Employee Change of Operations. The company stated that it is still reviewing and finalizing the numbers and details. In accordance with the National Master Freight Agreement (NMFA), it is expected that the company will mail the proposed operational changes to the Local Unions in early July with a hearing to be held sometime in mid- to late-August. The company anticipates an implementation date in early October. If you have any questions, please contact Business Agent Bill Alexander at the union hall: 410-566-5700. 

Speak up today in favor of real NAFTA reform
June 14, 2017 | The U.S. Trade Representative is currently accepting public comments on how it should renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). An upgraded NAFTA must include strong labor standards, protections against currency manipulation, and stronger Rules-of-Origin language, and must not weaken the safety standards on U.S. roads and highways, give corporations power over government, or prevent governments from making rules that allow them to have ‘Buy American’ and ‘Buy Local’ policies. This is your opportunity to speak up and make sure the needs of workers and labor rights are the #1 priority for negotiators. The deadline for comments has been extended to tonight at midnight! Take action now here.

Memorial fund set up for victims of UPS San Francisco shooting
June 20, 2017 | Teamsters Joint Council 7 in Northern California announced yesterday the establishment of a fund to help raise money for the families of the victims of the June 14 tragedy at the San Francisco UPS facility that resulted in the deaths of three members at the hand of their fellow driver. “We are encouraging our affiliates and our members to consider joining us in making a contribution to help the families who have been devastated by this terrible act,” said Ken Hall, Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer. Details here.

Teamster motorcycle enthusiasts ride in 19th annual bike run
June 20, 2017 |  Despite high humidity and threatening skies, more than 25 Local 355 members, retirees, and guests met at the Baltimore union hall early last Saturday morning to prepare for the annual bike ride that took them northwest into Pennsylvania’s mountain area via mostly secondary roads. A brief rain shower was a minor consequence to the riders once they pulled into Pine Grove Furnace State Park, a 696-acre protected park located at the northern tip of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A beautiful park pavilion was the perfect spot for the Local-sponsored cookout. Kudos to Business Agents Eric Wood, Chip Elgert and Bill Alexander for their expert trip coordination. Photos are up here.

More than 1,000 Teamsters rally to keep their ‘fundamental right’ to join a union
June 21, 2017 | Union members swarmed the Capitol steps Tuesday afternoon to voice their opposition to right-to-work legislation in Pennsylvania. The rally was organized by the Pennsylvania Conference of Teamsters and drew and estimated 1200 attendees ranging from Teamsters to Steelworkers and AFSCME members… pennlive.com

Call your senators now to oppose their ACA repeal and replace bill
June 26, 2017 | Senate Republicans recently released their Affordable Care Act repeal and replace bill called the Better Care Reconciliation Act. This legislation is terrible for working families in America. The bill will likely cause tens of millions to lose insurance coverage over the next decade while cutting taxes for the very wealthy and corporations. The Teamster have long opposed proposals to tax workers health benefits; this legislation retains the 40% excise tax (“Cadillac tax”) on high-quality plans but repeals all other ACA taxes. Hardworking Americans shouldn’t have to experience a 40% penalty on their collectively bargained benefits while the wealthy and corporations see their taxes repealed. Tell your senators to VOTE NO on the the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017.

Anheuser-Busch distributor agrees to reopen negotiations with strikers
June 26, 2017 | Clare Rose, the Anheuser-Busch distributor in Long Island whose workers have been on strike since April 23rd, has agreed to reopen negotiations with Teamsters Local 812… laborpress.org

Port truck drivers end strike in Los Angeles
June 26, 2017 | A week-long strike by Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach truck drivers and warehouse workers culminated in a large and raucous rally on the steps of the Los Angeles city hall on Friday, June 23. Striking workers and their allies then proceeded inside to deliver nearly 10,000 petition signatures calling on Mayor Eric Garrett, as well as Long Beach mayor Robert Garcia, to end indentured servitude at the ports they oversee… teamster.org

Piedmont Airlines Teamsters take first place in Local 355 Spring Golf Outing
June 28, 2017 | Four dispatchers employed at Piedmont Airlines on the Eastern Shore took the top spot with a score of 58 at the Local’s bi-annual June 24th golf outing at the Queenstown Harbor Golf Course in Queenstown, Md. Stormy weather gave way to clear skies and sunshine for this year’s 60 golfers. Winners, more photos at 355 News.

WSJ: Teamsters push back on UPS golf cart delivery vehicles
June 29, 2017 | ...Starting Thursday, UPS can use golf carts to deliver packages in Kentucky thanks to a new state law allowing delivery drivers to use the vehicles on public roads. The company plans to use retrofitted golf carts to complement its fleet of brown delivery trucks primarily during the winter holidays when daily volumes can rise two-thirds from normal levels. But union leaders, who had opposed the legislation, argue that having the vehicles share the road with cars and trucks puts workers at risk. They also object because at UPS golf cart drivers earn less than traditional truck drivers... teamster.org

ATTENTION Local 355 Credit Union members!
June 30, 2017 | The Credit Union office in Baltimore will close at 5 pm on Monday, July 3, 2017.


Jun 09, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. (PAI)—A Portland, Ore., union member, Rick Best, was one of the two heroic men stabbed to death just before Memorial Day while successfully defending two young women – one wearing a hijab – against hate speech and a fatal attack.

“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Local 17 member, Rick Best -- a Technician in the Bureau of Development Services at the City of Portland -- was among one of the victims in the Portland stabbing on Friday, May 26,” said his union, Professional and Technical Engineers Local 17.

“Best and two other heroes were defending two young women who were being harassed with hate speech on the Portland MAX train.

“Best was a retired Army veteran who began working for the city in 2015. He is survived by his wife, Myhanh Duong Best, and three sons and a daughter, Erik, Isaac, David, and Tramanh. Our hearts go out to Rick's family, friends, and colleagues as they grieve this senseless loss. A GoFundMe page has been set up to fund scholarships for Best's children if you would like to contribute.”

Best and two other men were stabbed by self-proclaimed nihilist and ex-con Jeremy Christian. One of the two survived, as did the young women, who were unharmed.

The Northwest Labor Press reported Christian got on a westbound light rail train at 4:30 pm “and immediately targeted two African-American girls, one of them wearing a hijab, with a loud and frightening racist rant.

“Three men stepped forward to defend the girls and were stabbed in the neck by Christian. Micah David-Cole Fletcher survived. Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche and Rick Best died of their wounds.”

The local not only posted the tribute to Best on its website, along with the funding for the scholarships for his children, but it paid for COBRA coverage for the family for June. The Portland City Council is working on legislation for city-paid health care for the family for the next three years.

~  Press Associates, Inc.


May 11, 2017

YRC Freight rescinds pay cuts – but not for all workers

May 1, 2017 |  Three years after the Teamsters agreed to pay cuts to prevent YRC Freight trucking company from going bankrupt, the company is rescinding the cuts – but only for workers in some areas. YRC Freight and two of its regional trucking affiliates agreed Apr. 10 to end the two-tier system for newly hired truckers and mechanics and gradually eliminate the 15% pay cut for dockworkers… laborpress.org

Teamsters aircraft mechanics print open letter to UPS CEO
May 2, 2017 |  As UPS prepares for its annual shareholder meeting, more than 900 of its aircraft mechanics and other related classifications sent an open letter to CEO David Abney and the board of directors Monday saying they are concerned that UPS is trying to strip them of their health benefits and that they will do whatever it takes to secure a fair contract. UPS relies on the mechanics, stationed at more than 90 gateways across the country, for all maintenance of its cargo aircraft. The workers do physically demanding and often dangerous work around jet engine aircraft and equipment and toxic chemicals and exhaust… teamster.org Related: UPS Teamsters, remember to vote! Demand lobbying accountability at UPS.

New contracts ratified by Anne Arundel County members; others 
May 9, 2017 |  Anne Arundel County members employed under four collective bargaining agreements recently ratified new one-year contracts that provide merit increases and COLA. Battalion chiefs, in lieu of merit, received wage adjustments based on years of service with the County, and maintenance of all benefits. Park rangers received clothing allowances, designation of emergency essential personnel, and new in this contract, a meal allowance. Correctional programs specialists (CPS) won retention bonuses and field training pay. Deputy sheriffs… Read morePhoto: Anne Arundel County stewards (L-R) Justin Ramos/park ranger; Mike Messick/fire battalion chief; Gary Collins/CPS; Mike Smith, fire battalion chief; Dave Belisle/deputy sheriff.

Members vote to suspend general membership meetings for the summer
May 9, 2017 |  Members in attendance at Sunday's general membership meeting unanimously voted to suspend Local member meetings in Baltimore and Salisbury for the months of June, July, and August. The next meeting will be held Sunday, Sept. 10th at 10 am in both locations.

Local 355 retirees club celebrates another bowling season
May 11, 2017 | The Local 355 Association of Retired Members (A.R.M.) bowling league finished their 2016-2017 season with awards and banquet. Retirees

UPS Teamster locals, leaders meet at Unity Conference to discuss 2018 contract
May 15, 2017 | Hundreds of local union leaders, business agents, shop stewards and members packed a room at the Teamster Unity Conference on Wednesday to hear about preparations being made fro negotiations on the UPS 2018 contract. “We have many issues we need to face in the upcoming negotiations. Package Division Director Sean O’Brien told meeting attendees there is no commitment yet on whether or not to pursue early negotiations. But he said surveys will be used via social media, as well as focus groups and polling, to determine what members think about when to start negotiations and what the focus of bargaining should be. Read the full report here.

Budweiser distributor begins illegally replacing Teamsters on strike
May 16, 2017 | Clare Rose began permanently replacing striking union members at the Long Island (NY) Budweiser distributor on Monday. It is a violation of federal labor law to permanently replace workers who are striking over unfair labor practices. “This is union busting 101,” said Mark Pooler, who has delivered beer at Clare Rose for 26 years. Workers at Clare Rose have been on strike since April 23rd when the company unilaterally cut drivers’ wages by 30 percent and ended workers’ pensions. Read more at teamster.org

Hoffa: Teamsters will continue to fight for workers' needs as part of NAFTA 2.0
May 18, 2017 |  General President Jim Hoffa’s response to the White House’s issuance of a final NAFTA notification letter today that will lead to a renovation of the North American trade agreement in the coming months: “ From the beginning more than a quarter century ago, the Teamsters have been front-and-center in sticking up for workers and their rights under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). And that won’t change… Our members have stood in historic opposition to this broken trade pact due to terrible provisions such as… Read the full statement here.

Bargaining Update: Negotiations for local supplements to begin
May 18, 2017 | The Teamsters National DHL Committee and the company have held 15 bargaining sessions over seven weeks and believe the major issues facing the membership have been addressed and the parties’ positions established on national issues. Your committee has decided to release DHL to commence bargaining on Local Riders and Supplements with affected Locals over the next several weeks to address your Supplemental issues consistent with past practice. It is anticipated that negotiations with DHL to exchange economic proposals will resume once this process is concluded. We anticipate granting another short contract extension in order to complete supplemental and national negotiations. For additional information, contact your shop steward.

Hogan vetoes Maryland Democrats’ sick leave bill
May 26, 2017 | Gov. Larry Hogan on Thursday vetoed legislation that would have required employers with more than 15 workers to allow them to earn paid sick leave, setting up a potential veto override fight when state lawmakers return to Annapolis later this year or next… baltimoresun.com

UPS Teamsters impacted by reversal of recent pro-labor rules
May 26, 2017 | Advances in workplace safety regulations and stricter labor standards for federal government contractors are under attack as lawmakers took to roll back recent pro-labor rules benefiting workers throughout the country, including UPS Teamsters. “By postponing OSHA’s ‘Injury Tracking’ regulation, the Department of Labor is making it more difficult for workers to hold companies accountable for dangerous working conditions, and that includes our members at UPS,” said Sean O’Brien (right), Director of the Teamsters Package Division… teamster.org

Fighting back against harassment at UPS
May 30, 2017 | Harassment by management and supervisors is an ongoing problem at UPS hubs around the country. The best defense against harassment is to know the contract language that protects us and to us it – record, report and file grievances. There are several sections of the contract that may apply when a member is dealing with harassment from supervisors and management… 355 News


Apr 27, 2017

Take Action!

... included in the Affordable Care Act. As the AHCA stands with or without the new amendment, this tax is still included in the legislation, albeit with a further delay. The Teamsters Union is urging Congress to include a full repeal of the 40% excise tax also known as the “Cadillac Tax” rather than simply delaying the tax. The “Cadillac Tax” would ultimately reduce the health benefits that hard working Americans receive and increase out of pocket costs.

The Teamsters are hopeful that legislators will see that any policy that taxes employer-sponsored insurance is detrimental to American workers and imposes real financial costs to both employers and employees.

Contact your member of Congress now and tell them to repeal the 40% excise tax on comprehensive insurance plans.


Apr 17, 2017

ANNAPOLIS, MD – (L-R) Chris Greene, LU355; Moe Jackson, LU570; Neil Dixon, LU570; Kevin Davidson, LU570; Dave Belisle, LU355; Denis Taylor, LU355; Ernie Warfield, LU355; Dan Taylor, LU355; Chip Elgert, LU355; Marisol Young, LU570; Joe Smith, LU355; (hidden); Mark Garey, LU355; Ed Mulford, LU355; Eric Wood, LU355; Don Hamre, Local 355; Pat O’Toole, LU355; Lance Miller, ­­­LU355; Jim Deene, LU355; and J.R. McClung, LU570. Not pictured: Rich Brown, LU570.

Md. House Labor and Employment committee kills proposed RTW legislation
Apr. 3, 2017 | Anti-union lawmakers in Maryland introduced right-to-work legislation on January 30, 2017, in the State’s House of Delegates. At a February 14 Labor and Employment Committee hearing on the bill, Local 355 and Local 570 union members (pictured) and other unions and working families’ supporters packed the House chamber in Annapolis to oppose the anti-worker legislation. A USW representative said the notion that RTW creates economic growth is false, rather it’s sole objective is to weaken unions and attack wages. Delegate Donna Edwards denounced the bill. “This bill is dressed up in a feel-good slogan but it is pro-employer.” The committee issued an unfavorable report, effectively killing the companion bill in the State Senate.

Teamsters prepare to battle UPS, truck industry lobbyists on safety issues
Apr. 10, 2017 | The Teamsters Union is keeping a close eye on a coalition of companies that includes UPS which is gearing up to push new increases in truck size and weight limits in Congress… Working in conjunction with UPS, Americans for Modern Transportation want to make our roads less safe by mandating that twin 33s be the standard size of double trailers nationwide… teamster.org

Local 355 members lend helping hands to Guinto’s Helping Hands
Apr. 12, 2017 | Last weekend Local 355 UPS workers, accompanied by family and friends, volunteered time with Quinto’s Helping Hands (GHH) to help feed Baltimore's homeless. Local 355 member and UPS driver, Felix Guinto, is founder and CEO of the charity organization that raises funds to provide children hospitals from Maryland to Nevada with gifts and toys. "I wanted to do something different and helping the Baltimore community's people in need is in line with my mission to lend a helping hand," explained Guinto. So on Saturday, volunteers converged on the Local hall in Baltimore to prepare sandwiches and fill survival bags with snacks and... Continued at 355 News

?UPS Teamster makes heroic rescue
Apr. 18, 2017 | Paul Pereira’s UPS shift took a lifesaving turn Monday evening when the Boston-area Teamsters Local 25 member rescued two people from a boring home. With 12 stops left on his regular route, Pereira’s next stop was 18 Hamilton Ave. Two houses away, he saw a porch engulfed in flames. Pereira jumped out of his truck and immediately started banging on the door, screaming, “fire, fire, fire,” … teamster.org

Teamsters: ‘Buy American and Hire American’ Executive Order benefits U.S. jobs, production
Apr. 19, 2017 | The Teamsters support [yesterday’s] signing of the ‘Buy American and Hire American’ Executive Order by President Donald Trump. The initiatives that promote American workers and investment in domestic products will help the country take a positive step toward a stronger economy. The order routines federal procurement policies that will focus on utilizing goods, products, and materials produced in the United States. It directs federal agencies to minimize the use of waivers and exemptions that allow them to bypass the Buy America laws that encourage the use of American-made products. teamster.org  More at cnn.com

Budweiser delivery Teamsters strike shuts down Long Island distribution 
Apr. 25, 2017 |  Teamsters who deliver, sell, and merchandise Budweiser, Heineken, and other beer products to Nassau and Suffolk Counties will be on strike starting Monday, Teamsters Local 812 announced today. The over 100 drivers and warehousemen, who work for Clare Rose, a private beer distribution company, voted down management’s “final offer” Friday, which would have imposed 30% wage cuts and ended the drivers’ pension...teamstersnyc

UPS Rising: UPS Teamsters launch Facebook page
Apr. 26, 2017 |  The Teamsters Union unveiled its latest Facebook page – @TeamUPSrising – last month as part of preparation for bargaining in 2018 a new UPS National Master Agreement (the largest collective bargaining agreement in North America) and the UPS Freight National Master Agreement. Representing more than 250,000 UPS workers throughout the U.S. – package car drivers, air drivers, feeder drivers, part-time loaders, unloaders, sorters, clerks, freight drivers, and dockworkers – UPS Teamsters are uniting for a strong contract. Like UPS Rising here.

Tell Congress to repeal the 40% excise tax on worker’s health benefits
Apr. 27, 2017 |  Last month, the Republicans in Congress tried to garner support for the American Health Care Act (AHCA). This bill was an attempt to repeal and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), and it was withdrawn because there were not enough votes to pass the legislation. The Republican caucus has not given up and is now trying to attach an amendment from Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) to the bill so that it has the necessary votes to pass in the House. The MacArthur amendment does nothing to mitigate the original Teamster concerns with the legislation. Take action! The Teamsters have long opposed any attempt to tax employer-provided health care benefits and were successful in helping to delay the 40% excise tax on comprehensive insurance plans… 355news

Safe jobs, every worker’s right
Apr. 28, 2017 |  The Teamsters Union and trade unionists around the world, recognize April 28 as Workers’ Memorial Day – and international day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made ill by their work. Workers’ Memorial Day is and an opportunity to highlight the preventable nature of most workplace injured and illnesses and to promote the fight for improving health and safety at each and every workplace. The slogan for the day is Safe Jobs, Every Worker's Right.” 2017 Workers’ Memorial Day statement from General President Jim Hoffa.


Apr 12, 2017

Local 355 GHH volunteers (L-R): Joe Glos, Kim Glos, Gina Brown, Mike Petro, Sue Alexander, Don Hamre, Lisa Taylor, Valerie Taylor, Denis Taylor, Trish White, Dave White, Tim Seto, Jim Zangrilli, Phil Vacek, and Felix Guinto.

Apr. 12, 2017 | Last weekend Local 355 UPS workers, accompanied by their family and friends, volunteered time with Quinto’s Helping Hands (GHH) to help feed Baltimore's homeless. Local 355 member and UPS driver, Felix Guinto, is founder and CEO of the charity organization whose primary mission is to provide children's hospitals from Maryland to Nevada with gifts and toys during the holiday seasons that they may comfort children during their healing process.

As busy as he is in seeking charity partners and collecting donations, he admits to being "a little bored. I wanted to do something different and helping Baltimore's needy is in line with my mission to lend a helping hand to others," explained Guinto. So on Saturday, volunteers converged on the Local hall in Baltimore to prepare sandwiches and fill survival bags with snacks and other essential items to hand out to hungry folks at Baltimore's St. Vincent de Paul Church, the oldest Catholic parish in the city.

Guinto is a 22-year UPS employee and has been a shop steward for eight years. "In past years, UPS has supported my non-profit organization, but recently that support has somewhat diminished. Still, I know I can count on strong support from my union. When asked, the Teamsters never fail to step up and show up."

Check out Guinto's Helping Hands for volunteer information.

Above right: Volunteers make sandwiches.

Left: Local 355 President Denis Taylor talks with the elder Felix Guinto.


Apr 04, 2017

By Mark Gruenberg
PAI Staff Writer

WASHINGTON (PAI) — Saying “America’s labor leaders will always find an open door with Donald Trump,” the new Republican U.S. president made one of the few specific pledges to some 3,000 delegates from Building Trades unions gathered in a D.C. hall.

Trump was the last speaker in the two-day legislative and political conference sponsored by North America’s Building Trades – the old AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department. “You can talk with a president who knows how much concrete and rebar you can lay in a single day,” he added, referring to his pre-presidential career as a developer. Reactions to Trump’s speech were mixed, ranging from “He was fine. He was good” from Teamsters President Jim Hoffa to “He never mentioned the word ‘union.’ Take note of that,” from John Driscoll of Elevator Constructors Local 17.

And Trump drew a smattering of boos when he took several digs at his predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama. “The era of economic surrender has come to an end,” he stated.

But Trump received a prompted ovation when he declared “when you see your legislators, you can tell them the American building trades and its president are very much united.”

The delegates took time out from their lobbying of lawmakers to listen to Trump and other invited speakers from both parties. On Capitol Hill, two key causes of the building trades are preserving the Davis-Bacon Act’s prevailing wage rules and emphasizing the value of Project Labor Agreements. Trump mentioned neither.

Instead, his speech mixed in a few specifics among general praise for the workers’ efforts. “It’s time we give you the level playing field you deserve,” he said at one point, without saying how. Trump also wants building tradespeople to help restore “cities with abandoned buildings and rusted-out” infrastructure, such as Detroit and Baltimore.

He also mentioned the infrastructure bill he plans to unveil soon, but without specifics. His specifics included:

• Reminding the crowd that he formally withdrew the U.S. from the jobs-destroying Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact. He called it “another NAFTA, and it would have been a greater disaster.”

• Pledging that in future pipeline construction projects, which he intends to approve, “From now on, we’ll put in a clause: It’s gotta be American steel, made in America.” He admitted, however, that 61 percent of the steel in the Keystone Pipeline’s northern leg -- one of the two controversial projects he has OKd – was made abroad. Union members are building Keystone under a Project Labor Agreement signed years ago. “Over the next 7-3/4 years – I hope – we’ll believe in two simple rules: Buy American and hire American,” he said. “We didn’t just offshore American jobs. We offshored the American Dream.” Trump had Building Trades President Sean McGarvey and three union presidents with him in the Oval Office three days after the inauguration, where he announced he wanted Keystone and the Dakota Access Pipeline built.

• Reiterated his campaign theme of cracking down on immigration to the U.S. by building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. “We’re going to protect your jobs by protecting our borders,” he said, before claiming that “a record decline in illegal immigration of 61 percent in one month. That may not be as a result of Trump’s speeches: The Pew Hispanic Center, a think tank, noted that illegal immigration fell by two-thirds from 2005-2009, for example.

• Pledged to reduce the amount of time, and the number of permits, a construction project needs before ground-breaking. Pausing a moment for an aide to bring out a timeline chart, and holding it up, Trump said that some projects take 10 years or more to get all their permits “and then they get voted down.” By contrast, construction of the Empire State Building – he lauded the Ironworkers for that – took only 13 months from the idea to the topping-off.

Of such a process, Trump predicted the workers would, in revitalizing cities “rise above the cynics” and “erect new bridges, new schools, and new landmarks and raise up a bright American flag” over them “to rebuild the country and America’s destiny.”

In a random sample of reactions, workers were not united. Besides Hoffa and Driscoll, comments from others included:

• “I’m not a fan, so I’m not gonna say,” said Carl Dodge of the Operating Engineers.

• “I hope that what he’s saying is true. It’s not about R or D, it’s about jobs,” said Roxana Mejia of Painters Local 51 in the D.C. area.

• “Outside of a few odd remarks, I’d say it was mostly positive,” added Steam and Pipefitters Local 25 President Pete Wohlgezogen of Gardena, Calif. “Reducing the permits is starting to get us more work” on pipelines.

• “It was a bunch of sound bites from his campaign,” said Don MacLeod of the Laborers. “He talked about leveling the playing field, but he didn’t say what that meant.”

• “I don’t believe he’s for the American worker. I believe he’s for corporate America and profits,” said Mike Gleiforst of Elevator Constructors Local 25 of Lakewood and Sheridan, Colo.

• “I’m pleased that he came. To have a sitting president here is huge,” said Marion Davis, director of the Teamsters’ Building and Construction Trades Division. “We’re excited. He’s the president and it would be foolish not to work with him. Trump’s impact, Davis added, has “showed up already in the pipeline industry” where the Teamsters have 5,000 members. “

“If he keeps all his promises, he’ll be very good,” Wayne Olson of Sheet Metal Workers Local 7 in Miami concluded. “Hopefully, with the right people, he will.”


 


Mar 23, 2017

Baltimore City Council committee passes $15-an-hour minimum wage bill
Mar. 3, 2017 | The Baltimore City Council’s labor committee voted Wednesday to advance a bill to raise the city’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022 for many workers. The bill could go to the full council for a preliminary vote as early as Monday. A majority of the City Council members have said they back the bill. The minimum wage in Maryland is $8.75 per hour, set to rise to $10.10 an hour by 2018… baltimoresun.com

Ballots are being mailed today. VOTE!!  
Mar. 10, 2017 | Members will vote on the National Master Automobile Transporters Agreement tentative agreement in a mail ballot referendum. Ballots are being mailed out to members today. Watch for it and don't put it aside. Voting can't be any easier than this: open the envelope, follow the instructions, seal your envelope and drop it in the mailbox right away. Your vote is your voice. Use it! Ballots will be counted March 30.

Senate votes to repeal labor protection laws that safeguard poultry workers
Mar. 13, 2017 | The Trump administration and Senate Republicans rolled back labor protection laws on Monday in a pair of moves that labor advocates predict will chill complaints by vulnerable workers, especially in the low-wage food processing industry, which relies heavily on easily exploited undocumented laborers. The Senate voted along party lines, 49-48, to repeal an Obama-era executive order mandating accurate labor violation record-keeping, meaning that companies with on-the-job accidents and fatalities no longer have to disclose that information… theguardian.com  (Why is this important? We have members employed as poultry workers.)

Apply online for Hoffa Memorial Scholarship before March 31
Mar. 13, 2017 | Sons and daughters of Teamster members can now apply online for the 2017 James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship. Academic scholarship awards are either a $10,000 award split up over four years at $1,250 per semester, or a one-time $1,000 award. Training and Vocational scholarships award up to $2,000, depending on financial need. (See scholarship amount details in the applications.) “We’d like to see more of our kids continue their education with the help of our Teamster scholarships,” said Denis Taylor, Teamster Joint Council 62 president, and president of Local 355 in Baltimore. “The money is there, it’s available for your son or daughter. All you have to do is fill out the form online and hit send. But you have to do it before the March 31, 2017 deadline.” 

You’re On Your Own: Republicans plan attack on Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security
Mar. 16, 2017 | … 45 percent of retirees spend more than one-third of their Social Security benefits on health care, from co-pays for care, to premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket fees for services – such as going to the eye doctor, dentist or audiologist – that are not provided… Although we do not yet know exactly what the Republican-controlled Congress has in mind, they have indicated that the repeal of the Affordable Care Act and changes to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security are high on their agenda. .As the threat of vanishing health care becomes ever more dire, large numbers of people are mobilizing around the country to both protect the Affordable Care Act and advocate for a single-payer system.  And, while collective resistance is brewing, tens of thousands of people are finding alternative avenues for a quieter, but nonetheless effective, form of individually driven resistance… Full story at Retirees.

Tell Congress to oppose the American Health Care Act
Mar. 23, 2017 | The House is planning to vote today on the American Health Care Act, the legislation to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This bill would repeal all of the other taxes that were included in the ACA, except for the so-called “Cadillac Tax,” which imposes a 40% excise tax on workers’ health benefit plans. With repeal of these other taxes, insurers, corporations, and the wealthy get a tax cut. Hard working middle class Americans only get a delay in the “Cadillac Tax,” not full repeal. Upon implementation of the “Cadillac Tax,” millions of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Teamster members could see their health care benefits scaled back or dropped. We need you to call upon your representative and urge them to vote AGAINST the American Health Care Act. Take action now!

Teamsters launch campaign to fight back against right-to-work
Mar. 28, 2017 | The Teamsters are planning to mobilize and campaign against right-to-work laws (RTW), both on the federal level and in western states, the Southern California Teamster reports. To make sure members know how to contact their lawmakers, the paper has published the names, office suite numbers in D.C., and phone numbers of every single U.S. representative in Southern California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Arizona…”For starters,” the paper says, “the object is to tell lawmakers about the importance of shooting down the legislation amending the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the Railway Labor Act.” peoples world.org

Slashing Amtrak funding is shortsighted
Mar. 29, 2017 | Instead of bolstering the national passenger railroad that plays an essential role in the U.S. transportation system, proposed budget cuts would reduce service to some 23 states where long distance Amtrak trains currently make stops. The move would eliminate the jobs of more than a thousand rail Teamsters aligned with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the Brotherhood of Maintenance and Way Employees Division(BMWED)… teamster.org

Teamsters raise concerns on UPS plans for connected vehicle technology 
Mar. 30, 2017 | As the logistics industry remains ever focused on streamlining its operations, the jobs of UPS Teamsters are becoming more impacted by cost-cutting “modernization schemes. In recent years, companies have been trying to advance platooning technology, which allows a contained pack of trucks to be digitally connected and driven in formation as a way to reduce wind resistance and increase fuel efficiency. “While we fully support industry efforts to raise fuel efficiency standards, this new technology raises important public safety concerns and would have a significant impact on the role of UPS Freight drivers,” said Package Division Director Sean O’Brien…teamster.org

National carhaul contract ratified
Mar. 30, 2017 | Teamster carhaul members ratified a new national auto transporters contract and a regional agreement today which will maintain and protect health, welfare and pension benefits through May of 2021 and provide annual wage increases. The national contract was ratified by a margin of over 86 percent. “The negotiations have been a long and difficult process but in the end, we negotiated an agreement that met the two top goals of our membership: traditional wage increases and maintaining our members’ top-tier health and pension benefits,” said Kevin Moore, Director of the Teamsters Carhaul Division. “Our carhaul members are the best, most experienced workers in the industry and they deserve to be rewarded for their hard work.” ...teamster.org


Feb 20, 2017

Feb. 20, 2017

Members who transport newly manufactured cars and trucks for carhaul companies Cassens Transport, Annapolis Junction Rail and Jack Cooper Transport on Sunday reviewed and approved the latest tentative agreement (TA) recently endorsed by the carhaul union leaders from around the country. Members have twice rejected the tentative agreement.

“This is the best contract I’ve seen in a long time,” said shop steward Mark Atkins (above right, facing camera) following the meeting. “All the provisions we didn’t like are gone.”

Members will vote on the latest National Master Automobile Transporters Agreement in a mail ballot referendum. Ballots are scheduled to be mailed out to members on or about March 10 and are tentatively scheduled to be counted March 30. The tentative agreement is from September 1, 2015, until May 31, 2021.

In addition to protecting benefits and job security, wages, grievance procedures, and safety and health were top issues. 

Vice President and carhaul Business Agent Bill Alexander said the tentative agreement is “the richest contract ever negotiated in such competitive times.”


Feb 20, 2017

Teamsters strongly oppose national right-to-work legislation
Feb. 2, 2017 | The Teamsters Union strongly opposes national ‘right-to-work’ legislation introduced yesterday in Congress that will hurt workers and their unions. The destructive anti-worker bill, H.R. 785, is sponsored by Reps. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) and Steve King (R-Iowa) and would amend the National Labor Relations Act and Railway Labor Act to institute damaging right to work in all states... teamster.org

Maryland lawmakers introduce right to work legislation
Feb. 6, 2017 | On January 30, 2017, Delegate Warren Miller (R- Carroll County), supported by eleven other delegates, introduced an anti-worker bill designed to benefit business interests at the expense of hard-working men and women and their families. A companion bill has been introduced in the Senate. We cannot stand by silently while anti-worker forces seek to erode the rights of Maryland’s working people. Fight back! Details here…

Dial in tonight to the carhaul conference call
Feb. 16, 2017 | Carhaul members are urged to take part in a national conference call scheduled for 8 pm tonight (Thursday) to learn more about the tentative national carhaul agreement. Teamster carhaul members will be on the call to review and discuss the tentative national contract, regional supplements, and TeamCare improvements. To join the call dial 877-229-8493 with ID code 111566. You may also receive a call on your phone that will connect you to the call.

Anti-union forces set sites on Iowa public sector
Feb. 20, 2017 | Just days after Missouri enacted so-called right-to-work legislation, Republicans in Iowa are pushing forward with an effort to restrict collective bargaining for public sector workers. State and local government workers in the Hawkeye State would be prohibited from negotiating issues such as health insurance, seniority or extra pay. The bill would also make it more difficult for unions to collect dues. Iowa Teamsters, whose members include many working in law enforcement, have been active in an effort to defeat the legislation… teamster.org

Local 355 carhaul members unanimously endorse new national agreement
Feb. 20, 2017 | Members who transport newly manufactured cars and trucks for carhaul companies Cassens Transport, Annapolis Junction Rail and Jack Cooper Transport on Sunday reviewed and approved the latest tentative agreement (TA) recently endorsed by the carhaul union leaders from around the country. Members have twice rejected the tentative agreement... Read more

Teamster International Officer election certified
Feb. 21, 2017 | The results of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters election of officers have been certified by election supervisor Richard Mark. The certification can be viewed here. General President Jim Hoffa, General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall, International Vice Presidents and International Trustees elected in the membership vote will begin a five-year term in mid-March.

Another carhaul conference call scheduled Feb. 27 
Feb. 23, 2017 | Carhaul members can learn more about the tentative national carhaul agreement in a conference call scheduled for Monday, February 27 at 6:30 pm (Eastern. Carhaul leaders will be on the call to review and discuss the tentative National Contract and Regional Supplements. (Note: The Eastern Supplement was ratified in September 2016.) To join the call dial 877-229-8493 with ID code 111556. You may also receive a call on your phone that will connect you to the call.


Feb 17, 2017

By Mark Gruenberg
PAI Staff Writer

WASHINGTON (PAI) — Leaders of the AFL-CIO and the Service Employees promised to rigorously probe the record of Alexander Acosta, dean of a Florida law school and chairman of a South Florida bank, who is GOP President Donald Trump’s new nominee for Secretary of Labor. 

Acosta is also a former Republican named National Labor Relations Board member. Trump announced his nod for Acosta, 46, who is also a former U.S. attorney for Miami and law clerk for conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, before Alito joined that court, on Feb. 16.

Trump named Acosta barely 24 hours after the president’s first choice, fast food executive Andrew Puzder, withdrew in the face of certain Senate defeat. Workers, unions and their allies exposed his bad record on workers’ rights, the minimum wage, overtime pay, safety and health violations and wage theft at his restaurants and sexism in the firms’ ads.

Unions celebrated Puzder’s withdrawal with an early-morning rally near the Capitol. Later, they had cautious reactions to Acosta. But ThinkProgress, a progressive blog, raised questions about Acosta’s record in George W. Bush’s Justice Department’s civil rights division.

For his part, Trump, meeting earlier with the self-named Trump Caucus of lawmakers, called Acosta, “a star, a great person, a great person.”

“Working people changed the game on this nomination. Unlike Andy Puzder, Alexander Acosta’s nomination deserves serious consideration. In one day, we’ve gone from a fast-food CEO who routinely violates labor law to a public servant with experience enforcing it,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said.

“We will of course review Mr. Acosta’s record as thoroughly as we did the previous nominee’s. Mr. Acosta will have to answer tough questions and explain how he will enforce and uphold labor laws to benefit working people and not further tilt the balance of power toward corporate CEOs.

“The Labor Secretary is not just another Cabinet member. His or her actions directly impact our wages, safety, and rights on the job every single day. We will judge this nominee by the commitment he shows to making life better for working people,” Trumka added.

“Working people are still in this fight for an economy and political system that works for all of our families and where hard work means our families can get ahead,” added Service Employees President Mary Kay Henry. “This is the lens through which we will examine” Acosta’s record.

“Workers will stay in the streets to demand a Labor Secretary who is a champion for working people and fights to represent their interests in our economy,” Henry promised. The Puzder nomination drew mass protests, including from his own fast food chains’ workers.

ThinkProgress said the real problem with Acosta, who if confirmed would be the sole Hispanic-American in Trump’s Cabinet, is not with Acosta’s 125 written opinions in a 14-month stint as an NLRB member, but with his Civil Rights Division record.

ThinkProgress reported Acosta led the division from 2003-2005, at a time when another senior division official, Bradley Schlozman, used his hiring authority to slant the division staff by picking attorneys from lists submitted or analyzed, by right-wing groups.

Acosta denied he knew what Schlozman was doing, as Schlozman “hired conservative lawyers hostile to the CRD’s mission, purging the agency of people who believed in the work it exists to do,” ThinkProgress said. “Schlozman’s ploy did long-lasting damage to federal work on voting rights violations, police abuse, and other assaults on Americans’ rights.”

 But other DOJ staffers from that era complained directly to Acosta about Schlozman’s activities, according to the Justice Department’s Inspector General. And Acosta told the IG “he became more concerned about Schlozman’s judgment…as a result of discussions Acosta had with retiring Voting Section Chief Joseph Rich about Schlozman’s management. Yet, Acosta took no action to alert those in his chain of command,” the report found.   

Acosta left the division but didn’t report his suspicions until 2007, after several Republican senators raised the roof over the slanted hiring in the division and among U.S. attorneys. ThinkProgress also reported Acosta was involved tangentially in GOP efforts to suppress the minority vote in the 2004 presidential election in Ohio.


Jan 11, 2017

Cool labor book: ‘A People’s History of the United States’
Jan. 3, 2017 | If your last serious read of American history was in high school – or even in a standard college course – you’ll want to read this amazing account of America as seen through the eyes of its working people, women and minorities. Howard Zinn (1922-2010) was a widely respected historian, author, playwright, and social activist. In A People’s History of the United States: 1492-Present, he turns history on its head with his carefully researched and dramatic recounting of America and its people – not just its bankers, industrialists, generals and politicians. This book will give you a whole new way of looking at and understanding the world around you. Order it at Union Communication Services.

Hoffa: Workers need real pension reform
Jan. 4, 2017 | The Teamsters won a battle over pensions last month in Congress as part of a short-term spending bill. But there is still a long way to go in this fight to protect the retirement security of hundreds of thousands of workers in Michigan and across the United States. At stake is the security of many retirees… detroitnews.com

Trucker deaths top all others in the workforce
Jan. 6, 2017 | The Teamsters for years have been front-and-center in the fight for ensuring proper rest breaks for truckers. A new government report shows why that effort is so very important. A National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries for 2015 found that heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers recorded 745 fatal injuries, the most of any occupation... teamster.org

University of California Teamsters go on strike for fair wages, pensions
Jan. 10, 2017 | Today, thousands of University of California (UC) administrative, clerical and support workers are on strike across the Golden State, taking a stand against a UC system that has turned its back on them by not paying them a wage that allows them to support themselves and their families. More than 12,000 workers, members of 2010, walked off the job Tuesday to protest the numerous unfair practices and violations of state law committed by UC… huffingtonpost.com

Local 355 students awarded James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarships
Jan. 10, 2017 | Ryan Power, left, the oldest son of George Power (UPS/Hunt Valley), and Marella  Schammel, right, daughter of William Schammel (UPS/Hunt Valley) each received $1,000 scholarships for the 2016-2017 academic year from the Teamsters Union’s annual national scholarship program. The James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 1999 to honor the memory of former Teamster General President James R. Hoffa. The Fund provides scholarships to the child or dependent of a member of the Teamsters. Last year, the Fund awarded $1,200,000 in scholarships. A graduate of Calvert Hall College High School, Towson, Md., Ryan is attending Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore City. His course of study is... Continued here

Teamsters, carhaul employer group negotiations begin
Jan. 11, 2017 | Following the membership vote to not ratify a new National Agreement and Central/Southern Supplement in September 2016, the carhaul employers group asked the Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee (TNATINC) to return to the bargaining table. Contract negotiations began in Detroit yesterday…
teamster.org

355 Update: New contract with Rezenberger/Hallcon; successor contract ok’d at Penn Fibre
Jan. 11, 2017 | Locals 355 and 453 reached a first tentative agreement with Rezenberger/Hallcon, covering 67 drivers who approved the TA in November. The company is a ground transportation service for CSX in Cumberland and Baltimore MD, and Washington, DC. Penn Fibre members overwhelmingly ratified in December a three-year contract that provides… Continued

Notice to members: Amports East is hiring
Jan. 18, 2017 | Amports will hire up to fifteen new employees in the following classifications: shuttle drivers, railroad vehicle unloaders, and inspectors. Located in the Fairfield area of Baltimore, Amports East is one of the largest vehicle processing company (automobile import and export) in the United States. Applications are being accepted now. Download details here.

In appreciation, retirees club presents Local 355 with very large gift
Jan. 20, 2017 | The Local 355 Association of Retired Members (A.R.M.) made a surprise presentation of a state-of-the-art television to the union during its monthly meeting Thursday at the Baltimore hall. The Vizio SmartCast E-Series 70” Class Ultra HD Home Theater Display will replace the rarely-used, dated TV currently in the members meeting hall. “Our Retiree Bowling League wanted to do something special to show our sincere appreciation for everything Local 355 does for us,” said Bob Eney, president of the club. “It really is amazing,” Secretary-Treasurer Dave White said about the generous gift. “These guys take nothing for granted here; they are always giving back. We’ve worked with them for years and they were like part of the family. That connection continues today.” White said he looks forward to putting the high-tech TV to good use. “The IBT produces excellent training and organizing videos that we’ll now be able to share with our members and stewards.” Pictured, left to right: A.R.M. Trustee Ray Bularz (UPS); Mike Krainer, retired Local 355 trustee, (Sysco); A.R.M. Secretary Mike Brett (UPS); Dave White; A.R.M. President Bob Eney (UPS); A.R.M. Vice President Joe Reichert (Sysco).

Teamsters, carhaul employer group reach tentative agreement
Jan. 24, 2017 | A tentative agreement (TA) reached with the National Automobile Transporters Labor Division (NATLD) has been unanimously endorsed by the Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee (TNATINC). The committee believes the TA meets the goals of the carhaul members and provides for their long-term job security while protecting members’ benefits and standard of living. Details of the tentative agreement will be announced when leaders from local unions meet to review the proposal in about two weeks, at a date to be determined. Stay tuned.

Teamsters add gender identity to non-discrimination policy
Jan. 27, 2017 | The IBT instructed its locals across the United Stated to update their bylaws this year, declaring that members can no longer discriminate against a fellow worker based on mental disability or gender identity. Members of the union took an oath under the old laws that had them swear to not “discriminate against a fellow worker on account of race, color, religion, sex, age, physical ability, national origin or sexual orientation.” The addendum to the bylaws, which went into effect on January 1, now says that workers can’t discriminate against “any other legally protected group” either. .. newnownext.com

President Hoffa interview with Fox News host Neil Cavuto *
Jan. 27, 2017 | On Wednesday, Hoffa discussed jobs, trade, infrastructure investment and minimum wage increases on Fox News. Watch the interview here* On Friday, Jan. 28th, Hoffa appeared on CNBC's Closing Bell

Local Union leaders to review tentative agreement February 16
Jan. 31, 2017 | Leaders of local unions that represent Teamster carhaul members will meet on Thursday, Feb. 16 in Detroit to review the TA and supplements. If they agree to endorse the TA and supplements, it will go to carhaul members for a ratification vote. Stay tuned for here for updates.


Jan 10, 2017

January 10, 2017

Continued from Main Page   | ... Biology, but at the time of our interview, he had not yet decided on a particular area of focus. Ryan always been interested in biology, he said, but greater interest sparked when, during his senior year, he researched and authored a 20-page paper on the psychobiology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – the biology of trauma and the psychology of the resulting injury. Physiology is also of interest, and he may combine majors, he said.

Marella Schammel graduated from Dulaney High School, Timonium, Baltimore County, Md., last May and is enrolled in Towson University in search of a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, and is particularly interested in forensic chemistry. (Ever watch CSI? That's it, she said with a huge smile.) It wasn’t until her sophomore year that she started even thinking about what interested her, she said. She took AP Physics and AP Chemistry in her junior and senior years and loved it. Atoms are fascinating, for they determine whether a table is a table and not a phone, she explained. Marella, whose mother is a Methodist pastor, is active in volunteering for her church. She also was secretary of the National English Honor Society and danced for 12 years. She is a member of the Optimism Club of Jacksonville, Md. Marella also received a UPS-sponsored Casey Scholarship, among others.

“I’ve been a UPS Teamster for 15 years,” said her dad, Bill. “I’d never been in a union before, and Teamster membership definitely has provided good security for my family and me.”

“On behalf of the members and staff of Local 355, we congratulate Marella and Ryan and wish them great success in their chosen fields,” President Denis Taylor said. “Local 355 has been a participant in the Fund since its beginning. The Scholarship Fund has provided great educational opportunities for Teamster kids, providing millions in scholarships over the years. These students benefit from your generosity – every little bit makes a difference. Remember, they are our future.”

Academic Scholarship applications for the 2017-2018 year are currently being accepted. New this year, the Fund also offers Training and Vocational Programs Scholarships. Eligibility requirements and applications for both are available at the Local Union offices. They are also available for download here.

Deadline for application submission is March 31, 2017, at 5 p.m.


Dec 15, 2016

Teamsters Union disappointed in latest pipeline decision
Dec. 5, 2016 | The Teamsters Union is disappointed in a decision by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to not grant an easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline. The decision blocks two years of review, approvals by four states and approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and two federal courts upholding the project. The decision will have a direct and negative impact on the hardworking men and women – including Teamsters and other union members – who have invested their lives in building the infrastructure that makes this country run… teamster.org.

Applications now being accepted for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship
Dec. 7, 2016 | The James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund is now accepting applications for scholarship awards.  The Fund is committed to distributing $1.4 million in 2017. Along with the Academic Scholarship, the Fund has initiated a Training and Vocational Programs scholarship. The training and vocational programs must be related to work in a Teamster-represented industry, class or craft. The deadline for receipt of completed materials is March 31, 2017. Materials will be sent to the Local Union office, but if you would like additional information and application materials for downloading, click the scholarship link in the right column. Hoffa scholarships were awarded to two students of Local 355 members in 2016; read their stories in our up-coming Winter newsletter.

Alliance for Retired Americans launch campaign to protect Medicare from privatization
Dec. 7, 2016 | Alarmed by the House Congressional Leadership’s plans to dismantle Medicare, the Alliance for Retired Americans today kicked off a grass roots campaign to block any attempts to cut or convert guaranteed, earned health benefits into a voucher or privatized scheme. Continue reading…

Pursuing different results to solve income equality
Dec. 9, 2016 | Income equality continues to be a significant issue, even with the economic improvement that has occurred over the last few years. But many in the private sector still don’t seem to get it. Take XPO Logistics [Con-way], for example. The Teamsters joined with labor leaders this week representing 15 European unions who represent XPO to challenge a plan that could give XPO CEO Bradley Jacobs a windfall stock worth $110 million. “We condemn this plan that could lavish Jacobs and other executives at XPO with massive stock awards that would be on the backs of workers in the United States and Europe,” Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said… teamster.org

‘Tis the season for labor organizing
Dec. 15, 2016 | Efforts to unionize port truck drivers around the country have been met with resistance from private trucking companies, sometimes with the support of public servants. Last June, local police ran a group of organizers out of Port Wentworth for handing out leaflets outside of XPO Cartage, a subsidiary of XPO Logistics, the port’s largest trucking company with over 150 contract drivers. Three members of Teamsters Local 728 were charged with impeding traffic in a public roadway, though the incident took place on a dead end street… connectsavannah.com

Teamster retirees’ annual Christmas party a festive event
Dec. 16, 2016 | More than 240 Local 355 retirees and guests, decked out in their best and brightest holiday attire, attended yesterday’s annual retirees’ Christmas party at the UAW Hall in East Baltimore, a perfect venue for Teamster events. Great food, cake wheels, a 50/50 raffles (congratulations, George Booker!) and music provided by DJ Rod Clark contributed to the festivities. A.R.M. President Bob Eney said the Local 355 Association of Retired Members (A.R.M.) has about 585 members and continues to grow. “We are one of the largest retiree organization in the Teamsters Union,” Eney explained. Continued… Right: Tom Madkins/UPS retired

Merry Christmas!
Dec. 23, 2016 | Teamster 355 will resume posting on Wednesday, January 3, 2017. Have a safe and happy holiday season.


Nov 30, 2016

Gannett ends its attempt to buy (Tribune Publisher) Tronc
Nov. 1, 2016 | Gannett Co. has dropped its attempt to buy Tronc, Inc., ending a dramatic months-long pursuit by Gannett to extend its reach as the nation’s largest newspaper publisher amid a rocky revenue environment. The companies in private discussions had recently agreed on a purchase price of $18.75 a share in cash, according to people familiar with the matter…Tronc said the deal fell apart when Gannett couldn’t line up financing… wsj.com

Your vote is your voice in the election of Teamster top officials
Nov. 10, 2016 | The secret ballot must be returned to a post office box controlled by the OES by 9am Monday, Nov. 14th.  The count is scheduled to start Monday, Nov. 14th.

IBT vote count is underway
Nov. 17, 2016 | The ballots are in and the count began on Monday. To get the latest on the vote results, click here.

Hoffa, Hall re-elected to five-year term to lead union; Local 355 President Denis Taylor elected International Trustee
Nov. 21, 2016 | Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa, General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall, International Vice Presidents At-Large, International Trustees and International Vice Presidents in the Eastern, Southern and Central Regions were elected Friday night in the 2016 Election of International Union Officers, according to unofficial results provided by the Office of the Election Supervisor. “This was a hard-fought campaign and a historically close election,” Hoffa said. “Though we have many challenges before us, now is the time to join together as brothers and sisters and stand strong against those who would destroy the labor movement and deny worker’s the gains that have struggled to achieve. We will continue to lead the fight to organize the unorganized, ensure strong health care, good wages, a secure retirement and holding employers and politicians accountable.” Continue reading...  (Pictured: Denis Taylor, one of three IBT International Trustees)

Judge: Sysco (Indianapolis) must face Teamster suit over retirement benefits
Nov. 28, 2016 | …A local division of foodservice-supply Giant Sysco Systems must face a lawsuit from its Teamsters workers who say the company reneged on retirement benefits negotiated through collective bargaining. U.S. District Judge William T. Lawrence on Tuesday denied Sysco Indianapolis LLC’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit brough by Teamsters Union Local 135. Union members sued Sysco over an early-retirement incentive negotiated in a contract that took effect in March 2013… theindianalawyer.com

Trucking, auto industries praise Elaine Chao transportation secretary nomination
Nov. 30, 2016 | … The Teamsters told Trucks.com they are not commenting on Trump’s proposed policies and cabinet nominations. But the union was critical of Chao when she was labor secretary. James P. Hoffa, the Teamsters’ president, said she was pushing many anti-union proposals and was against a higher minimum wage…


Oct 31, 2016
Drivers, warehouse workers at XPO Logistics are choosing Teamster representation Oct. 13, 2016 | Workers across the country are standing shoulder-to-shoulder to fight for fairness and respect at one of the world's largest transportation and logistics companies.
Oct 29, 2016

Shop stewards attend Local 355’s biennial training seminar

Oct. 29, 2016

... Members who assumed the steward role within the past two years underwent training on the grievance process, specifically how to efficiently handle grievances. Under the direction of Professor David Nack of the School for Workers, University of Wisconsin, new stewards received instruction in areas such as the various types of grievances, the principles of Just Cause, the important role of unions in our society, and strategies for union action, among other grievance-related subjects.

Stewards who completed grievance training in previous years received instruction on negotiating contracts. Richard Lipsitz of the IBT Training & Development Department and Cornell University Buffalo Labor Studies provided stewards with best practices, guidance, and information, along with helpful tools sure to assist them in becoming an effective member of their bargaining committee.

Veteran stewards attended classes designed to enhance understanding of complicated issues about 401(k) pensions; antidiscrimination and anti-harassment law, including disparate treatment and hostile work environments, failure to make accommodation under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), and sex discrimination under the Equal Pay Act. Members also received useful tips on handling discrimination and harassment in their workplace. Teamster historian, Karin Jones from the IBT Training and Development Dept., provided stewards with the fascinating history of our union. Backed up with a slide show containing hundreds of old Teamster photos dating back to the early 1900s, Jones entertained and informed stewards about the impressive and often ground-breaking history of the Teamsters Union. (Did you know our union negotiated the first color-blind contract in the country?)

Even the most senior steward occasionally needs a refresher on the union’s basic principles and rules governing the grievance process.  In “Back to Basics,” led by Local 355 President Denis Taylor and Secretary-Treasurer Dave White, stewards got plain-speaking reminders about the importance of the initial first steps of the grievance: learn enough about the grievance to understand the problem and seek a resolution of the dispute before filing. Filling out the three-part grievance form completely and good note-taking can ensure a successful outcome in a complicated dispute. Formal grievances are always based on a violation of the collective bargaining agreement. “Back to Basics” gave veteran stewards a unique opportunity to share with each other their experiences and challenges with the grievance process.

The steward seminar has instructed Local 355 shop stewards since its first training session in 1996. Since then, hundreds of hard-working men and women committed to enforcement of a Teamster contract have gone on to effectively represent and protect their members, thus improving conditions in their workplace. Stewards are the Union’s eyes and ears on the shop floor. Without their dedicated commitment, our members could not benefit from the union’s strong, active presence in the workplace.

Photo Gallery:

Local 355 Executive Board: (L-R) President Denis Taylor, Trustee Tim Marvel, Secretary-Treasurer Dave White, Trustee Janet Genovesse, Trustee Pete Manus, Vice President Bill Alexander, Recording Secretary Mark Garey.


Sep 13, 2016

Union continues its fight for justice and a fair agreement with US Foods
Sept. 4, 2016 | The picket lines are thinner these days only because many of our former US Foods drivers and mechanics have been forced to find employment elsewhere since the company closed down the facility and moved the work to non-union workers at non-union a non-union plant in Virginia. But the unfair labor practices strike against the giant food distributor US Foods continues while Local and National Union leaders push for an acceptable agreement with the company. “I worked for this company for 32 years and was planning to retire October 1,”  Brother Dave Trasko told us as he walked the line Thursday, August 18, with Brothers Jim Ramper and Larry Blackman. “My good union wages at this company provided a good life for me and my family: A nice home, two cars, and a good lifestyle. I was a happy camper. Doesn’t everyone who works hard every single day want that?” Teamsters worked hard for their wages and benefits at US Foods because, as Trasko described it, "ours was an extremely physical job. But we didn’t realize how good we had it until our negotiations battle began with the ‘new’ [Wall Street] owner. So then this happened.” (Watch this space for more about Brothers Rampert and Blackman.) Update: In March the Local filed three unfair labor practice (ULP) charges against the company. One was upheld by the regional NLRB, the other two are on appeal to the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C. Don’t miss our General Membership Meeting Sunday, Sept. 11, where you can learn more about the latest developments in the US Foods strike, and other important Local Union issues. Bring a coworker!

Teamsters call for government intervention in LA ports crisis
Sept. 6, 2016 | The bankruptcy of Hanjin, a major Korean shipper, is causing chaos at the Port of Los Angeles with dozens of ships and a half million cargo containers stranded at sea in the Port of Los Angeles. The livelihoods of many workers, from ship crews to workers who handle the cargo at the dock, are threatened. Members of Congress, the Chair of the Federal Maritime Commission and labor leaders are calling on government action in the cargo delivery crisis… uslabornews.com

Hoffa: Don't let GOP curb new pro-worker rules
Sept. 7, 2016 | …The Teamsters have been out front on these issue, even passing a resolution of support during its 29th International Convention in June. Why? Because the union believes in the fundamental principle that employers who receive federal taxpayers' money should comply with federal labor law. That means rejecting wage theft, safety violations and discrimination on the job… teamster.org

Picket line suspended for Sunday's membership meeting
Sept. 9, 2016 | Please note that our US Foods strike line will be suspended for the day on Sunday so members can attend our monthly General Membership Meetings in Baltimore and Salisbury. The line will resume Monday morning. Check in with your business agent for additional information.

This week is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week
Sept. 13, 2016 | This is the time to remind everyone of the sacrifices and skills of professional truck drivers who keep America moving. Teamsters are celebrating the hard work of the men and women behind the wheel who labor on our nation's roads and highways. The IBT is asking Teamster truck drivers to send in photos of you and your truck! Post them at www.facebook.com/Teamsters. Don't forget to say what company and Teamster local you're with. Later this week all our photos will be presented in a video on teamster.org and on the Teamster Facebook timeline. Ready? GO!

Today is #StopTPP call-in day: Make the call against this job-killing trade deal
Sept. 14, 2016 | We urge all Teamsters to join in this action and flood Congress's phone lines today with calls to every lawmaker asking them to pledge their opposition to the TPP. The TransPacific Partnership is a 12-nation corporate power grab that will ship thousands of jobs overseas, lower wages in the U.S. and undermine laws that protect workers and the environment. Please call your senators and representatives now at 844-394-8431 – tell them to commit to standing firm against the TPP.

Teamster carhaul members reject national contract; Eastern supplement is approved
Sept. 15, 2016 | Teamster carhaul members have rejected a national contract and the Central-Southern supplement, but have approved the Eastern and Western supplements. "In light of the members voting no on the national contract and Central-Southern Supplement, we will reconvene our national negotiating committee next week and determine the next steps," said Kevin Moore, Director of the Teamsters Carhaul Division. "At the present time, the union is not calling for any job action against any employer but will evaluate all its options over the next several days." Vote tallies here.

Self-driving trucks threaten one of America's top blue-collar jobs
Sept. 26, 2016 | …Carmaking giants and ride-sharing upstarts racing to put autonomous vehicles on the road are dead set on replacing drivers, and that includes truckers. Trucks without human hands at the wheel could be on American roads within a decade, say analysts and industry executives…latimes.com General President Jim Hoffa: "You really want a giant 14-wheeler remotely? C'mon. It's not going to happen…"

Motorcycle Run has been cancelled
Sept. 26, 2016 | Seems our Local's motorcycle enthusiasts have busy schedules given the low number of signups for this year's bike run, scheduled for October 1st. So we've pulled the plug on it but we'll look forward to a good run with high participation next year. Save the date: June 17, 2017.

Heavy rains force cancellation of our fall golf event
Sept. 29, 2016 | Our fall golf outing scheduled for this coming Saturday, Oct. 1st, is cancelled due to the weather-related closure of the golf course scheduled to host the event. The Eisenhower Golf Course in Crownsville, Md., called this morning to advise us that three days of heavy rains will force closure of the course. Watch this space for an announcement of our 2017 Spring Golf Event. We will process registration fee refunds to participants who have submitted payment.

Teamster women take over Hollywood...
Sept. 28, 2016 | Hundreds of Teamster women marched through the streets of Hollywood, California on Friday, Sept. 23, in support of University of California (UC) Teamsters [Local 2010], and their fight for better wages. Teamsters attending the union’s annual women’s conference joined the rally where they called on the UC system to deliver a fair contract… peoplesworld.org


Aug 11, 2016

National conference call for carhaul Teamsters
Aug. 2, 2016 | Carhaul members are urged to take part in a national conference call to learn more about the tentative national contract and regional supplements. To join the call, click here for details.

2016 Steward Training Seminar registration deadline is Sept. 14th
Aug. 2, 2016 | Shop stewards: By now you should have received information regarding Local 355's Shop Steward Training Seminar scheduled for October 19th through October 23rd, including an outline of events, registration information and the registration form that must be returned by September 14th. The seminar is a great way to take advantage of the expertise and knowledge of veteran stewards and union instructors. Please complete the registration as soon as possible, enclose it in the postage-paid envelope and drop it in the mail. Questions? Call us at the Local Union office: 410-566-5700

Members are still standing strong as strike nears its fourth month
Aug. 4, 2016 | Today marks the 100th day that our brothers and sisters have been out on an unfair labor practices strike that began at 2 pm on April 27, 2016. Local 355 charged the company with bad-faith bargaining over its decision to close its only Maryland distribution center and move operations to non-union centers in Virginia. (Recap here.) Members employed as drivers, loaders and mechanics have manned the picket lines at the facility in Severn day and night since. They've distributed informational fliers to US Foods customers, moved the strike line to other US Foods facilities across the country, and supported each other in any way they could. Some have had to move on to other jobs, but they faithfully return to the picket line as often as they can in support of the cause. "Come back next month too. We'll still be here if we have to be here," Dave Moore said. Charlie Grams suggested with a chuckle that we get winter clothes ready. "We thought we might be ready to close this up two weeks ago, but nothing came of it," said Jay Treuth. "If we have to be here 'til Christmas, we'll be here 'til Christmas." President Denis Taylor said he hopes to reach an agreement that will provide appropriate compensation to our US Foods members for the loss of their jobs when the food distributor moved their work to an out-of-state, non-union facility. The company closed the center June 10, 2016.

Leaders of carhaul local unions overwhelmingly endorse tentative agreement
Aug. 5, 2016 | The tentative agreement has been unanimously endorsed by the Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee (TNATINC). It is retroactive to September 1, 2015 and runs 60 months, until August 31, 2020. Ballots are scheduled to be mailed out to members on or about August 22 and tentatively scheduled to be counted on September 15. This schedule will allow local unions enough time to conduct informational meetings. Details here.

National Dems back $15 min. wage. Baltimore Dems, not so much
Aug. 12, 2016 | The bill is in real danger of failing, Councilman Robert Curran told In These Times, as advocates for the legislation have been unable so far to line up the required eight votes for final passage.

Combating 'drowsy driving' requires keeping trucker standards
Aug. 12, 2016 | The Teamsters have been leaders in standing up for proper rest breaks for truck drivers. After all, union drivers know all-to-well what can happen when forced to work too many hours on the road. But now a new report shows the true dangers that come from "drowsy driving." teamster.org

Baltimore's Democratic City Council kills $15 minimum wage bill, for now
Aug. 17, 2016 | The Baltimore City Council derailed a proposed increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour Monday, highlighting the ambivalence among many Democratic Party leaders over whether to support the national Fight for $15 movement. Pro-business members on the all-Democrat 15-member council were able to hold together an alliance against the higher minimum wage and voted 8-6 to return the proposed legislation to committee for revision. The maneuver appears to have effectively killed the bill, at least for this year. inthesetimes.com

Trucker driver job-related injuries in overdrive
Aug. 18, 2016 | When you think of dangerous jobs, what comes to your mind? Police officers, firefighters and construction workers might top the list for most people. Tractor-trailer truck drivers probably don't come to mind, but Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that driving a truck is risky in ways you might not expect… blog.dol.gov

Watch last week's Teamster Leadership Debate
Aug. 30, 2016 | Fred Zuckerman and Ken Hall, candidates for Teamster top offices, participated in a debate last Thursday at the National Press Club. c-span.org

Teamsters Union endorses Hillary Clinton for President
Aug. 30, 2016 | The Teamsters General Executive Board last week unanimously voted to endorse the former senator and secretary of state. "We are proud to endorse Hillary Clinton for President of the United States," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. "She is the right candidate for the middle class and working men and women across the country. She will stand strong for the workers of America by fighting to reject job-killing trade deals, enforcing labor laws and working to provide retirement security for millions of people who have sacrificed so much for the chance to retire with dignity…" teamster.org


Aug 11, 2016

Michael Wasser Washington Post, August 3, 2016

You won’t hear opponents admit it, but unions are popular and have been for a while. Last year Gallup found that 58 percent of Americans approved of unions. Since Gallup first asked people about their support for unions in 1936, approval dipped below 50 percent just once — when it dropped to 48 percent at the height of the Great Recession in 2009.

Anti-union advocates prefer to focus on the long-term decline of union membership in the United States, which can suggest that unions are unnecessary or in an inevitable decline. It is true that union density has shrunk from its peak of 35.4 percent of the workforce in 1945 to 11.1 percent in 2015. But the erosion in union membership is not a natural, pre-ordained outcome — the reality is that intentional policy choices significantly contributed to fewer people becoming union members.

Benign market forces alone do not explain the continual loss of union membership in the midst of broad support. Take the difference in union density in Canada and the United States: Union membership trends in these similar economies closely tracked each other until the late 1960s and early 1970s. If globalization alone were the main driver of declining union membership, we could expect the countries to have comparable unionization rates. Instead, Canada — which affords real protections for people coming together as a union — has more than twice the percentage of people in unions as the United States.

Our country has allowed a broken and outdated labor law to remain in place for too long. Unlike other workplace laws, the National Labor Relations Act lacks meaningful financial penalties for employer wrongdoing, creating an economic incentive for employers to violate the law. Employers routinely influence union elections in their favor through intimidating and coercive tactics. In doing so, employers both regularly break the letter and spirit of the law, often aided by anti-union consultants and lawyers who are paid handsomely to provide advice on how to get away with manipulating the system. The fact is that current law does not offer working people a level playing field, advantaging chief executives set on denying their employees’ right to organize and negotiate together.

Despite the challenges, people continue to want to come together to have a say in their working lives. The last year saw a “wave” of digital newsroom staff joining in union. Nine thousand American Airlines passenger service agents won their union election in late 2014, doing so in the historically anti-union South. From 2000-2010, the National Labor Relations Board received nearly 3,000 requests for union elections from nursing home and non-acute care employees alone.

Americans are choosing to speak up together at work because they recognize that unions serve as a needed check and balance on corporate power. When working people can negotiate a fair return on their work, they earn higher wages and better benefits. The activism of individuals in unions has a ripple effect across communities. Non-union employees in similar industries and nearby locations generally see their working standards improve. It’s no surprise, then, that the decrease in unions has contributed to the increase in income inequality.

People also know that joining together is the only effective rampart against the flood of money in a post-Citizens United world that promotes the agenda of the wealthy few. Unions have proven to be the singular political force that can speak up for the betterment of everyday people, regularly advocating for expanded access to affordable health care, improved class sizes in our schools, investments in infrastructure, the protection of Social Security and Medicare, safer patient care and a fairer tax code.

Emerging ideas and arguments behind the news.

Unions of working people led the national conversation about raising the minimum wage, making wage stagnation and inequality a national priority. Unions even played a key role in defending the Obama administration’s update to our overtime rules from political attacks. The new rule will significantly increase the number of people who qualify for overtime protections by raising the annual salary threshold from $23,660 to $47,476, improving the lives of supervisors as much, if not more so, than people who are or could potentially be union members.

The reason for the difference between the high numbers of support for unions and the number of actual union members is not so paradoxical. We can narrow the gap between these two statistics by modernizing our labor law, establishing real financial penalties to end employer retaliation and ensuring every person’s workplace rights are protected. Doing so will give Americans a fair shot at coming together to negotiate for a better life for themselves and their families.


Aug 08, 2016

Jul 20, 2016

Teamster convention approves slate of resolutions on final day
July 6, 2016 | Attendees at our union's 29th annual convention approved resolutions that clarify the union's policy stances on everything from airline organizing to worker misclassification. A full slate of resolutions can be read here. (Note: The convention is the highest governing body of the union, subject to the right of referendum by the membership. The General Executive Board has the authority to carry out the policies and directives approved by convention action.)

Taylor appointed International Trustee to the Teamsters General Executive Board
July 6, 2016 | On Friday, June 24, 2016, General President Jim Hoffa appointed President Denis Taylor to serve as a International Trustee on the Union's General Executive Board. One of three trustees, Taylor will serve the remainder of Trustee Greg Floyd's (Local 237, NYC) term. He was subsequently nominated for the position during the convention's nominations process held June 28. The Teamsters Union will hold International officer elections in October. (Pictured: President Taylor took the oath of office, administered by General President Hoffa and witnessed by General Secretary Ken Hall.)

'David's Hates Brides:' Teamsters put pressure on U.S. Foods' sister company
July 7, 2016 | With the assistance of one very angry bride, it seems a recent Teamster action that targeted a suburban Buffalo David's Bridal – one of many such actions taken by the Union across the country, hit a nerve late last week and raised the ire of an off-duty store manager who drove to the scene "dressed for the beach" with two children in tow to personally confront the Unionists who were holding an informational hand-billing event outside the retailer… Continued

Teamsters increase strike benefits
July 13, 2016 | Strike benefit increases approved by delegates at the 29th International Convention become effective on July 1, 2016. Under the new constitutional provisions, which were unanimously approved by delegates on June 30, 2016, the changes raise strike benefits, increase minimum benefits and allow for benefits to begin earlier than in the past… teamster.org

Give blood, save a life at Local 570's blood drive, July 17
July 13, 2016 | Our brothers and sisters over at Local 570 are sponsoring an American Red Cross blood drive Sunday, July 17th, 10 am to 3:30 pm at their union hall – 6910 Eastern Ave., Baltimore, MD 21224. Let's help out and do our part to prevent a summer shortage. To schedule your life-saving donation, visit redcross.org and enter sponsor code: teamsterblood. (Additional details here.) See you there!

Hundreds of members honor striking Maryland workers' picket line
July 18, 2016 | …Teamsters from the US Foods Severn location extended picket lines to Buffalo, N.Y. last Friday in the early morning hours, after extending lines to Streator, Ill. late last week. Drivers and warehouse workers represented by Local 264 in Buffalo, and drivers and warehouse workers represented by Local 722 in Streator honored the pickets in solidarity with their Severn brothers and sisters. In all, more than 200 workers refused to cross… teamster.org

Code red heat warning in Baltimore
July 25, 2016 | The Baltimore health commissioner is urging residents to prepare for 100-degree heat on Monday that could pose dangers for the young and elderly. The temperature is forecast to reach as high as 100 degrees, but it could feel as hot as 109 with humidity and wind factored in, according to the National Weather Service… baltimoresun.com Read the Teamster fact sheet on heat stress.

Mechanics at Piedmont Airlines Ratify Contract
July 25, 2016 | (Click image to enlarge.) Approximately 300 Piedmont Airlines mechanics from Teamsters Locals 210, 355 and 776 have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a five-year contract with the carrier. More than 83 percent of voting mechanics cast their ballots in favor of the agreement. The agreement was reached May 26 and contains a 7 percent signing bonus and a 13 percent wage increase over the life of the agreement. Job security and furlough language are also vastly improved… teamster.org  Photo: Second from left, shop steward Corey Lopatofsky, and far right, Local 355 Business Agent John Caparatta and Stephen Kennedy, shop steward and Piedmont Airlines dispatcher.

Tentative agreement reached with carhaul employer group
July 27, 2016 | After long and difficult negotiations, the Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee (TNATINC) has reached a tentative national Carhaul agreement with the National Automobile Transporters Labor Division (NATLD), the multi-employer collective bargaining association representing the unionized sector of the vehicle transport and logistics industry. The National Union Bargaining Committee has fully endorsed this new tentative settlement and believes it meets the goals of the carhaul membership and provides for their long-term job security. Details of the tentative agreement will be announced when leaders from local unions meet to review the proposal on August 4. Stay tuned here.


Jun 16, 2016
Teamsters take their fight for justice to David's Bridal customers June 7, 2016 | Several Teamsters local unions last weekend alerted David's Bridal about the company's unsustainable debt and terrible customer service record. US Foods is co-owned by Wall Street firm CD&R, a private equity company that also owns David's Bridal, the wedding dress/wedding services retail chain.
Jun 14, 2016

Congratulations to Ed SellersMike Brian, and Al Debelius (New Penn) for their first place win in the Local's bi-annual golf event held Saturday, June 11th, at the Hog Neck Golf Course in Easton, Md.

Teams teed off at 8:30 a.m. in a modified shotgun start format, finishing the 18-hole course at the same time in just under five hours. The weather, though a little windy, cooperated with the golfers; warm sun and cool beverages made for a perfect day on the course. Libations and lunch under the club's shaded outdoor pavilion topped off the day.

Second Place: (right)
UPS Package/Baltimore

  • Brian Pitt
  • Tony Petraglia
  • Chris Maurer

Third Place: (bottom right)
UPS/Hunt Valley

  • PJ Campbell
  • Matt Parks
  • Travis Charette

Long Drive -
Chris Maurer (UPS/Baltimore)

Close to Pin-
Lou Lubowski (Retired)

View gallery photos here.

Photos/Teamsters Joint Council 62


May 12, 2016

Corona, California US Foods Teamsters launch unfair labor strike
May 2, 2016 | Yesterday, Teamsters who drive for US Foods in Corona began a ULP strike to protest allegations that the foodservice giant violated federal law that protects workers rights. Almost immediately, Corona workers extended their picket line to 10 other US Foods distribution centers and resident yards in Southern California and Phoenix, Arizona, where 750 Teamsters have ceased work to honor the picket lines… In all, more than 800 Teamsters employed by US Foods are currently not working because of the strike and extensions... teamster.org

Stand with CWA/IBEW strikers at Verizon
May 5, 2016 | On April 13, 2016, General President Jim Hoffa declared that the Teamsters stand united with the CWA and the IBEW’s strike against Verizon. Today he urges Teamster Local Unions and members to support our union brothers and sisters at Verizon. “It’s more important now than ever to show Teamster solidarity in standing up to corporate greed. We have our own battles with corporate giants like US Foods where multiple Teamster Local Unions are on Unfair Labor Practice strikes, and at a Supervalu-owned distributor that services Kroger stores in Colorado. By having a strong Teamster presence supporting CWA and IBEW and helping those unions win their battles, we will help our union win current and future battles against these corporate giants.” Sign the petition to “Stand with Striking Workers.”

US Foods Teamsters in Ohio honoring Baltimore picket line
May 5, 2016 |  Locals 355 and 570 striking USF members have extended their picket line to US Foods in Twinsburg, Ohio (Cleveland). Our US Foods brothers from Local 507 are all honoring the picket line. (Warehouse workers at US Foods in Corona, CA are now honoring the drivers' picket line. See post below.)

Local news station ABC Channel 2 report on US Foods ULP strike
May 9, 2016 | "... they're trying to take these Maryland jobs, move them to Virginia, a non-union facility and then shuffle the trucks back up here to Baltimore," said Jim Deene, a local 355 teamster representative for the truck drivers. "Their package is worth about $32 an hour total with health and welfare and pension and they want to take it down to about $11 an hour..." See the news video at abc2new.com

US Foods Teamsters in New York honoring Baltimore picket line
May 9, 2016 |  Locals 355 and 570 extend their picket line to Buffalo, NY. US Foods workers, members of Local 264, began honoring our picket line Friday, May 6 at midnight. Thank you, Buffalo!

Locals 355 and 570 extend picket lines to Michigan and Illinois
May 12, 2016 | On Tuesday, picket lines were extended to a US Foods location in Wixcom, Mich., where unloaders and drivers, members of Local 337, are honoring our strike. And last night, some 40 Teamsters represented by Local 722 who work at the US Foods' distribution warehouse in Streator, Illinois, refused to cross the picket line in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Severn, Md. Thank you, Wixcom and Streator! #USFoodsStrike #Solidarity

Hoffa on the picket lines in support of USF members
May 16, 2016 | General President Hoffa this afternoon met and walked the picket line with more than 50 Local 355 and 570 members who have been on the picket line for almost three weeks (photos above). He pledged the full support of the International for the strikers. "US Foods is attempting to pull these workers out of the middle class," he said in a press release. "Slashing pay as well as health and retirement benefits is no way to ensure that this formerly Maryland-based company remains a good corporate partner in the Free State." Baltimore Sun story here.

Teamsters to host strike update conference call with US Foods investors
May 24, 2016 | The IBT will host a conference call tomorrow to discuss the immediate and long-term impact of recent strike at US Foods' distribution warehouses across the country and the ongoing strike in Severn. "We are stunned US Foods management is asking investors for money in the midst of repeated and sustained work actions against the company," stated Steve Vairma, director of the Teamsters' Warehouse Division. "We are now entering or fourth week of work actions and they will continue until management meets us at the table with real, substantive proposals to renew or resolve contract disputes at 18 Teamster represented US Foods warehouses."

Teamsters at largest USF facility in US honor our picket lines
May 25, 2016 | We extended our picket lines to Metro New York (Perth Amboy, NJ; photos above), the largest US Foods facility in the country. Three hundred and twenty warehouse workers and drivers from Locals 202 and 282 have the right to honor our picket lines by refusing to work.  facebook.com/SyscoUSFworkers Teamster press release

US Foods members take their message to Camden Yards
May 31, 2016 | (click image to enlarge) Locals 355 and 570 distributed informational leaflets – Support our vets. Keep our jobs in Maryland – yesterday during the Memorial Day Baltimore Orioles game. "A war is being fought, and not between the Orioles and the Red Sox. It's being waged by US Foods on Baltimore workers." Local 570 warehouse worker, Chris Price, is a military veteran. "I fought for my country, and now I have to fight for my job from US Foods."


Apr 27, 2016

Nearly 200 Maryland Teamsters working for US Foods began an unfair labor practice strike today at the company’s Severn, Md. distribution center. Warehouse workers and drivers filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that US Foods has been bargaining in bad faith about its decision to close the Severn facility in June.

US Foods is the nation’s second-largest foodservice provider and is owned by Wall Street private equity behemoths KKR and CD&R. The 200 drivers and warehouse workers at the Severn facility are represented by Teamsters Locals 355 and 570.

“US Foods is legally required to bargain with its workers’ representatives about a possible decision to close the distribution center. Instead, the company announced that it would not bargain with us until workers agreed to concessions that would slash their compensation by more than 50 percent,” said Teamsters Local 355 President Denis Taylor.

“US Foods also started bringing in independent contractors this past weekend to move inventory out of state. Workers took action and went on a ULP strike today because US Foods left them with no other choice,” Taylor said.

Taylor continued, “It is outrageous that a formerly Maryland-based company is threatening to outsource hundreds of good, family-supporting jobs in Maryland to a low-road non-union facility in Virginia. In addition to the loss of jobs, this would cause the state and localities to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax revenue annually. We are calling on US Foods to postpone the decision and sit down with workers, customers and public officials to find a way to keep good Maryland jobs in Maryland.”

Since its purchase by Wall Street private equity firms nine years ago, US Foods has engaged in a systematic campaign of harassment and intimidation against its workers, both union and non-union.

“US Foods is threatening to close our facility because we refuse to let the company slash our wages, abolish our retirement plan and destroy our quality, affordable family health care. They won’t even bargain with us about it in good faith,” said Joe Schwabline and Chris Price, driver and warehouse stewards at the Severn facility. “If we all stand together, we can stand up to US Foods and its Wall Street owners and stop their bullying.”

Steve Vairma, Teamsters International Vice President and Director of the Teamsters’ Warehouse Division, said, “US Foods has a pattern of being willing to destroy good jobs and local economies when it doesn’t get its way with workers. The company should be working with its employees and the community to come up with solutions to save these 200 jobs, instead of destroying the local consumer base that patronizes the local restaurants the company supplies.”

Vairma continued, “We are going to make sure local restaurants know exactly what US Foods is doing to the communities that patronize their businesses.”

US Foods earned $23 billion in annual revenue in 2014. The company provides 350,000 products and services to 200,000 customers including restaurants, hospitals, schools, military bases and hotels. US Foods has 25,000 employees and 75 distribution facilities. The Teamsters represent 4,100 US Foods employees, with 44 contracts at 29 facilities.

* Our striking brothers and sisters need your support on the picket line
We invite all Teamsters Local 355 members to support our brothers and sisters fighting for their rights by walking the picket line along with them at the US Foods facility at 8024 Telegraph Rd., in Severn, Md. Bring your family and friends, your neighbors and coworkers. And if you can commit to some time on the line to give a US Foods Teamster a rest break, check in with a strike team leader to sign up for scheduled time slots. (Please note: Do not park at or near the facility. Parking is available at the Severn Run Bar & Grille at 7940 Telegraph Road. We have vans running regular pick-up and drop-off trips; wait times average between 5 and 10 minutes.)

Even if you can't donate time, contributions of food stuffs and goodies will be most appreciated. Members rotate shifts around the clock, seven days a week. We need them to keep up their energy! Thank you!


Apr 11, 2016

The Best Choice for Local Membership – Van Hollen for U.S. Senator: Local 355 endorsed Maryland Representative Chris Van Hollen at Sunday's general membership meeting in Baltimore. Van Hollen pledged his support for Local 355 and US Foods members. (L-R) are Anthony Thomas, Joe Bell, George Elion, Rep. Van Hollen, Doug Robertson, Dave Moore, Ernie Warfield, Anthony Perry, LU 355 organizer Ed Mulford, and Joe Schwabline. Recently, Van Hollen assisted in keeping Safeway jobs, held by Teamster Locals 639 and 730 members, in Maryland. The Maryland primary is April 26th. Vote early!

Most YRCW employees receive wage increases – first since 2013
Apr. 4, 2016| Teamster-represented workers at the YRC Worldwide, Inc. (YRCW) are receiving wage increases as part of the first negotiated increases to kick in under the Extension of the Restructuring Agreement. The increases apply to the majority of Teamster-represented employees. Non-CDL employees hired after February 2014 will not receive the increases. Most workers will receive increases of 34 cents an hour or .850 cents per mile, effective April 1, 2016. It is the first increase in wages for YRCW employees since 2013.

Contract vote Sunday, April 10th
Apr. 6, 2016| A contract vote will be conducted Sunday, April 10, 2016 at 10 a.m. at the Dewey Lowman American Legion Post 109, 1610 Old Sulphur Spring Road, Halethorpe, Md. Please be present and on time.

Baltimore Sun: US Foods to close Severn distribution center
Apr. 6, 2016 | Updated 4/7 | US Foods said Wednesday that it would close a distribution center in Anne Arundel County in June, eliminating the last local footprint of a once-mighty Maryland company, after failing to reach an agreement on concessions with unionized workers at the facility ... US Foods wanted $8 million in annual concessions from the unions, including switching from pensions to a 401(k) and an average pay cut of $5.75 an hour for warehouse workers — demands that were too large, said Denis Taylor, president of Teamsters Local 355, one of two Teamsters locals that together represent about 180 workers in Severn. "There's no possibility that we could meet the company's demands," he said. "It's just not possible." ... US Foods, like many large employers, is required by law to provide advance warning of major layoffs. The state has not received a formal notice, said a spokeswoman for the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. Continued

Sysco members approve new contract
Apr. 10, 2016 |  After more than a year of negotiations and one rejection vote, Local 355 members who work for foodservice distributor Sysco Corporation in Jessup, Md., ratified today a three-year collective bargaining agreement that increases wages, provides a signing bonus, and preserves and increases pension benefits. The contract also provides job protections for drivers who are medically disqualified from driving the employer’s equipment by guaranteeing a one-time opportunity to transfer to a warehouse position. Members overwhelmingly rejected in January the company’s final offer that was put to a vote without the bargaining committee’s recommendation. Of the improvements to the new tentative agreement, President Denis Taylor said, “This agreement reflects every issue you asked us to address with the company.” After the vote, Taylor said the contract will be effective tonight once the company is informed of the vote. “I appreciate the support of the membership,” he said, adding “Of course, we’ll start the bargaining process all over again in about 13 months.”

Anne Arundel County members ratify new contracts
Apr. 13, 2016 | Successor agreements for a one-year term are in place for county deputy sheriffs, fire battalion chiefs, park rangers, and correction programs specialists. The contracts do not provide COLA increases but do provide for merit increases or lump sum payments for all groups. The agreements maintain current health insurance cost sharing until June 30, 2017. The correction program specialists contract provides merit pay advancements. The deputy sheriffs contract eliminates clothing and weapons allowances but increases the minimum and maximum pay rates.; increases the number of unused annual leave days an employee can carry over into a calendar year; provides full regular pay during a period of temporary total disability; and provides interest in the sixth year of the DROP (retirement) program. Fire battalion chiefs are also entitled to receive fill regular pay during a period of temporary total disability, and are guaranteed adjustment to extra shift bonus pay which is based on maximum salary rate of Fire Captain. Park rangers will be allowed to take holiday leave on a different day provided it falls within the same week as the actual holiday.

Teamsters, carhaul employer group to meet April 25 to resume negotiations
Apr. 18, 2016 |  The Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee (TNATINC) and the carhaul employer representatives have largely resolved most operational issues but are still negotiating over the hard-fought benefits our members have earned and deserve. Both sides wrapped up the most recent negotiations on April 12-13. The TNATINC will meet again with the employer group on Monday, April 25 to try to resolve the few but serious economic issues that remain in an effort to complete these long and difficult negotiations. In the meantime, the union asks that all carhaul members continue to work as usual and look for updates here.

Parties remain apart on critical economic issues
Apr. 26, 2016 |  Despite lengthy and thorough negotiations, Teamsters negotiators and the carhaul group remain apart on the most critical economic issues to the members, including pay retroactivity and the appropriate level of wage increases necessary to retain drivers in a long-term agreement. More at teamster.org

US Foods Teamsters strike in Maryland
Apr. 27, 2016 |  Update here On April 27, 2016 at 2pm, Teamster members of U.S. Foods in Severn, Md., walked off the job and commenced an unfair labor strike against the Company, according to a Teamsters Joint Council 62 press release issued today. The dispute centers around the Company's failure to bargain in good faith, its use of out-of-state and non-bargaining-unit employees to perform work normally performed by the Teamsters, and the Company's attempt to deal directly with its employees concerning effects bargaining. US Foods employs approximately 190 Teamsters in both the warehouse and delivery operations." Watch this space for updates on Local 355 drivers' and mechanics' fight for justice.


Mar 17, 2016

UPS workers protest against supervisor
Mar. 3, 2016| UPS employees claim that they have been victims of racial slurs and discrimination at the company's warehouse in Riviera Beach, Fla. Warehouse workers and Teamsters protested Tuesday morning outside the facility. Employees said they've filed several grievances against their supervisor, but he was only moved to a different position. wpbf.com

Teamsters apply heat to US Foods after failed Sysco merger
Mar. 4, 2016| US Foods is coming under fire from its biggest union as it tries to go public following last year’s failed merger with Sysco. The Teamsters is pushing back against the company’s plan to close a distribution center near Baltimore, while union members at other centers are working without a contract. nypost.com

The fight against the corporate agenda begins now
Mar. 7, 2016| Corporate cronies for years have sought to do everything they can to push their platform to the public in hopes of getting more anti-worker policies passed at all levels of government. But a new report shows that effort might be succeeding… The agenda of the right wing includes takeovers of federal, state and local governments through extensive and permanent political organization down to the local precinct level and destruction of foes – notably unions – who oppose the corporate program. Its agenda includes everything from enacting so-called "right to work" laws to fighting school district taxes. It's because of such efforts that the Teamsters are debuting a new program for activists… teamster.org

The 2016 Local 355 Scholarship Award applications are now available
Mar. 8, 2016| For the past 41 years, our Local has offered scholarships to the sons and daughters of Local 355 members who seek to fulfill their dreams through higher education. Applications are now available for our 42nd Annual Scholarships to be awarded during the May 2016 regular monthly membership meeting. Eligibility requirements: You must be in continuous good standing in our Local for 12 consecutive months before May 2016, and your student must be a graduating senior this year. No tests, no long application process! Easy, right? Download the application here. (Stepchildren, if living in the same household as you, are also eligible to apply.) Contact your steward for additional details.

Despite election losses, FedEx must negotiate with Teamsters
Mar. 17, 2016| Despite losses in six elections at FedEx Freight locations in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, the Local 107 in Philadelphia and the Local 71 in Charlotte will be recognized ­— and the company must bargain with the unions at both terminals. According to industry publication Transport Topics, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a ruling by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that said FedEx Freight must recognize the unions. bizjournals.com

Contract negotiations resume April 12th
Mar. 23, 2016| The Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee and the carhaul employer representatives will resume negotiations on Tuesday, April 12 and Wednesday, April 13 in Detroit. Stay tuned...

Supreme Court upholds Tyson Foods workers class-action suit
Mar. 23, 2016| This Supreme Court case and the justices' ruling perfectly illustrates why the nomination of worker-friendly Supreme Court justices are so important to the future of working men and women in America. It is also a strong affirmation of workers' right to band together to sue their employer for its failure to follow federal law. (More than 3,000 employees sued Tyson Foods for not properly compensating them for hours worked.) The New York Times reports "The Supreme Court on Tuesday sided with thousands of workers at an Iowa pork processing plant who has sought to band together in a single lawsuit to recover overtime pay from Tyson Foods… The Tyson workers performed tasks that were 'grueling and dangerous' at a plant in Storm Lake, Iowa, Justice Kennedy wrote, slaughtering hogs, trimming the meat and preparing for shipment. They sought to be paid for the time they had spent putting on and taking off protective gear to prevent knife cuts…" nytimes.com

Why won’t these French company talk to U.S. workers?
Mar. 28, 2016| ...The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is calling on one of the largest providers of industrial and medical gases in the world to quit taking toxic anti-labor cues from stateside advisors — and immediately start talking with worker representatives. In a controversial bid that’s sparking anti-competitiveness concerns, Air Liquide is poised to purchase the biggest distributor of industrial, medical and specialty gases here in the United States for a whopping $13.4 billion... Labor Press 

Reminder: Hoffa scholarship application deadline is tomorrow, March 31
Mar. 30, 2016| Deadline for the application is Thursday, March 31, 2016. Applications must be received by this date or will not be considered. Email the application as one PDF to scholarship@teamster.org OR it can be faxed to (202) 624-7457, or mailed to the following address: James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund 25 Louisiana Ave NW Washington, DC 20001. Finalist notification will be given by June 2016 via email. Awards will be disbursed to the student's school by August 2016.

Paid sick leave bill gains key approval in Maryland House
Mar. 31, 2016| A bill that would require companies to offer sick leave to workers is advancing in the House of Delegates. The bill would require companies with at least 15 employees to allow workers to earn up to seven days of paid leave per year – a change from 10 employees in the original bill. Smaller companies would only be required to offer unpaid sick leave... Baltimore Sun


Feb 10, 2016

Members reject tentative agreement
Feb. 1, 2016  | The union negotiating committee will continue to negotiate on members' behalf Thursday, February 4th, and Friday, February 5th, after members overwhelmingly rejected Sysco's last, best and final offer at a meeting held Sunday in Baltimore. The tentative agreement was presented to members without the bargaining committee's recommendation. After the vote results had been announced, President Taylor described possible next steps and called on members' to tell the committee what it will take to get to an acceptable agreement. "In the meantime, continue to go to work and do your job," Taylor told the packed hall. "If you have a problem, let us know – don't do anything on your own." Sysco members with questions about the proposed contract and next steps should talk to their shop steward. Local 355 represents 263 Sysco drivers, jockeys and warehouse workers.

Bargaining committee member Eric McKee addressed the membership prior to the vote. (Other committee members include President Denis Taylor, Business Agents Dan Taylor and Jim Deene, shop stewards Chris Greene, Harry Goodall, Ricky Kilgore, Bob McCullough, Orlando Monroe, and Chris Whitcomb.)

Acme Paper co-founder, Edward Attman, passes
Feb. 3, 2016  | Edward Attman, a founder of the Acme Paper & Supply Co., which began in a rented garage and grew to be one of the nation's largest suppliers of paper products, died Tuesday of natural causes at Sinai Hospital, family members said. The longtime Pikesville resident was 95. Local 355 represents 115 drivers and warehouse workers employed with the company. The Baltimore Sun

Teamsters and others fight pension battle over multi-employer fund
Feb. 4, 2016  | A half mile from their union hall, over 220 retired members of Teamsters Local 346 gathered at Holy Family Catholic Church in Duluth's West End in late January to fight for their pensions. But this isn't just a Teamsters fight. They're one of the unions under the knife now, but 200 multi-employer pension funds covering 1.5 million American workers could be in jeopardy for a number of reasons. peoplesworld.org

US Foods forces Phoenix Teamsters to launch unfair labor practice strike
Feb. 5, 2016  | Teamsters Local 104 members with US Foods took up unfair labor practice pickets yesterday, charging the nation’s second-largest foodservice provider with bargaining in bad faith and discriminating against its union workforce as they attempt to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement. teamster.org

FAA reauthorization legislation would roll back truckers’ mandatory rest time
Feb. 5, 2016  | Click here to read President Hoffa’s response to a provision included in new FAA reauthorization that would curb states’ ability to require mandatory meal and rest breaks for truck drivers.

Call now and urge Congress to say NO to job-killing TPP
Feb. 10, 2016  | Last week, trade ministers gathered in New Zealand to sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). But signing the TPP is not the same as it being ratified by Congress. This week, Teamsters from all of the country are flooding Congress with calls demanding they reject the massive trade deal. If we put enough pressure on our Congress members, the entire thing can still be derailed. That's where you come in: Please call the toll-free number 1-844-394-8431 now to join thousands of others urging Congress to oppose the TPP.

Convention delegates, alternates elected on white ballot
Feb. 11, 2016  | Nominations for seven delegates and seven alternates to the 2016 International Brotherhood of Teamsters Convention were held on February 7th at our monthly membership meetings in Baltimore and Salisbury. Because only seven candidates for each were nominated (thus the use of the term white ballot), all were declared duly elected by IBT Elections Officer Frank Sheridan, who oversaw the meeting. Kevin McDermott, past president of Teamsters Local 570 (Baltimore), conducted the nominations.
   Delegates:  Denis Taylor, Dave White, Bill Alexander, Mark Garey, Janet Genovese, Tim Marvel, and Pete Manus.
   Alternates: John Moylan, Pat O'Toole, Joe Seda, Gil Howdershelt, Lance Miller, Chris Greene, Dwayne Miles.
   The convention will convene June 27 - July 1, 2016, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The size of the membership determines the number of delegates and alternates to which the Local Union is entitled. Official announcement here.

Hall: WV legislature sides with corporate interests over workers
Feb. 16, 2016| In statement released last Friday following the West Virginia Legislature’s override of the governor’s veto of so-called right-to-work legislation, Secretary-Treasurer and Local 175 President Ken Hall said, “This is a dark day for our state. Lawmakers have chosen to side with out-of-state billionaires over hard-working West Virginians. The Teamsters, together with other union members and working West Virginians, turned out to strongly oppose these bills because we understood passing them would do nothing to help workers earn a fair living…” teamster.org West Virginia becomes the 26th right-to-work (for less) state on July 1, 2016.

Negotiations resume this week
Feb. 22, 2016| The Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee (TNATINC) and carhaul employer representatives will reconvene on Thursday, Feb. 25 and Friday, Feb. 26 in Detroit to discuss and exchange proposals for a new national contract. “We hope the next round of talks is productive and the parties are anxious to conclude the talks with a tentative agreement that will meet the membership’s needs and expectations,” said Kevin Moore, Director of the Teamsters Carhaul Division. In the meantime, the union asks that all carhaul members continue to work as usual and look for updates at www.teamster.org/carhaul-2015

Teamster mechanics picket, notify United Airlines passengers of possible strikes
Feb. 29, 2016| Hundreds of United Airlines mechanics picketed Friday at the San Francisco, Los Angeles (LAX), Newark, LaGuardia, Washington Dulles, Cleveland, Boston Logan and Orlando airports, to educate passengers about upcoming strikes. …The mechanics held picket signs that read, "ON STRIKE – Not Yet" and distributed leaflets to United's customers that read, "Passengers Brace for Summer Strike at UNITED"… teamster.org

Rollback of mandatory driver rest time has no place in bill
Feb. 29, 2016| President James P. Hoffa on Friday applauded Sen. Barbara Boxer's call to remove a measure from FAA legislation that would curb states’ ability to provide higher wages and basic meal and rest breaks for truck drivers. “Yesterday, Sen. Barbara Boxer [D-Calif] took a stand for trucker safety by denouncing a rider that was attached to the House FAA bill that would override meal and rest break rules in 22 states. This threat to highway safety is nothing but an attempt by the American Trucking Association to keep drivers on the clock and behind the wheel as much as possible, yet again prioritizing profits ahead of people…" teamster.org Related: Bitter battle erupts on Capitol Hill over bathroom breaks for truck drivers

Teamsters: 'Significant progress' at negotiations
Feb. 29, 2016| The Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee (TNATINC) made significant progress with the carhaul employer representatives after two days of contract negotiations that wrapped up today.“We made significant progress and we plan to meet again in the very near future,” said Kevin Moore, Director of the Teamsters Carhaul Division. “We hope to reach a recommended agreement very soon that addresses the needs of our members.” In the meantime, the union asks that all carhaul members continue to work as usual and look for updates, here.


Jan 19, 2016

L.A. port drivers win $7 million in back pay; end misclassification
Jan. 5, 2016  | The underpaid, exploited port truck drivers at the nation's largest cargo terminal, Los Angeles-Long Beach, have won another round in their long fight for fair pay and job protections. he Teamsters and their Southern California Joint Council 42 have waged a years-long campaign to both win employee status for the thousands of port truckers and to organize them. People's World

Local 355 Vice President 'Erv' Williams retires
Jan. 11, 2016  | After more than 20 years in service to our local union and its members, Brother Ervin Williams, vice president and business agent, retired effective Dec. 31, 2015. Williams joined the staff of Local 355 in October 1995, working first in Baltimore then moving to the Eastern Shore to run the Salisbury union office. A member of the Teamsters Union for 41 years, Williams was committed to activities and policies promoting the advancement and improvement of every member. In his report to members at our general membership meeting Jan. 10th, President Denis Taylor said, "Erv Williams is one of the finest individuals I've ever met in this business. He helped me out immensely. He determined that it was time to move back to Virginia Beach, time to see the brighter side of life. On behalf of the staff and members, I wish him well and thank him for his years of service to this Local." The Executive Board unanimously approved Taylor's recommendation to appoint current Local 355 Recording Secretary Bill Alexander to vice president, and Local 355 Business Agent Mark Garey to recording secretary. Watch for more about Erv Williams in our next newsletter.

Teamsters, carhaul employers resume negotiations
Jan. 12, 2016  | The union's negotiating committee and carhaul employer representatives are reconvening today and tomorrow in Detroit to discuss and exchange proposals for a new national contract. In December, both sides made progress toward a new tentative agreement. While several outstanding contract issues have been largely resolved, both sides are still evaluating serious and difficult economic issues. The union asks that all carhaul members continue to work as usual and watch this space for updates.

Amports members approve new 4-year contract
Jan. 13, 2016  | More than 100 members employed at vehicle processor Amports East attended a meeting in Baltimore, Monday, Jan. 2016, to review a tentative agreement that had the full recommendation of their bargaining committee. Following a Q&A session, a secret ballot vote was held. The new contract provides a 4%-5% wage increase over the term, an increase in the company's contribution to the 401(k) in the first and third year of the agreement; one dollar per year increase in employee's contribution to healthcare costs; and new language governing drug tests. A significant achievement in this round of negotiations was the successful elimination of contract language that cut an employee's pay by as much as $4 per hour if the employee had to move to a lower paying job. (Amports is a processing operation for vehicle exports at the Port of Baltimore.) In other contract news, members at Mid-Atlantic Baking on January 2, 2016, ratified a new 3-year contract that provides a significant wage increase over the term, an increase in the employer contribution to the 401 (k), and improved vacation language. Additional details in the next issue of our newsletter.

Posted! Retirees Christmas party photos
Jan. 19, 2016  | Our Local's retiree club (Local 355 Association of Retired Members) held December 17, 2015 at UAW Local 239's hall in Baltimore had its biggest turn out ever. Delicious food provided by attentive, helpful service, a cake wheel, money wheel, 50-50 raffle, and music and dancing all made for an afternoon of camaraderie and festive fun. These photos say it all. Enjoy!

Hoffa: We stand with Flint
Jan. 20, 2016  | “Over the past month the water crisis in Flint, Mich. has been brought to the nation’s attention. However, this is a tragedy that Michiganders have been aware of and the families of Flint have been dealing with since April 2014. Decisions made by state officials over the last year-and-a-half have led to a community being forced to use water from the Flint River – a source that has been found to contain unacceptable levels of lead." teamster.org

Teamsters delivering bottled water to Flint, Michigan
Jan. 21, 2016  | Members of Teamsters Local 135 made a special delivery this morning to Flint, Michigan. The city's residents are in desperate need of clean water after theirs became contaminated with lead when the city switched from the Detroit water system to the Flint River in a cost-cutting move. More...

Contract vote scheduled for Sunday
Jan. 26, 2016  | Local 355 members employed at Sysco have been working under extension agreements since the contract expired in March of 2015. They will vote on a tentative agreement Sunday, January 31, 2016 at 10 a.m. at the Baltimore union hall.


Dec 17, 2015
Piedmont Airline dispatchers approve contract Dec. 2, 2015  | Concluding nearly 18 months of negotiations that included a rejection vote in January 2015, dispatchers at Piedmont Airlines ratified November 18, 2015, new provisions in the existing collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
Nov 12, 2015

"Unions aren't needed anymore."
Nov. 3, 2015  | How many times have you heard that recently? Well, here's an excellent video reminder from our Canadian brothers and sisters that there's nothing new, and nothing true, about that all-too familiar line. Click here to watch.

House rejects highway bill amendment to allow heavier trucks
Nov. 4, 2015  | The House on Tuesday defeated an amendment to a $325 billion highway funding bill that would have let states decide whether they want to allow heavier trucks on their roads. The amendment would allow states to decide whether they want to increase a current limit of 80,000 pounds for cargo trucks to 91,000 pounds.  Proponents wanted to attach it to the highway bill in an attempt to end a bitter fight over truck weights that has raged for years in Washington. The proposal was rejected 187-236 in a House floor vote.

Tell Congress to vote NO on the job-killing TPP
Nov. 5, 2015  | If the TPP is approved by Congress, this awful deal would offshore good-paying American jobs and lower wages in the jobs that are left, increasing inequality by forcing Americans into competition with workers paid less than 65 cents an hour. Put simply: it stinks. The just-released TPP text is actually worse than we imagined. Here are just a few examples of how the TPP will undercut jobs and wages. Also, Hoffa says release of TPP text does little to allay workers' concerns about the deal.

Members employed at Avis Rent-A-Car ratify new three-year contract
Nov. 6, 2015  | Service agents, rental sales agents, customer service representatives (CSRs), and technicians overwhelmingly approved on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2015, a successor contract that provides significant wage increases, an additional sick day, and an increase to the boot and tool allowances, a 20-cent per hour increase in lead pay, and a 45-cent per hour increase in overnight shift differentials. In addition, the contract will provide pension contribution increases each year of the agreement which will result in increased benefits to the members. "This is one of the better contracts we've negotiated with this employer," said Mark Garey, the business agent for the Avis workers. Watch for additional information on this contract and other contract negotiations in our next issue of Local 355 Union News.

The march to inequality: How did we get here?
Nov. 10, 2015  | This week Talking Points Memo launches an in-depth four-part series on the ever-pressing issue of today, wealth and income inequality. "The four pieces come from different authors, each coming from a different angle, with a different sort of expertise. The aim of the series is to pose a simple question: How did we get here?…" The first installment looks at the politics of the left and the decline of organized labor over half a century. The decline played a key role in the declining economic clout of working class and middle class Americans, but it is only part of the story…

Teamsters take a stand for fair pay, organizing workers
Nov. 11, 2015  | The Teamsters joined with thousands of truck drivers, valet attendants and low-wage workers across the country yesterday in a day of action to raise awareness about the sorry state of wages and benefits for millions of everyday Americans on the job... From Baltimore to Seattle, Teamsters stood outside more than 300 FedEx Freight terminus educating workers about the company's spending of $5.2 million over the past three years to cover the personal taxes of top executives as well [as] hundreds of dollars to wage anti-worker campaigns. Meanwhile, workers there continue to have access to poor and expensive health benefits. Continued... Pictured: UPS Freight driver Al Richardson and Joe Smith (back to camera), members of Local 355.

Teamsters applaud Senate motion to keep double 33' trucks off the road
Nov. 12, 2015  | The Senate scored a victory for highway safety Tuesday for passing a motion by a 56-31 margin which instructs Senate negotiators of a long-term highway bill to oppose any federal mandate that would force states to allow an increase in length of tractor trailers at this time. Continued…

Teamsters, carhaul employer group to reconvene
Nov. 17, 2015  | The Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Negotiating Committee (TNATINC) will reconvene with the carhaul employer group this week to negotiate on the members’ behalf after carhaulers overwhelmingly voted to reject the national agreement and two supplemental agreements. The negotiations come after local unions held meetings over the past few weeks with the carhaul members to discuss the recently rejected tentative agreement. All carhaulers should continue to work as usual and the TNATINC will keep local unions and members updated.

21 organizations fighting for labor rights in the food system
Nov. 19, 2015  | … In Tracy, California, Teamsters members are fighting poverty wages and severe violations of basic rights at Taylor Farms. And more than 11,000 Teamsters workers have united to defeat a mega-merger of U.S. Foods and Sysco, which would have jeopardized thousands of broadline food service and transportation jobs… Read more here.

High court rulings could affect workers
Nov. 20, 2015  | The future of workers on the job could be shaped significantly by a spate of causes set to be considered by the U.S. Supreme Court during its current term. And it is something more everyday Americans need to be aware of and consider. … The Teamsters represent about 273,000 public sector workers, and other union represent millions more. These government employees are everyday Americans just trying to earn a living and support their families. But that will be increasingly difficult if union rights are curtailed nationwide. Full story here.

Ford workers narrowly ratify UAW contract
Nov. 23, 2015  | Workers at Ford narrowly ratified the company’s four-year labor deal with the United Auto Workers, the labor union announced late Friday. A defeat for the contract could have left ford facing a strike for the first time in 39 years. The UAW had been looking to claw back some concessions that were made eight years ago to help the U.S. carmakers survive the recession. Industry Week


Nov 05, 2015

The just-released TPP text is actually worse than we imagined. Here are just a few examples of how the TPP will undercut jobs and wages.

    •    The TPP forces U.S. employers into competition with companies exploiting workers in places like Vietnam, where the minimum wage is just a third of what it is in China’s manufacturing centers, and Malaysia, where an estimated one-third of all electronics workers are victims of human trafficking. 
    •    The TPP enables products assembled from parts made in “third party” countries that are not subject to any TPP obligations, such as China, to entire the U.S. duty-free, undercutting U.S. manufacturing.
    •    The TPP includes procurement provisions effectively barring Buy American and Buy Local government purchasing preferences.
    •    The TPP includes controversial investor-state dispute resolution (ISDS) provisions that make it safer — and, in fact, create incentives — for U.S. firms to offshore jobs to foreign countries where they can exploit low-wage labor under privileged foreign investor status rather than be forced to deal with the countries’ regulator processes and courts.
    •    We also know that the TPP fails to include the currency safeguards demanded by a bipartisan majority in Congress that would prevent known currency manipulators like Vietnam, Japan and Malaysia from devaluing their currencies to gain an unfair trade advantage over U.S. employers.

Please contact your Congress members now and urge them to vote against this awful agreement!
 


Oct 12, 2015

Fiat Chrysler workers appear to reject contract proposal
Oct. 1, 2015 
| Hourly workers at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles appear to have soundly rejected a proposed new union contract that set no limit on the number of lower-paid workers and that contained no mechanism to move them up to top-wage status. It would be the first time in more than 20 years that Chrysler workers have turned down a tentative contract negotiated by their union, the United Automobile Workers. Full story...

Hoffa says tenuous TPP agreement does not listen to workers' concerns
Oct. 5, 2015 
| Bum trade deals like NAFTA have killed upwards of 1 million U.S. jobs, many of which moved abroad. And that’s the concern with the looming TPP. These big business handouts continue to hollow out the manufacturing base of communities and destroy middle-class jobs in their wake. The Teamsters and many, many others just don't see any value in what TPP brings to this country. First and foremost is the deal won't create any new jobs here. Full statement...

Reminder for members and stewards
Oct. 5, 2015 
| Every Monday we post new information under the Members and Stewards tab in the left column. Today's educational tips offer information about the union's right to strike, and the differences between the two types of strikes. 

Webcast Oct. 7: Domestic violence as a critical workplace issue
Oct. 5, 2015 
| When domestic violence enters the workplace, it can have significant repercussions for the targeted individual and the work environment. Union stewards and fellow coworkers can all be affected by, and have a role to play in, dealing with intimate partner violence as a critical workplace issue. A free one-hour webcast on Wednesday, Oct. 7th beginning at 12 noon will explore labor's role in addressing domestic violence in the workplace. The webcast is a joint initiative between the ILR School's Scheinman Institute of Conflict Resolution and The Worker Institute at Cornell University. Click here to learn more and register.

Central States Pension Fund files plan to cut retiree benefits under new law
Oct. 7, 2015 
| …The huge pension fund, which administers retirement benefits for some former and current Teamster truckers, said the reductions are the only way to save the plan from insolvency. Under the proposal, pensions for Central States’ 407,000 participants would be cut by an average of nearly 23 percent. “Pension fund participants and beneficiaries did not cause the problem of underfunding,” James P. Hoffa, general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, wrote in a letter to Central States. “They worked day in and day out to earn their pension credits. It is monstrously unfair that they will end up holding the short end of the stick.” Full story… Related: NYT: Teamster pension fund has filed for reorganization  [Note: The pension proposal has no relation to the national carhaul tentative agreement currently out for ratification.]

We need to tell Congress to protect our pensions
Oct. 12, 2015 
| Some of the nation's retirees are facing enormous cuts to their pensions, but we can help them by convincing Congress to pass Keep Our Pension Promises Act, S. 1631/H.R. 2844, that will protect hard earned pension benefits. Additionally, the Senate's Pension Accountability Act, S.2147, will give plan recipients a meaningful voice when plans are considering making cuts. The Teamsters Union has been working with several members of Congress to develop the legislation that would prevent massive cuts to some pension beneficiaries. We urge you to email your Senators and Representative now to ask them to sign on to S. 1631/H.R. 2844, Keep Our Pension Promises Act, and S.2147, the Pension Accountability Act. Click here to send your emails to Congress. Read this, too: Hoffa, union leaders call on Central States to recall pension cut proposal, improve transparency for retirees.

Credit Union members: It's open enrollment period for Voluntary Life Ins.
Oct. 14, 2015 
| To be eligible for term life insurance coverage (up to $100,000), you must be a Maryland Federal Credit Union member. Among the plan's features: No medical questions to answer, it's portable (take it with you when you retire or leave your job), and it provides dependent coverage. Don't wait; the policy will be enrolled at the Nov. 1st membership meeting. Download information and enrollment form here.

Teamsters urge Safeway to keep good jobs at Md. distribution centers
Oct. 15, 2015 
| Teamsters are calling for Safeway to keep good jobs in Maryland, after the company unexpectedly issued a notice that it plans to start closing its Upper Marlboro and Landover, Md., grocery distribution facilities 19 days before Christmas, resulting in the layoff of more than 700 workers. The warehouse workers, members of D.C.-based Locals 730 and 639, received a 60-day layoff notice from C&S Wholesale Grocers. Safeway intends to send the bulk of the family-supporting jobs to Pennsylvania. "I believe there are options that have not yet been explored," Hoffa said in a letter to the CEO of Alberstons Companies, Inc., which recently acquired Safeway. "I am asking you to enact a 180-day moratorium on the closure while your staff, Maryland and Prince George's County public officials and Teamster-appointed experts meet to discuss alternatives, with the goal of saving good Maryland jobs." A rally is scheduled for 1 pm Friday in Upper Marlboro. Info here.

Highway safety should come before higher trucking industry profits
Oct. 21, 2015 | General President Jim Hoffa today joined a bipartisan collection of lawmakers and truck safety advocates at a Capitol Hill press conference to denounce efforts to extend the length of tractor trailers nationwide, saying the move jeopardizes highway safety. Allowing trucks to pull 33-foot trailers would add an additional 10 feet to the length of existing double trailers, making it harder to pass these trucks and harder for truck drivers to see who's beside them. Continued…

Teamster carhaulers reject national agreement, two supplements
Oct. 16, 2015 
| The Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee (TNATINC) will reconvene and continue to negotiate on the members' behalf after carhaulers overwhelmingly voted to reject the national agreement and two supplemental agreements. In the interim, all carhaulers should continue to work as usual and the TNATINC will keep local unions and members updated. The members ratified the Western supplement but rejected the Central-Southern and Eastern Supplements. Read the TNATINC statement.

Making public sector jobs RTW will gut wages
Oct. 19, 2015  | Public-sector employees have become a punching bag for anti-union forces who are trying to cripple the movement. But with the U.S. Supreme Court getting ready to consider a lawsuit that could allow workers to opt-out of paying union dues while still receiving representation, a new report shows just how much value union membership brings to workers' paychecks. Continued...

Hoffa: Teamsters won't cross picket lines if UPS pilots strike
Oct. 22, 2015  | General President Jim Hoffa and Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall sent a letter this week to the Independent Pilots Association pledging support for its 2,600 members. "If a strike is necessary, we will not cross your lines, but will stand with you on them." The IPA will announce the result of its strike authorization vote tomorrow morning. More…

Baltimore Sun drivers, mailers and pressmen ratify contracts
Oct. 25, 2015  | After two years of difficult negotiations, tentative agreements for three departments at the Baltimore Sun represented by Local 355 and Local 888 were ratified at a jointly-held membership meeting Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015. The company had sought to shift the full burden of healthcare premium costs to workers, among other regressive demands, but bargaining committee members representing drivers and printers (Local 355) and mailers (Local 888) endorsed agreements that preserve current healthcare contributions and enhances job security provisions, an important piece of the new collective bargaining agreements. In the middle of negotiations, the publishing company sold Sun Park, the land parcel the production plant sits on in Baltimore. If the paper is forced to move production from Sun Park, under the new contract Teamster jobs can follow the move. “These contracts look to the future. As long as we sort, print and deliver, it doesn’t matter what the product is, we’ll be on the job,” said Local 355 Business Agent Jim Deene. Local 888 President Lawrence Geho stressed the importance of joint bargaining. “We waged a long, hard and successful fight against regressive company proposals to ensure the security we need. And we got here because Baltimore Sun Teamsters stood together.” Photo: Local 355 Business Agent Jim Deene describes the highlights of the tentative agreements.

Stand with Safeway Teamsters in their drive to keep jobs in Maryland
Oct. 28, 2015  | Safeway plans to move up to 900 good union jobs from Prince George's County to a low-wage, non-union grocery warehouse in Pennsylvania. Maryland has been devastated by companies shipping out good jobs. It is painful to see that Safeway plans to join their ranks and put hundreds of Teamsters – members of Local 730 and 629 – out in the cold just days before Christmas. Stand with Safeway Teamsters – sign the petition asking the company to delay its decision and work with elected officials and its employees to try to find a way to keep these jobs in Maryland. Click here to sign.

Seattle Teamsters at Sysco ratify 3-year contract
Oct. 30, 2015  | In the end, solidarity won the day. On Saturday, October 24, Teamster drivers and warehouse workers, employed at Sysco, voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new three-year contract. It was a sweet victory, but it didn’t come easy. In contract negotiations, Sysco was proposing a two-tier system which would have divided the group and rolled back industry standards with respect to wages, health and welfare and seniority. But Teamsters at Sysco would not be pushed around. Continued...


Oct 07, 2015

The policy of the United States is "to protect the exercise by workers of full freedom of association, self-organization, and designation of representatives of their own choosing, for the purpose of negotiating the terms and conditions of their employment or other mutual aid or protection." But current law effectively denies these fundamental rights to tens of millions of Americans.

As a result, we are falling behind our industrial competitors in many significant ways. Our real wages, once the highest in the world, have fallen below the levels of the early 1970s. Our manufacturing sector is in sharp decline, as large corporations move production facilities to underdeveloped countries to take advantage of exploitative wages and minimal environmental and safety standards.

The Workplace Democracy Act strengthens the federal laws designed to protect workers and close the legal loopholes which now deprive working people of their right to organize on behalf of their wages, their benefits and their working conditions. By amending the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and by establishing a National Public Employment Relations Commission, The Workplace Democracy Act provides a vehicle to achieve a comprehensive reform of American labor law.

Main Provisions

Establishes card checkoff recognition. Once a majority of workers has declared its wish to be organized by conducting an election or by signing membership cards, legal recognition shall be given to their designated representative.

Guarantees the right to first contract. If by 45 days after certification, no collective bargaining agreement has been reached, the union then has the right to binding arbitration.

Strengthens and expands the enforcement authority of the National Labor Relations Board. Violations of labor law are violations of law, and must be both speedily prosecuted and remedied. Current penalties for violating the National Labor Relations Act are insufficient to serve as effective deterrents. The Workplace Democracy Act strengthens NLRB enforcement in the following ways:

  • Instructs the National Labor Relations Board to use its injunctive power whenever it finds an unfair labor practice.
  • Gives employees wronged due to such violations the right to be "made whole" for any economic losses they incur as a result.
  • Requires immediate reinstatement of discharged employees when unlawfully discharged.
  • Provides for treble (3x) back pay for employees who suffer economic hardship due to unfair labor practices.
  • Requires debarment of companies from Federal Government contracts for willful unfair labor practices.
  • Requires the National Labor Relations Board to assess civil penalties of not less than $10,000 against employers for each willful violation of the Act.


Repeals the prohibitions against strikes, boycotts and hot cargo agreements. Taft-Hartley provisions that prohibit one group of workers from engaging in actions in sympathy or concert with other groups of workers are eliminated, as well as the Landrum-Griffin Amendment that prohibits "hot cargo" agreements (when an employer and a union agree to refrain from handling any products of any other employer). The right to common situs picketing is thereby restored as well.

Prohibits state preemption of federal labor laws. Repeals Section 14(b) of the Taft-Hartley Act, concerning "right to work" laws. All workers shall enjoy the rights guaranteed them under federal law, regardless of where they live.

Secures equal treatment for all employees. Repeals the exclusion of plant guards from bargaining units with other employees where they work.

Ensures equal protection under the law for state and local public sector employees. Establishes the National Public Employment Relations Commission to ensure that public sector employees of states, territories, possessions or political subdivisions thereof, are guaranteed the right to collective bargaining, to binding arbitration, and to strike. Establishes a mandatory impasse procedure for public safety officers and fire fighters.

Provides workers the right to act as guarantors of their financial future. Provides for workers to serve as trustees on pension plans which cover their retirement.

Extends NLRA coverage to workers for U.S. owned companies that operate in Free Trade Agreement countries. Gives workers in countries that are party to a Free Trade Agreement with the United States the right to file unfair labor practice complaints against the United States owned parent company of their employer either under the NLRA or under the laws and procedures of that country.


Sep 15, 2015

First place team (L-R) Mel Stevens, Scott Vickers, Walker Chapman, and Rob Weckesser

Thirty-five members and retirees participated in Local 355's Fall Golf Outing September 12, 2015 at the Eisenhower Golf Course in Crownsville, Md.

Teams hit the 8:00 a.m. shotgun start, completing the 18-hole course despite cool temperatures and periodic rain showers. Just after noon, participants headed back to the golf club's covered outdoor pavilion to relax with lunch and liquid refreshments.

All participants received a $15 gift certificate to use for Local 355 products.

Second Place, right: (UPS)
    •    Mike Ridgely
    •    Scott Mandel
    •    Charlie Huber
    •    Timothy Duffy

Third Place, below: (UPS)
    •    Danny Ward
    •    John Zabka
    •    Jeff Zulka
    •    Richard Lowman

Closest to the Pin Winner:
    •    Tom Zabka, (UPS Feeders/Baltimore)

Longest Drive Winner:
    •    Walker Chapman, (UPS Freight/Elkridge)

View more photos in the Photo Gallery.


Sep 14, 2015
Teamsters Negotiating Committee reaches tentative carhaul agreement Sept. 1, 2015  | The Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee reached a tentative agreement yesterday for a new national carhaul contract. The Teamsters Committee unanimously endorsed the tentative agreement (TA).
Aug 18, 2015

We need you to tell UPS to sever ties with ALEC
Aug. 4, 2015 
Call (855) 974-4180 to have your voice heard by UPS's top executives, and let them know you want UPS to sever its relationship with ALEC. ALEC is bad for UPS and it hurts hardworking Teamsters like you who make UPS successful. How? ALEC's promotion of misclassification legislation at the state-level could put your UPS job in jeopardy by putting UPS's business model at a disadvantage against FedEx and the regional delivery Why would UPS be involved with an organization that hurts its own workforce. Call now!

ABF Freight, Teamsters graduate new class of military drivers
Aug. 4, 2015 
A truck driver training program class jointly operated by ABF Freight, the IBT and the U.S. Army will graduate this week. Known as the Teamsters Military Assistance Program, the program was created to help soldiers transition to civilian careers. It prepares soldiers to earn a Class A Commercial Driver's License and HazMat certification. Continued… Download the Teamsters Military Assistance Program brochure here. Note: Local 355 represents 83 ABF drivers.

Toyota is turning its back on Teamsters *
Aug. 5, 2015 
| * Link fixed. Teamster carhaulers are involved in a battle for their livelihoods with Toyota, which is trying to destroy good-paying union jobs. Toyota, which has been making record profits recently, is trying to make greater profits off the backs of hardworking Teamsters by contracting with lower-cost, less experienced carhaulers. The Teamsters went through a similar fight five years ago, and thanks to the efforts of carhaulers across the country, the union beat back Toyota last time around… The Teamsters are fighting again. Click here to learn what you can do to help your brothers and sisters.

Congress needs to prioritize infrastructure
Aug. 13, 2015 
| The Teamsters have been (and will continue to be) leading advocates in the need for the U.S. to improve its transportation infrastructure. It starts with coming up with a long-term funding plan. But right now, Congress is failing in its duties... Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said it is time for a united front on the issue that gets people working and improves road and rails for workers and travelers alike. Full story...

Teamsters take on Silicon Valley
Aug. 17, 2015 
| Under the leadership of Joint Council 7 President Rome Aloise, the Teamsters are on the front lines in the fight against income inequality in Silicon Valley [California]. Full story...

Carhaul negotiations continue
Aug. 18, 2015 
| Negotiations resumed the week of August 17 and are also scheduled August 23 - August 31, 2015. “The negotiating committees are working hard to reach an agreement that will protect all Teamster carhaul members’ jobs,” said Kevin Moore, Director of the Teamsters Carhaul Division. “These are some of the toughest jobs in the trucking industry." More here.

Teamsters applaud NLRB on joint employer ruling
Aug. 27, 2015 
| The Teamsters today applauded the National Labor Relations Board on its “joint employer” ruling in the case of Browning-Ferris Industries, Inc., as an additional step to protect and provide a voice to millions of American workers by holding employers that rely on temporary or contracted workers accountable. The ruling resulted from a 2013 case brought by Teamsters Local 350 in Daly City, Calif., against Browning-Ferris, a waste management company that is owned by Republic Services—the second-largest waste services company in the U.S. The union maintained that Republic had control over wage and working conditions for its workers employed through Leadpoint Services, a staffing agency, and counted as a joint employer with that agency. Full story…

Teamsters and employers continue carhaul talks
Aug. 31, 2015 
| From the IBT: "The Teamsters National Carhaul Negotiating Committee net with the employer group over the weekend in Chicago, and negotiations are still going on with the goal of reaching a tentative agreement." Continued...

Bring the Teamsters to FedEx Freight
Aug. 31, 2015 
| “We need to restore unity in this country. One way to begin is restoring it in labor. If we get the labor movement back and get the jobs back into this country we will all grow the economy and prosper. If we stay divided in the work place then we are divided throughout. Corporations have been winning at division for a while now. You see it every day at FedEx. I also see the unity at the 4 places that voted [union]. So it proved that as we stand united together we can conquer. Stand tall, people, with your brothers and sisters and unite – not divide – and organize.” It’s Teamster Time! Like our Facebook page here.


Jul 23, 2015

Hoffa: A blueprint for getting America back on track
July 6, 2015 
The American economy is not working. As the Teamsters have stated repeatedly, there needs to be a commitment to boost and expand America's middle class, which is the lifeblood of our country. But that alone will not fuel a national renaissance that will raise up a majority of people. There needs to be a buy-in from the business community that puts long-term economic health before short-term profits. The Roosevelt Institute, of which I am a board member, recently released a detailed blueprint called "Rewriting the Rules of the American Economy" authored by its renowned chief economist Joseph Stiglitz in an effort to tame income inequality. To put this nation back on track, the document makes clear that the U.S. must rethink the economic assumptions it's made during the past 35 years. Continue reading...

What's next for US Foods?
July 7, 2015 
Now comes the hard part for US Foods. Sysco's $3.5 billion proposal collapsed on June 30 after a federal judge ruled against the deal on anti-competitive concerns, leaving both companies back where they were in late 2013 – as fierce head-to-head competitors, each seeking to char a new path for future growth. Full story...

Truckers at Los Angeles, Long Beach ports vote Teamsters
July 10, 2015 
Eight-eight drivers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach voted late Wednesday to join the Teamsters, becoming the fourth company at the port to unionize at a time when many say port trucking is ripe for a shakeup. For decades, most drayage drivers – who number more than 10,000 at the LA and LB ports – have been independent contractors who own their own trucks. But as ports have grown more congested amid a general trucker shortage, an opening emerged for companies that purchase trucks and hire full-time drivers. Full story...

Teamster carhaulers launch campaign to save their jobs
July 17, 2015  
The Teamsters have a petition to Toyota for you to sign demanding the company not turn its back on American workers. It is critical that every Teamster carhauler sign a petition and return it to their shop steward or Business Agent Bill Alexander. Please don't wait. Do it now. Here's how to get the petition.

Teamsters call on UPS to leave ALEC at massive protest in San Diego
July 23, 2015 
Hundreds of Teamsters from across California traveled to San Diego Wednesday to participate in a massive protest outside a national meeting for the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The Teamsters had one clear message they wanted to send – it was time for UPS to end its affiliation with ALEC. Full story…

Teamsters post first billboard in Baltimore to educate the public about Toyota
July 23, 2015 
Yesterday the Teamsters Union posted the first of several roadside billboards about the Toyota Corporation in order to educate the American public about the economic and safety dangers posed by the company. The billboard is located along I-95 in Baltimore. “Toyota spent years trying to regain consumer confidence after mass recalls in 2009-2011 due to sticking gas pedals and faulty floor mats. Millions more Toyotas are being recalled due to dangerous faulty airbags. Now, on top of these very public issues, Toyota is bidding out much of its automobile transport work to small, unproven operators who undercut the health care protections and retirement security of their drivers,” said Kevin Moore, Teamsters International Trustee and Director of the Teamsters Carhaul Division. Full story ... Note: Local 355 represents more than 200 carhaul drivers.

Here's 7 reasons not-yet-union folks should join one
July 29, 2015 
| We know that our union jobs generally pay significantly more than non-union jobs and our negotiated contracts provide benefits like paid vacation, holidays and sick days that many non-union workers don't get. So how about that non-union worker friend of yours who doesn't get that being a member of a union can greatly improve his/her work life? This short and to-the-point article can help you talk with family members and friends who may be on the fence about joining a union.

Human rights before huge profits from TPP
July 28, 2015 
Putting people before the powerful. It's a statement the Teamsters firmly believe in, and one that U.S. democracy supports by having a one-person, one-vote system in place. But a report released yesterday by the State Department raises some concerns about whether American policy is following the same path. Continued...

Teamsters remember James R. Hoffa on 40th anniversary of disappearance
July 30, 2015 
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the disappearance of one of the greatest labor leaders in American history – James R. Hoffa. As Teamsters General President, Hoffa honed his well-earned reputation as a tough and effective bargainer and gained the respect of labor and business leaders alike across the country. He worked hard to expand the number of working men and women who were protected by union contracts and under his leadership, the union’s membership rose to include more than 2 million workers. Continued…


Jul 08, 2015
At least 103 other corporations have cut ties with ALEC. Why does UPS support an organization that actively seeks to hurt all workers and puts UPS’s own business at a disadvantage against FedEx and the regional delivery carriers? Take action now.
Jun 25, 2015

A hearty Local 355 congrats to Kraft/Dover members Mel Stevens, Dave Manning, Bob Wekesser and Walker Chapman for their first place win in the Local's bi-annual golf event held Saturday, June 13th, at the Hog Neck Golf Course in Easton, Md.

Teams teed off at 8:45 a.m. in a modified shotgun start format, finishing the 18-hole course at the same time in just under five hours. Heat and humidity slowed the pace a bit, but participants were rewarded with libations and lunch under the club's shaded outdoor pavilion.

Second Place:
UPS Package/Hunt Valley

  • Tim Wojtek
  • Craig Wilkerson
  • Peter Williams
  • Bob Williams

Third Place:
Kraft/Dover

  • Pete Manus
  • Paul Harris
  • Tony Batter
  • Craig Boehmer

Long Drive #9 -
Peter Williams (UPS/Hunt Valley)

Close to Pin #7 -
Walker Chapman (UPS Freight)

Long Drive #18 -
Walker Chapman (UPS Freight)

Close to Pin #17 -
Ralph Boarman (retired)

View gallery photos here.

Photos/Teamsters Joint Council 62


Jun 23, 2015

Local 355 carhaulers in Annapolis Rail Junction in Jessup, Md., load Toyota vehicles for delivery. In mid-June the IBT sent a team from its Campaign Strategies department to interview and photograph Local 355 members. Negotiations began earlier in the month for a new Teamsters national master agreement for nearly 6,000 Teamster carhaulers. The current contract and its local union supplements are set to expire Aug. 31.

Continued from main page | For the period ending March 31, 2015, Toyota had record net income, operating profit and global revenue. Net income jumped 19 percent to $18.14 billion in the 12 months ending March 31, while operating profit rose 20 percent to $22.99 billion.

“Despite these record profits, Toyota wants to make even more money by contracting with lower-bidding nonunion carhaul companies that push their workers to labor 60-plus hour workweeks with substandard working conditions and benefits,” said Kevin Moore, Director of the Teamsters Carhaul Division. “Once again, we are seeing corporations putting the zest for ever higher profits way ahead of the way it treats the people who make company successful, in this case the experienced, hardworking men and women who deliver their vehicles to dealerships. We will fight this greed head on to protect our members’ livelihoods.”

The union is assembling a team of experts to fight Toyota’s actions, and more information will be released soon on actions that will be taking place.

For now, Toyota’s job-crushing actions are taking place at several carhaul facilities east of the Mississippi River, with some facilities losing 30-percent to 50-percent of the Toyota work so far. It is occurring while the Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee has begun national contract negotiations with the employer group.

“We’ve seen this strategy before during national contract negotiations and we will once again do what it takes to protect our members across the country,” Moore said. “Sadly, the war on workers continues in this country even as the economy picks up. I will be working with our carhaul workers to ramp up our response.”

Click here to view more photos.   Photos/Teamsters Joint Council 62

Orginally posted at teamster.org.


Jun 10, 2015
Sysco considers life with (or without) US Food June 2, 2015  |  Closing arguments for the FTC hearing were held May 28th, and now the parties must await a decision. While they are expecting a prompt response, Chris Kreidler, chief financial officer and executive vice-president of Sysco Corp., said the companies are planning to hear a ruling some time during the latter part of June.
May 18, 2015

In Michigan, US Foods drivers vote Teamsters; others rally for union at Sysco
May 4, 2015 
Drivers at US Foods in Kalamazoo voted April 30th to join Teamsters Local 337 in Detroit. The drivers voted more than 70 percent in favor of Teamster representation, joining more than 200 US Foods drivers and warehouse workers in Novi, Mich., who are already members of Local 337.  Sysco and US Foods workers have been ramping up organizing campaigns with the Teamsters in the face of a possible merger between the two food distribution giants which could lead to significant job losses. Read more here. In Grand Rapids, Local 355 members Ed Mulford (US Foods) and Joe Schwabline (Sysco) spent 8 days assisting an organizing campaign at Sysco, highlighted by an April 29th Teamsters Local 406 rally attended by around 50 Sysco workers whose biggest issue is their shrinking paychecks. Read more here.

Food distributors are trying to convince judge to let them form a monopoly
May 5, 2015 
After years of acquiring smaller competitors, US Foods and Sysco, Inc. are the last two large companies in the food distribution industry. The government, AAI, Food and Water Watch, and the Teamsters union all argue that the companies already control the market, and would represent a monopoly if merged. The court hearing begins today. Full story...

At Unity, Teamsters look ahead to a bright future
May 11, 2015 
Some 1,600 Teamsters brothers and sisters from across North America gathered together Sunday as part of the 12th annual Unity Conference to share their success stories and speak truth to power about the increasingly perilous state of workers across the continent. Follow the day reports and photos here.

Bunzl workers choose Teamsters
May 13, 2015 
Local 355 welcomes drivers and warehouse workers employed at Bunzl Distribution in Hanover, Md., who voted Wednesday, May 13, 2015, to join the Teamsters. The unit of 25 workers seek fair treatment, and dignity and respect on the job. “We need to feel safe in our workplace,” said Charles Moser, Jr., a driver with eight years at the company. “We want to put an end to the bullying tactics that effect our working conditions.” Derrick Moon, a warehouseman for more than six years said that as a union they can address a continuing short-staffing problem. “People are overworked because of the shortage of staff.” Bunzel is a supplier of paper and packaging products. Pictured left to right: Derrick Moon; Local 355 Organizer Ed Mulford; Business Agent Chip Elgert; Charles Moser, Jr.; and Business Agent Mark Garey
.

Sysco overstating benefits of merger, gov’t witness says
May 15, 2015 
"… Sysco originally told investors that it would save $600 million through merging the two companies, which it would then pass on to consumers. Mr. Gokhale argued that a large part of Sysco's claimed "merger efficiencies" were not merger-specific, meaning that they were either happening or going to happen without the merger. As an example, he spoke at length about how Sysco expected to save money through "category management" following the merger, but both Sysco and US Foods had been doing this prior to the merger." Full story… Additional info on the FTC trial at Protecting Sysco & US Foods Workers on Facebook.

New shops ratify 1st contracts; Signature Flight, Piedmont Airlines still at table
May 18, 2015 
Matheson Gas workers in Baltimore ratified their first Teamster contract April 25th. Bargaining on behalf of Burris Foods workers began May 6th. Joint bargaining with four other unions is expected to begin soon for a first contract at Baltimore's Horseshoe Casino where Local 355 represents more than 50 workers, including valet attendants, warehouse workers and casino cashiers. More shop news...

Teamsters, allies voice outrage at attempts to gut truck safety laws
May 20, 2015 
Teamsters joined forces last week with safety advocates, crash victims, and law enforcement allies for a press event on Capitol Hill to speak out against proposed rollbacks of major truck safety regulations. The event was held as the Appropriations Committee considers this bill, which includes "riders" that will force truck drivers to work longer hours and drive larger, heavier trucks. Full story…

Fast Track vote in Senate may happen today
May 22, 2015 
Yesterday the Senate voted to end debate, meaning that a final vote could take place today. We cannot let up in the fight against Fast Track. Please send another email to your Senators right now to ask that they oppose Fast Track when it comes up for a final vote.

Memorial Day magazine preview: Teamsters Military Assistance Program
May 25, 2015 
This Memorial Day, as we honor the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country, we are paying tribute to our Teamster military heroes and the Teamsters Military Assistance Program (TMAP). Learn more...


Apr 21, 2015

After the contract vote: (L-R) Mike Greenhawk, Jim Craze, John McNally, Jim Wilkison, Michael Messick, Greg Novak, Tom Young, Tom Parks, Steve Thomspon, Paul Eichler, Wayne Leroux, Michael Smith, Mike King, and Bill Schneck.

Increase to extra shift bonus pay a very big deal

When the Anne Arundel County Fire Battalion Chiefs sought representation with the Teamsters, their number one issue was the gross inequity of extra shift bonus pay when compared to the overtime pay - depending on seniority - received by fire department personal two and three grades below them.

The chiefs work 24-hour shifts so working overtime means working another full 24-hour shift right behind a regularly scheduled shift. "For our group, that meant working overtime for pay that basically equates to less per hour than our straight-time pay," explained Smith.

The pay inequity has cost the chiefs thousands of dollars a year.

The County had refused to address the issue with the group during previous contracts and did not change its position during the recent round of negotiations. This time, however, the chiefs went to the bargaining table as Teamsters, armed with Local 355 President Denis Taylor's promise that the Union would pursue the inequity issue as far as necessary to get the desired result. Given Teamster 355’s winning track record, the County knew the Union would not back away from the fight.  The County called the Local Union Monday, April 13th, two days before the scheduled arbitration hearing with an offer and promptly accepted the Union’s counter offer.

The agreement provides the increase to the extra shift bonus payments that the chiefs were looking to gain with this contract. The enhanced payments will be effective July 1, 2015.

"We're very happy to have ratified a contract that finally includes the increase amount,” said Smith. “For many years, as non-associated group [not affiliated with the Teamsters], this issue was a tough fight for us. Being Teamsters gave us the strength to go as far as we did this time. Unaffiliated, we didn't have the resources to fight the County. Without the Teamsters, we would not have been successful.”

In addition, the new collective bargaining agreement includes a cost-of-living increase effective Jan. 1, 2016; continues the current cost share of health insurance; and establishes a bonus award program.­­­

Pictured above left, President Denis Taylor and Michael Smith. Above right, shop stewards John McNally and Michael Smith, and alternate steward Mike Messick.


Apr 16, 2015

Teamsters applaud veto of destructive Senate resolution
Apr. 1, 2015
| The Teamsters applauded President Obama's decision to veto a resolution backed by Congressional Republicans that would have blocked the National Labor Relations Board's rules designed to speed up the time it takes to unionize workers. The NLRB rule is scheduled to go into effect April 15, 2015. A description of the new rule and its reforms can be found here.

Contracts ratified at Anne Arundel County, Bond, Dow Jones, and others...
Apr. 6, 2015
| Local Union members approved contracts in recent months while bargaining continues on behalf of Baltimore Sun drivers, Signature Flight line service technicians, Stroehmann’s, Sysco drivers and warehouse workers... Shop news update

Baltimore could become the next Detroit. Seriously?
Apr. 6, 2015
| This isn’t exactly local union news but it IS news we want to alert you to because it’s bad news for hard-working people who rent in Baltimore. Think Progress reported Saturday that starting this week, 25,000 households in Baltimore will suddenly lose their access to water for owing bills of $250 or more, with very little notice given and no public hearings. City officials claim that residents using water without paying are to blame for the $40 million in overdue water bills. But the Baltimore Sun found that more than a third of those unpaid bills stem from just 369 businesses. (“Last year in Detroit, residents fought back against a similar plan to shut off water to customers with overdue bills.”) About half of Baltimore’s residents rent their homes, and most count on the property owners to pay the water bill. So why is this important? Central to this looming crisis is an issue of Human Rights.

NLRB to issue complaint against Sysco, bring justice to fired Teamsters
Apr. 8, 2015
| The Federal Government is weighing in on the side of workers at Sysco in Atlanta who were wrongly terminated after their successful campaign to join Teamsters Local 528. The NLRB told the union last week that it will be issuing a complaint against the company and seeking reinstatement and back pay for the fired workers. The 11 fired Teamsters were part of a huge effort to organize more than 400 coworkers who are drivers and warehouse workers for Sysco. Full story…

Horseshoe Baltimore Casino workers bet on union
Apr.8, 2015
| The Horseshoe Baltimore Casino is now officially union. The cards were counted last week and a strong majority of Horseshoe workers voted in favor of representation by the National Gaming Workers Coalition, comprised of Unite Here Local 7, Teamsters Local 355, Operating Engineers Local 37 and the UAW. The Horseshoe has recognized the union and dates will soon be set for negotiations on wages, benefits and working conditions.

Pictures available from photo session with President Hoffa
Apr. 10, 2015
| Images taken by Teamster Joint Council 62 at the March 4th photo shoot are available for viewing in the photo gallery. To request copies, email us here. Copies of the official photographs taken by the IBT and signed by President Hoffa were received this week and will be available at Sunday's general membership meetings.

Failed fast track is nearly upon us – again
Apr. 13, 2015
| Despite the Teamsters and our allies making clear that U.S. residents will be hurt if fast track can be used to quickly push secret trade deals like the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) through Congress, some lawmakers had decided to side with big business instead. But unfortunately, the fight doesn't end there. [The TPP Fast Track bill will be introduced in the Senate Tuesday.] This union and others who care about hard-working Americans are gearing up for a fight, and will need everyone who can to join in. Read on… [The TPP will outsource jobs, undercut workers' rights, dismantle labor, environmental, health, food safety, and financial laws, and allow corporations to challenge our laws in international tribunals rather than our own court system.]

HBO renews 'Veep' for Season 5, but return to Maryland uncertain
Apr. 14, 2015
| …That's because creator Armando Iannucci is leaving the series and a new showrunner, David Mandel, will be taking over. Since showrunners are responsible for getting series made and delivered to an outlet like HBO for distribution, they sometimes have the power to say where the series will be produced. With an infrastructure in place in Maryland, a return makes sense. But it is not guaranteed with Iannucci leaving. Full story… [Local 355 represents workers employed in the film industry.]

Teamsters take stand against fast track
Apr. 16, 2015
| The Teamsters joined some 1,200 fellow union members and far trade advocates at a Capitol Hill rally yesterday to call on Congress to stop pushing for fast track trade promotion authority that would allow a quick up-or-down vote on bad trade deals like the TPP… Leo Gerard, president of the United Steelworkers, called on workers to head to the halls of Congress and let their members know their thoughts on fast track: "You make sure you tell them you put them there and you can take them out of there!" Full story...

Breaking news: Fast Track legislation introduced in Congress today
Apr. 16, 2015
| The fast track bill hit Congress today and we need your help to stop it. This bill will put good Teamster jobs in jeopardy. The TPP, the "NAFTA of the Pacific," will mean even more jobs sent overseas, lower wages for the jobs that remain, unsafe food and possibly a ban on our "Buy American" procurement laws and regulations. If Fast Track becomes law, however, Congress won't be able to change a single provision of the agreement. Please email your Representative and Senators right now and ask that they oppose Fast Track if it's brought up for a vote. The Teamsters Union has stopped Fast Track before. With your help, we will stop it again.

Every Monday: New information for members and stewards
Apr. 20, 2015
| Members, do you know what a contract campaign is? Or why it's important to file a grievance in a timely manner? Stewards, need a refresher on your rights as a shop steward? When past practice is relevant? Worried about confidentiality issues? Every Monday we provide answers to those questions and more with tips to help you learn more about your role in the Local Union. Available under Members Resources - This Week's Member Tip  and Weekly Steward Tip. (Note: Forgot your password? Email teamstersjc62@gmail.com for assistance.)

Fire battalion chiefs unanimously approve their first Teamster contract
Apr. 21, 2015
| Local 355's newest unit ratified on Friday, April 17, 2015, a one year contract with Anne Arundel County that includes the resolution of their primary objective: a substantial increase in their extra shift bonus pay. The County rejected the Union's bargaining proposal that would pay the group time-and-a-half for extra shifts. The rejection forced an impasse and the Union’s subsequent call for arbitration. Battalion chiefs regularly work extra shifts for which they receive a lump sum payment that is significantly less than the time-and-a-half pay received by those in lower pay grades. Last week's scheduled arbitration was avoided when the County made an offer to settle the dispute. "We believe the County views us differently now that we have the support of the Teamsters Union," said shop steward Michael Smith. Read more here.

Teamsters protest Sysco at DC lobbying meeting *
Apr. 21, 2015
(* Updated 4/22) More than 70 Teamsters took part in a raucous rally Tuesday, April 21 to blast Sysco’s bullying of workers, its labor law violations and other misdeeds. The group of Teamsters chanted slogans and handed out fliers outside a food service industry meeting in Washington, D.C. “It’s great to see such a big turnout to send Sysco the message that ‘enough is enough,’” said Ed Mulford, an employee and steward at US Foods in Baltimore, who is a member of Local 355 in Baltimore. “It’s about time somebody stood up to Sysco’s arrogance. The company feels like it can do what it wants to do to their employees, to their customers and other players in the industry.” Full story here.

Sysco argues in favor of merger with US Foods
Apr. 24, 2015
Sysco Corp. is arguing in federal court that there is no national market for broadline foodservice distribution, and that local markets remain highly competitive, the company said Wednesday. The Houston-based distributor is trying to get past a Federal Trade Commission move to block its proposed merger with US Foods, the nation’s second largest distributor, and the only other broadline distributor, at least before the merger, with a national reach...The FTC has requested a preliminary injunction to stop the merger, and a hearing on the injunction is scheduled for May 5. The hearing is expected to be key, because the loser of the injunction is expected to drop out. Full story…

Don’t miss the deadline for Local 355’s annual scholarship
Apr. 27, 2015
The Local Union’s scholarships for sons or daughters of Local 355 members is good standing will be awarded at our upcoming meeting on Sunday, May 3. There’s no test to take. Just check out the eligibility requirements here, download and fill out the application, and drop off the completed form addressed to Secretary-Treasurer David White’s attention at the Baltimore office no later than this Friday 5pm. Good luck!

Today is Worker’s Memorial Day: “Speak Out for Safe Jobs”
Apr. 28, 2015
Every year, about 4,400 people are killed at work and 50,000 workers die from occupational diseases while millions more are injured. The Teamsters Union, and trade journalists around the world, recognize April 28 as Workers’ Memorial Day – and international day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made ill by their work... To help mark this important day, our union has background information on this day of rememberance, and provided these resources to help you start a conversation with coworkers or plan activities in your workplaces.

Atlanta Sysco workers reinstated, receive full back pay
Apr. 29, 2015
…Fourteen union activists terminated by Sysco during a Teamster organizing campaign in Atlanta, Ga. will be returned to their jobs with full back pay after the company issued unconditional offers to return to work Monday, April 27. Full story…


Mar 10, 2015

Senate to vote today to undo labor union rule *
Mar. 4, 2015
| The Senate will vote Wednesday on a GOP-backed motion that would undo a controversial National Labor Relations Board rule that makes it easier for workers to hold union elections. Republicans are using the Congressional Review Act that allows lawmakers to undo regulation through a motion of disapproval, which needs a majority vote in both chambers. The motion can't be filibustered or amended, which will help it bypass Democratic opposition. If the bill gets to his desk, however, the White House says President Obama will veto it. Full story... * Update: The bill passed the Senate Wednesday in a 53 to 46 vote. The legislation now goes to the House where it is expected to pass. However, it doesn't appear the Senate has the two-thirds majority required to overrule a presidential veto.

Tribune Publishing is busy playing catch-up
Mar. 5, 2015
| …TPUB’s purchase of Maryland and suburban Chicago properties have already netted $5 million in increased earnings; expect $10-12 million in added earnings this year, due to those buys. TPUB’s got a bit of cash for more acquisitions, and as I reported Monday (“Tribune in final bidding for U-T San Diego”), it’s hot on the trail of a ninth metro property, U-T San Diego, at a likely purchase price of $85 to 90 million. Full story…

Local members answer the call for IBT photo op
Mar. 5, 2015
| Local 355 members employed in a wide variety of industries traveled Wednesday to Teamsters headquarters in Washington, DC, to photographically represent our union’s diverse membership for future use in Teamster publications. After greeting all with enthusiastic hand-shakes and words of gratitude, General President Jim Hoffa joined 27 Local 355 members from the airlines, food processing, carhaul, car rental, express, package, freight, food service, industrial trades, motion picture, newspaper, parking, public service, and warehouse industries. While the IBT staff photographers worked to get the best and the most shots of our members, we took our own photos to share with you in the next issue of our Local 355 newsletter.

Hearing dates set for Sysco/US Foods antitrust suit
Mar. 6, 2015
| A federal judge set a May 5 start date for court hearings on the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit against the merger of the nation’s two largest food distributors. During a Wednesday hearing, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said he would consider the case from May 5-8 and would add as many as three days the following week, if needed. Judge Mehta isn't conducting a full-blown trial on the FTC's allegations, rather... Full story

One thousand Teamsters rally against WV legislature’s anti-worker agenda
Mar. 9, 2015
| More than 6,000 workers rallied Saturday in front of the West Virginia Capitol, including a thousand Teamsters who came out to show their support and stand shoulder-to-shoulder in solidarity with their brothers and sisters in the labor movement. “The working people of West Virginia deserve better from our politicians, and we won’t sit back as out-of-state interests try to strip us of our bargaining rights, drive down our wages and weaken job protections,” Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall told the packed crowd. Full story…

RTW in Wisconsin is another step down the wrong road for working families
Mar. 10, 2015
| "Wisconsin is now the 25th state to adopt right-to-work laws as politicians like Walker push forward the agenda of their right-wing task masters," Hoffa said Monday in an official statement. "The Koch brothers, through Americans for Prosperity and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) have poured millions of dollars into states across the country to push right-to-work legislation. These corporate interests will not stop in Wisconsin – they continue to attack working families, moving from state to state. We must remain strong and fight them wherever right-to-work legislation is introduced." Read the full statement...

We demand justice for fired Sysco Teamsters!
Mar. 19, 2015
| Sysco Teamsters need our help today! Sysco managers fired 15 union supporters in Atlanta and fired three in Kansas City during recent successful Teamster organizing drives in their facilities. Join us as we demand justice by telling Sysco President and CEO William Delaney to reinstate these brave men and women and bargain fair first contracts now! Sign this letter today!

Teamsters organize another FedEx Freight terminal
Mar. 20, 2015
| A group of 50 drivers at the FedEx Freight terminal in Stockton, Calif., on Tuesday, March 10th voted to join Teamsters Local 439… This is the fourth union victory since the Teamsters began their campaign to improve conditioned for workers at FedEx Freight and Con-Way. Beyond the organizing victories, the campaign has helped raise wages for all drivers at the two companies. Full story...

Sysco, US Foods seek disclosure of FTC witness identities
Mar. 23, 2015
| The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) went head-to-head last week with Sysco Corp. and US Foods Inc. over whether to make public the names of the declarants relied on by the FTC in its preliminary injunction to block Sysco and US Foods’ merger. Sysco and US Foods filed a motion in a Washington, D.C. federal district court on March 6 asking the judge to publicize the names, which the FTC quickly opposed. Full story...

Tell your senators to protect pension benefits!
Mar. 26, 2015
| Vermont's Senator Bernie Sanders will be offering an amendment to the budget resolution bill that would protect the pensions of thousands of retirees in multiemployer pension plans. The Amendment allows the flexibility to honor a long-standing promise, particularly for fixed-income seniors that can least afford to have their financial security at risk, and to find other sources of revenue to shore up the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. Please email your Senators today and ask them to support the Sanders Amendment should it come up for a vote.

REMINDER: Scholarship application deadline
Mar. 27, 2015
| The deadline for submission of your student's application for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund scholarship is Tuesday, March 31st. Don't miss it!

Teamsters call for defeat of Fast Track and TPP
Mar. 31, 2015
| Statement by General President Jim Hoffa: "The 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has for years been shrouded in mystery. But last [week], WikiLeaks gave U.S. workers a real gift when it pulled back the curtain on a portion of the proposed trade deal that shows what a boondoggle the agreement would be for big business. … the average worker is going to get screwed. The provisions will give corporations the ability to do an end-around on U.S. laws they don't like. How is that fair? What about the rights of the American people? What about democracy?…" Full story…


Feb 19, 2015

Sysco offers to sell 11 facilities to win merger approval *
Feb. 2, 2015
| Sysco said on Monday that it had agreed to divest 11 distribution centers in a bid to obtain the blessing of regulators including the Federal Trade Commission. Sysco will sell the centers for an undisclosed sum to Performance Food Group, which will be its nearest rival after the deal for US Foods closes. Full story here. *Update: Sysco reaches agreement to sell 11 US Foods distribution centers (none are in Maryland), contingent on consummation of merger.

Black history is the story of every Teamster
Feb. 3, 2015
| [Editor's note: February is Black History Month.] …From the inception of the union, many Teamsters understaff that racial divisions play into the bosses' ploy to divide and weaken the working class. Black unionists were at the center of the Teamsters since our founding in 1903. At a time when Jim Crow held sway in the south and discrimination against African Americans was commonplace nationwide, the Teamsters called for "no color line" in the union as early as 1906. Learn more here.

Boston GCC Teamsters halts deportation of Salvadoran refugee
Feb. 3, 2015
| Demonstrating the importance of community outreach, Graphics Communications Conference/IBT Local 3-N in Boston has worked successfully with the local Jobs With Justice branch, elected officials and faith-based organizations to halt the threatened deportation of a Salvadoran GCC/IBT press operator. Full story here.

Teamsters remember leader who changed the future for working men, women
Feb. 16, 2015
| Each year in February, Teamsters take a moment to reflect upon and remember James R. Hoffa, born February 14, 1913. Hoffa served as General President of the Teamsters Union from 1957 to 1971. In that time, he inspired thousands to stand up and let their voices be heard. His words, spoken more than 50 years ago, resonate jet as profoundly today as they did then: “While working men and women have long known the value of a dollar – it is a lesson well taught to one who labors for a living – it has taken a long, long time to teach employers the value of a human being, and in many cases has not yet been successfully taught. Few give though to what happens to displaced workers, but they can analyze to the penny what the profits will be.” Learn more...

Local 355, US Foods mutually agree to 90-day contract extension
Feb. 18, 2015
| The parties have agreed to extend the current contract due to expire March 15, 2015, in order to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement. The extension is due to expire June 15, 2015. The extension shall include retroactive pay back to March 15, 2015, the original expiration date.

Sysco not in talks to settle U.S. lawsuit to stop merger
Feb. 24, 2015
| Sysco said it would fight the Federal Trade Commission in court and that no settlement talks were underway… The federal court hearing will likely be set in 60 to 90 days. Full story...


Jan 19, 2015

No. There are no immediate cuts to any pensions.
Jan. 5, 2015
| The IBT has compiled a list of frequently asked questions about how the omnibus spending bill could affect you and your family. The big question: “Will my pension check be reduced?” Answer: No. The legislation does not mandate pension cuts. And for those funds that might seek to implement pension cuts, there are a number of procedural steps that have to be followed before they can do so. Learn more here.

Port strikes mirror Organized Labor's roots
Jan. 8, 2015
| Port truckers in California walked off the job in November to protest their dismal working conditions. Required to lease trucks while paying insurance and maintenance costs, drivers often earn less than minimum wage… While their plight hasn't commanded the widespread attention that 19th century strikes did, port workers might be the key to restoring basic labor rights for all Americans. Learn more here. Related: Agreement between Los Angeles, Long Beach port truck drivers, Carson firm allows Teamsters to enter negotiations.

ObamaCare and Bargaining: Local Union leaders seek answers to tough questions
Jan. 10, 2015
| The Affordable Care Act (ACA) – commonly referred to as ObamaCare – and our union members' healthcare plans have recently become a major issue for union negotiators bargaining successor contracts. Officers and trustees of the six local unions comprising Teamsters Joint Council 62 recently spent the better part of a weekend reviewing and discussing specific sections and requirements of the extremely complex healthcare law, as it pertains to employer plans and Taft-Hartley Benefit Plans. Some of the troublesome ACA provisions become effective this year. Information about how the provisions apply is complicated and, in some cases, may conflict with provisions of current plans. Continue reading here.

A new contract is in place at Amports
Jan. 13, 2015
| At a ratification meeting held last night, members employed at auto processor, Amports, located in Baltimore, approved a successor contract that provides significant wage increases, improved funeral leave language, and adds a new retirement savings plan, the GCC-IBT Inter Local Pension Plan, a 501c plan funded solely through tax-deductible participant payroll deductions. In a addition, the agreement calls for a streamlined process by which employees classified as "casual" can move to permanent employee status after working 125 shifts within a six-month period. Continue reading here.

Hoffa to members: A new day for our great union
Jan. 14, 2015
| "Today, the Teamsters Union and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York filled an application with Chief Judge Loretta Preska requesting that she approve an agreement to end decades of government oversight over the Teamsters Union. We anticipate that she will approve the agreememt. This is an historic day for our Teamsters. After decades of hard work and millions of dollars spent, we can finally say that corrupt elements have been driven from the Teamsters and that the government oversight can come to an end." Read General President Jim Hoffa's entire statement on the agreement to end the consent decree, or watch his video statement.

Matheson Gas workers in Jessup, Md. vote to join Local 355
Jan. 15, 2015
| Following a two-month organizing campaign, drivers and fillers employed at Matheson Gas in Jessup, Md., voted yesterday to be represented by Local 355. Their Yes votes were for dignity and respect in the workplace. "The primary issue for the twelve employees is the way they are treated," said Business Agent Chip Elgert. "They had to fight for vacation and paid days off that they were already entitled to. Patterns of unjust discipline was also an issue that sent these workers to us." Local 355 also represents Matheson employees on the Eastern Shore. Drivers deliver compressed gases and propane to various industries including construction and hospitals.

Sign our petition in support of amendment to overturn Citizens United
Jan. 19, 2015
| Wednesday, January 21st marks the 5-year anniversary of Citizens United. In the five years since the decision was handed down, spending by outside groups has increased by over 500%. Most of the new outside money, over 70% of it, goes to support anti-worker candidates backed by big corporations and billionaire plutocrats like the Koch Brothers. The only way the law can now be changed is through a constitutional amendment. Please sign our petition today in support of an amendment to overturn this anti-democratic ruling that has shifted control of our elections from the will of the people to the wallets of the super rich.

No time to waste in letting public, lawmakers know about Fast Track
Jan. 27, 2015
| The Teamsters and our fair-trade friends have seen the damage fast track and bad trade deals like the TPP can do… With Congress set to consider fast track soon, there is no time to waste in letting both the public and elected officials know about the dangers of unfair trade. Less jobs, lower pay, less worker protection and unsafe food and products isn't good for anyone – except big business. Read General President Jim Hoffa's guest column here.

Leaked memo: YRC seeks to outsource unprofitable runs
Jan. 29, 2015
| YRC Freight is looking to increase its use of purchased transportation to increase its profitability, according to a leaked internal memo. A Dec. 18, 2014, memo obtained by the Kansas City Business Journal, details a change-of-operations request to the Teamsters that would allow the company to increase its use of interline carriers – third-party transportation providers – in areas currently served by YRW employees. …No YRC employees will be laid off as a direct result of the change of operations. Full story here.


Dec 15, 2014

Tens of thousands of Teamsters and retirees voiced their strong opposition over the last weeks and months to pension legislation that was included in the Omnibus spending bill. Unfortunately, the legislation was sneaked into the bill literally in the dark of night and through procedural chicanery that didn't even allow for a separate vote or give us the opportunity to strip the provisions from the bill and passed the Senate late Saturday evening.

We encourage you to make one more call to the White House at 202-456-1414 to encourage President Obama to rethink his present course of action and veto it when it reaches his desk.

This fight is not over. The union will be looking for any avenue to protect hard-earned Teamster pensions and will work to ensure transparency by any Teamster fund that might look to this legislation to provide relief.

Over the next days and weeks, we will be providing more information on the timing of this legislation and what you can do to continue this fight. It is important to note that no pension cuts are going into effect immediately.

We understand that this is a very difficult time for all Teamsters, especially retired Teamsters who are dependent on their pension. We encourage everyone to remain calm while we continue our efforts to protect every member and their pension.

Please check out www.Teamster.org for the most up-to-date information that we know on the issue.


Dec 12, 2014

Dec. 12, 2014 | The Teamster Union is opposed to the Omnibus Spending Bill. It keeps the governement open on the backs of hardworking Americans and retirees.

The legislation would:

  • Threaten the retirement security of thousands of retirees.
  • Increases the number of hours that truck drivers can spend on the road every week.
  • Dismantle key Wall Street Reform by allowing big banks to make risky derivatives trading bets using taxpayer-insured funds.
  • Let every wealthy person put over one and a half million more dollars into politics so we will continue to see more legislation that threatens pensions and increases the hours Teamsters have to work.

Protect your job, your family and your pension.

Call Congress NOW at 888.979.9806 to be connected to your senator.


Dec 11, 2014

Local 355 officers and members honor fallen brother
Dec. 1, 2014
| Retired Baltimore Sun driver and Baltimore City Fire Dept. safety officer, James Bethea, was laid to rest November 20th. Local 355 officers, business agents and members joined hundreds of firefighters, law enforcement officers, public servants, family and friends at the funeral and internment service. Recently-retired Baltimore Sun dispatcher and Local 355 steward Jim Sawyer was invited by the Bethea family to deliver a eulogy. He graciously agreed to share his words of remembrance here. Photos included.

Maryland lawmakers consider yelling 'cut' on film tax-credit program
Dec. 3, 2014
| The panel of analysts spent more than hour yesterday afternoon explaining why Maryland should stop giving millions of dollars to movie and televisions productions that choose to film in the state. Continue reading here. More at The Baltimore Sun. [Editor's note: Local 355 represents movie industry drivers.]

Anti-union grocer slashes benefits, pensions for 1,100 Pennsylvania Teamsters
Dec. 4, 2014
| In a new version of the old ploy of manipulating federal bankruptcy courts to bludgeon unions into economic concessions or givebacks, the nation's largest grocery wholesaler used sped-up court procedures to make a quick buy of one of its regional competitors last month – and, in the process, slash the pensions and benefits of 1,100 truck drivers and warehouse workers. Full story here.

Teamsters at Castle Oil about to lose their jobs - help save them!
Dec. 4, 2014
| Teamster drivers and mechanics for many years kept New York warm delivering fuel from the Bronx for Castle Oil. Now, just before Christmas, they’re about to be thrown out into the cold. Corporate giant Sprague Energy is buying Castle Oil, and 50 members of Teamsters Local 553 are losing their jobs in the process. They’ll be replaced by non-union, low-wage contract jobs. You can help: Please take a minute to sign this petition, urging Sprague Energy’s CEO David Glendon to keep these good, middle-class jobs in New York. Your support will be greatly appreciated by the 50 Teamsters at Castle Oil who fear a bleak Christmas.

Teamsters take a stand against unfair TPP, Fast Track
Dec. 9, 2014
| The Teamsters joined hundreds of labor and fair-trade activists yesterday in calling on the U.S. government not to move forward with the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) or fast-track trade promotion authority that would speed its consideration… "The voices of millions of working, middle-class Americans cannot be ignored," said General President Jim Hoffa. "They are tired of being the casualties of bad trade deals that send good-paying jobs overseas. The Teamsters Union will continue the fight against Fast Track authorization and the Trans-Pacific Partnership – American workers cannot pay the price of another bad trade deal." Full story and photos here.

Friday deadline looms in behind-the-scenes battle over truck safety
Dec. 10, 2014
| More people will die if Congress weakens truck safety to make the trucking industry happy. And Congress may just do that as it races to meet the Dec. 12 deadline to pass a budget bill. Read here what the Teamsters are doing to stop the proposal.

Report: Sysco poised to complete $8.2B merger with US Foods
Dec. 11, 2014
| The New York Post reported today "…Sysco is selling assets worth $5 billion to Performance Food Group to win regulatory approval, two sources said. That is equal to roughly one-quarter of US Food's revenue…" Full story here.

Local 355 welcomes Anne Arundel County Fire Dept. battalion chiefs
Dec. 11, 2014
| In a representation election held December 10, 2014, Anne Arundel County Fire Department battalion chiefs voted unanimously to join Teamsters Local 355.  “We are thrilled to be with the Teamsters. The big union is like our big brother,” said Michael Smith, a 25-year veteran with the Department. The group, an independent association, decided in September to seek the organized umbrella of a larger union that could provide the experience and assistance they need to continue to negotiate and enforce their contract. The battalion chiefs serve directly under the fire chief of Anne Arundel County, support 31 town and city fire stations, and coordinate management and delivery of emergency fire and medical services to the citizens of the county. Watch for their story in the upcoming issue of our newsletter. Pictured: Local 355 Business Agent Dan Taylor congratulates Anne Arundel County Battalion Chiefs Association president Michael Smith following the group’s unanimous vote to become Teamsters.

Call your senator NOW!
Dec. 12, 2014
| Tell them to vote NO on the Cloture and NO! on the Omnibus to protect Teamster pensions and jobs. Call 888-979-9806 to be connected to your senator. The Teamsters Union is opposed to the Omnibus Spending Bill. It keeps government open on the backs of hardworking Americans and retirees. Click here to learn what the legislation would do, then call your senator at 888-979-9806. Do it right now.

Teamsters denounce Senate passage of Omnibus Spending Bill
Dec. 15, 2014
| “With the passage of the omnibus spending bill by the Senate, we have witnessed the latest attack by corporate interests on working families, " said General President Jim Hoffa in response to the Senate's passage of the Omnibus Appropriations Bill. “Big business and Wall Street have bought and paid for influence and access that has allowed them to continue to enrich corporations at the expense of the middle class... We can only hope that President Obama rethinks his present course of action, recognizes the destructive nature of the provisions in this bill and vetoes it when it reaches his desk.” Full statement here. We encourage you to make one more call to the White House at 202-456-1414 to encourage President Obama to rethink his present course of action and veto it when it reaches his desk. This fight is not over. The union will be looking for any avenue to protect hard-earned Teamster pensions and will work to ensure transparency by any Teamster fund that might look to this legislation to provide relief. Click here for more information.

What the Cromnibus Law means for multiemployer pension plans
Dec. 16, 2014
| … The law states that plans in”critical and declining status” can temporarily or permanently suspend current and future benefits. This suspension can include benefits already accrued for vested participants and benefits already being paid to retirees and beneficiaries…The law sets limits. For example, the monthly benefit of any participant or beneficiary may not fall below 100% of the PBGC’s guaranteed monthly benefit. Participants and beneficiaries aged 75 and older are afforded special protections, as are those with benefits based on disability. Full story here. Related: Those pension cuts and what you need to know.

More than 400 Sysco workers in Atlanta vote Teamsters
Dec. 17, 2014
| In a major victory, Sysco workers have voted to join Teamsters Local 528 in Atlanta. With 423 workers in the bargaining unit, the vote for Teamster representation is the biggest at Sysco in years. The vote comes as the FTC continues its review of the proposed merger between Sysco and US Foods, a transaction that could place Sysco and US Foods workers' jobs in jeopardy. Full story here.

Take two and call me in the morning
Dec. 24, 2014
| The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is reminding all employers and workers of the importance of maintaining a healthy, influenza-free workplace this season and throughout the New Year. Check out the Department of Labor's 7 simple ways you can help prevent seasonal flu in your workplace.


Nov 17, 2014
FedEx Freight workers In New Jersey vote to join Teamsters Nov. 1, 2014 | A group of 113 drivers at FedEx Freight’s South Brunswick, N.J., terminal voted yesterdy to join Teamsters Local 701. The vote was 66 to 42. “This victory is for all of us,” said Mike Thiemer, a driver. “We are tired of the unfair and inconsistent work rules and policies handed down by management.
Nov 17, 2014

Additional photos can be viewed here.

Funeral services were held Thursday, November 20, 2014, for former Baltimore Sun driver James Bethea, also a Baltimore City Fire safety officer who died in the line of duty.

Local 355 Union officers, business agents and members joined hundreds of firefighters and law enforcement officers from as far away as Canada, politicians and family members who attended to pay their respects to the well-respected 40-year veteran of the department. Bethea, worked for The Baltimore Sun as a part-time driver from 1989 until his retirement in December 2013.

Baltimore Sun dispatcher and long-serving shop steward Jim Sawyer was among those asked by the family to deliver a eulogy of words of remembrance and comfort. Jim graciously agreed to share his comments here:

"I am honored to speak to you today on behalf of Teamsters 355 and the employees of the Baltimore Sun about a man that we came to respect and admire: Jim Bethea.

Jim came to work with us at The Sun in June of 1989 as a Teamster driver. At the time, just another fire fighter looking for a part-time job. Little did we know how he would tounch out lives.

Jim was generally a quiet man that went about the business of performing his job with a subtle dignity that you could almost feel. Jim was an intelligent man who was smart enough to know that he didn't know it all; a caring man whose concern for others was obvious; a person who commanded respect without demanding it.

Jim had a good sense of humor, too. Having the same first name kind of opened the door to some amusement for me. When he came in, I'd say "Hey Jim" and he'd say "Hey Jim" and I'd say I hear an echo and he'd say "yeah, but I'm the better looking one."

I found that, at times, Jim was an observor. He'd watch and listen and sometimes comment. Jim seemed to always be looking things to be better, whether personally or work-related or in the Teamster contract. He seemed to enjoy trying to make things better.

You know, we in the general population regard you fire fighters as heroes for your dedication to the protection and preservation of people and property while putting yourselves in jeopardy. One night, a few years ago, Jim gave us a first-hand look at what that means. One of our former drivers had pulled up to the dispatch office after returning from a delivery with a 53' tractor trailer. The driver got out of his trucj and went inside just as Jim was coming out. This driver was so preoccupied with whatever, he neglected to set the parking brake and the entire rig started drifting backwards down the driveway. If not stopped, it could have caused significant damage. Jim saw it drifting and starting to pick up speed and, with no rehard for his personal safety, managed o jump into the truck and pulled the brake. Just one wrong step o one little slip could have meant serious injury to Jim, yet he acted like it was no big deal.

Needless to say, the company, his fellow workers, and the Teamsters disagreed.

But there was other ways that Jim was a hero in my eyes: The way he carried himself with quiet dignity, the way he was alway concerned about the safety and well-being of others, and even in theway he went about doing his job.

We've missed him on the job since he retired at the end of last year, although some of the guys would still get together with him for a round or two of golf (even if he did usually kick their butts), and we'll miss him even more now. However, I do rest easy in the fact that when the Father kcalled hime home, he was doing what he loved for the past 40 years. He's in a better place now.

Jim Bethea was a good friend to many a good coworker, a good union brother and, in my opinion, a very good man. Goodbye, my brother. I am proud to have known you."

Photos:

Top: A firefighter carried Lt. Bethea’s helmet ahead of his coffin. A fire engine from Baltimore City Fire Department Squad 40, Bethea’s firehouse during the years he worked as a firefighter, carried his coffin to the church and the cemetery. Hundreds of firefighters lined the driveway in front of the church while lines of mourners stretched for blocks around.
Top right: (L-R) Local 355 Secretary-Treasurer Dave White, President Denis Taylor, Trustee Ed Mulford, Business Agents Jim Deene, Mark Garey, Chip Elgert and Marcus Smith.
Center: Jim Sawyer

On November 12, 2014, LT. JAMES E. BETHEA Survived by wife; Dr. Brenda Pridgen, son; Darryl A. Bethea (Tia M.), parents; James and Margarine Bethea, sister; Darlene Bethea, grandson; Ethan J. Bethea, and a host of other family and friends.

Viewings: Tuesday, November 18, 2014 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.,  and Wednesday, November 19, 2014 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Wylie Funeral Home, 701 N. Mount St., Baltimore, MD 21217.
Funeral services:  Thursday, November 20, 2014, 11 a.m, at Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, 5200 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Md.
21210

Corrected 12/11/14: An earlier version of this story mis-identified Brother Jim Sawyer as "recently retired." Sawyer has not retired.


Oct 22, 2014

(L-R) Shop stewards Dave Beach and Bill Stramm, Operations Manager Mark Fischer, Local 355 Vice President Ervin Williams, and Business Agent John Caparatta.

Penn Fibre Teamsters participate in repair, revitalization of their workspace

Note: Local 355 has represented workers at thermoplastics manufacturer Ensinger/Penn Fibre for more than 40 years. Our members – many of whom are long-term employees – work in every department throughout the plant. The following is an update to an earlier story, "A Win-Win at Penn Fibre," reported in 2012.

Greenwood, Del. —  In September 2012, Penn Fibre began construction of a warehouse extension (right) to store the overflow of materials used in the production of high-performance engineering plastics, the company's signature product. The tight space and aging floors of the old warehouse raised concerns about worker safety. At the time, General Manager John Cowperthwait told his workers the company was committed to undertaking the necessary measures to avoid unnecessary accidents.

Penn Fiber's German parent company, Ensinger, launched BOOM — "Because Our Opinion Matters" — a bottoms-up initiative designed to teach its plant locations how to continuously improve and maintain their workspace. The BOOM program promotes a process by which employees – union and non-union alike – are encouraged to tell management what improvements are necessary to make the plant more efficient, productive and safe. It is the employees, working hands-on, day-to-day within their spaces, who know what is broken and in need of fixing, said Cowperthwait.

Workers began by surveying and analyzing their own departments, making lists of recommendations. The various departments then met to discuss and determine priorities. Almost all recommendations were approved.

The first phase of BOOM completed, the company moved to the second phase in July with a one-week "maintenance shutdown," limited production schedule and, with "all hands on deck," assigned employees to cleaning, painting, organizing, repairing and sprucing up their workplaces, all according to the final recommendations and suggestions for change. Everyone was paid their regular weekly rate.

"Though we do a maintenance shutdown annually, this year we accomplished much, much more," said Mark Fischer, operations manager. "Historically, we change motors and pumps and do other busy work. This year was different, well beyond the norm. Teamwork was essential."

Work projects included sealing large floor cracks (right) thus eliminating tripping hazards and easing fork-lift vibration, often the cause of back injuries; re-configuring the old warehouse's aisles that were too close together with materials stacked too high making them hard to access; machines were cleaned — one was re-located to improve productivity and safety — and a new drive controller was installed to maintain consistent flow of the thin plastic sheets used to make product. Interior walls were reinforced and re-painted, building exteriors received a fresh coat of paint, the company's outdoors logo was hand-painted, and new gravel was distributed on walk and pathways.

"The program really upped the morale," said David Beach, a die shop employee and Teamster shop steward since 2014. "It makes us feel good to work in a clean environment."

Penn Fiber's newly hired maintenance manager is moving to address other areas where improvements were recommended by the employees, including the installation of better lighting.

Shipping department employee and Teamster steward Bill Stamm said it made a big difference to know management trusted the workers to make sound decisions about the clean up. "For example, if one department no longer needed a piece of equipment or storage rack (left), we checked around with other departments to see it if could be repurposed. The company was fine with that." 

Today, not only does the plant look good, it's much safer. Penn Fiber Teamsters are proud of their contribution and hard work that helped to make it all happen.

"Our members were enthusiastic about the BOOM program because the changes were happening with them, not around them," said Local 355 Vice President Ervin Williams adding, "Their opinions mattered."


Oct 13, 2014

Beginning Oct. 1: Tow trucks included in Maryland's 'move over' law
Oct. 1, 2014
| Motorists will be required by law to move over for tow trucks starting Oct. 1, according to Maryland State Police. The law is intended to provide an extra barrier of safety for police, fire and emergency rescue personnel, and now tow truck drivers, police said… Violation of the "move over" law is a primary offense with a fine of $110 and one point added to a driver's license. Read more here.

Election should be about letting all eligible voters vote
Oct. 3, 2014
| In the first of five in-depth blog posts leading up to the Nov. 4 election that will examine the issues of importance not only to Teamsters, but all workers, Teamster Power writes: "How do you know that Election Day is right around the corner? Because anti-worker forces in key swing states are trying to tamp down on who can and cannot vote." Worth your time to read it here.

Facebook's bus drivers seek union
Oct. 6, 2014
| They shuttle highly paid Facebook employees to and from the company's headquarters in Silicon Valley, yet many say their pay is so low that they can't afford to live in the area. Moreover, many complain that they start work around 6 a.m. and do not finish until 9 p.m., 15 hours later. Now, some of these shuttle bus drivers, who get Facebook employees to work are seeking representation by the Teamsters union. Learn more here.

There's nothing fair about being a woman in the workplace
Oct. 7, 2014
| In the second of five in-depth blog posts leading up to the Nov. 4 election, Teamster Power writes: It may be the 21st century, but for too many working women it might as well be the Dark Ages. Their wages continue to lag significantly behind their male counterparts. And congressional efforts to change it have been hampered repeatedly by Senate Republicans. The latest rebuffing of wage equity came last month, when the GOP halted an effort to move forward with the Paycheck Fairness Act…" Worth your time to read it here.

The Teamster History Project wants your photo
Oct. 8, 2014
| The Teamsters History Project is currently working on a new book for the Teamsters History book series about Teamsters in Military Service and is looking for photos of Teamsters who served in the military at any time during the last 110 years of our history. If you'd like to submit photos of you and/or Teamster relatives who have served in any of the conflicts during that time, you will find additional information and instructions for photo submission here.

After nearly 22 years, Burris Foods driver Melvyn Miller turns in his keys
Oct. 10, 2014
| Miller, still fit and healthy at 71, is tired of driving. "I drove 460 miles today," he said last week when we spoke with him. "Yesterday, 506 miles, 8 deliveries. The strain adds up. Driving is a physical and mental job and after almost 22 years, it has taken it's toll. Oh sure, I still have the desire every day to go out and do a good job for the company, and I make that happen. But I'm tired so I'm retiring. I'll do something else for a while." Miller retired yesterday. Full story here.

Fight against the War on Workers by voting
Oct. 13, 2014
| Show how you're fighting the War on Workers by printing out the "I'm a Teamster and I Vote" sign, hold it up and take a selfie for the Teamster Facebook page. Click here to get your sign.

Teamsters’ teach-in spotlights environmental injustice at hazardous landfill
Oct. 14, 2014 | …Speakers at the session, hosted by Teamsters Joint Council 13, emphasized that 1,600 Teamsters and tens of thousands of other workers live within a short radius of the Republic Service toxic landfill in Bridgeton, Missouri. The landfill contains 8,700 tons of un-containerized radioactive waste… The teach-in made clear that unionists, community residents, faith leaders, environmentalists and pro-worker attorneys were going to be anything but invisible. Read the full story here.

Teamsters make history with first-ever organizing victory at FedEx Freight
Oct. 15, 2014
| A group of 47 drivers at FedEx Freight’s East Philadelphia terminal in Croyden, Pennsylvania, made history yesterday when they overwhelmingly voted to join Teamsters Local 107 in Philadelphia. “We are tired of getting treated with disrespect and dealing with constantly changing unfair and unwritten work rules,” driver Gary Loftus said. “We also want job security and to be valued for the work we do making FedEx Freight successful.” Full story here.

Private sector privileges cost regular workers
Oct. 16, 2014
| …In the third of five in-depth blog posts leading up to the Nov. 4 elections, Teamster Power writes: “The U.S. has a population of more than 317 million people It has more than 146 million registered voters. But increasingly, elected officials seem to believe their only constituency is the Fortune 500… Between big business outsourcing jobs overseas and the billion doled out by the federal government in tax breaks directly to corporations every year, you’ll excuse those who believe President Lincoln’s famous clarion for American government has morphed into ‘Of, By, and For the Company.’ Full story here.

Send your boss a message every Thursday
Oct. 17, 2014
| Wear your Teamster colors every Thursday to show Sysco and US Foods our solidarity in demanding answers about what will happen to us if this merger goes through. Teamsters have been outside Sysco, US Foods, Sygma, Stock Yards, and FreshPoint facilities across the country on behalf of all workers— union and non-union. Let’s show Sysco and US Foods that we are standing strong together.

Local union shop stewards complete three days of extensive training
Oct. 18, 2014
| Local stewards were awarded recognition certificates today at the conclusion of a grueling three-day seminar held in Williamsburg, Virginia. "Without the work you do this union would not function, and on behalf of the membership, I sincerely thank you," said President Denis Taylor during his remarks expressing appreciation and support to the 112 stewards who participated in the training. The Local sponsors shop steward training every other year. Photos are available in the photo gallery (photo IDs to come). Story to follow. Stay tuned...

They're Teamsters and they vote! *
Oct. 20, 2014
| Local 355 shop stewards showed their power last week during a break at the Local-sponsored steward seminar. Proud to be part of a politically powerful union, these members contribute, are registered and ready to vote on November 4th. Are you? * Pictured left, Sabrina Beverly (Avis Rent-a-Car) and right, (left to right) Gilbert Howdershelt (Burris Foods) and Lynnwood Bowe (Burris Foods).

Penn Fibre Teamsters proud of their work to improve the workplace
Oct. 22, 2014
| The company's BOOM (Because Our Opinions Matter) program culminated in a week-long, interior and exterior repair and revitalization project of Penn Fibre's thermoplastics manufacturing facility. Workers were invited to tell management what improvements were necessary to make the plant more efficient, productive and safe. They did, and the results are proof their opinions do indeed matter. Story and pictures here.

Workers hold the future of inequality in their hands
Oct. 31, 2014
| In the final of five in-depth blog posts leading up to the Nov. 4 elections, Teamster Power writes: "Our nation's economic recovery may seem real to those who compile government statistics or for the elites on Wall Street and Capitol Hill. But ask the average rank-and-file worker in cities and towns across America, and you'll likely get a much different answer. Despite a reduction in the U.S. unemployment rate, workers are still struggling. The reason is simple — jobs that paid a fair salary and supported families before the Great Recession have been replaced by those that pay the minimum wage or not much higher. Continue reading here.


Oct 10, 2014
Burris Foods driver Melvyn Miller said goodbye to his friends and coworkers yesterday and retired from the company he had served so well for 21 years and 8 months. "The company was good to me, too," said Miller. "Overall, it has been the best company to work for, right from the beginning when Mr. Jack Burris was the president.
Sep 18, 2014

Local 355 golfers included Greg Anderson (Dow Jones), Danny Williams (APA), Rex Petterson (US Foods, retired), and Tony Savage (US Foods). View more photos in our Photo Gallery.

Forty members and retirees participated in Local 355's Fall Golf Outing September 12, 2014 at the Eisenhower Golf Course in Crownsville, Md.

Teams hit the 8:00 a.m. shotgun start, completing the 18-hole course despite rain which was heavy at times. Just after noon, the wet and weary participants headed back to the golf club's covered outdoor pavillion where they enjoyed lunch and liquid refreshments.

First Place: (UPS Freight/Elkridge)

  • Scott Vickers
  • Joe Pack
  • Walker Chapman
  • Mel Stevens

(Second, third and fourth place info to come)

Closest to the Pin Winner:

  • Rick Boehner, (Kraft/Dover), near right, with Secretary-Treasurer Dave White, center

Longest Drive Winner:

  • Tom Zabka, (UPS Feeders/Baltimore), far right

Sep 12, 2014
Learn about the influential people in our Labor history Sept. 1, 2014 | The workplace rights and protections we enjoy today were won for us by generations of America's working heroes.
Aug 26, 2014
Teamsters praise Obama crackdown on companies that abuse workers Aug. 4, 2014 | The Teamsters strongly supports President Obama's executive order to crack down on corporations that break laws but still win government contracts.
Jul 21, 2014
Spy vs. sp…trucker? July 1, 2014 | A case to be heard by the NLRB on August 25th revolves around California trucking company Green Fleet Systems who the Teamsters union claims has used threats, coercion, and the termination of two employees to squash unionization efforts among misclassified independent contractors.
Jul 02, 2014

Dillon Stanley and Javier (Jay) Cook are the 2014 winners of the Teamsters Local Union 355 40th Annual Scholarships Awards.

Dillon, son of UPS package driver Chris Stanley, graduated from Bennett High School in Salisbury, Md., and plans to attend Salisbury University in the fall while Jay, son of Donovan Clark, also a UPS package driver, graduated Easton High School, Easton, Md., and plans to attend Chesapeake College.

The students' names were selected in a drawing of scholarship applications during the May 18, 2014, general membership meeting at the Baltimore union hall. Dillon and Jay will each receive $4,000, paid out at the rate of $1,000 per academic year.

Dillon (right, with his dad) a track athlete and long-distance runner, plans to earn a degree in communications, with a focus on sports journalism. "I've always been a huge sports fan and a career as a sports reporter or broadcast announcer would allow me to stay close to the games I love," he said. Dillon is a devoted follower of the  Baltimore Orioles and Maryland Terps, and runs 5k races almost every weekend. When he wasn't playing basketball growing up, he joined in his dad's quest to run a marathon in every U.S. state. (Chris has run 13 marathons to date.) If dad fueled his early interest in sports, it was Dillon's educator mom who helped develop his interest in the written word. "My mom is a kindergarten teacher. She encouraged me to read at an early age. I really like learning about history, reading about the past." When Dillion isn't watching or playing sports, or reading about the Civil War, he can be found at the movies. A self-described movie buff, Dillon prefers comedies, but likes action and horror films too. "Thank you so much to the Teamsters for choosing me for this scholarship. It is a great honor."

Like Dillon, Jay, (left, with his dad), is an avid reader, preferring history and English literature. But right now his passion is his car, a 1997 VW Golf with more than 200,000 miles on the engine, and a wheel bearing that needs replacing. "My mom and dad bought it for me when the car I bought myself died. I like working on it, mainly because I need to get it running so I can find a job for the summer, hopefully one outdoors." Though Dillon will enter Chesapeake College's Liberal Arts program in September, he intends to transfer to the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he has relatives that live nearby. At UF he hopes to pursue a degree in psychology. An interest in how people think and what they feel makes him "a magnet for the troubled" ones, he said. "I read people and I'm a good listener which I think helps people get what's bothering them off their chest." In turn, he said, he feels fortunate that he has people to whom he can talk. Ultimately, Dillon hopes that one day he will be his own boss, perhaps with his own practice that can allow him "freedom of movement and independence." Of his Teamster scholarship, Dillon said, "I really, really appreciate it. I'll make sure it helps me fulfill my dream. Thank you!"

The annual scholarships are awarded to two qualifying high school students of Local 355 member families.

Teamsters Local 355 represents 5,800 working men and women and their families in the Delmarva region.


Jun 16, 2014
It's possible some retro check contain errors June 2, 2014  | The International reports it was notified by UPS that some employees in progression or had a job change during the retroactive pay period may have received incorrect retroactive pay. The error has resulted in some employees being underpaid and some overpaid.
May 15, 2014

In honor of May Day, Teamster ally gives away labor music
May 1, 2014 | In celebration of May Day, activist and musician Tom Morello is offering his "Union Town" EP for free download today only. "…this record is dedicated to working people of every nationality, age, color, and religion who have the courage to stand up for justice and dignity in the workplace, and beyond. Enjoy the tunes and fight the power!" said Morello. Morello has worked with Teamsters in the past. More at teamster.org.

Teamsters mobilize at 2014 Unity Conference
May 6, 2014 | The 2014 Teamsters Unity Conference convened Sunday, May 4, in Las Vegas and will run through Wednesday, May 7. The Teamsters' annual conference conducts dozens of educational workshops and division meetings for more than 1,400 Teamsters. In the news: The Union has major organizing campaigns underway in a number of key industries such as school bus drivers, port truck drivers, parking workers, and taxi cab drivers, has had success in fighting against misclassification of workers in New York and Los Angeles, recently won a victory that saved carhaul jobs and is now fighting to protect existing jobs and organize new workers after the Sysco/US Foods merger projected to be complete later this year. Check in at teamster.org for conference updates and photos. Pictured: Kevin Moore, Director of the Teamsters Carhaul Division and Roy Gross, Co-Director.Chip Elgert and Jim Deene.

Super-sized, global fast food worker strike!
May 14, 2014 | Fast food workers will strike tomorrow, May 15, in 150 cities and 30 cities overseas, escalating the movement for fair wages and the right to organize that now encompasses port truck drivers, warehouse workers, processing workers, Walmart associates and government contractors…Decades of union-busting in this country lowered wages to the point where half the workers in America earn wages at or near the poverty level. Now tens of thousands of workers at a time are taking to the street to demand a fair day's wage for a day's work. Full story at teamsternation.com.

UPS will add thousands of new union package jobs
May 15, 2014 | General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall announced today that UPS will add thousands of new package jobs across the country this year in the face of strong Teamster enforcement of the new National Master UPS Agreement… Hiring has already started, and the news jobs will be in addition to the regular filling of jobs through attrition….The contract also tackles excessive overtime by making it easier for workers to get on the "9.5 list" limiting hours, providing access to penalty pay in the first week of a violation, prohibiting the company from piling on work at the end of a week and allowing the union to address inadequate staffing. Read the full announcement at teamster.org.

Membership meetings suspended for summer, will resume in September
May 19, 2014 |
Members attending general membership meetings at the Salisbury union hall May 4 and Baltimore union hall May 18 unanimously voted to suspend the meetings until September. The next meeting in Baltimore will be September 7th; in Salisbury, September 14th. Winners of Local 355’s 40th Annual Scholarship were drawn at the Baltimore meeting from submitted member applications. We’ll post their names once the students are notified. Interviews with the college-bound winners will be in the next Local Union newsletter. Stay tuned for more information and photos from the May meetings. Photo: President Denis Taylor welcomed USALCO employees (L-R) Maurice Daniel, Troy Spence and Harry Collic who, along with 12 other drivers voted in April to become Teamsters. Business Agent Chip Elgert (right) assisted with their organizing campaign.

Tell the SEC: We demand corporate transparency
May 21, 2014 |
With the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United in 2010, corporations were given the green light to spend unlimited amounts of money in elections. As if it weren’t bad enough that there are no limits to what companies can now spend to support anti-worker candidates or promote job-killing free trade agreements, what’s even worse is that a lot of this political spending is done in secret. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is being petitioned to require publicly-traded companies to disclose their political spending. Please help us tell the SEC that we demand corporate transparency by submitting this comment in support of the petition today.

Driver's physical must now be performed by Certified Medical Examiner*
May 22, 2014 | 
The Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration is reminding the trucking industry [May 21] marks the start of new regulations requiring all U.S. DOT physicals must be performed by a qualified health professional listed on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners…Current medical certificates held by commercial driver's license holders will continue to be valid until the expiration date that is shown on the card. Only then will the driver need to seek a certified medical examiner to perform their new examination. Full story here. * Update: Important Teamster information here. Questions? Contact your business agent.

Teamsters: Time to start the war for workers at the ballot box*
May 26, 2014 |
A new election season is quickly approaching and the Teamsters, like Americans as a whole, have much to ponder. While there has been some economic improvement since 2012, workers trying to cover their families' day-to-day expenses are still facing an uphill climb…It's OK to be angry at Washington. A sizable contingent of anti-worker lawmakers has done much to deserve our ire. But what working people can't afford is to make bad choices at the ballot box. Americans can't just throw up their hands and give up. Corporate America isn't, and they will continue to donate mountains of money to lawmakers and candidates alike trying to influence them. Read more at teamster.org.

July 26th Bull Roast in Glen Burnie to benefit grieving families
May 27, 2014 |
Tickets are now on sale for a Bull Roast whose proceeds will benefit Cuz We Care, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to families who have experienced the sudden lost of a child from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The event is slated for Saturday, July 26, 2014, at the LaFontaine Bleue in Glen Burnie, Md. Local 355 retiree Mike Brett provided us with the details we've posted here.

Fact Check: Medicare under observation
May 30, 2014 |
Attention 355 retirees: Factcheck.org sets the record straight on allegations in a letter from an alleged Medicare beneficiary that has gone viral. The question: Is it true that, under the Affordable Care Act, "Medicare will not pay anything" for patients receiving only "observation" care in hospitals? The answer with full explanation at here.


Apr 25, 2014

(L-R) Buisness Agent Marcus Smith, Sysco driver Dan Heitzer, Business Agent Dan Taylor, UPS steward Mike Petro, at Sysco's facility in Jessup, Md.

On April 24, Sysco and US Foods workers distributed information to our colleagues across the U.S. during our second "National Day of Action."

Bright-colored fliers provide information about the "SyscoUSFworkers" Facebook page and how to take the worker survey.

"It's important that all Sysco and US  Foods employees – whether or not they are union members – stay informed as the merger process goes forward," said Steve Vairma, Teamsters International Vice President and Warehouse Division Director. "The Teamsters want to protect jobs, and the best way to stay protected is for all employees at Sysco and US Foods to work together."

"I have 20 more years before I can retire from the job but if we close down and I have to go looking for a job, that'll add seven more years," said Doug Robinson, a US Foods mechanic and Local 355 Teamster. "If we end up over at Sysco, the mechanics there are non-union. We're in the Local's benefits plan, which is great. The US Foods non-union plans are not as good as ours. There's a lot of uncertainty right now with this merger and not knowing what's going to happen to our jobs. It helps that we can be informed about what's going on."

Sysco and US Foods workers have been posting pictures and comments on the "SyscoUSFworkers" Facebook page. (A direct link is also on our home page.)

And, if you haven't taken the survey yet, do it now!

Above right, Buisness Agent Jim Deene with US Foods driver Joe Schwabline at the US Foods facility in Severn, Md.

Left, Sysco warehouseman Gary Clark and Business Agent Dan Taylor at Sysco, Jessup. Md.


Apr 17, 2014
Government needs to save workers from these Wall St. wolves

Apr. 1, 2014 | Wall Street just can't help themselves. Elite traders, not satisfied with the deluge of dollars they already were taking in on behalf of hedge funds, are screwing rank-and-file workers by using high-speed networks to find out what stocks others are buying and then buying them first. This rigging of the system – perfectly legal under current rules – allows them within milliseconds to buy and then sell shares and take in tiny profits, over and over again…Government cannot expect hard-working Americans to buy into a system that is crooked. Full story at teamsters.org.

Union is a symbol of our rights
Apr. 7, 2014 | A union is you. It is me. It is the ideology that we have a voice; that we all have the right to due process. A union is the ability to say, “I am a human being and I have certain inevitable rights as an American.” It is a feeling of self-respect and the knowledge that I am my brother’s keeper. A union is the logic that we have responsibilities to help the less fortunate among us. It is a passion that drives us to do the right thing so our world will be a better place… Read the entire guest column at thegazette.com (Iowa).

Teamsters: Stand up, fight back against ALEC
Apr. 8, 2014 | (click image to view) Our union provides information and talking points about ALEC, the secretive organization that wants to make us poorer. “In every state, the corporate-sponsored American Legislative Exchange Council, ALEC, works behind the screens to pass laws that empower billionaires and corporations. ALEC pushes laws to strip workers of their rights, eradicate public education, outsource everything that can’t be nailed down, weaken environmental and consumer protections, suppress voting and increase taxes on the poor and working class while slashing them for the wealthy and for large corporations.” How does ALEC work? Learn more at teamsters/war on workers.org.

Teamsters reach settlement with UPS over fired LU 804 members
Apr. 10, 2014 | Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa and General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall announced yesterday that Hall and International Vice President Sean O'Brien met with Teamsters at the UPS Maspeth (New York) facility. Hall and O'Brien met yesterday with Local 804 officials and UPS management to resolve the situation. The parties have come to a settlement regarding the termination of 250 Local 804 members that occurred after a job action took place in February.

Survey for Sysco and US Foods workers can be downloaded here
Apr. 11, 2014 | Members currently employed at Sysco and US Foods will find the IBT survey here. Please download, complete and submit to your shop steward or Business Agent Jim Deene. Or, complete the online survey here.

New contracts ratified at ALSCO, Anne Arundel County, others
Apr. 15, 2014 | A new first contract with a 3-year term has been ratified by ALSCO Teamsters, a 5-year contract was approved at Mountaire Farms, and Anne Arundel County park rangers, deputy sheriffs and corrections program specialists (CPS) ratified new one-year contracts during the past week. Shop news update here.

Teamster horse-carriage drivers win more support in New York
Apr. 17, 2014 | Our endangered Teamster brothers and sisters who drive horse-carriages in New York City are winning support from some powerful friends, including The New York Times editorial board, actor Liam Neeson and the New York Daily News. They are defending some 300 horse-carriage drivers from animal rights extremists and Mayor Bill de Blasio, who want to ban horse-carriages and throw the drivers out of work. Full story at teamsternation.org.

NPR story: To increase productivity, UPS monitors drivers' every move
Apr. 17, 2014 | UPS is using technology in ways that may soon be common throughout the economy...When you hear people talk about technology increasing workers' productivity, this is what they're talking about: same guy, same truck – lots more deliveries. In the long run, as workers have gotten more productive, their pay has gone up. UPS drivers make about twice what they made in the mid '90s when you add up their wages, health care and pensions, according to the head of their union… Story and readers comments at npr.org

Memo: Teamsters urge 'no' vote on YRC compensation package
Apr. 22, 2014 | Leaders of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters are asking YRC shareholders to vote against a number of proposals concerning executive compensation at YRC Worldwide Inc. The Kansas City Business Journal obtained a letter dated April 4 addressed to YRC shareholders and signed by Ken Hall, general secretary-treasurer of the Teamsters. On behalf of the union, the letter asks shareholders to withhold support for [three members of] the board's Compensation Committee, to vote against a proposal approving executive compensation and to vote against a proposal that would endorse YRC's amended and restated 2011 incentive and equity award plan. Continue reading at bizjournals.com.

Study: 57 percent of poultry workers suffer ergonomic ills
Apr. 22, 2014 | Almost six of every 10 in the nation's poultry plant workers suffer ergonomic ills from the constant repetitive motions they undertake cutting up chickens and turkeys on the job…The study's results prompted the United Food and Commercial Workers to renew their call for the federal Agriculture Department to drop its scheme to let plant owners speed up poultry processing lines. Full story at peoplesworld.org.

Teamsters: Temp work won't get America back on track
Apr. 23, 2014 | Post-Great Recession America may not be a place of double-digit unemployment. But the number of jobs where workers can earn an honest living that supports a family with the basics has shrunk substantially. And much of that is due to big business hiring tricks that have created an underclass of temporary employees. Increasingly, corporate America is filling its coffers by contracting with staffing agencies that bring in workers that do the same jobs as their permanent colleagues, but for a fraction of the cost. Continue reading at teamster.org.

Teamster/UPS master contract, supplements and riders in effect Friday, April 25
Apr. 24, 2014 | The Teamsters UPS National Negotiating Committee, pursuant to Article XII of the IBT Constitution, announced that the 2013 National Master United Parcel Service Agreement, All Supplements, Riders and Addenda is in effect starting April 25, 2014. The wages contained in the agreement are retroactive to August 1, 2013 and UPS has committed to expediting the checks for Teamster members’ retroactive wage increases. The retro check will be a separate check to avoid being taxed at a higher rate. In addition, UPS will begin making retroactive contributions to the health and welfare and pension funds immediately. More info at teamster.org.

USALCO drivers choose Teamsters
Apr. 24, 2014 | Local 355 welcomes fifteen drivers employed by USALCO, LLC. who voted yesterday to join our union. Employees contacted the Local a little over a month ago to express their interest in becoming Teamsters. Their major issue is extremely high deductibles for health insurance coverage and recent reductions in wages. Baltimore-based USALCO is a chemical distribution company and operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Local members participate in SYSCO/USFoods National Day of Action
Apr. 25, 2014 | Local 355 representatives distributed information to union and non-union workers at the US Foods facility in Severn and the SYSCO facility in Jessup, Md., yesterday as part of the national union's effort to raise awareness of the coming merger of SYSCO and US Foods. Read more at 355 News. Pictured L-R: Jimmy White (Bradco), US Foods shop mechanic Doug Robinson, Business Agents

'House of Cards' to stay in Maryland
Apr. 28, 2014 | Local 355 movie industry drivers are relieved to know they're keeping their jobs: The Netflix television series has committed to another season filming in Baltimore, despite receiving less in state incentives than it has sought. The Baltimore Sun reports Gov. O'Malley and Media Rights Capital announced Friday that they has reached an agreement that would allow the third season of the political drama to be filmed in the state. The producers said they expect to begin filming over the next several months. Read more at baltimoresun.com.

A valuable basic reference for shop stewards
Apr. 28, 2014 | For the steward who wants to brush up on his understanding of the laws that protect us inside and outside of the workplace, The Labor Law Source Book is a handy collection of US labor laws all wrapped up in one volume. Available here.

 


Apr 01, 2014

Teamster Nation introduces a weekly podcast
Mar. 3, 2014 | The IBT launched a weekly podcast last week that summarizes the latest in headline news from Teamster locals and the national union. Listen to the first 12-minute episode here. Subscribe here to add it to your weekly stop for key Teamster news.

PA Teamsters stand against Paycheck Deception bill
Mar. 7, 2014 | Teamster members and leaders joined with York County legislators to dennouce what has been termed the ‘Paycheck Deception Bill’ (House Bill 1507) at a press conference today…"HB 1507 has one purpose and only one purpose – to weaken unions and lower our wages," said Danny Grace, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 830 in Philadelphia. Full story at teamster.org. Related: ‘We’re Teamsters, we’re Republican and we vote – but not for anti-worker politicians.’

Teamsters back school bus drivers in fight against 'rampant' wage theft
Mar. 11, 2014 | More than 350 Baltimore-area bus drivers are preparing to celebrate victory in a $1.24 million wage theft case against Durham School Services, an Illinois-based business contracting company with operations across much of the country…The settlement of the U.S. District Court case should be finalized April 4, with distribution of the stolen wage money following immediately afterward, says Moe Jackson, a union organizer for Teamsters Local 570. The Teamsters initiated the wage theft case on behalf of the workers. Full story at inthesetimes.org.

Teamsters host UPS workers union network meeting
Mar. 14, 2014 | The Union is hosting an international delegation of representatives from trade unions that represent UPS workers worldwide to share information and coordinate strategies. Learn more at teamsters.org.

IBT: Time for Congress to move on income inequality
Mar. 17, 2014 | A Senate committee took up discussion of income inequality during a hearing last week focused on how to improve the lives of working families. But unfortunately, not everyone agreed that Capitol Hill needed to lend a hand to lift wages. Full story at teamster.org.

Application deadline for scholarship is March 31.
Mar. 24, 2014 | The James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund awards annual scholarships to qualifying high school seniors who are children or dependents of Teamster members. One category of awards totals $10,000 each. These four-year scholarships are disbursed at the rate of $2,500 per year and are renewable annually. Other awards are one-time $1,000 grants. These scholarships are disbursed to the college or university at the beginning of the recipient’s freshman year. Scholarship application GUIDE is here. Download application here.

Sysco, US Food members connect on Facebook
Mar. 26, 2014 | With the Sysco-US Foods merger looming later this year, Teamster warehouse and drivers at both companies are looking for information about how the merger will impact their workplaces. The IBT's Warehouse Division created a Facebook page this month "for Sysco and US Foods employees to socialize and discuss the issues in the workplace that concern them." Stay informed and updated at Facebook.com/SyscoUSFworkers – check out the photos of Locals 355 and 570 while you're there - and join the text message alert system - text SyscoUSFnews at 86466 (not case sensitive).

A brief glimpse of human rights advances in the Teamsters
Mar. 31, 2014 | Women and minorities have always been active in the labor movement. Much of the critical legislation that has been passed over the years started as grassroots movements from within one or more of these groups, even though they frequently did not receive credit or recognition for their efforts. Click here for information and stories that provide examples of the activities, issues and concerns of women and minutes, and how they are viewed and supported by the Teamsters.


Feb 17, 2014
Black History is Teamster history Feb. 4, 2014 | The contributions of black members to the success of the Teamsters Union are numerous, varied and as old as the union itself. Black team drivers attended the first Convention in 1903 and were active in all aspects of the union from the beginning. That commitment remains strong today.
Feb 07, 2014

This Letter to the Editor ran in The Baltimore Sun, February 7, 2014. The author is an attorney for Teamsters Local 311, Teamsters Local 355, and Teamsters Local 570.

Costco shows the value of unions

In your editorial about President Obama's visit to the Lanham Costco to advocate for raising the minimum wage you correctly point out that Costco "has prospered by paying higher wages and offering better employee health coverage than its competitors" ("The Costco example," Jan. 29).

What you failed to note, however, is that a significant portion of Costco's stores on the West and East coasts — including four stores in Maryland — are unionized, with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters representing those workers.

The Teamsters have been successful in negotiating industry-leading wages, benefits and working conditions for their members. Costco has to apply comparable (although not quite as good) wages, benefits and working conditions in its non-union stores to keep workers there from organizing.

The lesson is that a certain degree of union density is a rising tide that lifts all boats. The disparity in income in this country, which is unprecedented in modern times, is directly attributable to a reduction in union density, which is itself a consequence of employers taking advantage of toothless labor laws to beat back organizing efforts.

Jim Rosenberg
Baltimore


 


Jan 16, 2014

This week's member and steward tip posted today
Jan. 2, 2014 | Your website administrator was off for the holidays and posting resumed today. Be sure to check back for a new helpful tip every Monday.

Justice delivered: Deputy Sheriffs get their retro checks
Jan. 3, 2014 | Three and a half years into a legal battle with Anne Arundel County after its executive reneged on 2009 contractual wage provisions for 58 Teamster deputy sheriffs, an arbitrator in January 2013 sustained Local 355's grievance: Arbitrator Andrew M. Strongin directed that all affected employees were to be made whole, retroactive to July 1, 2009. The County balked, dragging litigation on for nearly another year. With a December court date looming, the County in mid-November finally conceded. “It took us four and a half years to get our members more than $670,000 due them contractually,” said Local 355 President Denis Taylor, after the sheriffs received their checks. “It was a long, hard, expensive legal battle, and I want to thank the membership for their unwavering financial and moral support in our defense of the deputy sheriffs.” Full story here.

Teamsters urged to boycott Yuengling beer
Jan. 6, 2014 | The IBT General Executive Board recently voted to support a Teamsters Union boycott of Yuengling beer over the owner's push for anti-union laws. The owner of D.G. Yuengling & Sons, Inc., based in Pottsville, Pa., publicly stated that Pennsylvania should become a "right-to-work" for less state. Click here for Yuengling beer products to boycott, and substitutes that Teamster members either produce or deliver.

First Transit ratification vote scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 11
Jan. 6, 2014 | First Transit mobility drivers who voted last April to join Teamsters Local 355 will vote on their first contract Saturday, Jan. 11, 2014 at the Baltimore union hall. Voting periods are at 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 7 p.m. The contract covers 135 full-time and part-time para-transit and mobility drivers employed at the company's Sisson Street dispatch facility in Baltimore.

UPS Freight ratification vote set for Sunday, Jan. 12
Jan. 7, 2014 | Teamster Local Union leaders representing UPS Freight workers across the country endorsed a new tentative agreement yesterday. A ratification vote for all UPSF Local 355 members will be conducted at the Union Hall in Baltimore, Sunday, Jan. 12th, at 10 a.m. The new agreement can be viewed here. A summary of highlights of the agreement can be viewed here. If you have questions about the TA, contact Vice President Erv Williams or Business Agent Mark Garey
.

Tell Congress to renew unemployment insurance now
Jan. 8, 2014 | More than 1.3 million unemployed Americans were cut off December 28, 2013, from the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program, a vital lifeline of support needed for them and their families to survive while they continue to look for work in our lagging economy. An additional 72,000 jobseekers will lose their benefits each week until the program is restored. Congress should restore this vital lifeline to those who will slip into deeper poverty without these benefits. A bipartisan 3-month reauthorization of unemployment benefits is the first order of business for the Senate this week. It's the right thing for our economy, as consumer spending will drop and more jobs will be lost as a result if the benefits aren't renewed. Please call your members of Congress today at 877-267-2485 and tell them to renew unemployment insurance now.

Retirees' Christmas Party photos, latest newsletter posted
Jan. 9, 2014 | More than 250 retired members and their guests attended the Local 355 Association of Retired Members' annual Christmas Party held Dec. 19, 2013, at the UAW Hall in Baltimore. An extensive menu, cake wheel, money wheel, basket-of-cheer drawing, 50/50 drawing and entertainment by Charlie Long (ABF/retired) was enjoyed by all. Party photos here. Newsletter here (Pictured: Bob Eney, President, Local 355 Association of Retired Members.)

YRCW Teamsters reject company’s proposed extension, modification of MOU
Jan. 10, 2014 | Teamsters at YRCW rejected the company’s proposal that would have extended and modified the existing memorandum of understanding. The proposed extension and modification was voted down 61 to 39 percent. “Our members have sacrificed billions of dollars in wages and pension benefits over the past five years and yet the company has been unable to recover from the disastrous policies of the previous management,” said Teamster General President Jim Hoffa. Vote results here.

Massive trade bill filed in Congress; you can help stop it
Jan. 10, 2014 | Legislation was filed yesterday to make it easier to pass job-killing trade deals like NAFTA…Here’s what you can do: Click on this link and send an email to your representatives in Congress. Do it now. We cannot allow Congress to give a rubber stamp to the TPP and other bad trade deals by allowing Fast Track to pass. (Read the full post at teamsternation.org.)

First Transit workers overwhelmingly approve first contract
Jan. 11, 2014 | A first contract was overwhelmingly approved by First Transit workers in a ratification vote conducted Saturday, Jan. 11, 2014. The five-year collective bargaining agreement covering more than 200 mobility drivers includes 2% annual wage increases (or at the rate of increase mandated by applicable living wage law, whichever is greater); a $1 increase per hour for behind-the-wheel trainers when peforming such function; job security and seniority rights; job bidding language; holiday pay; bereavement benefits; and work hours and overtime guarantees. First Transit workers voted April 15, 2013 to join Teamsters Local Union 355. Some were para-transit drivers represented by Local 355 who were laid off from Veolia in February, 2013. (Pictured: Marquita Hood reviews the tentative agreement during one of three information meetings held Saturday prior to the contract vote.)

UPS Freight Teamsters approve new national contract
Jan. 13, 2014 | UPS Freight Teamsters have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new national five-year master agreement that increases wages, significantly strengthens pension benefits and takes on the issue of subcontracting. The vote, which was 5,195 to 2,094 as of Sunday night, was held at local union halls during the weekend. Participation was 69 percent, which far exceeded the previous ratification vote last June, which was 58 percent. Read more at teamster.org. Pictured: UPSF members (L-R) Rob Weckesser, Dave Herd, and Spencer Wise await the results following the vote in Baltimore.

YRCW update from the International
Jan. 16, 2014 | Since last Thursday we have had ongoing discussions with YRCW around the company's next steps since the rejection of the proposed MOU. IN light of the rejection we have asked YRCW to review its position with all of its key stockholders including their existing lenders and potential investors. In addition, as we communicated with Teamster local unions — we have told the company that we will not revote the same proposal that was rejected…The company has requested a meeting to discuss their next step and "revised proposal."… Read more at teamster.org. Related: CEO James Welch: “One thing I am confident of is that our union employees did not vote to place themselves out of a job.” Via JOC.com. (Registration required.)

Teamsters honor legacy, celebrate contributions of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Jan. 20, 2014 | Teamsters across the country are honoring the legacy of civil rights and labor leader Martin Luther King, Jr. today. King devoted his life to securing rights for minorities and eliminating segregation in society. He believed that the path to economic freedom and social justice were one and the same and strongly supported the labor movement…Under the leadership of General President James R. Hoffa, the Teamsters donated more than $25,000 to King in 1961 and sent supplies to marchers and other civil rights workers camped out in Selma and Montgomery, Alabama, and other locations along the Freedom Ride routes. King was supporting union sanitation workers in Memphis on the day he was assassinated. Learn more at teamster.org.

Teamsters announce tentative agreement with YRCW
Jan. 20, 2014 | The IBT announced Friday that it had reached a tentative agreement with the company that, if ratified by the membership, will provide a pathway for substantial debt reduction and refinancing initiatives that will permit the company to protect and preserve more than 30,000 jobs. Details of the revised proposal will be reviewed at a meeting of local union officials to be held on Tuesday, Jan. 21. It is up to that committee to approve sending the revised proposal to the membership for a ratification vote. Learn more here.

Local Union leaders endorse YRCW tentative agreement
Jan. 21, 2014 | Local Union leaders representing YRCW employees overwhelmingly recommended to approve a tentative agreement and to send it out to the membership for a vote. The tentative agreement with YRCW, if ratified, will provide a pathway for substantial debt reduction and refinancing initiatives that will permit the company to protect and preserve more than 30,000 good American jobs. The tentative agreement contains significant improvements over the company’s prior rejected proposal. Details here.
UPDATE: A meeting to present the tentative agreement and conduct a ratification vote is scheduled for Sunday, January 26, 2014, at 10 a.m. at the Union Hall in Baltimore. YRC Freight and New Penn Teamsters must be present to vote.

Members approve agreement
Jan. 26, 2014 | YRCW Teamsters have approved a tentative agreement aimed at protecting more than 30,000 jobs. Workers voted this weekend after rejecting a prior company proposal. Teamsters at YRCW approved this latest proposal by a vote of 12,267 to 6,314. More at teamster.org. YRC wins key refinancing agreement with Teamsters vote.

Union growth should serve as signal to elected officials
Jan. 27, 2014 | The union movement is growing. In the last year, thousands of workers took to the streets to protest low pay and their lack of ability to organize. They have stood up to the nation's largest retailers saying they demand respect in the workplace. And new U.S. Labor Department numbers released Friday back that up. Continue reading at teamster.org.

Applications are available for The James R. Hoffa 2014-2015 Scholarship
Jan. 28, 2014 | The Union offers scholarships through the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund for high school seniors. The Fund is established solely to provide scholarships to the child or financially dependent grandchild of a member of the Teamsters. The application deadline is March 31, 2014. Click here to download the application and academic record form. Additional information can be found here.

Teamsters to take part in tomorrow's Day of Action against Fast Track
Jan. 30, 2014 | Tomorrow, Jan. 31st, people across North American will be taking part in an Inter-Continental Day of Action against Fast Track and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The TPP is another bad trade deal that could become the law of the land without any debate or amendments if Fast Track legislation is allowed to pass. We can't let that happen! Please be sure to call your Representative and Senators tomorrow at 1-888-979-9806 and tell them to vote NO on Fast Track. And if you're able to, please join one of the many events that are being planned nationwide for tomorrow. A listing can be found here. For more information, go to Fast Track is the Wrong Track for Teamsters.

 


Jan 03, 2014

Deputy sheriffs met at the Baltimore union hall to work on proposals for a new contract with Anne Arundel County. (L-R) Local Business Agent Charles Marshall, shop steward Dave Belisle, Michele Goodman (with Cali, an explosive detection expert), Ryan Costin, shop steward Jimmy Walker, Doug Schwaab, and Local Business Agent Dan Taylor.

The Local Union prevails in its long and costly battle with Anne Arundel County

Jan. 03, 2014

Three and a half years into a legal battle with Anne Arundel County after its executive reneged on 2009 contractual wage provisions for 58 Teamster deputy sheriffs, an arbitrator in January 2013 sustained Local 355's grievance: Arbitrator Andrew M. Strongin directed that all affected employees were to be made whole, retroactive to July 1, 2009.

Upon news of the decision, Local 355 President Denis Taylor declared the Union “will not consider the case settled until all affected members have their checks in their hands."

Eleven months later, on Friday, December 27, 2013, the sheriffs finally got their checks in their hands.

County concedes
Following John Leopold’s February 2013 criminal conviction and subsequent resignation as county executive, the Anne Arundel County Council selected Laura Neuman to complete his term. Shortly after her appointment, Local 355 sought a meeting with the new county executive to discuss the Union’s lawsuit demanding County compliance with the arbitrator’s January 2013 decision.

During initial conversations with Business Agent Dan Taylor, Neuman claimed to have no knowledge of the Union’s long-standing lawsuit against the County.  With yet another court date looming, a meeting on Nov. 19, 2013, between President Taylor and County Executive Neuman, produced exactly what the Union expected for its members in 2009: Payment to all affected deputy sheriffs of the contractual 3% COLA (cost of living adjustment) and 4% merit increases, now retroactive to July 1, 2009.

“It took us four and a half years to get our members more than $670,000 due them contractually,” said Local 355 President Denis Taylor (left), after the sheriffs received their checks. “It was a long, hard, expensive legal battle, and I want to thank the membership for their unwavering financial and moral support in our defense of the deputy sheriffs.”

The back story
The County’s decision to end the legal battle and honor the Teamster contract brings to a successful conclusion the Union’s determined drive for justice.

The County’s continued refusal to concede that it had violated its contract with the Teamsters left the Local Union no choice but to file a lawsuit in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court to compel the County to arbitration.

When the County’s new fiscal year arrived in July 2009, and the contractual raises did not, Local 355 filed a grievance citing the violation of the CBA’s Pay Schedule. In September 2010, a ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court found that Anne Arundel County had, in fact, broken its contract with Teamsters Local 355 — a violation of the Anne Arundel County Charter — and ordered the dispute to arbitration.

The County requested a stay of the ruling, pending appeal to the Court of Special Appeals. The  request was denied. The County appealed that decision but in December 2011, a three-judge panel in Maryland's Court of Special Appeals affirmed the Fifth Circuit Court's judgement that provided the Union's grievance against the County was arbitrable.

On Jan. 19, 2013, Arbitrator Strongin sustained Local 355's grievance against Anne Arundel County for the County's failure to pay its Deputy Sheriffs their pay increases for fiscal year 2010 and in its award, directed that all affected employees be made whole retroactive to July 1, 2009. Strongin found “the [County] Executive violated the Agreement by failing in good faith to honor wage provisions. Specifically…that the Executive intentionally rendered payment of the wage increases impossible due to the Executive's own decision not to request any funding for the negotiated wage increases.” Still, the County refused to accept the judgement of the courts — and its contractual obligation to the deputy sheriffs — by continuing to file Motions to Dismiss judgements against it. In fact, another court hearing was scheduled Dec. 19, 2013.

“This was a long, hard fight,” said Deputy Sheriff Dave Belisle (above, right), a shop steward. “My very special thanks to Denis, who said all along that the County needed to do the right thing. Sure enough, he was right. We are fortunate to be part of a Local Union whose members backed us 100%. We are only 58 cops, but we are backed by thousands of truck drivers, bus drivers, warehouse personnel, state workers, correctional officers and many other hard-working men and women who believe an injury to one of us was an injury to them all.”

Business Agent Dan Taylor (left) is glad a resolution finally came together. “Every union in the County agreed to accept the County’s offer rather than what was in their contracts. We did not. We said no because a contract is a contract. We uphold our end of the contract and the County is expected to uphold theirs.”


Dec 16, 2013

Dec. 16, 2013 

Last summer, Bridget Diveley, daughter of UPS package driver Scott Diveley, was invited to submit a drawing of her favorite Christmas thing for the annual Miracle Tie Collection, a partnership between Johns Hopkins Children Center (JHCC) and Baltimore-based men's retailer, Jos. A. Bank.

Her snowman (right) is among 12 of this season's creations designed by young patients at the Johns Hopkins Children Center.

Five-year-old Bridget received a life-saving heart transplant at JHCC when she was two. A random virus had attacked her heart. She spent many months in the pediatric intensive care unit.

The line of distinguished men's neckwear are available at all Jos. A. Bank stores and online. They are currently on sale online.

Since the program started in 1995, the Miracle Collection has raised more nearly $1 million, which has helped to make little patients' stay at the pediatric trauma center a whole lot more comfortable.

Below: Scott Diveley, wife Jennifer, and children Bridget, Andrew and Allison during a November 6, 2013, press conference at the Jos. A. Bank store in Towson, Md., when the men's retailer presented John Hopkins Children Center with a $60,000 check from the 2012 Miracle Tie sales proceeds.


Dec 13, 2013
Black Friday protests held at 1,500 Walmart stores; more than 100 arrested Dec. 2, 2013 | OUR Walmart, the non-union group arguing for labor protections, confirmed that protests were held at 1,500 stores on Black Friday to protest pay and calling for a minimum annual salary of $25,000 and better health care for hourly workers. (The average worker makes $8.
Nov 22, 2013

Sign up today for news and information you can use
Nov. 4, 2013 | This week in Weekly Tip for Members we talk about the contract criteria under which your employer can cut hours or lay off employees. A new steward might be interested to know when a contract actually becomes a contract and that information plus other helpful steward info can be found in Weekly Steward Tip. To access helpful tips and news you can use, sign up today!

ABF, Teamsters sign 5-year contract
Nov. 4, 2013 | Arkansas Best Corp. and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters ratified a national five-year labor agreement for the less-than-truckload carrier’s operations. The contract [took] effect on Nov. 3, 2013 and runs through March 31, 2018. Local 355 represents 80 ABF drivers. Details here.

YRC to Teamsters: Make a deal or else
Nov. 12, 2013 | YRC Worldwide Inc. boiled down its case to Teamsters officials on Nov. 5 as a stark choice: The union could give the company "room to breathe" or drive it off a cliff. The company told national and local leaders of the Teamsters that YRC needs to refinance its looming debt — and fast. The company and the union are operating under a labor agreement that lasts through March 2015. YRC wants to extend the pact. Story at Kansas City Business Journal. Watch this space for IBT information, further developments.

Teamsters support Walmart Black Friday strikes
Nov. 13, 2013 | Teamsters are out front supporting Walmart workers protests in the run-up to nationwide strikes on Friday, Nov. 29, also known as Black Friday. Teamsters are encouraged to join actions supporting the workers. It's very easy to find out what's gong on near you. Just click on BlackFridayProtests.org and type in your zip code in the giant box.

Lawmakers increasingly realize Fast Track is a fraud
Nov. 14, 2013 | The Teamsters for years have been an outspoken critic of fast-track authorization which allows bad proposed trade agreements to move through Congress on just a quick up-or-down vote. And in the last week, we were joined by 185 House lawmakers who feel the same way.…Fast track is an attack on democracy. Americans have been kept out of the loop on how the TPP will affect their everyday lives. The last think we need is for politicians to fast-track a Pacific trade deal through Congress that allows them to build in secret provisions that help their campaign contributors, but hurt working- and middle-class families. Full commentary by General President Jim Hoffa at The Huffington Post. Related: Word is getting out that the pending Trans Pacific Partnership "is toxic". [Please educate yourself about TPP. It matters in more ways than you can imagine.]

Teamster local unions support discussions with YRCW
Nov. 15, 2013 | On a conference call on Tuesday, Nov. 12, Teamster Local Unions that represent YRCW Freight members voiced support for the Teamster National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) to meet with the company. The decision to meet with the company comes after the Local Union leaders heard from the YRCW leadership team on Tuesday, Nov. 5, and after they held meetings with their YRCW members throughout the week and weekend. Learn more here.

Why L.A. port truckers are striking
Nov. 19, 2013 | "We are on strike today to have respect and dignity at work," says Walter Melendez, one of approximately 40 Los Angeles port truck drivers who walked off the job at 5 a.m. yesterday morning in protest of alleged unfair labor practices. The strikes featured the rolling "ambulatory pickets" that the truckers have excelled at — chasing down trucks as they leave the port and setting up picket lines in front of them….The drivers have filed a complaint with the NLRB charging that the company retaliated against them for pushing forward with a drive to join the Teamsters. Full story at In These Times.

Tribune Co. reorganizes its publishing unit, cuts nearly 700 jobs
Nov. 21, 2013 | Tribune Co. announced a restructuring of its publishing business Wednesday to focus on its digital efforts and streamline operations, resulting in nearly 700 job losses across the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Baltimore Sun, and five other daily newspapers…The 700 cuts will play out across all eight Tribune Co. newspapers through the end of next year. Full story at Baltimore Sun. [Note: Baltimore Sun pressmen are Local 355 members.]

Truckers support Walmart workers ahead of Black Friday
Nov. 22, 2013 | Hundreds of workers' actions against Walmart nationwide will occur of Black Friday, Nov. 29. All the actions are important indicators of the rising discontent nationwide against low wages, bad benefits, income equality and the corporate-engineered "race to the bottom" — with Walmart leading the way….On the ground, more than one third of non-union "independent contractor" truck drivers at the Port of Los Angeles walked out against three firms whose fleets truck imported goods from the port inland to Walmart's warehouses, and to warehouses for other retailers. The walkout "put a serious crimp in their operations," Teamsters Local 848 Secretary-Treasurer Eric Tate, who coordinated the action, said in a phone interview… Continue reading at People's World.

Teamsters YRCW local union leaders to meet on Dec. 6
Nov. 27, 2013 | The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) has called a meeting with Teamster Local Unions that represent YRCW members on Dec. 6th to review a forthcoming proposal from YRCW that modifies the existing Restructuring Agreement that is not scheduled to expire until March 31, 2015. Consistent with the IBT Constitution and past practice, Local Union leaders, after reviewing the details of the proposal, will then decide whether to submit the proposal to its membership to vote in a mail ballot referendum. Details of the proposal will be released after it has been reviewed with the Local Union leaders Dec. 6th. Stay tuned.

7 tips for staying on budget this holiday season
Nov. 27, 2013 | Do you overspend during the holidays? Holiday spending isn't a competition. Forget what you gave and how much you spent (and received) last year. Create and stick to a budget based on what you can afford this year. Union Plus has seven helpful tips and discounts to keep you within this year's budget.


Nov 01, 2013

Teamster employer is Maryland's ‘Greenest’ Distributor
Oct 9, 2013 |
Local 355 members employed by Leonard Paper joined other employees and invited guests Tuesday in a ceremony marking the company's switch from traditional energy reliance to full solar power, making it one of Maryland's most energy efficient distributors. The family-owned company, a wholesale supplier of environmentally-friendly janitorial supplies and food service disposables, employs more than 153 workers at its Baltimore facility, including 35 Local 355-represented drivers. Shop steward and 26-year employee Jerry Eggleston (right) said the switch to solar power will save the company a lot of money. "It's good for the environment, good for the company and good for us," he said. Full story at 355 News.

Last DHL local rider approved; contract is ratified
Oct. 11, 2013 |
The remaining contract rider between the Teamsters Union and DHL Express was approved on Wednesday, October 9, paving the way for the national contract between the parties to take effect. The agreement is now fully ratified. The old agreement had been extended through today to allow the ratification process to be completed. Operational changes contained in the new agreement will likely be implemented over the next few weeks. More information here.

ABF Teamsters approve western office supplement
Oct. 15, 2013 |
Teamsters at ABF, who work under the Western Office Supplement, have approved the supplement. Ballots were counted on Monday, October 14. About 67 workers are covered by the supplement. Updates available here.

Bargaining with your future
Oct. 18, 2013 |
The government shutdown that began on October 1 once again [showed] right-wing extremists in the U.S. House of Representatives favor ideology over their constituents. [During those] two-weeks, hard-working Americans had their livelihood threatened with furloughs, the suspension of vital services. Behind closed doors, lawmakers have considered a reckless proposal to enact the "Chained-CPI" measure to Social Security, cutting a vital source of income for our elders by thousands of dollars. Our fiscal challenges cannot be solved on the backs of America's seniors. Continue reading...

Teamsters stop FMCSA attack on truck drivers
Oct. 21, 2013 |
The Teamsters Union helped score a victory for truck drivers this week when H.R. 3095 was signed into law compelling the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to follow the formal rulemaking process to set strict guidelines for when they can require screening, testing and treatment for sleep apnea…"This law, which passed the House with a unanimous vote, protects millions of working men and women who turn a key for a living from being forced to spend money on a test they may not need at the whim of a federal agency," said General President Jim Hoffa. Read more at Teamster.org.

Top 5 reasons to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 5
Oct. 25, 2013 | Election day is coming. Are you registered? It's important — and not only because people have gone on hunger strikes and been murdered so their fellow Americans can vote. Voter registration is one of the most powerful means union members use to make our voice heard, and it's a priority of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Find out why it is important for you to register and show up on November 5.

Local shop news and updates are available
Oct. 29, 2013 | Check out October 2013: Shop News at "Members" under Members Resources on the left rail.

ABF Central Region members decline to authorize strike
Oct. 30, 2013 | IBT statement: In a vote with 77 percent turnout, a majority of the membership covered by the Central Region Local Cartage Supplement has overwhelmingly (70% to 30%) chosen not to authorize a strike at ABF. Consequently, in accordance with the IBT Constitution, TNFINC is going to poll the ABF Master Negotiating Committee within the next 24 hours to determine whether to accept ABF’s final offer on the last remaining open supplement. ABF statement.

YRC requests meeting with Teamsters to talk about company's future
Oct. 30, 2013 | The company announced late on Monday it has reached an agreement with the Teamsters to hold a "company update" in Dallas on Nov. 5 at the request of the company. Read more at Kansas City Business Journal.


Oct 09, 2013

Local 355 members employed by Leonard Paper joined other employees and invited guests Tuesday in a ceremony marking the company's switch to full solar power from traditional energy reliance, making it one of Maryland's most energy efficient distributors.

The family-owned company, a wholesale supplier of environmentally-friendly janitorial supplies and food service disposables, started business 73 years ago with four employees and one truck. It now employs more than 153 workers at its Baltimore plant, including 35 Teamsters Local 355- represented drivers and 31 Teamsters Local 570-represented warehouse employees.

The company serves a wide range of customers in the Baltimore-Washington region.

Local 355 shop steward and 26-year employee Jerry Eggleston said the switch to solar power will save the company a lot of money. "It's good for the environment, good for the company and good for us," he said. "We hope the energy savings will eventually translate to improved equipment like electric jacks for the drivers, and maybe even improved benefits at contract time. But none of that will happen over night."

The important thing, Eggleston said, is that the switch to solar "gives us opportunities to grow— more merchandise, more product, more workers."

Local 355 Business Agent Marcus Smith said the company's energy savings should allow it the ability to purchase the additional equipment that will improve workers' productivity and safety, thus increasing worker retention.

The latest upgrade to its facility — the installation of 1,700 solar panels on the plant's roof (pictured left) — will allow the company to generate clean sustainably energy for the next 30 years. According to company literature, it has fully automated on demand sensing lights in its distribution facility, nightly on-site refueling of its trucks which reduces fuel consumption, and zero landfill impact as a result of its comprehensive recycling program.

The solar commissioning ceremony included comments by senior members of the Leonard family and presentation of a Proclamation to Maryland's Greenest Distributor from Governor O'Malley by the state's comptroller, Peter Franchot.


Sep 23, 2013
  New IBT website has latest information on UPS agreements Sept. 4, 2013 | The IBT has launched a new website, upscontractfacts.com, to provide UPS members with the latest information on the National Master Agreement, its supplements and riders, and the most asked questions and answers about the contract and ratification process.
Sep 02, 2013

Re the UPS contract and UPS Freight negotiations
August 5, 2013 | The national UPS agreement was approved last month by a Teamster majority, however 17 supplements and rider were not. Until all of them have been approved, wage and benefit increases, language improvements and the increase in the starting wage for part-timers cannot be implemented. Read the full IBT update here. The UPS Freight National Negotiating Committee met July 31st in Arlington, VA to discuss issues and concerns that the members have raised with the TA that was rejected. Read the update here.

Daniel James Hall, Sr., 1968-2013
August 6, 2013 | Local 355 mourns the July 12, 2013, sudden passing of UPS employee and Local 355 shop steward Daniel James Hall, Sr. while he was vacationing at his cabin on the Maryland shore. Employed by UPS since 1990, Dan worked in pre-load at the Baltimore hub. He is remembered for his humor and common sense. "Dan had a unique way of working things out. He will be sorely missed by members and management alike. His death is a loss for us all," A Baltimore Ravens fan and martial arts enthusiast, Dan also supported the Catonsville Recreation and Parks. A Memorial Gathering was held in Catonsville on Friday, July 19, 2013. He is survived by his parents, Robert and Rosemary Hall; brother John D. Hall and his wife Veronica; son Daniel Hall Jr. and daughter Gabrielle Hall; former spouse, Patricia Hall; and companion, Heather. Click to leave an online condolence.

NuStar Traffic Department employees choose Teamsters
August 9, 2013 | Local 355 welcomed employees who work in the Traffic Department of NuStar following a successful 3-month organizing campaign. Their vote was for respect and dignity on the job. "Compared to the company's unionized coworkers, we experienced a tremendous amount of disparity in the way we were treated," said Michelle Hopkins (left), a NuStar employee for nearly five years. "The company found the weakest link in our department and would regularly gang up on her. It needed to stop. We came together to support her and each other and now as Teamsters, we'll have the bargaining power to address such issues as harassment, bullying and intimidation." Local 355 organized the operators and maintenance workers in 1998. Business Agent Chip Elgert said bargaining for the newly organized workers will begin August 14th.

Court rules short-haul drivers exempt from rest-break requirement
August 11, 2013 | The U.S. Court of Appeals in D.C. affirmed last week the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) 2011 hours-of-service rules for drivers except for a provision that requires a 30-minute break for short-haul drivers. Bottom line: If you're a short-haul driver, you are no longer required to comply with the FMCSA 30-minute rest break rule. If you're a long-haul driver, you must continue to comply with the regulation. If you have questions, see your supervisor or shop steward.

Highlights of the DHL tentative national agreement available
August 12, 2013 | Leaders from 26 Teamster local unions that represent DHL members met in Washington, D.C., last week, and overwhelmingly approved the tentative master agreement and supplements. The TA, unanimously endorsed by the negotiating committee, maintains a strong health, welfare and pension package and provides wage increases, among other gains. Ballot materials, including the supplements and local riders, will be mailed to members on or about Wednesday, Aug. 21. Ballots must be returned to the Lanham, Maryland, post office no later than 10 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 11. Click here for highlights of the tentative master agreement. Click here for the August 12 DHL contract update.

Mazda to become Port of Baltimore's newest customer
August 13, 2013 | PRESS RELEASE (Baltimore, MD) — Zoom Zoom! That's the sound that soon will be heard at the Port of Baltimore when Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) arrives in September. Mazda becomes the Port of Baltimore's newest auto customer after agreeing to a five-year contract with auto processor Amports that will bring approximately 65,000 vehicles a year to Maryland from its assembly plants in Japan. The vehicles will be handled at the Amports-owned Chesapeake Auto Terminal. The addition of Mazda will help to create 450 new jobs, including 160 direct jobs. Read the full Maryland Port Administration press release at 355 News.

IBT Essay Contest Topic: What would you say to someone who says...
August 20, 2013 | "Unions were important at one time, but we don't need them anymore."
Teamster kids can win cash for class by writing a response in essay form and submitting it for consideration to win one of 50 $1,000 James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarships. The applicant must meet these eligibilty requirements, complete this application and forward it to the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund office by September 30, 2013. Good luck!

Wage increase, other improvements await passage of area supplements
August 22, 2013 |
The provisions of the UPS National Master Agreement approved in June, including a 70-cent per hour wage increase, were negotiated to take effect August 1. Members may have noticed the raises have not been reflected in their paychecks yet. That's because the national agreement does not take effect until all regional supplements and riders have been approved. The IBT provides details in this UPS update. Also, UPS members are not impacted by the company's decision to eliminate healthcare coverage for spouses of nonunion employees.

Members approve 5 of the 7 remaining supplements
August 29, 2013 |
The national master portion of the ABF National Master Freight Agreement has previously been approved, but will not take effect until the status of the two remaining supplements is resolved. For the latest updates, click on the "ABF Contract Update" button in "Current Campaigns" down on the lower right column of this page.


Aug 13, 2013


Aug 06, 2013

Social Security National Day of Action in Baltimore tomorrow
July 1, 2013 | Join the Maryland and DC Alliance for Retired Americans tomorrow, July 2, from 12 noon to 1 p.m. at the Woodlawn Social Security Office, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD. as they join hands to for a "human chain against the chained CPR." This National Day of Action — one of dozens in cities across the nation — will showcase the broad base of support of Americans who support protecting and enhancing retirement security, not dismantling Social Security inch by inch. The chained CPI is a cold, calculated benefit cut to all current and future retirees. For information and directions, click here. News you can use: The CPI, explained.

Local Scholarship winners aspire to careers in forensics and veterinary medicine
July 2, 2013 | Maya Peoples (left), daughter of UPS package driver Mike Peoples, and Megan Morgan (right), daughter of Baltimore Sun pressman Brian Morgan, are the 2013 winners of the Teamsters Local Union No 355 39th Annual Scholarship Awards. Their names were selected in a drawing of scholarship applicants during the May 5, 2012 membership meeting at the Baltimore office. Megan and Maya will each receive a $4,000 scholarship, paid out at the rate of $1,000 per academic year. We met with Maya and Megan to learn a little about them and their higher education aspirations. Continue reading at 355 News.

Unions: Obamacare will ‘Destroy the very health and wellbeing’ of workers
July 15, 2013 The Wall Street Journal - The roll out of President Obama’s health care reform package was always going to be tricky, with vehement opposition from his political opponents and pushback from employers large and small. But after announcing last week that penalties for companies failing to comply with the law will be delayed by a year, the Affordable Care Act has a new, high profile set of dissenters: Unions. The leaders of three major U.S. unions, including the highly influential Teamsters, have sent a scathing open letter to Democratic leaders in Congress, warning that unless changes are made, President Obama’s health care reform plan will “destroy the foundation of the 40 hour work week that is the backbone of the American middle class.” If that’s not bad enough, the Affordable Care Act, if not modified, will “destroy the very health and wellbeing of our members along with millions of other hardworking Americans,” the letter says. Read the full letter at 355 News.

Allied bankruptcy claim documents due August 2
July 17, 2013 | The Bankruptcy Court in the Allied Systems Holdings bankruptcy case has set a deadline of August 2, 2013 for the filing of claims that arose prior to the bankruptcy filing petition dates in May and June of 2012. More info, documents are available at teamsters.org.


Jul 15, 2013

Original post at The Wall Street Journal

July 12, 2013

Dear Leader Reid and Leader Pelosi:

When you and the President sought our support for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), you pledged that if we liked the health plans we have now, we could keep them. Sadly, that promise is under threat. Right now, unless you and the Obama Administration enact an equitable fix, the ACA will shatter not only our hard-earned health benefits, but destroy the foundation of the 40 hour work week that is the backbone of the American middle class.

Like millions of other Americans, our members are front-line workers in the American economy. We have been strong supporters of the notion that all Americans should have access to quality, affordable health care. We have also been strong supporters of you. In campaign after campaign we have put boots on the ground, gone door-to-door to get out the vote, run phone banks and raised money to secure this vision.

Now this vision has come back to haunt us.

Since the ACA was enacted, we have been bringing our deep concerns to the Administration, seeking reasonable regulatory interpretations to the statute that would help prevent the destruction of non-profit health plans. As you both know first-hand, our persuasive arguments have been disregarded and met with a stone wall by the White House and the pertinent agencies. This is especially stinging because other stakeholders have repeatedly received successful interpretations for their respective grievances. Most disconcerting of course is last week’s huge accommodation for the employer community—extending the statutorily mandated “December 31, 2013” deadline for the employer mandate and penalties.

Time is running out: Congress wrote this law; we voted for you. We have a problem; you need to fix it. The unintended consequences of the ACA are severe. Perverse incentives are already creating nightmare scenarios:

First, the law creates an incentive for employers to keep employees’ work hours below 30 hours a week. Numerous employers have begun to cut workers’ hours to avoid this obligation, and many of them are doing so openly. The impact is two-fold: fewer hours means less pay while also losing our current health benefits.??

Second, millions of Americans are covered by non-profit health insurance plans like the ones in which most of our members participate. These non-profit plans are governed jointly by unions and companies under the Taft-Hartley Act. Our health plans have been built over decades by working men and women. Under the ACA as interpreted by the Administration, our employees will treated differently and not be eligible for subsidies afforded other citizens. As such, many employees will be relegated to second-class status and shut out of the help the law offers to for-profit insurance plans.

And finally, even though non-profit plans like ours won’t receive the same subsidies as for-profit plans, they’ll be taxed to pay for those subsidies. Taken together, these restrictions will make non-profit plans like ours unsustainable, and will undermine the health-care market of viable alternatives to the big health insurance companies.

On behalf of the millions of working men and women we represent and the families they support, we can no longer stand silent in the face of elements of the Affordable Care Act that will destroy the very health and wellbeing of our members along with millions of other hardworking Americans.

We believe that there are common-sense corrections that can be made within the existing statute that will allow our members to continue to keep their current health plans and benefits just as you and the President pledged. Unless changes are made, however, that promise is hollow.

We continue to stand behind real health care reform, but the law as it stands will hurt millions of Americans including the members of our respective unions.

We are looking to you to make sure these changes are made.

James P. Hoffa
General President
International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Joseph Hansen
International President
UFCW

D. Taylor
President
UNITE-HERE


Jul 02, 2013

July 2, 2013

Maya Peoples, daughter of UPS Package driver Mike Peoples, graduated in June from the Western School of Technology and Environmental Science in Catonsville, Md., a magnet school that requires a high GPA as preparation for continuing education.

Maya’s heavy academic course load in the sciences — from biology to zoology — and then a psychology class during her junior year, contributed to her developing interest in the science of the human brain. "By my junior year I had taken so many physical science classes, I needed a break and psychology seemed interesting." An avid fan of the CBS television hit series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," Maya's interest in the secrets crime scenes reveal about victims and perpetrators led her to forensic psychology.

Those 8 high school science courses provide Maya with a solid base for entry into Morgan State College in the fall where she will major in psychology in preparation for a career in crime scene investigation. Asked what her dad thinks of her career choice, Maya laughed and said, "Oh, Dad doesn't care what I do as long as I'm successful at it. And a union member."

Maya also played softball all through high school. When not working, she loves reading romance novels and with her passion for fashion, shopping.

"Thank you, Teamsters! I appreciate all your hard work that made this scholarship possible for me."

A 2013 graduate of Chesapeake Senior High School in Pasadena, Md., Megan Morgan, daughter of Baltimore Sun pressman Brian Morgan, will attend Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Va., in the fall where she plans to major in Biology and minor in Equine Studies in the pre-veterinary program or the liberal arts college. “From the day she started walking, she wanted to be riding a horse,” her father said proudly.

Megan loves animals and is a regular viewer of the Discovery Channel's "Animal Planet." Following up on her life-long passion for horses, Megan’s higher education goals will prepare her for a career as an equine veterinarian.

Though Megan is an avid runner, competing in cross-country and indoor and outdoor track all 4 years of high school, she spent much of her time riding at the Equestrian Center and volunteering at Downs Park on Gibson Island. "We were on a family visit to the park and I met a park ranger who taught me a lot about the creatures in the park," Megan told us. As a volunteer, she feeds injured birds of prey, such as various species of hawks, Spotted Owls, and Great Horned owls. During the summer of 2012, Megan was as a exhibit guide volunteer at the National Aquarium which she hopes to do again this summer.

"This scholarship really helps me because college is so expensive and this will help pay some of my expenses," said Megan. "Thank you so much!"


Jun 20, 2013

Important ballot info for UPS Package members
June 4, 2013 | Some of the packets of ballots mailed to UPS Package members contain a return envelope that says "UPS Freight" on the front. Please be assured that all these will be counted in the UPS Package Referendum with the appropriate supplements and riders. The envelopes contain a unique identification code and the ballots are not only color coded, they are clearly marked as to which Agreement the ballots are for. There is no need to request a replacement ballot. Read this.

UPS, UPS Freight members get factual info at new contracts review meetings
June 8, 2013 | Local 355 members employed by UPS Package and UPS Freight attended contract review meetings held over the weekend of June 1st and 2nd. The meetings were conducted in Baltimore and Salisbury to ensure that as many members as possible could attend. The two contracts cover more than 1,660 Local 355 Teamsters and 250,000 Teamsters nationwide. Teamsters National Negotiating Committee member and Local 355 President Denis Taylor presided over the meetings, assisted by Vice President Erv Williams and Business Agents Eric Wood (UPS) and Mark Garey (UPS Freight). At the request of members in attendance, Taylor went through each of the language changes to both tentative agreements. An in-depth question-and-answer segment followed the end of each section. Read more here(L-R) Members at UPS Package (Hunt Valley) Kevin Warfield, Wenedell Sutton, Willy Shamel and John Ravern attend the contract review meeting in Baltimore on June 1st.

Helpful union tips for members are posted every Monday
June 10, 2013 | Information that can help you understand how the union works and your role in it is avaialble right here on this website. What a contract campaign is, how the bargaining process works, the unwritten laws of the workplace, your role in the grievance and arbitration process and more is over on the left under the Members drop down menu. Stewards will find information under the Shop Stewards tab that will increase their effectiveness as the Teamster representative on their shop.

Union Plus benefits for Teamsters
June 20, 2013 | Because you are an IBT union member or union retiree, you and your family are automatically eligible for Union Plus benefits. Why pay more? As a Teamster, you qualify for many union-only deals and discounts on numerous services or products with savings that could add up to more than $4,000 a year. Learn more about your Union Plus savings and discounts here.

UPS and UPS Freight ballot return count begins today
June 21, 2013 | The IBT elections officer's team has counted the number of ballots that were picked up from the Post Office yesterday and there are currently a 35% return rate from UPS members. However, ballots will continue to be picked up for three Local Unions for the next several days. It is expected that the final return rate will be similar to the rate from the last ratification referendum 5 years ago. Although the number of return ballots from UPS Freight have not been counted yet, the return rate is expected to be a bit higher than at UPS. The election officer has begun opening and counting ballots by Local and region.

Final ballot results from UPS and UPS Freight are available
June 25, 2013 | The IBT has posted the final results from the vote count for the UPS and UPS Freight referendums. Local 355 members approved both master contracts. Nationally, the UPS master freight agreement is approved but the UPS Freight agreement is rejected. View UPS results by Local Union here. View UPS Freight results by Local Union are here.

Good news for members in 401(k) plans
June 25, 2013 | For those of you who have access to and are taking advantage of your employer-based 401(k) plan, you are probably paying less for your mutual funds than retail investors. The Dept. of Labor's Employees Benefits Security Administration reports that in a recent study from the Investment Company Institute finding that 401(k) plan participants in mutual funds tend to hold lower-cost funds, and that the expenses plan participants have incurred for investing in mutual funds have declined substantially in the past 15 years. For helpful information about timelines in retirement planning, click here.

Members rejected the UPS Freight agreement. So what's next?
June 26, 2013 | According to an IBT release issued today, the Teamsters National UPS Freight Negotiating Committee will be scheduling negotiations with UPS Freight soon in order to address member concerns. That agreement, which covers about 10,000 union-represented workers, will then need to be voted on again by the members. Stay tuned.

Members approve ABF master agreement, some supplements *
June 28, 2013 | The IBT has reported that Teamsters employed at ABF Freight System, Inc. approved the national master portion of the ABF National Master Freight Agreement and 21 of 27 supplements. The Teamsters negotiating committees responsible for the supplements that were not approved will be talking with the members in those areas to work on obtaining majority member approval. All local/area supplement agreements must be approved by members before the national agreement can be implemented. Note: The Maryland/DC Supplement was approved.
Updates are available here.

Revised process to sell Allied approved by bankruptcy court
June 28, 2013 | On Wednesday, June 19, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Sontchi approved revised motions by Allied Systems Holdings that establishes a process for interested parties to bid on Allied and bring it out of bankruptcy. Additionally, Judge Sontchi approved replacement debtor-in-possesion (DIP) financing by Black Diamond and Spectrum to fund Allied through the sales process. More information here.

Teamsters, UPS agree to extend current UPS national contract
June 28, 2013 | The Teamsters Union and UPS have agreed to an extension of the current UPS National Master Agreement and all Supplements, Riders and Addenda. The extension does not have a specific end date, but can be terminated by either side with a 30-day notice. This means that all of the current Agreements will remain in place until the Supplements that did not receive a majority of votes have been re-voted and agreed to. Any increases in wages, pensions and health and welfare contributions that were agreed to in the new National Master Agreement will be made retroactively to August 1, 2013 but will not take effect until the Supplements have been re-voted and agreed to. In addition, UPS has agreed not to implement the increase in retiree contributions to retiree health insurance on August 1, 2013 as set forth in letters that were sent out to Retirees in December of 2012.


May 21, 2013

Tell Congress: Leave our 40-hr work week and OT pay alone!
May 1, 2013 | The House of Representatives has renewed its decades-old attack on the 40-hour work week. Once again, some members of Congress are pushing so-called "comp time" legislation that would allow employers to stop giving workers extra pay for working overtime. The "The Working Families Flexibilty Act" (H.R.1406) would eliminate overtime pay and replace it with "comp time." This bill is not about providing employees with greater flexibility. It's all about giving employers more flexibility and control over workers. Employees compensated with time off rather than time-and-a-half cash premium would see a reduction in their take-home pay. Passage of the bill would mean longer hours, unpredictable schedules, and employer control of when a worker can use accrued "comp time." Call Congress today and tell your representative to oppose H.R. 1406! Call now: 1-888-866-2561.

Tentative Contract Agreement Reached with ABF
May 6, 2013 | The Teamsters National ABF Negotiating Committee announced Friday, May 3, that the Union and ABF has reached a tentative agreement. No details will be available until leaders from Teamster local unions that represent ABF members meet in the near future to review the TA and decide whether to endorse it. Read the IBT press release here.

Local Union leaders recommend tentative agreements for ratification
May 8, 2013 | Teamsters Local Union leaders representing UPS and UPS Freight workers across the country unanimously endorsed the tentative national agreement today, clearing the way for ballots to be prepared and sent to members. Details of the tentative agreements with the company were outlined at the "two-person" meeting, attended by two representatives from each Local Union. Ballot packages will be mailed to all members at the end of May for ratification of the master agreements and will tentatively start being counted on or about June 20. View changes to the UPS contract and tentative agreement highlights. View changes to the UPS Freight contract and tentative agreement highlights.

New vehicle wash system at Amports will add more work, more jobs
May 8, 2013 | A ribbon-cutting ceremony held May 3, 2013, unveiled a new car washing system at Amports' Baltimore facility, replacing a decades-old system which had become an unreliable link in the company's vehicle processing operation. Local 355 estimates an increase of 9-10 jobs are likely to be created as a result of the installation of the more efficient car wash system. Driver Syble Wilkins (right), an Amports employee for 19 years, said the new system will ensure "the products are safely in and safely out." Read more here.

Re YRCW efforts to acquire ABF freight division
May 10, 2013 | Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa issued a statement today regarding recent reports that YRC Worldwide Inc. attempted to acquire ABF Freight Systems. Read it here.

Local leaders unanimously endorse ABF contract
May 21, 2013 | Leaders from about 160 Teamster local unions that represent ABF members unanimously endorsed a tentative master agreement and supplements today that covers 7,500 workers. The vote to support the tentative agreement and supplements paves the way for a vote by the members. The Teamsters were able to defeat numerous attempted takeaways sought by the company, including major cuts to health, welfare and pension benefits. The tentative agreement does call for a 7 percent wage reduction, but that will be entirely recouped by the fifth year of the contract. Ballots will be mailed out on or about June 3 and are due back on or about June 27 and will then be counted. Read the full IBT statement here.

Contract review meetings scheduled for June 1st and 2nd
May 23, 2013 | Members employed by UPS are encouraged to attend these meetings to review the tentative agreements. Baltimore meetings will be held Saturday, June 1st, at the Westin-BWI Airport, 1110 Old Elkridge Landing Road, Linthicum, Md. UPS Package will meet at 10 a.m. UPS Freight will meet at 12 Noon. Eastern Shore members will meet Sunday, June 2nd, at the Local 355 Union Hall, 1323 N. Salisbury Blvd., Salisbury, Md. UPS Package will meet at 10 a.m. UPS Freight will meet at 12 Noon. See you there.

Contract review meeting scheduled for ABF members June 1st
May 23, 2013 | Members employed by ABF are encouraged to attend a meeting Saturday, June 1st, at 10 a.m. at the Baltimore Local Union Hall, 1030 S. Dukeland Street, Baltimore, Md.


May 08, 2013

May 8, 2013

A ribbon-cutting ceremony held May 3, 2013, unveiled a new car-washing system at Amports' Baltimore terminal, replacing a decades-old system that had become an unreliable link in the company's vehicle processing operation.

Teamsters Local 355 estimates an increase of 9-10 jobs will likely be created as a result of the installation of the more efficient car wash system.

Attending the ceremony were auto manufacturing representatives from Detroit, MI, George Molyneaux, Amport Terminal Manager, Larry Johnson, Baltimore Port Authority, and Business Agent Jim Deene, Teamsters Local 355. Also on hand were Amports shop steward Dwaynne Miles (rail dept.) and drivers Nathaniel Johns, Robert Washington, Syble Wilkins and Lindsey Webb, all members of Local 355.

New American vehicles heading to destinations around the world arrive by rail and are processed through the Amports facility located at the port in Baltimore. Auto manufacturers pay to have their vehicles washed, rinsed, dried, wrapped and undercoated before being loaded on to cargo ships destined for new owners in Europe, the Mideast and Asia. Amports is a 24/7 operation.

Car wash driver Syble Wilkins, a 19-year employee, said the new system will ensure "the products are safely in and safely out." Syble operated the old system alone, placing each vehicle on a roller system that moved it through all the processes. Between 30-40 vehicles per hour were moved through the car wash.

The new system which can move up to 120 vehicles per hour, requires someone behind the wheel of every vehicle, significantly reducing the possibility of interruption in product processing. Every vehicle must be cleared of dirt and pollen or the wrapping (think shrink wrap) will not adhere to the vehicle's surface.

"This is a great improvement for our company's processing system," Syble said. "But one person can't operate it. It requires more manpower. And that's good for us."


May 01, 2013

Tentative agreements reached with UPS, UPS Freight
Apr. 26, 2013 | The Teamsters negotiating committee has reached tentative agreements on new 5-year national contracts for package and freight workers that protect their health care benefits, provide substantial wage increases and significantly increases funding for pensions, health and welfare funds. In the UPS tentative agreement, workers will get substantial pay increases, including a significant increase in the starting wage for part-timers. The union also won the creations of more than 2,000 full-time jobs from the ranks of part-timers. The tentative agreement for UPS Freight resolves subcontracting work by putting all laid-off road drivers back to work. UPS Freight workers will receive substantial wage increases and lower co-pays for health insurance. The agreement provides the ability for more part-time workers to become full-time. Read more at teamsters.org.

Teamsters will decide soon on YRC network changes *
Apr. 23, 2013 | The IBT is expected to decide whether to adopt YRC Worldwide Inc.'s sweeping change of operations request by the end of the week after meeting with union leadership in Dallas on Friday…Now that the representatives of the affected locals have had their say, approving or negating the move will be up to the Teamsters' change of operations committee. Read more at Kansas City Business Journal. * Update: Teamsters sign off on restructuring.

Casino agreement for Teamsters, Unite Here and IUOE
Apr. 23, 2013 | Workers and community members at last Saturday's Rally for Fair Development in downtown Baltimore had reason to be jubilant. United Workers and Unite Here Local 7 issued a joint statement early Saturday announcing that Caesar's, which is developing the Horseshoe Casino in the heart of the city, will sign an agreement with Unite Here 7, IOUE 37, and Teamsters 355, giving the 800 workers expected to be hired by the casino a process for organizing. Read more at dclabor.org

Another 30-day extension for ABF contract
Apr. 22, 2013 | The Teamsters negotiating committee met last week in Dallas, and it is disappointed with the company's initial economic proposals that seek significant reductions in health and welfare and pension benefits as well as deep wage cuts. "While we've made progress on major local and over-the-road work rule issues over the last few months, the company's new proposals this week are very disappointing and place our progress at risk," said Gordon Sweeton, Teamsters ABF National Negotiating Committee Co-Chairman. "We've put millions of dollars worth of operational relief on the table but that apparently is not enough." Read the full update here.

Negotiations update; talks will resume Monday, April 22
Apr. 19, 2013 | UPS — The Company and Union exchanged economic proposals. Health care remains the major issue in negotiations. Many issues remain but both sides are committed to reaching an agreement by the end of next week. UPS Freight — The Union made a counter-proposal on economics. Much of the week was spent discussing subcontracting and we moved closer to reaching an agreement. Read the full IBT update.

Maryland lawmakers pass tougher cell phone use law
Apr. 11, 2013 | A get-tough bill that upgrades enforcement of the state's existing handheld cell phone law to primary status becomes effective October 1. The law significantly increases fines for distracted driving violations. Read more at 355 News.

Don't buy your prescription drugs at chains like CVS and Rite Aid...
Apr. 10 , 2013 | Because it's costing you big time. According to a new Consumer Reports investigative study, there is rampant variation in the price of generic drugs as large U.S. pharmacy chains—including CVS, Rite Aid, and Target—marking up the prices of generic drug versions for common medications by as much as 18 times what wholesale chains like Costco charge. That price variance ends up costing Americans, who spend an average of $758 out-of-pocket on drugs every year, hundreds of dollars in unnecessary spending each month. Full story here. (Note: You don't need to be a member to use Costco's pharmacy.) Related: It pays to shop around for prescriptions drugs...

Anne Arundel County park rangers ratify new contract
Apr. 10 , 2013 | A new collective bargaining agreement was unanimously approved yesterday at a ratification meeting held at the Union Hall in Baltimore. Details here.

Members with CDLs: Take this safety survey and be eligible for a free iPad3
Apr. 2, 2013 | John Hopkins University is recruiting IBT members who are full-time commercial drivers for a study on distracted driving. By taking this quick, 10-minute online survey, you can enter a drawing for a free iPad 3. All answers are confidential. You must be over 18 and able to read English to participate. Don't wait! John Hopkins will only take the first 500 drivers who complete the survey. Questions? Contact the study staff at JohnsHopkinsDriving@gmail.com

Is your financial advisor working in your best interest?
Apr. 1, 2013 | How can you tell? Selecting someone who is being paid to provide you with investment advice is a crucial decision. You want to make sure that the advisor you select is working in your best interest and that your retirement savings are protected. Asking the right questions, up front, will help you protect yourself and your assets. The DOL has a fiduciary guide fact sheet available here.


Apr 16, 2013

Apr. 16, 2013

One hundred and thirty full-time and part-time para-transit mobility drivers employed at First Transit’s new Sisson Street dispatch facility in Baltimore voted April 15, 2013 to become members of Teamsters Local 355.

Many of the new members were among former Veolia para-transit drivers represented by Local 355 who were laid off in February. Veolia Transportation issued a WARN notice in December 2012, expecting to lay off 80 employees when its contract with the State of Maryland awarded a portion of its business to First Transit. Seventy-eight Local 355 members—all recent hires—were laid off.

In mid-January, Local 355 organizers, with the invaluable assistance of Veolia shop stewards Darren Mason and Paul Carter, attended First Transit’s three-day job fair where more than 200 job seekers signed Teamster representation cards.

First Transit began operating out of the Sisson Street facility March 1, 2013.

A mail ballot election was conducted over a two-week period, with returned ballots counted Monday, April 15, 2013.


Apr 15, 2013

Anne Arundel County Teamsters ratify contracts
Mar. 29, 2013 | Teamster 355's Anne Arundel County deputy sheriffs and correction program specialists have ratified new one-year contracts. The park rangers and the County are at impasse and the dispute has been scheduled for a fact-finding proceeding. Details here.

YRC change of operations info; contract extension at ABF
Mar. 29, 2013
| YRC's proposed "Network Optimization 2013" change of operations will be heard April 19, 2013 in Dallas. Read the YRC update here. The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee agreed to grant a 30-day extension so that negotiations with ABF could continue. Any economic improvements in a new contract will be retroactive to April 1, 2013. Read the ABF contract update here.

UPS and UPS Freight bargaining updates
Mar. 28, 2013
| Updates from the Teamsters National Negotiating Committee on UPS Package and UPS Freight bargaining were posted today. The Union told the Company it is prepared to return to the bargainig table the weeks of April 15th and April 22nd "provided the Company is prepared to reach an Agreement acceptable to our members during those two weeks."

Additional steward photos are posted
Mar. 25, 2013
| Shop stewards by company are available here. More to come.

Labor Notes' coverage of UPS bargaining
Mar. 25, 2013
| Jane Slaughter, editor of Labor Notes, writes that bargaining for a settlement in the largest private-sector union contract in the U.S., covering nearly 250,000 Teamsters, is expected to wrap up in early April. The contract expires July 31 "but UPS wants an early agreement to keep FedEx from luring away customers scared about a possible strike. Read it here.


Apr 11, 2013

Cross-posted from Hands-Free Info

Apr. 11, 2013

Maryland distracted driving update: A get-tough bill that upgrades enforcement of the state’s existing handheld cell phone law to primary status has cleared the House and Senate. The measure also would make significant increases in fines for distracted driving violations.

First offenses will bring a $75 fine. A second offense could bring a ticket of up to $125, and a third to $175. The current fine for violations range from $40 to $100. The plan to assign points was removed by amendments.

The removal of the secondary enforcement provision of the handheld cell phone law means police can stop and cite violators for that reason alone.

The bill, sent to the governor on April 8, was a rerun of previously unsuccessful legislation by Del. James Malone. “They can’t have (a cell phone) in their hand whatsoever,” Malone says. The legislature did water down the penalties in the original bill.

Two other 2013 bills also sought to remove the secondary enforcement limitation on the state’s existing handheld cell phone law.

State Sen. Nancy King puts a spin on the enforcement issue. Her Senate Bill 193 of 2013 specifies primary enforcement if a child under the age of 8 is in the vehicle when the driver violates Maryland’s handheld cell phone law. King, D-Montgomery County, also sponsors a bill seeking to increase penalties for not safely securing a child in a vehicle.

The state made several technical adjustments to its existing distracted driving laws during the 2012 legislative session.

They included a separation of cell phones and texting devices under the legal definition of a “wireless communication device.”

Current prohibitions:

  • Text messaging prohibited for all drivers.
  • Handheld cell phone use banned for all drivers.
  • Fines between $40 and $100.
  • Drivers under the age of 18 prohibited from any use of cell phones.

Feb 22, 2013

Local 355 UPS drivers at the Quad Ave. facility in Baltimore participated in yesterday's Teamsters National Day of Action, as did their brothers and sisters at seven other UPS and UPS Freight facilities in Baltimore and the Eastern Shore. Greg Marders (front row, third from left) has worked at UPS for 24 years: "I refuse to take a loss. I'll go out with a fight. We need to stand tall for all American workers. Hopefully, we can take a stand that the rest of the country will follow."

Thousands of UPS and UPS Freight Teamsters are rallying at events across the country this month. Here in Baltimore, Maryland UPS Teamsters will rally Saturday, Feb. 23, 3 p.m., at the BWI Westin. Check back here to view photos from the event.

Below, L-R: Karl Martins, Mike Poremski, shop stewards Bill Goudy and Mike Petro.


Feb 21, 2013

Feb. 20, 2013

After 42 years, Bill Synder put away his tools in January, 2013, and said so long to his friends and coworkers at US Foods.

A native of Maryland, Bill was a self-taught 16-year-old when he began his career in automative mechanics and started working on the vehicles at Wareheim Auto Services in Baltimore, a company that also serviced the fleet at Monarch Finer Foods. When Wareheim went out of business in 1970 and needed to sell off its equipment, Bill asked the transportation manager at Monarch who he knew quite well if he'd be interested in purchasing any of Wareheim's tools.

It is said that when one door closes, another opens and that was certainly true in Bill's case. Monarch purchased some of Wareheim's equipment, opened its own vehicle maintenance shop and made an employment offer Bill couldn't refuse.

Monarch Finer Foods eventually became a division of US Foods.

Bill is proud of the fact that everything he knew about maintaining the truck fleets he learned while working on the job, except for a short training session sponsored by Caterpillar back in the 1970s. With his knowledge, experiences and skills, Bill could diagnose, fix and repair any vehicle among US Foods' fleet of straight trucks, tractor-trailers and vans.

But changes in regulations and a on-going reductions in maintenance staffing levels played a significant role in Bill's decision to retire.

"Now there are only 6 mechanics left to service 80-plus trucks. DOT requires inspections every year. We conduct preventative maintenance to make sure every thing was on the up and up, but corporate wants it done every 3 months. That's a lot of paper work," Bill said with just a hint of a grin.

When asked what his plans were for retirement, Bill said that nothing would be decided until after his wife takes her retirement in March. But with 4 grandkids, 3 on the Eastern Shore and one in Florida, he expects that travel will definitely be in their plans.

Happy trails, Bill!

Photo: On a recent visit to the Local Union office in Baltimore, Snyder received best wishes for a happy, healthy retirement from US Foods Business Agent Jim Deene.


Feb 07, 2013

Hoffa on Obama's immigration reform proposal
Jan. 30, 2013 | Yesterday President Obama announced his proposal for immigration reform and challenged Congress to act quickly. Teamsters President Jim Hoffa said the the President's plan offers a straightforward approach to a problem that can no longer be ignored. "The President' plan offers a more complete approach to addressing challenges that are at the root of the problem…For the first time, we have a proposal that will hold all parties accountable – undocumented workers, unscrupulous employers and the federal government…" Please read President Hoffa's full statement here.

Call to action! Preserve Social Security, Medicare and education
Jan. 27, 2013 | Teamsters everywhere are needed to step up in this IBT Call to Action: Extremist lawmakers on Capitol Hill are calling for cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and education as ways to reduce the national deficit…Reducing the deficit on the backs of the middle class is just plan wrong. On January 30th, events will be held across the country to send Congress a clear message: No cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and education. Instead of cutting vital programs, Congress needs to make sure that big corporations and the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share. Find an event in your area here. If you can't join a direct action, you can send a loud message to Congress by joining our Thunderclap.

Arbitrator: AA County Executive ‘intended to punish the Union’
Jan. 21, 2013 | In a decision issued Jan. 19, 2013, arbitrator Andrew M. Strongin sustained Local 355's grievance against Anne Arundel County for the County's failure to pay its Deputy Sheriffs their pay increases for fiscal year 2010 and awarded all affected employees to be made whole with interest and retroactive to July 1, 2009. Strongin wrote that the County negated its Agreement with the Union "with the apparent intention of punishing the Union in retaliation for its refusal to accede to the County's request for a concession" and "despite it's ability to afford a 3% increase to the Union, if not also 7% provided by the negotiated Agreement, the County intentionally gave the Union nothing." Continue reading…

UPS negotiations recess; will reconvene Jan. 28
Jan. 18, 2013 | Two weeks of negotiations with UPS and UPS Freight wrapped up yesterday in Washington with progress made on both contracts. In UPS Freight negotiations, the committee addressed seniority and work issues as well as protections for medically disqualified drivers. In UPS negotiations, progress was made on 9.5 language, military leave and stewards' rights. More info here.

New contract in place at US Foods
Jan. 14, 2013 | The protracted bargaining under a number of extension agreements with US Foods centered around two important issues that had to be resolved in order to seal the deal: the company needed to agree to return to the correct calculation as defined by our contract of our Health & Welfare benefits and withdraw its proposal that would eliminate our right to strike. The Union prevailed on both issues and members overwhelming ratified the tentative agreement in late December 2012. The 3-year agreement provides significant wage and pension increases retroactive back to March 16, 2012 when the previous contract expired. Look for details in our next newsletter.

Reduce your debt and get your budget in shape
Jan. 14, 2013 | Managing your money and credit doesn't have to be risky business. But conquering debt may be more challenging than ever in today's economy. The good news: union members have access to expert tools and resources to help them cut debt and improve their financial health. The advice is designed and discounted especially for union members. Services include free budgetary analysis, personal budgeting tools and savings tips, and experienced credit counselors available 24/7. Click here for helpful information from Union Plus.

ABF, Teamsters in talks again this week *
Jan. 11, 2013 | Bargaining began Tuesday, and talks are scheduled to run until March. The current contract expires March 31. When the parties met in December, they ended negotiations far apart. Gordon Sweeton, the co-chairman if the Teamsters' National ABF Negotiating Committee said the union is disappointed with ABF's proposals so far. Read more here  * Jan. 17 update - "The Company seeks to undo 50 years of bargaining history and completely rewrite the current agreement."
Teamsters criticize ABF's stance at negotiations.


Jan 25, 2013

Jan. 25, 2013 | Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit issued a decision finding that the Jan. 4, 2012 recess appointments of three members to the National Labor Relations Board were invalid. In response, Chairman Mark Gaston Pearce issued the following statement:

"The Board respectfully disagrees with today’s decision and believes that the President’s position in the matter will ultimately be upheld. It should be noted that this order applies to only one specific case, Noel Canning, and that similar questions have been been raised in more than a dozen cases pending in other courts of appeals.

In the meantime, the Board has important work to do. The parties who come to us seek and expect careful consideration and resolution of their cases, and for that reason, we will continue to perform our statutory duties and issue decisions."


Jan 17, 2013

Jan. 17, 2013 

The U.S. Senate is where good bills go to die. The chart below is telling, isn't it?

"The supermajority required just to begin debate–60 of the 100 Senators–creates gridlock and ignores the fundamental American principle of majority rule." ~ CommonCause.org

Next week, the Senate may be taking up Resolution 4, a bill to reform the filibuster process and make it more transparent. If enacted, this reform would mean Senators would actually have to speak and debate publicly on the floor of the U.S. Senate in order to keep a filibuster going, just like Jimmy Stewart did in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. As it stands now, a Senator can simply send an email to continue a filibuster.

We need more accountability of our elected officials, and if they wish to block legislation, they should be required to put real time and energy into it.

Here's what we need you to do: Call your Senators TODAY and ask that they fix the Senate by fixing the filibuster! Tell them to vote FOR Senate Resolution 4.

You can reach your Senators by calling the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121.


Jan 17, 2013


Dec. 21, 2012

Drivers with the linens company ALSCO in Salisbury, Md., voted today to join Local 355. "This was our opportunity to do something that will benefit us in the long term," said Shawn Johnson. "The Teamsters listened to our concerns and gave us the option to join their union. We did that today."

Stay tuned for more on our newest members.


Dec 17, 2012

December 24, 2012

The Credit Union will be open 9 a.m. - 12 Noon
The Baltimore and Salisbury union offices will be closed.

December 25, 2012

All offices will be closed.

December 31, 2012

The Credit Union will be open 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
The Baltimore union office will be open 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
The Salisbury union office will be closed.

January 1, 2013

All offices will be closed.

 

Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!


Dec 07, 2012


Nov. 19, 2012 | Local 453 dairy workers ended their strike at Galliker's/Potomac Farms Dairy in Cumberland, Md., after they re-voted Saturday, September 17 and accepted the company's final offer. The new 4-year agreement provides wage increases and language improvements. Local 453 and its dairy members send out a huge thanks to all who showed their support and made donations to the strikers: the Teamsters and other members of the labor community, local businesses and concerned citizens. Background on the strike here. (Local 453 is a member local in Teamsters Joint Council 62, as is Local 355.) Pictured left to right are LU 453 dairy workers Jeremy Van Meter, Tom Fair, Tom Trimble, Terry Whitacre, Casey Hardman, and Jimmy Dickens.


Dec 07, 2012


Nov. 19, 2012 | A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge will issue a ruling soon which will clarify how the Allied Systems Holding bankruptcy case will proceed. The Teamsters Union will update Allied members on any developments once more information is known. More here.


Dec 07, 2012


Nov. 16, 2012 | The latest round of UPS negotiations wrapped up this week with the National Negotiating Committee pressing for more full-time jobs and addressing 9.5 concerns. The bargaining sessions opened in St. Petersburg, Fl., with lengthy company presentations on SurePost and a market outlook for the package industry. The company also claimed that rising health care costs were a big concern.However, the National Negotiating Committee countered by presenting proposals to address 9.5 concerns, dispatch times, backfilling jobs and limiting the use of technology for disciplinary purposes. Negotiations continued in Washington, D.C. this week. Read more here.


Oct 08, 2012

 View more photos in our Photo Gallery.

Fifty-one members and retirees participated in Local 355's fall golf outing September 29, 2012 at the Bay Hill Golf Course in Arnold, Md.

Thirteen teams hit the 9:00 a.m. shotgun start, completing the 18-hole course in record time, after which participants enjoyed lunch and liquid refreshments.

Brother Lou Lubawski (Retired/US Foods), right, made the trek from his home in Ohio to enjoy the day with old (and new) friends.

The top four teams each won $80. The first-place team came in with a score of 64; the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place winners tied with a score of 65 (-5). The final finish was determined by the score at the hardest hole. Longest drive and closest to pin winners each received $25. Congratulations to all the winners!

First Place:

  • Tom Wotjek (UPS/Hunt Valley)
  • Bob Williams (UPS/Hunt Valley)
  • Craig Wilkerson (UPS/Hunt Valley)

Second Place:

  • Aaron Skipper (UPS/Easton)
  • Chris Towers (UPS/Easton)
  • Mike Howard (UPS/Easton)
  • Mark Porter (UPS/Easton)

Third Place:

  • Victor Gray (Penske/Retired)
  • Vince Genco (Penske/Retired)
  • Duane Kelly (Film Industry)
  • Tim Wojtek (Film Industry)

Fourth Place:

  • Melvin Stevens (UPS/Freight)
  • Bill Lewis (UPS/Freight)
  • Dave Manny (UPS/Freight)
  • Walker Chapman (UPS/Freight)

Closest to the Pin Winner:

  • Craig Wilkserson (UPS/Hunt Valley)

Longest Drive Winner:

  • Danny Ward (UPS Feeders/Baltimore)

Sep 25, 2012

Penn Fibre employees with the most years of service broke ground for the new building. Left to right are Wesley Hartzel (maintenance, 37 years); Bill O'Day (punching, 26 years); Brice Smart (shipping, 25 years); George West (extrusion molds, 39 years); Jim Mish (15 years); and General Manager John Cowperthwait.

New warehouse extension sign of employer's commitment to workers and their safety

Greenwood, Del. – Don't let anyone tell you that unions are killing American manufacturing jobs.

Recent developments at Ensinger/Penn Fibre in Greenwood, Delaware, suggest that at least one unionized manufacturer (the Teamsters have represented workers at the company for decades) is growing. And hiring.

At a ground-breaking ceremony on Sept. 20, 2012 for a warehouse extension to house new product, Local 355 members celebrated the company's forward progress and it's commitment to their jobs, their safety, and their community.

According to Local 355 Business Agent John Caparatta, Penn Fibre, manufacturer of high performance engineering plastics, was "on it's deathbed" six years ago. Since German-based Ensinger purchased the company it's been run well, Caparatta said. During the recession that began in 2008, sales dropped and employees were laid off. But in the last two years, the company has replaced most of the customers it lost and has turned itself around, adding workers and planning expansion.

A key factor in the company's decision to expand it's warehouse is concern for employee safety. General Manager John Cowperthwait told the employees that the company was undertaking proactive measures to avoid unnecessary accidents.

"You are all stakeholders," Cowperthwait told the workers. "We're in our third year of making profits and we're making an investment in this building because when they say this company is growing, it means we're growing in Greenwood. We're not going to make money on this, but we will make material handling safer."

Shop steward Jim Mish said the new space will give the workers more room. "I'm looking forward to seeing that happen because right now it's too congested in the building and the building extension will provide us with improved protection. It's all about safety. That's my priority."

"We work in cramped areas," explained David Keith, a shop steward for the past 15 years. "We're experiencing growth here, which means more product. The company's commitment tells us that it is willing to make a long-term investment to ensure the safety of its workers."

In addition to the construction of the warehouse extension begun this week, Cowperthwait announced three new initiatives for workers: production will be reduced by one hour per day, although overtime may be necessary, and employees will be provided a daily 10-minute stretching program by a professional trainer to increase flexibility. Finally, employees will be given five minutes every day to conduct a "safety walk" in their work area in order to "eliminate an accident that might be waiting to happen."

The company provided the union with updates on its expansion plans during the past year. "It always keeps us informed," said Keith.

Greenwood Mayor Donnie Donovan said he was glad to see Ensinger/Penn Fibre expanding. "It means it plans to stay a while. We need investments like this." Also in attendance at the ground-breaking was Town Manager John McDonald and Greenwood Police Chief Mark Anderson.

"I'm happy for everybody, all the way around," said Caparatta. "This is good for the business and its employees. It's a win-win."

Top left photo: Local 355 members gather for the ground-breaking ceremony.

Top right photo: (L-R) Shop steward David Keith Local 355 Business Agent John Caparatta; Operations Manager Mark Fischer; and shop steward Jim Mish.

Above photo: Penn Fibre employees, union officials and guests enjoyed a barbeque of pulled pork, fresh green beans, macaroni and cheese, and cornbread.

 


Sep 21, 2012

   Brianna Ridgely has “always known” she wanted to be a teacher and with assistance from the Teamsters 355 Scholarship Fund, she’s another step closer to accomplishing her dream. The daughter of UPS driver Michael Ridgely (right), she was one of two qualifying high-school students of Local 355 member families awarded a combined total of $8,000 in scholarships.

   Robert White, son of UPS driver Tracey Morsell (below left), was also selected in the drawing of scholarship applicants during the May 5, 2012 membership meeting at the Baltimore office.

   Brianna, a 2012 graduate of Baltimore’s Catholic High School, began Cabrini College in Radnor, Pa. this month to pursue degrees in early education and business. Her long-term goal is to open a day-care center in the area.

   “I’m the oldest of 12 cousins,” Brianna told us. “I’ve always been around kids. I have a younger brother and I spoil him. We’re very close; he’s my best friend.”

   Brianna has been a member of the Girl Scouts of America since kindergarten: first as a Daisy, then a Brownie and nove a SeniorGirl Scout Gold Award, the equivalent of an Eagle in the Boy Scouts. In addition she was on her high school's varsity swimming team, specializing in the 50- and 500-yd. freestyle competitions. She was president of the school's Ambassador Association, charged with recruiting and welcoming new students. Her budding business and organizing skills were evident in her leadership in planning Open Houses for perspective students and Welcome Dinners for in-coming freshmen.

   Robert, born and raised in Baltimore, is a recent graduate of Boys Latin School of Maryland. He is attending Goucher College, Towson, Md., to pursue a degree in pre-med.

   As a long-distance runner and basketball star during his high school years, Robert was no stranger to injury. But when he suffered an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his sophomore year, he didn’t know it would change his life's direction. While waiting for surgery and admittedly scared about the process, he became interested in what the anesthesiologist was doing to prepare him for the operation.

   The operation fixed his knee but the conversation with his anesthesiologist inspired him, peaking his desire to learn more about the medical specialty.

   “Even though I had surgery a second time to repair another injury, I knew what to expect,” Robert explained. “My surgeon from the first operation linked me up with another anesthesiologist with whom I could talk about my interest. And from that - and with the helpful assistance from my mom’s doctor, I was able to shadow doctors at area hospitals so I could learn more about the anesthesiology.” Robert did his senior internship at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore.

  Brianna and Robert will each receive a $4,000 scholarship, paid out at the rate of $1,000 per academic year.

  On behalf of the members, the Local 355 Executive Board extends their congratulations and best wishes for their future success.


Sep 20, 2012

Got family and friends living in other states? Jump over to Teamsters.org for the list of registration deadlines and website addresses for every state and pass that info along to your folks.

Why is it important? From the IBT:

"In states across the country, new laws have gone into effect that could potentially prevent you from voting. The conservative crusade for voter identification laws is little more than a way to disenfranchise poor people and minorities. It's important to know the laws in your state."

This election is likely to be the most important one in our lifetime. Please do your part to ensure everyone you know has the opportunity to cast their ballot in November.

Oh and by the way, Our Time (Standing Up for Young Americans) is a great website for the under thirty-somethings in your life. Pass it on.

Photo: Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images


Sep 17, 2012

Sept. 17, 2012 | Fifty-five Galliker's/Potomac Farms Dairy employees and members of Teamsters Local 453 went on strike September 12, 2012 in response to the company's implementation of it's final offer that ended contributions to the employee pension plans.

   "Our members are united and we've had great support from the public," said Local 453 President Larry Wolfe. "No one has crossed the picket lines except management and non-union staff."

   The union provided the company with a 48-hour strike notice Monday, Sept. 10. The company has yet to respond.

   The previous collective bargaining agreement expired in February 2011 but the parties agreed to continue contract talks. According to Local 453 President Larry Wolfe, the company made its final offer in May but the members voted overwhelmingly to reject it and voted to authorize a strike. The company refused to meet with the union and imposed its offer in June.

   "We've been at the table for a year and a half. Not only is the pension issue of great concern, but 15 months of retroactivity and holiday pay is at stake as well," Wolfe said.

   Local 453 represents drivers and production workers at the Cumberland dairy plant and others working in Virginia and West Viginia. The company provides dairy products to local schools and convenience stores.

   The Teamsters have represented workers at Potomac Farms for decades, and the relationship with the employer has always been a good one. In 1984, the Galliker Dairy Company of Johnstown, Pa., acquired the Potomac Farms Dairy operation. Since then labor management relations have been handled by the corporate parent. "This is the most anti-worker company we've had to to deal," Wolfe said.

   Support for the Potomac Dairy strikers is growing, said Wolfe, as family, friends and members of the public join the picket line.

   Local 453 is a member local of Teamsters Joint Council 62.


Sep 04, 2012


Aug. 31, 2012 |  In his Labor Day message to Teamsters, General-President Jim Hoffa wrote:  "This Monday, we pay tribute to the millions of dedicated men and women who make our world better and keep our country working. Each and every year, Labor Day is a time for reflection.
   The American labor movement is responsible for many things we take for granted—the weekend, the 40-hour work week and anti-child labor laws to name a few. Today, our movement is reinvigorated and working for other profoundly important things: securing wages and benefits that working families deserve, the continued existence of the middle class, and respect and dignity for all working people. I’m proud that the 1.4 million members of the Teamsters Union are at the forefront of this effort.
   But make no mistake, working families are being attacked and scapegoated like never before. Public employees are being blamed for bad economies. Pensions and health care benefits are demonized as excessive perks of the past while the richest among us enjoy tax rates that are some of the lowest in our nation’s history.
   Corporate-backed politicians have mounted the most vicious anti-union attacks in memory. Government workers are being stripped of their collective bargaining rights. Right-to-work-for-less laws to destroy unions are becoming law in many states. And if Mitt Romney is elected president, he has promised a federal Right-to-work law as payback to his big business backers. If this scares you, it should. In fact, at this very moment the Republican National Convention is meeting in Tampa where there message seems to be, “The Middle Class Hasn’t Suffered Enough”. And if they have to take away hard-fought health care benefits, pensions and the rest of our social safety net to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest people on the planet, that’s just what they’ll do—if we let them.
   The ultimate goal of these extremist politicians is to further concentrate wealth and power in the hands of a few. These elite few may have the money, but we have the numbers. I urge you to fight back by getting involved. You can make a difference by talking to workers in organizing drives; attending rallies; urging politicians to support issues such as fair trade; voting for pro-labor candidates; and by becoming a member of DRIVE, our powerful political action committee. Be proud of our legacy, and tell others what it means to be in a union — solidarity, democracy, and respect. Because if we don't educate the public, no one will.
   On this Labor Day, I ask you to get involved and build support for working Americans — Our country’s true everyday heroes.


Aug 31, 2012


Aug. 2, 2012 | Efforts are under way at Teamster locals and Joint Councils nationwide to register voters and increase participation in this year's election. It is especially important for all of us to be voters this fall because opponents of labor are still mounting an all-out war on us. During the month of August we'll be visiting your shop where you'll have the opportunity to not only register to vote, but also sign up for DRIVE and Maryland Teamsters PAC. The schedule for our larger shops is here. If your shop isn't on the list, contact your business agent at 410-566-5700 for schedule and more information.


Aug 13, 2012

   After more than four decades as a mechanic for Penske Trucking, Henry 'Buz' Jones, Sr. has had enough. On Thursday, August 9, 2012, Buz told the company he wouldn't be back and would they please get his retirement papers ready for his signature.

   Buz hadn't planned to end his career so soon. He would have stayed on a few more years, willing and able to work. But his life was tragically and forever changed Sunday, August 5, 2012 when he's beloved wife, Sandra, passed away from a fast-growing cancer discovered only weeks before.

   Buz and Sandra had been married 46 years. They have three sons and six grandchildren.

   We caught up with Buz at the Baltimore union hall just as he had wrapped up a meeting to go over his health, welfare, and pension benefits with Business Agent Chip Elgert.

   "I was supposed to return from bereavement leave today," said Buz. "But now I know things can happen so quickly…." Pausing for a minute to collect his thoughts, Buz added, "I'm not going to die working. That's why I'm not going back. There is something more important now that I need to be doing and that's spending time with my kids and grandkids."

   Son Joey is an electrical inspector for Anne Arundel County. Michael is a Defense Department employee, and Henry Jr., is a maintenance manager for Southwest Airlines in Texas.

   Buz plans to keep his grandchildren - the youngest of whom he boasts is "a real firecracker" - very, very busy.

   A native of Early Heights, Md., Buz joined Penske in 1966 and in 1968 was drafted into the Army where he served three years. He was stationed in Thailand and as an Army engineer helped build the B-52 airbase there. He has since been regularly recognized for his superior mechanical abilities.

   Buz joined Teamsters Local 355 in 1993 when his shop organized themselves under the direction of Denis Taylor, who was at that time a Local 355 business agent. "Denis was impressive. Sometimes guys just don't know what to do, or what they should do, and there was a lot of hesitation. But this one day Denis came in and gave us all a talk. A powerful one. It made sense. And it made all the difference."

   We wish you the very happiest - and busiest - retirement, Buz!


Aug 08, 2012

August 8, 2012

   More than 60 UPS members met with President Denis Taylor and Business Agent Eric Wood Sunday, August 5, to review the current "National Master United Parcel Service Agreement and Atlantic Area Supplemental Agreement," and discuss proposal ideas for the next round of bargaining.

   The current agreement expires July 13, 2013, but the bargaining process begins September 27, 2012 when the negotiating committees meet with the company to exchange proposals.

   The bargaining unit was well represented; someone from every operation was in attendance. Stewards and rank-and-file members offered their proposals as Wood moved them through every article of the contract.

   "It was an excellent turnout, proof that many of our members want the opportunity to be part of the process," said Wood. "People took the issues seriously. We now have proposals of substance that will be brought forward to the National and Atlantic Area negotiating committees."

   Members were reminded of the importance of enforcing the contract every single day. "This is the best, biggest contract in the IBT - and in the industry," said Taylor. "Enforce what you have. Make it work for you."

   The best contract in the world is only as good as the paper it's printed on if it is not strictly enforced.

More photos here.

 


Aug 03, 2012

Join your Teamster brothers and sisters in Philadelphia on Saturday, August 11 for the first-ever Workers Stand for America rally. Union and non-union workers from across the nation will converge on Philadelphia for an all-day event in the heart of the city that will refocus attention on the needs of America's middle-class, and all working families. During the rally workers will sign a Second Bill of Rights, the centerpiece of the rally. The document demands full employment and a living wage, full participation in the political process, a voice at work, a quality education for all, and a secure and healthy future. Click here and here for more info. Sign the Bill here.


Jul 30, 2012


June 21, 2012 | A vote is set for Sunday, June 24, 2012 at 10 a.m. at the Baltimore union hall. Please be present and on time. *6/25 UPDATE: Members approved a new contract retroactive to March 1, 2012 that provides wage increases in each year of the three-year term, maintenance of health insurance contributions, an increase in the employer's contribution to pension, two additional sick days, and bereavement leave for stepmother and stepfather.  


Jul 30, 2012


June 12, 2012 | The Teamsters Union will continue to closely monitor Allied's financial restructuring efforts after the company announced June 10 a new Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing to carry out a financial restructuring at reducing its debt. "We will have a team of experts…to advise the union and keep our members informed through the process," said Roy Gross, Director of the Teamsters Car Haul Division. "Our message to our members remains the same: keep working as usual." The company's move comes after two NY hedge funds tried to take control of Allied by filing involuntary Chapter 11 proceedings against it last month. Read the full IBT statement here. Allied says its terminals and locations will continue to operate as usual, and employees will continue to be paid without interruption: Truckinginfo.com


Jul 30, 2012


June 7, 2012 | Local 355 is part of a coalition of unions currently assisiting employees who want to be organized at the just-opened casino at Anne Arundel Mills. If you have a family member or friend working at Maryland Live!, please ask them to contact 355 Business Agent Mark Garey at 410-566-5700, or email him at mgarey@teamsters355.com.


Jun 25, 2012

Congratulations to our 2012 Scholarship Winners
May 20, 2012 | Local 355's 2012 scholarship winners are Brianna Ridgely, daughter of Michael Ridgely (UPS/Baltimore), and Robert T. White, son of Tracey Morsel (UPS/Baltimore). Alternates are Walker Harrington, son of James Walter (UPS/Eastern Shore), and Bradley Holihan, son of John Holihan, Jr. (UPS/Baltimore). The students' names were selected in a drawing of submitted applications at yesterday's monthly membership meeting. Learn more about the scholarship here. Watch for a profile of Brianna and Robert in the fall issue of our newsletter.


May 31, 2012

Walmart: End the Double Standard

Walmart's abuses are getting ridiculous: Angela WIlliams was fired last week for talking "too much" manager-approved sick leave to care for herself and her ailing grandmother. Another coworker was also fired, while a third was given his "final warning." Not coincidently, all three had been speaking publicly about the abuses they faced on a daily basis

No, Angela has been evicted, forcing her daughter to scrape by with her grandmother while Angela looks for a new job and a new place to live.

Meanwhile, Mike Duke and Rob Walton have their jobs despite reports of their involvement in a reported bribery scandal and a high-level executive cover-up of the incident!

It's time to put an end to Walmart's double standards.

You can help Angela and workers like her. Visit a Walmart store near you on Friday, June 1st to collect petition signatures to demand Walmart end its abuses of workers and our laws. Click here for instructions.

Together, we can help Angela gather more than 15,000 signatures demanding the resignations of Mike Duke and Rob Walton as well as getting her and her coworkers reinstated!


May 11, 2012

Reynolds, left, was active on the regional and national Teamsters stage and a staunch supporter of Washington, D.C., Teamster Local 730 president John Cleveland, right, and Cleveland’s candidacy for International Vice President as the first African-American to sit on the Teamsters International Executive Board.

May 10, 2012 | Legendary local Teamster leader Paul Baynard Reynolds, who passed away earlier this year at the advanced age of 102, was remembered in a dedication ceremony immediately following the May 6, 2012 monthly membership meeting at Local 355's Salisbury, Md. office. With nearly a dozen Reynolds family members from near and far in attendance, a plaque honoring his works and his memory was unveiled and the Salisbury Hall named The Paul Reynolds Meeting Hall.

   Reynolds was founder and former president of Teamsters Local 876, a local that merged with Local Union 355 in 1984. He was a powerful inspiration to past and current Teamsters - a fearless labor leader during the early, and at times violent, years of struggle for union recognition by thousands of abused and underpaid men and women working in the Delmarva region.

   Mr. Reynolds' organizing successes not only increased the ranks of his own local to more than 5,000 members by the 1950s, they also included the unionization of more than 10,000 poultry workers in Maryland and Delaware. He founded the Maryland Chapter of Teamsters (now Teamster Joint Council 62) and served as its president until his retirement in 1972.

   Mr. Reynolds' commitment and contributions to the Teamster organization earned him the admiration and respect of members and leaders alike. In a written statement to the family, Secretary-Treasurer Dave White, who was out of town on union business with President Denis Taylor and Recording Secretary Bill Alexander, said: "In the short time I had to know Mr. Reynolds, I learned a lot just watching and listening as he worked. He was eager to teach anyone who would listen. But I also know that he had a love for the labor movement, and if he thought you did not share that feeling, you were not going to get anything from him…Having the Salisbury Hall dedicated to you is one small way for us to honor your legacy and say thank you for the lifetime of work you did for so many thousands of workers."

   Vice President Erv Williams told the family in his closing remarks, "Mr. Reynolds' legacy will live on in the very building that represented fairness and justice to thousands of workers organized under his leadership. He will forever be remembered here."

Read more about Paul Reynolds' life and legacy in "A Profile in Leadership." More story and photos in the next issue of Local 355 Union News.

Bob Reynolds (center, with Local 355 Business Agent John Caparatta, left, and Vice President Erv Williams), a former Local 355 vice president prior to his retirement, and the only surviving son of Mr. Reynolds, traveled from his home in Georgia to join other family members for the dedication ceremony.


May 07, 2012


May 7, 2012 | After six months of difficult negotiations with Anne Arundel County representatives, tentative agreements were ratified by the park rangers, corrections program specialists (CPS), and deputy sheriffs. Although the contracts do not include wage increases, enhancements were made to benefits.

The park rangers unanimously approved a first contract Thursday, May 3, 2012; corrections programs specialists ratified their agreement Friday, May 4, 2012, and the deputy sheriffs okay'd their contract at a ratification meeting Sunday, May 6, 2012.

The CPS and deputy sheriff agreements will have no increases in employee contributions to health care costs and no furlough days. In addition, there will be no employee cost for life insurance coverage equal to two times their annual salary, up to $100,000.

Specific to the deputy sheriff CBA, the clothing and weapons allowances eliminated by the County in the last three contracts were returned, and retention bonuses also included. A pension percentage increase of 1.75% for both groups will be implemented, but delayed until February, 2013.

The park rangers agreement includes the Teamster grievance procedure; guarantees double time-and-a-half for worked holidays (rangers work an average of five holidays annually); requires no increase in employee health care contributions, and no furlough days. A major factor in the park rangers' decision to organize with the Teamsters was the on-going changes to work schedules and increases to job duties without their input. A mutual understanding between the County and the Union has been reached to address those issues.

Pictured: (front left to right) Nolley Fisher, Business Agent Charles Marshall, Dave Devault. (Back left to right) Business Agent Jim Deene, Adam Smith, Matthew George, Steve Streiff, and Business Agent Dan Taylor.


May 01, 2012

Photo by Ed Mulford (USFoods). View more of his photos in our Photo Gallery.

Local 355's annual golf outing at Queenstown Harbor Lakes Course in Queenstown, Md. had the largest participation since the late 1970s.

Sunny skies and warm weather graced the 8:30 a.m. shotgun start (foursomes start at every hole) and continued through the day as foursomes completed the 18-hole course, after which participants enjoyed lunch and liquid refreshments.

Congratulations to the winners!

First Place:

  • Joseph Bartram (Cassens)
  • Chris Ulsiton (Cassens)
  • Melvin Phillips (Cassens)
  • Rodney Garrett (Nustar)

Second Place:

  • Carlton Plummer (Piedmont)
  • David Daniels (Piedmont)
  • David Moore (Piedmont)
  • Jack Holston (Piedmont)

Third Place:

  • Ryan Gryzbowski (UPS/Hunt Valley)
  • Craig Wilkerson (UPS/Hunt Valley)
  • Bob Williams (UPS/Hunt Valley)
  • Tim Wojtek (UPS/Hunt Valley)

Fourth Place:

  • Danny Ward (UPS/Feeders)
  • Richard Lowman (UPS/Feeders)
  • Robert Weckesser (UPS/Freight)
  • Dan Williams (APA/Retired)

Closest to the Pin - Hole #8:

  • Duane Kelly (Movies)

Longest Drive - Hole #13:

  • Vic Gray (Penske/Retired)

Apr 19, 2012

 
Mar. 22, 2012 | The International Brotherhood of Teamsters approved YRC Worldwide Inc.'s plan to move its national transportation arm out of the next-day delivery business. A spokeswoman for YRC confirmed that the changes will be implemented on April 8. YRC Fright, the Overland Park-based company's national arm, wants to focus on long-range hauling as it sealed to regain market share lost in recent years as the parent company struggles with its finances. "The change of operations was approved, and it should help YRC tremendously," said Gordon Sweeton, assistant of the Teamsters National Freight Division. "It should help the company grow and lead to more jobs, which will be good for our members." Full story at here.


Apr 19, 2012


Mar. 13, 2012 | Members of the Local negotiating committee (L-R) Chris Whitcomb, Orlando Monroe, Gary Clark and Dan Heitzer discuss proposals before a February 28th session with company representatives. Also in the committee are Bill Rider, Chris Greene, Business Agents Jim Deene, Dan Taylor and President Denis Taylor. Talks continue.


Apr 19, 2012


Mar. 9, 2012 | Committee members (L-R) Business Agent Dan Taylor, Joseph Schwabline, Sr., Business Agent Jim Deene, Lou Lough, and Ed Mulford met to discuss proposals and strategy before a March 7th bargaining session with USFoods. Bargaining began in early February. The contract expires March 15.


Apr 04, 2012


Apr 02, 2012

Mar. 6, 2012 | News that Baltimore Sun pressman Leonard Lee retired in February is big in of itself given that he worked at the Sun for 43 years and served as shop steward in recent years. But the reason he decided to retire one year earlier than he'd originally planned is what needs to be shared with his Teamster family at Local 355: When Lee learned several months ago that one of his coworkers would be laid off as part of the company's plan to reduce the staff, Lee decided to save his brother's job and leave now rather than later. Asked what he had planned for his early retirement, Lee said he looked forward to volunteering at his church. Lee's commitment and service to his coworkers was celebrated at our Baltimore membership meeting March 4.


Apr 02, 2012

Feb. 27, 2012 | With their contract expiring at the end of June, Local 355 deputy sheriffs are meeting with Anne Arundel County to hammer out a new collective bargaining agreement. Among the Union's issues are pension and health insurance coverage and costs. Pictured minutes before talks began today for their sixth session since December are (L-R) steward Jimmy Walker, Business Agents Charles Marshall and Dan Taylor, and steward Dave Belisle.


Apr 02, 2012

Feb. 20, 2012 | An award of $8,000 in financial assistance to 2 college-bound students will be offered at our monthly meeting in May in Baltimore. Selected in a random drawing, the annual awards are presented to sons and daughters of Teamsters Local 355 members for use in pursuing an undergraduate degree at an accredited college or university of the student's choice. Click here for more information and to download the application.


Mar 09, 2012

Feb. 2, 2012 | In an election held Monday, Jan. 30, 2011, Will Carter and Darrin Mason were elected to represent Veolia Transportation drivers, replacing Vivian Smith and Reginald Ayers. Carter joined the company in 2000 and Mason in 2004. Kevin Wade, steward for the company's mechanics, was re-elected for another term.


Feb 08, 2012

By JAMES HOFFA
The Detroit News

February 8, 2012 | Already this year, state lawmakers have opened brutal new fronts in the war on workers. And America's workers are fighting back as never before.

In Michigan, anti-worker bills aimed at weakening labor unions are gaining traction in the House. HB 5025, for example, would require employees' annual written authorization to have their union dues deducted from their paychecks.

Working families in Indiana, Florida and Arizona are under especially fierce attack. State politicians loyal to their Wall Street paymasters are trying to lower workers' wages, benefits and safety. They're trying to turn taxpayer assets over to for-profit corporations, along with fat contracts and tax giveaways, at the expense of government employees.

Gov. Mitch Daniels supported a law to make Indiana a right-to-work-for-less state, breaking a campaign promise that earned him labor's endorsement. Last week, he signed the law in secret and held no press conference to announce the deed. That's not what I'd call bold leadership.

Hoosiers will see falling wages, increased poverty and more dangerous workplaces — for now. They will also be engaged in one hell of a fight. Even during protests against the right-to-work-for-less bill, working people were registering voters inside the Capitol. The ballot box is where they'll punish lawmakers who voted against them.

It's happened before. Indiana lawmakers who voted for a right-to-work law in 1957 faced a stiff backlash. Many lost re-election. Eight years later, it was repealed. More recently, Ohio voters overwhelmingly fought back another blatant attack on working families.

In Florida, Gov. Rick Scott and some lawmakers want to turn many of the state's correctional facilities over to a private corporation with a poor track record of safety and savings. The proposal would save less than one-half of 1 percent of Florida's corrections budget — and that's if those savings actually materialized, which is doubtful. For that tiny savings, prison privatization would put 4,000 correctional officers out of work. Nearly all of them live in poor, rural counties where good jobs just don't exist.

Florida's working families are bringing the fight to Tallahassee. Correctional officers come almost daily to the Capitol to lobby against the bill, joined by hundreds of other workers, including nurses and teachers who fear they'll be next.

Radical politicians in Arizona are trying to ban collective bargaining. What's being proposed is worse than what Gov. Scott Walker rammed through in Wisconsin last year.

Lawmakers would make collective bargaining illegal for government bodies and employee groups. Automatic payroll deductions for union dues would be banned.

Gov. Jan Brewer also wants to strip civil-service protections from state employees. Arizona could soon become the next Wisconsin. The state's working families are making plans for protests, Capitol sit-ins and possibly a recall of Brewer.

Michigan politicians contemplating similar anti-union legislation should proceed at their own electoral peril. Michigan's working families are mobilizing right now and will certainly remember in November.

We may not win battles in every state this fall. It may take years, but in the end, I'm confident we'll win the war on workers.


Feb 01, 2012

Feb. 1, 2012 | US Foods in Severn, Maryland, must handle Department of Transportation (DOT) violations through the same 5-step process it handles other disciplinary actions, according to a decision by arbitrator M. David Vaughn of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

The ruling, made by the arbitrator January 24, found US Foods violated the collective bargaining agreement and the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) by unilaterally imposing in November 2010 an Hours of Service (HOS) policy for Local 355's 112 drivers without properly negotiating the terms with the Union.

The Employer notified the Union of its intention to roll out the new policy in August 2010. Because the policy involved a change in practice of the disciplinary steps, i.e., a reduction to 3 from the standard 5-step process, the Union sought to bargain over the changes and the likely impact on the drivers. Although a number of phone discussions were conducted with management about the policy, Union requests for additional information and answers to specific questions went unaddressed. The Union filed a formal grievance in November 2010 when the Company implemented its policy.

The Employer notified the Local in January 2011 denying the Union's grievance. Local 355 filed an unfair labor practice (ULP) charge with the regional National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), and in July 2011, the board deferred the charge to arbitration.The arbitration was heard in late fall 2011 during 2 days of testimony.

At a grievance meeting on a separate issue early in the dispute, the Severn-based management claimed implementation of their new HOS Policy was US Foods' response to a DOT audit at another location, and that because it "came from Corporate" and was being rolled out corporate-wide, their "hands were tied."

In his decision, the arbitrator wrote: "'Corporate policy' is not a defense to failure to bargain."

"We're very pleased with this outcome," said Ed Mulford, chief shop steward who lead the case through the grievance/arbitration process on behalf of the drivers. "While we encourage our members to remain in compliance with all DOT policies, we will continue to press for fairness in the application of discipline under the Company's policy."

Business agent Jim Deene notes that copies of the arbitrator's decision have been delivered to shop stewards, and Wednesday morning a copy of the last page (describing the arbitrator's award) will be posted on all the Union's bulletin boards. Additionally, you may download the arbitrator's entire 38-page Opinion and Award (pdf).


Jan 24, 2012

Hard work and sacrifice is recognized, appreciated

Jan. 24, 2012 | The rail crew at APS East Coast, Inc. (Amports) received recognition January 20, 2011 from rail transport company CSX for their hard work and commitment that assured the success of on-time deliveries of Chrysler, GM and Honda vehicles.

"A big hats off to the Teamsters," wrote George Molyneaux, General Manager of APS East Terminals in a congratulatory email to Business Agent Jim Deene. "The rail crew has done a terrific job. Great work ethic and attitude, through and weather or time of day. Their commitment is appreciated."

More than 185 Teamsters off-load newly manufactured vehicles from trains operated by CSX that arrive from Detroit, MI and other vehicle producing cities. Workers then process and sort the vehicles for export to other countries.

Amports employees at the Blount Island, FL facility were also recognized.

"Our members worked hard all though the holiday season, and even sacrificing Thanksgiving Day with their families – to achieve the company's goals," said Jim Deene. "Amazingly, they moved more than 15,000 vehicles in December alone. It's great that they are being recognized for their dedication and hard work."


Jan 09, 2012

Maryland has a new go-to role on television — Washington

'House of Cards' is the latest in a string of political dramas filmed in the stat

By David Zurawik and Chris Kaltenbach
January 5, 2012

Cross-posted from The Baltimore Sun

For almost two decades, Baltimore was mainly seen by the TV industry as a place to make shows about cops and crime. But now, the city is looking more like the nation's capital to some of Hollywood's top producers.

On Thursday, Gov. Martin O'Malley announced that "House of Cards" — a Washington-set TV series starring Kevin Spacey — will be filmed in Baltimore this spring, making it the third political drama to be produced in Maryland in less than a year.

"This current run of going three for three with Washington political stuff is really something," said Jack Gerbes, director of the Maryland Film Office. "And we're doing it in TV productions featuring Oscar and Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning producers, writers and directors."

Produced by director David Fincher, "Cards" will be the first original series from Netflix, one of Hollywood's distribution giants with 20 million subscribers. The remake of the acclaimed British series joins HBO's "VEEP" series, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and "Game Change" a made-for-TV movie starring Julianne Moore and Ed Harris. The two HBO productions are set to premiere this spring.

Since the start of production on NBC's "Homicide: Life on the Streets" in 1992 through the end of filming on HBO's "The Wire" in 2007, Baltimore has been home to TV series that came to typify what's been characterized as "gritty urban drama." And there certainly is no shortage of locations and neighborhoods that lend themselves to that depiction of the city.

But the current trio of TV productions have Baltimore serving as stand-in for Washington —with greater economic benefits for Maryland workers and small businesses.

And while the city has played that role before in several one-shot feature films such as "Enemy of the State," doing it in a continuing TV series is another matter altogether — providing employment and infusions of Hollywood money to the local economy for months and years, instead of weeks.

Producers and Hollywood executives say the attributes that make Baltimore most attractive as a stand-in for Washington are the architectural similarities, easier logistics and lower costs. And by basing your operation in Maryland, you can have Washington itself and its iconic sights, they say, in controlled one- and two-day bites without having to pay Washington prices.

"What happens is you end up shooting some establishing shots of Washington," said John Melfi, the executive producer of the Netflix series. "But you also need the way that Baltimore ties in so well with Washington in pieces, in terms of its architecture and its looks. The textures of Baltimore and Maryland will give us a lot of credibility."

But it took more than proximity, architectural synergy and lower costs, according to those involved in the negotiations. It took political muscle, hustle and money — things usually associated more closely with Washington than Baltimore.

Maryland's Film Office has been targeting Washington productions for years, Gerbes said. "Any time we would get wind of a D.C.-based show, we're right on the phone with them, saying, 'Have you ever considered Maryland?'" Gerbes said.

Maryland went head-to-head with Washington on the Netflix project, according to Leslie Green, a spokeswoman for the D.C. Office of Motion Picture and Television Development. Green confirmed that her office had been in negotiations with the producers to bring "House of Cards" to Washington.

But their effort failed because they could not offer the kind of incentives Maryland could, she said Thursday. The filmmakers will be shooting only seven to nine days in Washington.

"We did not get as many days as we had hoped for because of that incentive program. It's basically a money game," she said, explaining that her office has "not been able to get re-funded" this year at the $4 million level it previously enjoyed.

Incentives from the state played an important role in bringing all three productions to Maryland, according to Debbie Donaldson Dorsey, director of the Baltimore Film Office and secretary of the Maryland Film Industry Coalition.

"The film industry is returning to Baltimore thanks to the Maryland Film Production Employment Act," Dorsey said.

The film production act, which was passed in the last legislative session and signed into law by O'Malley in May, provides tax credits of 25 percent for film and 27 percent for TV series on certain in-state expenditures by production companies. Hollywood trade publications have pegged "House of Cards" as a $100 million production.

TV and film production in Maryland disappeared with the end of HBO's "The Wire," and many of the skilled production workers in the area had to go on location to other states to find work in recent years — until the arrival of "VEEP" and "Game Change," which not only put local actors and production workers back to work, but provided contracts for small area businesses that provided everything from scenery to set decorations and food to the visiting filmmakers.

"The production is estimated to have a $75 million economic impact and is projected to create over 2,000 jobs for local crew, actors and extras and support hundreds of Maryland businesses," O'Malley said Thursday.

One of those workers is Michael Davis, a member of Local 487 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. The last two years, he's had to go to Michigan and Ohio for TV work. A married father of two teen daughters, Davis spent 20 weeks in Michigan working on Wes Craven's "Scream 4."

But this past year, he has worked as a construction coordinator for "VEEP." Members of the "VEEP" crew are likely to work on "House of Cards," which has already started preproduction, according to Melfi.

"What this means to guys like me is that we don't have to leave Maryland, don't have to leave home and be away from our families to find work," Davis said. "And that's great.

"It also means we'll be spending our money here instead of in another state," he added. "We spend a lot of money [making scenery] on fuel, lumber and equipment. And instead of spending all that money in Michigan or Ohio, now it's being spent here in Baltimore and Maryland."

 


Jan 05, 2012

Small Union, Big Power Struggle

By Eric Hartley
The Capital

Published 01/01/12

They had a deal.

In the summer of 2009, county sheriff's deputies would get a 3 percent raise, plus another 4 percent raise for everyone with satisfactory performance ratings.

But in the heart of a recession, County Executive John R. Leopold decided such generous contracts, signed a couple of years earlier, didn't work any more.

The county asked unions to reopen negotiations and take smaller raises. Some agreed. The deputies, part of Teamsters Local 355, did not.

"Either take our deal, which basically cuts you by 4 percent, or we're going to cut you by 7 percent," said Denis Taylor, the local Teamsters president. "So it was basically strong-arm tactics by Leopold and his administration. We were not going to have any of it."

The county did it anyway.

Despite the contract, the County Council unanimously passed Leopold's emergency bill keeping the deputies' salaries the same as the year before. The first paycheck after July 1, 2009, arrived, and there were no raises.

The union immediately filed a grievance, then filed for arbitration when the county rejected the grievance. The county refused to participate, despite binding arbitration also being part of the contract. So the union sued.

A judge sided with the union, ordering arbitration in 2010. The county appealed, and last week, a state appeals court ruled for the union again.

This was never really about money. The union's 58 members are a fraction of the hundreds in the police officers' and firefighters' unions. The year's worth of pay increases at issue would have cost only about $75,000, less than the union has spent on legal fees, Taylor said.

For both sides, it was about principle and what they saw as fairness.

The county thought all employees should have to share the pain in tough times.

"We treated everybody the same way," County Attorney Jonathan Hodgson said.

As a moral argument, that might work. As a legal one, not so much.

The union saw fairness a different way. Deputies understood they'd have to make concessions in their next contract. But a deal is a deal.

"The county was going through rough times," said Deputy Dave Belisle, the chief shop steward for the union. "When our contract expired, it'd have been our turn in the barrel to take a hit."

But for the county to unilaterally change the deal? Taylor said he'd never seen anything like it in more than 20 years with the union local, which represents 6,000 workers in 90 organizations.

"If this was a private employer and they had acted similarly ... the labor board would have been all over them," Taylor said.

The county was just ahead of the curve. While this lawsuit has proceeded, the role and very existence of public-sector unions have come under attack.

New governors in New Jersey, Ohio, Wisconsin and other states have taken attacking unions as a sort of populist mission, as if teachers and police officers are getting rich at the expense of struggling taxpayers.

It's become mainstream to wonder whether government employees should have the right to unionize at all.

Belisle called the county's breaking its word "a form of union-busting," a way to show who's in charge.

"I don't get it," he said. "All of a sudden county employees became the bad guy."

The county has fought to roll back union rights in subtler ways, resisting an effort by park rangers to join the Teamsters and suggesting they join a different union. (Perhaps because the Teamsters don't play ball.) The rangers won and joined the Teamsters.

Several unions are suing the county over a new law that takes away the right to binding arbitration. A judge sided with the county, but the ruling's being appealed.

In the deputies' case, Taylor said he expects the county to keep resisting even if the arbitrator rules for the union. Hodgson said the attorney handling the case was out of the office and he was unsure how the county will proceed.

Maybe you think the deputies should have been willing to compromise. But a contract has to mean something.

During arguments in Circuit Court, Assistant County Attorney William Dickerson said such salary agreements only apply after the money has been put in the budget. In other words, a union can have a contract, but the county gets the final say.

"If that were the case," Judge Philip Caroom asked, "wouldn't it make that provision in the collective bargaining agreement meaningless?"

Yes, it would.

The county also argued its broken promise isn't subject to arbitration - and that arbitration would be futile anyway - because no one can order the executive and County Council how to spend money.

Even if an arbitrator ruled for the union, the case would be right back in court, Dickerson said.

A Court of Special Appeals panel rejected that notion, saying an arbitrator can award damages for breach of contract. If it couldn't, there would be no point to binding arbitration.

With a level of frankness unusual in court rulings, the unanimous judges said the county's argument "has no merit."

 

 

 


Dec 28, 2011

Dec. 28, 2011 | The new rule announced last week by the Dept. of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) revises the hours-of-service (HOS) safety requirements for commercial truck drivers.

The new HOS final rule reduces by 12 hours (from 82 to 70) the maximum number of hours a truck driver can work within a week.

In a press release issued immediately following the DOT announcement, General President Hoffa said: "We said all along that an hours of service rule has to protect highway safety and our truck drivers' health. We are reviewing the new rule, and in the coming wells we will meet and discuss it with our allies and, if necessary, determine our next course of action."

The rule requires drivers take a break of at least 30 minutes after driving 8 hours, and can take the 30-minute break whenever they need rest during the 8-hour period. The rest requirement is part of the rule's 34-hour restart, a provision that allows drivers to use the restart provision only once during the 7-day period. The final rule retains the current 11 hour-daily driving limit.

FMCSA officials said tat commercial truck drivers and companies must comply with the HOS final rule by July 1, 2013.

View the rule provisions and compliance information at the FMCSA's website here.


Dec 06, 2011
 
 

Download:
CSA2010_DriverFactSheet.pdf
JustTheFacts.pdf

Nov 07, 2011

(L-R) Re-elected to serve on Local 355's Executive Board for the term 2012-2015 are Secretary-Treasurer Dave White; Recording Secretary Bill Alexander; Trustee Ed Mulford; Trustee Janet Genovese; President Denis Taylor; Trustee Tim Marvel. Pictured below is Vice President Erv Williams.

 

Nov. 7, 2011 | In a solid re-affirmation in the current leadership team, all Local 355 incumbent officers were awarded another 3-year term by members attending Sunday's officer nomination meetings in Baltimore and Salisbury.

When nominations closed, the officers were unopposed and therefore in accordance with Teamster election rules, they were unanimously re-elected. Sean Cedenio, Joint Council 62 Recording Secretary and Principle Officer of Teamsters Local 570 (Baltimore) conducted the nominations in Baltimore. Ken Kelm, Joint Council 62 Secretary-Treasurer and Principle Officer of Teamsters Local 311 (Baltimore) conducted the nomination meeting at Local 355's Salisbury office.

"I want to extend my thanks to the members for their continued support of this Executive Board," said President Denis Taylor, who will enter his seventh term as Local 355's principle officer. "We'll continue to strive to make our shops a better place for our members in this tough labor environment."

"We look to continue to improve this Local Union for its membership. We thank them for their unwaivering support," said Vice President Erv Williams.

"We've got a good team in place - a team that really knows what it's doing," said Trustee Tim Marvel. "As a result of Denis' and Dave's leadership, we've got the strongest local in the country."

"Having this election uncontested shows the unity in our local and hopefully, we'll continue to build on this in future years," said Sargeant-at-Arms John Moylan, who also echoed some members' comments that an uncontested election will save the Local "a ton of money."


Nov 02, 2011

November 2, 2011

BY ERIK LOOMIS
Working In These Times.com

Incredibly threatening to those in power, they rarely succeed. But they do build solidarity. As protesters gather Wednesday for the general strike called by Occupy Oakland, it's worth looking at the history of this tactic. General strikes are rare in American social movements, because they are difficult to coordinate. On the other hand, few actions offer a more direct challenge to those in power. What can Occupy Oakland learn from their activist ancestors to helpits participants draw strength? How have general strikes affected long-term labor and social movements?

The two major general strikes in American history are the Seattle General Strike of 1919 and the Oakland General Strike of 1946. In 1919, the workers of Seattle engaged in a three-day mass action calling all city workers onto the streets. This was the first citywide collective action in American history known as a general strike.

The Pacific Northwest in the early 20th century was a center of radicalism. Horrible working conditions in the timber industry, already radicalized immigrants from Scandinavia, activist dockworkers and the popularity of the Industrial Workers of the World among the region’s thousands of transient workers made Seattle a fertile center of radical thought that even influenced labor organizations affiliated with the traditionally moderate American Federation of Labor (AFL).

The strike began with shipyard workers but was quickly joined by workers around the city. By February 6, over 60,000 workers were on the streets where they remained for four days. In an atmosphere fearful of radicalism after the Bolshevik Revolution, conservatives around the nation declared the strike the first step toward revolution.

Seattle mayor Ole Hanson took the lead in crushing the strike ordering the National Guard to take control of the city’s light company. Fearing long-term fallout, national AFL leaders denounced the strike and it quickly fell apart. After its defeat, the labor movement in Seattle fell apart, a victim of both internal fighting and the vicious Red Scare that followed World War I.

The Oakland general strike came out of the massive changes to the Bay Area during World War II. Hundreds of thousands of Americans moved to San Francisco, Oakland, Richmond, and other cities to work in wartime industries. The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) had achieved major successes in organizing American workers during the late 1930s. Often using communist organizers, the CIO built on the militancy of American labor to become a powerful force in opposition to both the more traditional AFL and conservative business interests.

During World War II, the AFL and CIO turned their energies toward defeating the fascist menace of Germany and Japan. The administration of Franklin Roosevelt, wanting to avoid strikes that would undermine wartime production, brought both the AFL and CIO into wartime planning. But while consumer prices rose during the war, wages did not. The motivated and radicalized workers wanted to strike, but their leaders and the federal government urged them to work through it.

When the war ended however, the country was overtaken by a wave of strikes. In 1946, 4.5 million workers went on strike throughout the United States, the greatest number of strikers in one year in American history. Wages did not keep up with rapidly rising prices and higher wages were the core demand of almost all the strikers.

The situation in Oakland was especially volatile because of the city’s Retail Merchants Association, a powerful and deeply anti-union business organization. These department stores owners employed mostly women, who they believed would accept low wages. The Department and Specialty Store Employees Union Local 1265 organized workers at these downtown stores. Early in 1946, they won victories at smaller stores and decided to take on the biggest retailers, Kahn’s and Hastings. A month-long strike ensued in the late fall of 1946. Beginning mere blocks from Occupy Oakland’s encampment, this turned into one of the biggest challenges to corporate America in the postwar years.

Although the CIO had the more radical agenda, it was actually the AFL who decided to call for a general strike on December 2, 1946 in support of the striking department store workers. AFL workers around Oakland walked off their jobs—bus drivers, teamsters, sailors, machinists, cannery workers, railroad porters, waiters, waitresses, cooks. For over two days, Oakland shut down. Over 100,000 workers participated in the strike.

The strikers controlled Oakland. All businesses except for pharmacies and food markets shut down. Bars could stay open but could only serve beer and had to put their juke boxes outside and allow for their free use. Couples literally danced in the streets. Recently returned war veterans created squadrons to prepare for battle. Union leadership took a back seat to rank and file actions.

Although it is often spun in Oakland legend that the general strike was a successful action, it really wasn’t. A majority of workers wanted to continue striking and CIO unions considered joining in support, but the strike fell apart because of a single corrupt labor leader. Dave Beck, the head of the Teamsters and Jimmy Hoffa’s mentor, forced a compromise when he pulled his powerful union off the lines and endorsed a moderate settlement that accomplished almost nothing and quite literally did not address the department store workers concerns at all. While the still agitated workers managed to elect several labor representatives to the city council, the entire apparatus of the city used the general strike to attack all labor. The police, the city government, and the Oakland Tribune combined to resist not only the unionization of the department stores, but all labor in Oakland.

While Oakland remained a strong union city after this, the strikes of 1946 around the nation and especially the Oakland General Strike led to the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947. Taft-Hartley was an open attack on the labor movement, limiting labor’s ability to strike, banning sympathy strikes (which could make it legally difficult for today’s unions to support Occupy Oakland’s general strike), and allow individual states to pass so-called “right to work” laws, meaning that just because there is a union at your workplace doesn’t mean you have to join it.

Soon after, the McCarthy era began and radical unionism of any kind became suspicious, with the CIO kicking the communist organizers and entire communist-led unions out of the federation, turning its back on its radical history.

If there is one lesson to take from these general strikes, it’s that they are extremely threatening to those in power. If successful, they show that the 1% have lost the control they so ardently seek. They will react with ferocity against the organizers, laying bare structural and legal inequalities in this nation. Neither strike was successful, but we remember them as moments of incredible worker solidarity when it seemed massive changes were about to happen. They need to be seen as part of the larger struggles of working people to achieve basic rights, decent wages, and safe living conditions in this country.

The Occupy Wall Street movement is picking up this torch and providing a strong voice for those who have become disempowered in the unregulated capitalism of the early 21st century. Whether the new general strike succeeds or not is less important than the public stand it takes against the exploitation of working-class people. The general strike is not the end of the road but rather one step on the path to taking back our country. Finally, I want to encourage everyone involved in the Occupy movement, as well as anyone who identifies as progressive, to deeply read labor history and the history of social movements. Knowing about your ancestors is great, but the past offers a more direct lesson: understanding how various tactics and strategies have worked in the past, and how they can work in the present.


Aug 24, 2011
   There seems to be a right way to complain about your boss on Facebook, and a wrong way. Do it the right way, you’re protected by the law. Do it the wrong way, you could find yourself looking for a new job to complain about.
Aug 24, 2011
   On August 17 Arundel County park rangers voted by an overwhelming majority to join the Teamsters. The vote came following an arbitrator’s rejection of the County’s assertion that the Teamsters was not an approriate union for the 14 Anne Arundel County park rangers. The arbitrator ordered the Teamsters election.
Aug 08, 2011

   Dozens of Teamster members and their supporters from Locals 311, 355 and 570 rallied Saturday, August 6, at Bimmerfest East to protest BMW's intent to fire 100 Teamsters at their California parts distribution center and outsource their jobs.

   A plane circled overhead with a banner in tow that read "www.bmwultimatemisery.com," as Teamsters distributed thousands of leaflets inside and outside the all-day outdoor event. They wore t-shirts and held banners that read "BMW: The Ultimate Misery."

   More than 1,600 owners of vintage and late model BMWs and hundreds more walk-in Bimmer fans attended the annual event that was held at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, MD. Many were dismayed to hear about BMW's decision, and expressed concerns about lengthy delays that could result from bringing in a cheaper, inexperienced workforce to do the jobs of long-time members of the BMW family.

   More photos of the protest can be seen here.

Teamsters Joint Council 62 photos


Jul 15, 2011

(L-R) Robin Watkins, Bill Bowers, Tom Patro, John Trail, Joe Malone and Brad (PA Boss) Schmidt.

   Pressmen at the The Baltimore Sun got a visit yesterday from George Tedeschi (center), President of the Graphics Communications Conference (GCC) and a Teamsters Vice-President At-Large. Tedeschi spent nearly 5 hours at the plant in order to meet with members from both shifts. 

   Tedeschi gave members an update on the state of the newspaper industry, and more specifically, brought members up to speed on the status of The Sun's parent company, Tribune, which has been in bankruptcy since December 2008.

Local 355 represents 78 pressmen at the newspaper.

Pictured at right: Ed Russell and Tedeschi

Below: (L-R) Carl Nelville, Tom Hopwood, Local 355 Business Agents Jim Deene and Chip Elgert, Tedeschi


Jun 09, 2011

   Rebecca Russell, daughter of Local 355 member Leonard Russell (Burris Foods) has been awarded a $10,000 scholarship by the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund.

   Rebecca was valedictorian of her class and recently graduated from Milford High School in Milford, Delaware. She will enter the Biochemistry/Pre-Med program at the University of Delaware this fall. She aspires to be a Doctor of Dermatology.

   "I was really excited when I opened the notification letter. It will be a great help with my college tuition and with my plans to be a doctor," said Rebecca. Her love of math and science along with the desire to help others lead her to choose a career in medicine.

   Rebecca was vice president of her Senior class, served as secretary to the National Honor Society, was a Milford High drum major, and played the bassoon in the Delaware All State Band and Orchestra and Kent County Honors Band. She is a Delaware Secretary of Education Scholar, the recipient of the Semper Fidelis Award for Music Excellence and Outstanding English Student Award, among other awards. She plays both the saxophone and the bassoon, is an avid reader and enjoys yoga.

   Leonard Russell has been with Burris and a Teamster member since 1987. He drives a tractor trailer for the company. Rebecca is Leonard and wife Donna's only child. "We are extremely proud of Rebecca," said Donna in an email to us. "She has worked hard since her first day of kindergarten, has always carried a full academic load but is also involved in extracurricular activities. She even found time to volunteer."

   The Officers and Trustees of Local 355 extend their congratulations and best wishes to the Russell family.


Jun 06, 2011

   The fight for justice on behalf of our Anne Arundel County correction program specialists (CPS) and deputy sheriffs hit a brick wall recently when third-party decisions came down on the side of the County.

   During negotiations for a new contract for correction program specialists, the County and Local negotiators reached impasse over a County proposal for 12 furlough days (equal to a 5% pay reduction) and our counter proposal that pointed to a 5% cost-savings without the proposed hit to members' pay. (We had already agreed to extend the 2010 wage freeze.) A Fact Finder was engaged to make findings of fact and a recommend resolution of the dispute. (Note: The CPS contract does not provide for binding arbitration.) Though the our counter-proposal had a price tag estimated to be in the order of $50,000 – insignificant in a budget in excess of $2 billion – the Fact Finder, in a convoluted written decision that repeatedly made reference to the County's on-going financial problems and it’s "availability of funds,” wrote "the Union must feel 'necessity's sharp pinch' and its counter-proposal should be rejected." Separately, AA County Deputy Sheriff negotiations reached impasse when final offers (FO) were made and rejected by both parties. The County's FO proposed 6 furlough days and the elimination of weapons and cleaning allowances that translates to a 5% pay reduction. The Union's proposal for 5 furlough days and no change in allowances translates to only a 2% reduction in annual wages. The 3% difference is tied to the County's unilateral elimination of the Deputy Sheriffs' July 2009 COLA [FY2010]. That dispute is currently in separate litigation and background info can be found in recent issues of 355's newsletter, and here and here.

   The County argued that the Union's proposal of a 2% reduction "is attributable to its perception that it was wronged in FY2010." The arbitrator wrote in his decision that "the gap is not a reason to grant this bargaining unit in interest arbitration an inflated FO, over and above other bargaining units, for FY 2012." Essentially, the arbitrator decided that choosing the Union's FO would put our bargaining unit in a better position than other bargaining units. In deciding that the County's final offer was more reasonable, the arbitrator awarded it in its entirety and made it part of the terms for the Deputy Sheriff's new contract.

   When the Union and the Employer are unable to reach agreement, resolution is sought by submitting the dispute to a third, outside party. In the case of the correctional program specialists who do not have binding arbitration in their contract, a Fact Finder must be engaged to hear the dispute. But unlike interest arbitration where an Arbitrator renders a decision that is binding on both parties, a Fact Finder investigates the facts, reviews the parties' positions, and delivers a report that includes recommendations that the disputants can either accept or reject. If rejected by either party, the dispute then goes to the County Council for resolution.

   The current Council is no friend to Labor. Given that the Council has a Republican majority that is clearly under the thumb of the Republican County Executive, and in light of their recent action that stripped binding arbitration rights from public safety unions, it doesn’t seem likely that we would prevail in front of this County Council.

   Local 355 Officers and Trustees vowed to use every available option to fight County Executive John Leopold's power grab and anti-union proposals. While the Fact Finder's recommendation and Arbitrator's award favoring the County is disappointing and could be viewed as a setback, our message to the County Executive remains loud and clear: We will not roll over to your demands. Your continued brazen attempts to exert total control over County employees by stripping our members of their hard-won and justly deserved wages and benefits to balance your County budget will never go unanswered. (See “Public safety Unions Sue Anne Arundel County”

   Understanding that third-party decisions sometimes don’t go our way, we remain committed in our pursuit of whatever remedies we consider necessary to defend and protect our members’ interests.


May 20, 2011

   For the 37th consecutive year Local 355 has awarded a total of $8,000 in scholarships to two qualifying high-school students of Local 355 member families. The winners were selected in a drawing of qualified applicants during the union's May 3, 2011 membership meeting at the Baltimore office. They will each receive a $4,000 scholarship, paid out at the rate of $1,000 per academic year.

   The daughter of 355 member Daniel Ward (UPS), Jordan will graduate from Susquehannock High School in York, Pa. in June and will enter the pre-med program at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Jordan is interested in a career in cardiothoracic surgery.  

   "I became interested in science and chemistry early in high school," Jordan told us. "Helping others is something I enjoy doing, and being a doctor is the perfect way to blend my interest with chemistry and anatomy with helping people have a better quality of life."

   Jordan is a National Honors Society member, but she didn't spend all her time studying. She's been a cheerleader for 4 years and is captain of the squad this year, is a long-time member of the French Club, served four years on the Class Council, and served as secretary on the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD).  

   "I want to thank the Teamsters Union for this scholarship," Jordan wrote in a recent email." I sincerely appreciate being chosen as one of the recipients! I'm really looking forward to attending the University of Alabama, help rebuild Tuscaloosa, where a tornado recently devastated the city, and hopefully meet some new life-long friends."

   Ray Trogun is the son of 355 member and Allied Systems employee Alexander Trogun. He will graduate from Franklin High School in Reisterstown, MD and enter the University of Maryland/Baltimore County to pursue a degree in pharmaceutical engineering. Ray's career choice combines his interest in the human body and how medication can help treat disease and illness, and a desire to provide for those in need. In addition to handling several AP level classes and regularly making the Honors Roll, Ray is in his 4th year as a member of his school's Varsity tennis team that is currently competing statewide.

   "I know if I put my mind to it and stay true to my ultimate goals in life, I can make anything I desire out of my life, " said Ray. "Certainly challenges soon await with college approaching in a few short months, but I'm looking forward to every single one of them and making myself into the person I truly want to be."

   Impressed with the goals expressed by the winners, Local 355 Secretary-Treasurer Dave White said it was exciting to see their commitment to their education.

   “These students seem to know where they want their education to help take them in life,” said White, suggesting they “Make a plan, work the plan, make adjustments and most importantly, keep a positive attitude on life. And from all of us at Teamsters Local 355, we wish you both the best of health and good luck as you continue your education.”

   Congratulations also to parents Dan Ward and Alexander Trogun. “It is a full time job today to keep our children headed in the right direction with their education,” said White. “These parents should be very proud of the job they have done.”


May 10, 2011

   A coalition of nine public safety unions including Teamsters Local 355 filed a lawsuit against Anne Arundel County last month, contending a recently-enacted law violates their right to binding arbitration.

   In filing the lawsuit the unions asked a judge to toss out the recent bill that gives the county's executive and council the final authority on public safety union members' current and future terms and conditions of employment - regardless of an independent third party ruling.

   "This county executive is not going to quit until he has complete control over county employees, regardless of their status," said Local 355 President Denis Taylor.

   The suit contends that the law eliminates any incentive for the county executive to compromise in contract disputes, diminishing the arbitration process to nothing more than an expensive sham – "tax dollars will be wasted to fund a system of non-binding arbitration that is certain to be a mere hollow formality."

   The new law not only violates the public safety unions' voter-approved right to binding arbitration, but could directly impact the employees' standard of living due to the potential for a decrease in wages and benefits.

   During negotiations for a new agreement for deputy sheriff members, Local 355 reached an impasse  in March with the county, as did several other coalition unions. All are currently in arbitration. Unfortunately, while the lawsuit winds its way through the court system and until a decision is rendered, the county is not bound to accept and implement an arbitrator's decision.

And so the fight for justice continues.


May 09, 2011

   The trucking industry's efforts to get Congress to lift size restrictions to allow heavier trucks on the roads has been met with vigorous opposition from safety advocates, concerned lawmakers and our union.

   The introduction April 15, 2011 of H.R. 1574, The Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act (SHIPA) of 2011, and a companion bill introduced in the Senate May 3, 2011, is the latest pushback against transport companies' drive to increase truck weights by as much as 20% to 97,000 pounds from the current 80,000-pound federal weight cap. The proposed legislation would extend the current weight limit and length guidelines on triple-trailers to include the entire 160,000 miles of the National Highway System, which would improve safety and prevent excessive strain on the nation's major highways and bridges.

   The Teamster Union strongly opposes adding another trailer or axle to spread out vehicle weight distribution. At a press conference May 3 to endorse the measure, General President Hoffa joined the bills' sponsors, Representative James McGovern (D-MA) and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), safety advocates and families of highway accident victims. "Our highways were not built for bigger trucks, and exit ramps are too short for drivers to operate them safely," Hoffa said. "When I look in that rear-view mirror, I don't want to see a bigger truck bearing down on me."

   Larger trucks are more dangerous to drive. "More than 600,000 of our 1.4 million members start their workday by turning a key in a vehicle," Hoffa said. "That gives Teamsters a real-life perspective on the dangers involved in increasing the size and weight of trucks from their current levels. Heavier and longer trucks mean greater stopping distances and shorter reaction times. And the reality is that our highways and bridges are not equipped to handle the increased size and weight of these trucks."

   The American Trucking Association, which supports competing legislation, claims that the trucking industry has never been safer, and that while operating under the current hours-of-service rule, trucking has been involved in far fewer fatal and injury crashes.

   However, a recent poll by The Truck Safety Coalition (Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways, and Parents Against Tired Truckers) found 89% of Americans oppose heavier trucks, and 79% support reducing daily driving hours from 11 to 10 hours.

   "These big trucks shouldn't be on any of these roads," said Jackie Gillan, vice president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, which is funded by insurance companies and consumer groups. "This is a classic case of the trucking industry putting productivity ahead of safety."

Sources: U.S. Congress, newsworks, thetrucker.com, IBT, govtrack.com


Apr 29, 2011

As part of a nationwide day of action, hundreds of Local 355 members stood together in unity to protest production harassment at UPS.

Package drivers at the three Baltimore hubs, sporting stickers that read "Unfair Production Standards," organized themselves in quiet protest in sharp contrast to the normal early morning chaos typical before morning shifts.

The mobilizing action was called by the Teamsters Union in coordination with Workers Memorial Day. "It was great that they all stood together across all 3 buildings," said Eric Wood, Local 355 Business Agent."They sent a clear message that they're tired of being messed with and treated unfairly when they're giving more than 100% to the job."

Shop stewards did a great job coordinating the solidarity action, Wood said. "But two rank-and-file members, John Nicoli and Rusty Sunstrom also stepped up to the plate, both of them really went beyond the call to help with coordination. Their efforts helped give us 100% participation, and they are greatly appreciated."

Members are reminded that rules are tools - Use your methods. Protect yourself if management challenges your numbers or tries to hold you to an unrealistic SPORH. Keep a daily record of your route.

It is very important that if you think you're being set up for unfair discipline that you contact your shop steward or business agent Eric Wood.


Apr 29, 2011

   Local 355 member and Professional Transportation, Inc. driver Carlton Sydnor takes his employer's motto "The Right Way is the Safe Way" very seriously. Sydnor, who recently marked his third year with PTI, was recognized by top management officials this week for successfully meeting the requirements of the company's safe-driver program and driving 5,000 hours without incident.

   A transportation company specializing in providing quality, reliable and safe crew transport services for the railroad industry, PTI trains all its drivers in a variety of extensive courses designed to assure client safety. The safe driving award is the second Syndor has received from the company.

   Pictured above (L-R): Sydnor was presented his certificate of achievement and other awards at the Local Union Hall by PTI Human Resources Director Steven M. Greulich, Vice President Steve McClellan, and Mike Morin, Director of Operations. Local Business Agent Marcus Smith attended the presentation.


Apr 25, 2011

   Maryland lawmakers endorsed most of Gov. Martin O'Malley's (D) fairly ambitious agenda as they wrapped up the state's 428th legislative session this month.
   O'Malley signed 163 bills into law, among them the alcohol tax law, and a law which bars employers from using a job applicant's credit history in the hiring or promotion process. Credit reports are also now off the table for assessing a current employee's compensation or other employment privileges. The law makes exceptions for certain positions, such as those requiring the handling of money.
   Also signed into law and effective October 11, 2011 was legislation extending compensability under workers' compensation laws to Anne Arundel County deputy sheriffs suffering from an occupational disease - specifically heart disease or hypertension (high blood pressure) - in the line of duty. Proposed by Teamsters Local 355 and deputy sheriff Dave Belisle, and introduced to the Legislature by Delegate Robert Costa (District 33B), the law will provide the same benefit to the county's deputy sheriff's as it does for other state counties public law enforcement personnel. (More on this in the next newsletter.)

   Proposed right-to-work legislation didn't survive committee hearings that were heavily attended by Labor advocates and members – including representatives from Teamsters Joint Council 62.
   Alcohol Tax: Unfortunately, effective in July we'll see the tax on beer, wine and spirits rise for the first time since 1972. The revenue from the tax will go to education aid, the developmentally disabled and school construction in the biggest counties. That's the good news. As to the bad news, we'll just have to wait to see how the tax increase affects tour alcohol distribution employers' bottom line.
  Health Care: Also at the top of O'Malley's list was a pair of bills that will make the Old Line State the third in the country to create a health care exchange in line with the requirements of the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA). Maryland follows California and West Virginia in creating the exchanges, which are intended to offer consumers a one-stop marketplace from which to access a number of health insurance options. O'Malley waited barely 12 hours after the final session wrapped up to ink his name to the two measures: SB 182/HB 166, which establishes the exchange as a public corporation and lays out its basic governance framework, and SB 183/HB 170, which aligns several state laws with ACA requirements, including allowing young adults to stay on their parents' health coverage until age 26 and barring insurers from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions.
   Cell phone use while operating a motor vehicle: The existing ban on writing texts while driving is now expanded to include reading them, as well. A bill that would have allowed the police to pull over motorists for using their phones or hand-held devices failed. A driver must also be committing another offense to be issued a citation for using the phone.
   Interlock for drunk drivers: Inebriated drivers who far exceed the blood-alcohol limit will be required to use ignition interlock devices on their vehicles. Drivers who decline to take a breathalyzer test would also be required to use the devises. Anyone who declines to participate would have their license revoked.
   Presidential primary date changed: Under pressure from the Democratic and Republican parties, Maryland moved the date for the 2012 presidential primary to April. (The 2008 primary was in February.)
   Less taxes, more fees: 
Lawmakers mulled a multitude of tax increases, but in the end turned to an assortment of fees to balance the state's $14.6 billion budget. They voted to double charges for recording land deals, obtaining birth certificates, registering vehicle titles and having personalized license plates.


   Sources: Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, Washington Business Journal, StateNet, Daily Record.

 


Apr 22, 2011

   Three-year-old Bridget, the youngest daughter of 355 Teamster and UPS package driver Scott Diveley and his wife Jennifer, and sister of Allison and Andrew, is a lucky little girl with a new lease on life after receiving a new heart March 7, 2010 at Baltimore’s John Hopkins Children's Hospital.

   On the morning of Sept. 22, 2009, her mother noticed that her breathing was unusually rapid and irregular. Bridget had no other symptoms, except that she was more tired than usual and a little on the cranky side, but Jennifer whisked her off to Bridget’s pediatrician who determined she needed to go to the ER immediately for a chest x-ray and EKG. Following a battery of tests, Bridget was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a disease that enlarges the heart, limiting its ability to supply blood to the body’s tissue and organs. Though the actual cause is unknown, doctors suspect Bridget contracted a common viral infection that attacked her heart.

   With the diagnosis confirmed, Bridget was sent to John Hopkins Hospital where she could receive the care she needed. She was hospitalized for a month after which she was sent home with medication everyone hoped would heal her damaged heart. But in January 2010 Bridget was rushed back to the hospital. Tests confirmed that Bridget needed a heart transplant but there was no way of knowing how long she would wait for a donor.

   As Scott and Jennifer paced nervously in the waiting room soon after Bridget's admittance, a sympathetic stranger who had overheard their conversation about the diagnosis suggested they contact the Children's Organ Transplant Association (COTA), a non-profit organization that helps children and young adults who need or have had a life-saving transplant. COTA supports transplant families, helping to raise the needed funds to pay for transplant-related expenses. One hundred percent of all the funds are used for transplant-related expenses. Soon after Scott and Jennifer hooked in to COTA, the organization immediately set to work to help raise funds. Red rubber bracelets stamped with "My Heart is With Bridget" were quickly produced to sell to coworkers and friends, the proceeds of which went directly to Bridget's family.

   A small group of volunteers formed Team Bridget, and COTA trained members on fiscal requirements of fund-raising and the coordination and planning of events and activities. The team was comprised of family members and close friends, including UPS coworkers Bill Goudy, and Mike Petro and his sister Tina Leonard (wife of UPS driver Tom Leonard). They spearheaded a number of fundraisers, all of which were heavily attended by Teamsters and supported by Local 355. Events included face-painting and balloon creations at Rita's Italian Ice in July 2010, and a Bull Roast and Shrimp Feast in Parkville October 30, 2010. Bill and Mike put the word out at UPS/Quad Avenue early on about Bridget's condition. Scott said the response from his coworkers was overwhelming as cash donations quickly filled up envelopes. "[Bill and Mike] told me they would do it every month if they had to, and they did," said Scott. He and Jennifer were both on unpaid leave for months. The bills piled up, and the envelopes of cash donations provided much-needed money for their family’s daily costs. Jennifer said they couldn’t have done it without "a little help from our friends."

   Scott was on family leave for several months, returning to work in April 2010. “I'll never forget that first day back. Everyone was wearing Bridget's bracelet. It really affected me. Not a day goes by when someone here doesn't ask me how I'm doing and how the family is,” said Scott, speaking about his coworkers and pausing to gather his emotions. “It's not small talk. They really are concerned and I'm just so grateful.”

   “This has changed our lives,” Scott said. “We know we can't ever take anything for granted.”

   “We are grateful, blessed, appreciative, humbled,” Jennifer wrote in a recent COTA blog post. “ There are too many words to describe how we feel. Please know, that when we say thank you, it is genuine, and from the bottom of our hearts. There is one little heart in particular that will also be thankful for all of this support. She is the reason for our efforts and I can't think of a better reason out there.”

   Bridget will need another transplant in 15-20 years. She requires numerous medications daily and continued medical monitoring. Through COTA, Bridget will be able to access donated funds for the rest of her life to help pay her medical costs. Donations may be mailed to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, 2501 West COTA Drive, Bloomington, Indiana, 47403. Checks or money orders should be made payable to COTA, with “In Honor of Bridget D.” written on the memo line of the check. Secure credit card donations are also accepted online at www.COTAforBridgetD.com.

   The Diveley’s keep family and friends updated on Bridget’s recovery at www.cotaforbridgetd.com/blog.

   Below is the Channel 2 video interview with the Diveley family at the February 23, 2011 Hopkin’s Children’s Radiothon. Bridget served as ambassador to the fund-raising event for the kids at the John Hopkins Children's Center.  


Mar 25, 2011

The right-to-work legislation (and its companion bill, SB660) would prohibit an employer from refusing to employ or continue to employ an individual based on membership or nonmembership in a labor organization; prohibits an employer from requiring an individual to refrain from joining or from requiring an individual to become a member of a labor organization; prohibits an employer from requiring an individual to pay specified charges to a labor organization.  

The house bill (HB 743) was referred to the Economic Matters Committee February 10, 2011. The committee issued an Unfavorable Report March 15.

Attacks on working families and their unions continue around the nation. Right-to-work legislation has been introduced in Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia.

Stay tuned for updates.

 

 


Mar 23, 2011

 

   In a controversial power grab initiated by County Executive John Leopold, the final say on contract disputes with nine Anne Arundel County public employee unions, including Teamsters Local 355, no longer lies with an independent third-party but with the Anne Arundel County Council. A new county law passed March 7 allows the council to reject an arbitrator’s decision, thus overturning the will of Anne Arundel County voters who overwhelmingly approved binding arbitration for county employees in a 2002 ballot referendum.

   The county council enacted a process in 2003 that forces all elected officials to accept whatever decision an arbitrator makes. The county executive wasted no time wielding his power over the newly elected council members - four of whom have never held public office or dealt with a county budget. The new law, originally introduced as Bill 4-11 in February by Council Chairman Richard Ladd (R-Severna Park) on behalf of Leopold, mobilized the county labor community.

   Teamsters Local 355 partnered with other county public sector unions under the banner The Anne Arundel County Public Safety Coalition to coordinate efforts and resources in the drive to kill the bill. Union leaders worked tirelessly behind the scenes lobbying council members to oppose the bill. The public hearings contained hours of union member testimony against it. Teamster members stood with hundreds of other public safety union workers at council public hearings February 22 and March 7 to speak out in opposition of the proposed legislation that would curtail their bargaining rights.

   In the years since the unions won their right to arbitration only four contract issues have been decided by an arbitrator, and in all four cases the arbitrator ruled for the county. So what's the problem?

   The problem is Leopold’s hypothetical assertion that an arbitrator's decision against the county could be financially devastating during difficult financial times. An expensive award would force him and the council to – as he put it – make the terrible choice between deeper cuts or a tax hike. For that reason, he argued, the county council should have the power to reject an arbitrator's decision.

   "This bill is not about restoring the council's power to make final decisions over the appropriation of public funds. The Council already has the authority to pass emergency legislation to overturn an arbitrator's decision if it would be financially damaging to the County," Deputy Sheriff and Teamster Dave Belisle (pictured second from right) reminded council members during his February 22 testimony. "This bill is more about increasing executive power and control than it is about budgets. The county administration has determined that its will supersedes the county deputy sheriffs’ rights. It wants absolute control over decisions - and the county’s unions."

   Two of the amendments that significantly diluted the bite in the bill were included in its final version. One required Leopold to present to the council a budget based on an arbitrator's final decision and not on his final offer to the unions. The second dropped a provision that specified that if any union succeeded in getting any part of the new law overturned in court, binding arbitration under the County Code would be null and void.

   These two amendments helped the final version pass unanimously.

   But two days after the council passed the Bill as amended, County Executive Leopold vetoed those critical key amendments, ignoring the will of the council and effectively gutting the binding arbitration component of the County Code. "This is a horrible abuse of power, " Councilman Daryl Jones (D-Severn) told The Capital in response to Leopold’s veto.

   The council failed to override Leopold’s vetoes during its March 21 meeting. Five votes are required to override a veto, whereas only four were needed to pass the bill. So what was given to public safety unions by nearly 80% of county voters has been taken away by Leopold and four council members doing his bidding.  

   “It has now been clearly established that the elected members of the County Council, not an outside arbitrator, will have fiscal authority regarding arbitration awards,” Leopold said in a written statement. “In this era of budgetary austerity, the taxpayer’s interest must be paramount.”

   Apparently Leopold doesn’t get it. Many of the county's public safety employees are voters and taxpayers. Local 355 and members of the Public Safety Coalition are investigating their legal options.

   It's not over.


Mar 07, 2011

   Tax bills HB121 and SB168 introduced in January in the Maryland State Legislature would raise alcohol beverage taxes by more than 790%.

   The hike would translate to price increases for the consumer, resulting in lost sales and lost jobs that are directly provided by alcohol industry producers, distributers and retailers.

   The cost of a case of beer will go up $2.41. It will cost $1.01 more for a 1.5 liter of wine. The price of a 1.75 liter of liquor will increase by a whopping $3.94. 

   Bottom line: This so-called "Dime a Drink" tax increase proposal would threaten the jobs of all employees in the alcohol/liquor distribution industry.

   The tax proposal will most likely be in the mix until the end of the Legislature session which will adjourn on or around April 11th. We need you to contact your legislators right now (it will only take about 30 seconds) and urge them to vote NO on HB121 and SB168 that would raise fees on beverage alcohol and result in the destruction of our jobs. Here's how:

1. Go to savemymdjob.com/take-action
2. Enter your zip code, email address, mailing address, and name (to verify you are a constituent)
3. Click "Send Email Letter"


Feb 14, 2011

   Candidate nominations for 8 delegates and 8 alternates to the June 2011 IBT Convention were held on February 6th at Local 355's membership meetings in the Baltimore and Salisbury offices. Because only eight candidates for each were nominated (thus the use of the term white ballot), all were declared duly elected by IBT Elections Officer Frank Sheridan (pictured with S-T Dave White).

Delegates are:

Denis Taylor, President
Dave White, Secretary-Treasurer
Ervin Williams, Vice President
Bill Alexander, Recording Secretary
Ed Mulford (U.S. Foodservice), Trustee
Janet Genovese (UPS/Baltimore), Trustee
Tim Marvel (UPS/Hunt Valley), Trustee
Mike Petro (UPS/Quad Ave.)

Alternates are:

Bill Faley (UPS/Balto Feeders)
Chris Green (Sysco)
Lauren Holley-Allen (State of Maryland)
Gil Howdershelt (Burris)
Bud Palmer (Cassens)
Mike Peoples (UPS/Delivery)
Al Richardson (UPS Freight)
Christine Staylor (Hertz)

   The unanimous results of the nomination meeting marks the first time in many years the Local Union's IBT convention candidate nominations did not force a secret ballot election.

   "I am extremely honored that our Local members gave our delegation teams a white ballot," said Denis Taylor. "It saved the Local an incredible amount of money not having to run a contested election. We look forward to representing the members' interest at this summer's convention."

   The convention will be held June 27 - July 1, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The number of delegates and alternates to which a Local Union is entitled is determined by the size of its membership.

 


Feb 09, 2011

   Please join us in a show of solidarity for our public safety members February 22, 2011 for the public hearing at the Anne Arundel County Council Chambers in Annapolis. We strongly oppose proposed legislative action that would dismantle our members' right to binding arbitration - the guarantee to fair and impartial labor dispute resolution free of partisanship and politics.
   In his continued attack against the County's unionized workers Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold submitted a bill (Bill 4-11) that would eliminate the County Charter's binding arbitration statute, a statute approved in 2002 to public-safety employees by almost 80% of Anne Arundel County voters.
   Leopold's claim that County residents could face substantial tax increases to subsidize arbitration awards is misleading and inaccurate. A press release issued by the Coalition of Public Safety Unions (including Teamsters Local 355) points out that the County Executive "fails to acknowledge that, under the current collective bargaining system, if an arbitrator's award is such that it would be damaging to our County, the sitting County Council has the legislative authority to pass emergency legislation which would overturn the arbitrator's decision."
   Joanna Conti, the Democratic candidate for county executive, wrote in a February 3, 2011 letter to The Capitol, "One has to wonder if Leopold, known for his vindictiveness, isn't attempting to take away this crucial employee right to retaliate for the fact that none of the public safety unions endorsed his re-election."

February 22, 2011

Anne Arundel County Council Chambers

44 Calvert Street, Annapolis, MD 21401

Sessions start at 7pm

Carpools depart from the Union Hall promptly at 4:30 pm

Contact Business Agents Dan Taylor or Jim Deene
at 410-566-5700 if you are interested in joining us.

Flyer for download attached.


Download:
flyer+support+publicemployees.pdf

Dec 17, 2010

Local 355 Mourns Passing of Business Agent Ray Greene

 
December 3, 2010 | It is with deep sorrow that we advise of the passing of Business Agent/Organizer Ray Greene, Sr., who died suddenly Wednesday, December 1, 2010, from an apparent heart attack.

A Maryland native and resident of Hurlock, Ray joined the Local staff in January 1999 as an organizer and business agent. He became a member of Local 355 in 1990 while employed at Kraft Foods in Dover, DE, was elected shop steward in 1997, and was appointed a Local 355 Trustee the same year. Ray represented members in the food service, manufacturing, airline, and transportation industries.

A proud veteran and avid fisherman, Ray was a Free Mason and a member of the Grand Lodge of Maryland. He was also a member of the Teamsters National Black Caucus.

Condolences and expressions of sympathy to Ray's family can be sent to Teamsters Local 355 at the Baltimore office, 1030 S Dukeland St., Baltimore, MD 21223, or the Salisbury office, 1323 N Salisbury Blvd., Salisbury, MD 21801.

Rest in peace, Brother.


May 21, 2012

April 30, 2012 | Local 355 members employed at SYSCO and USFoods overwhelmingly rejected their respective employers' final contract offer in secret ballot voting conducted Sunday at the conclusion of contract ratification meetings. In separate meetings held at the Baltimore union hall, the respective committees presented details of the company offer and answered members' questions before the voting began. The margin of rejection sent a powerful message to the employers. SYSCO negotiators will reconvene tomorrow under a new extension agreement. Dates for resuming talks with USFoods are being discussed, but an extension agreement is in place there as well. The SYSCO contract expired March 3, 2012, and the USFoods agreement expired March 15, 2012. Above, SYSCO members review the company's final offer as President Denis Taylor explains the details. Right, 22-year driver Dave Simons questions the bargaining committe.


Dec 17, 2010

Local Members Participate in Traditional 'Return Day' Parade
November 15, 2010 -  Despite the cold and rainy weather, Local 355 members marched in the Sussex County Return Day Parade. Held the day after Election Day in Georgetown, Delaware, the parade is an 18th-century tradition celebrating the "return" from Washington of County officials with election results. A festive atmosphere developed over the years as residents waited to for the news. Of course, news of winners and losers is practically instantaneous today, but contemporary political leaders in Delaware still gather the day after a national election to symbolically "bury the hatchet" and end the election season. This year was Local 355's fourth appearance in the parade. – Pictured left to right are 355 Business Agents Ray Greene and Jim Deene, Gil Howdershelt, Mike Krainer, Charles Mann and 355 Business Agent John Caparatta. More pictures here.


Jan 18, 2011

“… the labor movement did not diminish the strength of the nation but enlarged it. By raising the living standards of millions, labor miraculously created a market for industry and lifted the nation to undreamed of levels of production. Those who today attack labor forget these simple truths, but history remembers them.”

King's Words Continue to Have Relevance For Us Today

JANUARY 15, 2011 - At 6:01 p.m. on April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the heroic leader of the American Civil Rights Movement, was assassinated at a Memphis hotel after leading a march in support of the city's 1,300 striking sanitation workers. Dr. King, the Nobel Peace-Prize-winning campaigner for economic and social justice, died while supporting the right of public employees to organize, fight for decent wages and preserve public services.
   City officials had refused to recognize the union, and in so doing refused to recognize the workers. At another rally held a month earlier, Dr. King told a Memphis crowd of thousands:

“You are demanding that this city will respect the dignity of labor. So often we overlook the significance of those who are not in professional jobs. Of those who are not in the so-called big jobs. But let me say to you tonight that whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth… You are reminding not only Memphis but you are reminding the nation, that it is a crime for people in this rich nation to receive starvation wages.”

   In his speech delivered in support of the Memphis garbage workers the night before he died, Dr. King said,

“The question is, 'If I do not stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to them?' That's the question. Let us rise up tonight with a greater readiness. Let us stand with a greater determination. And let us move on in these powerful days, these days of challenge to make America what it ought to be.”

   As the attacks on public workers' rights to organize and bargain escalate, the rest of our rights may not be far behind. So as we honor Dr. King's memory on the anniversary of his birth, let us commit to preserving his legacy by supporting each other and our fellow workers, and continuing to demand dignity and respect on the job, in our community and in our nation.
   Get involved. Get active.


Dec 12, 2011
At the River I Stand (1994) The story of the bravery of the Memphis sanitation workers, all African-American, whose AFSCME strike brought Martin Luther King to the city to help mediate, with tragic consequences. (Order at www.newsreel.org or call 1-877-811-7495.) Blue Color (1978) Whatever became of the "American Dream".


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