Teamsters Local 355

Local and National News

Attention Members
(Updated May 22, 2020 ) The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak requires us to take steps that protect the health of our members and our staff as we continue to provide service and support. To that end, we instituted essential procedures, effective March 25.
Click here to read these important notices regarding office and credit union hours of operation.
All May Union meetings are canceled. If you need to see your business agent or have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call us at 410-566-5700.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Spring Golf canceled
May 26, 2020 | Regrettably, we've canceled our spring outing scheduled for June 13, 2020 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.

Older news items are available at 355 News.

Elsewhere in the News

Senate Dems Introduce Bill to Keep Pilots and Bus, Train Operators Safe

June 4, 2020 | SAFETY & HEALTH | Senate Democrats introduced legislation on Wednesday aimed at addressing workplace safety for essential transportation workers, including pilots, flight attendants, bus operators, and Amtrak and other train operators during the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation has been endorsed by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Transportation Trades Department–AFL-CIO, which represents several transportation labor unions such as the Air Line Pilots Association, the Association of Flight Attendants–CWA and the Transport Workers Union of America. The bill “will require passenger and freight transportation companies to abide by the CDC recommendations including mandatory cleaning, disinfecting areas, and personal protective equipment to keep our frontline workers safe.”… The Hill

Teamster Strike at Hood River Distillery Continues

June 3, 2020 | COLLECTIVE BARGAINING | A Teamsters strike at Hood River Distillers (HRD) is still going strong, with 100% of the workforce still walking the picket line, reports Michael Beranbaum, secretary-treasurer of Local 670. Twenty-five workers walked off the job May 6 after their employer, during the COVID-19 pandemic, implemented its own final offer that altered health insurance benefits and provided paltry wage increases. HRD produces and bottles popular brands such as Pendleton Whiskey, Aviation Gin, Jose Cuervo tequila, and Monarch distilled spirits… NW Labor Press

Teamster Local Official: Leaders Everywhere Must Take A Stand Against Racist Aggression

June 2, 2020 | OPINION | From that momentous day in 1968 when Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa stood with Martin Luther King Jr. in support of the Memphis garbage strikers, the Teamsters Union has not only stood with black leaders, but has fought to be all-inclusive, making equal pay for equal work, regardless of race, creed, gender or sexual orientation, a cornerstone of what we are about. This is where Teamsters gain their strength. What happened to George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police is murder, and that is what the officer was, belatedly, charged with. It boggles my mind, however, that the other officers who participated in that murder of this black man who was lying face down on the asphalt, handcuffed, trying to breathe with a knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes, have not been arrested for the same crime… San Francisco Chronicle

Workers Are Striking Across America– See Which Protests Brought Lasting Change

June 2, 2020 | LABOR HISTORY | Plenty of Americans probably saw stories about the recent strikes by workers at Amazon, Instacart, and Target. The public protests aimed to bring awareness to the companies’ treatment of its employees during the coronavirus pandemic. Workers are seeking better wages and working conditions to reflect the increased risk posed by COVID-19. And their timing is apt. The value of their labor has never been higher, which gives them leverage to potentially create changes that could last beyond the current crisis. In doing so, these workers are joining a long history of American labor movements that have used large demonstrations to produce lasting change. So, which of these protests had a lasting impact? Yahoo Finance

Unions Determined to Secure $25B Needed to Save Postal Service

June 1, 2020 | LABOR | […] Without “real relief,” it could run out of money by early this fall. The unions—APWU, NPMHU, and the National Association of Letter Carriers—are pinning their hopes on the Senate approving the Heroes Act, a $3 trillion stimulus package passed by the House May 15. It would give the Postal Service $25 billion in direct aid to cover its lost revenue and additional expenses such as protective equipment and paid sick leave. The Trump administration, particularly Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, blocked direct aid to the Postal Service in the $2.3 trillion CARES Act, enacted in late March… The Postal Service will also be “absolutely essential” if voting by mail is expanded to prevent voters from being exposed to the virus at the polls… Labor Press