Teamsters Local 355

Local and National News

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.

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: President Biden's OSHA leadership picks will prioritize worker safety, and his call for the agency to reassess Covid-19 workplace safety guidelines establishes a clear directive for development of emergency temporary standards. It applauded the termination of the NLRB’s general counsel who would have continued to erode the rights of American workers. "U.S. workers deserve to have an NLRB that will give them a fair shake." President Biden’s decision to invoke the Defense Production Act is critical to delivering the Covid-19 vaccine to every American. Finally, the Union congratulated President Biden on his issuance of two executive orders that among other things ensure workers are protected on the job, no matter their race, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Also, the Union hails Congress' introduction of pension reform legislation that would preserve the retirements of some 1.5m Americans in multiemployer plans. However, the Union strongly opposes the decision to cancel the completion of construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline and urges the administration to reconsider.

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," saidRick 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. These unsung heroes have continued to transport our most precious cargo throughout this calamity – elderly and disabled citizens who have nobody else to turn to, other essential workers who rely on public transportation to get to work, and of course, our children…" Continued 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.

Nomination notice for 2021 IBT Convention delegates, alternates
Jan. 15, 2021 | Local 355 will conduct nominations for delegates and alternates to the 2021 IBT Convention on Sunday, February 7, 2012. Click here for important information including eligibility requirements and nomination instructions.

Local and National News Archives

A Note to Our Members:
As Covid-19 cases continue to surge in our region, we continue to do what we can to protect the health of our members and staff while providing you service and support. Safety procedures instituted in March 2020 remain in full effect. Click here for important notices regarding COVID-19 policies regarding our office and credit union hours of operation. If you need to see your business agent or have questions or concerns, give us a call at 410-566-5700.

Elsewhere in the News

“What I Want for Me, I Want for You…”

Jan. 25, 2021 | STRIKES | The 1,400 [Teamster] workers at Hunts Point Market [New York City], the largest produce distribution market in the country, went on strike the night of Sunday, January 17. They walked out of the warehouse to win a better contract after risking their lives as essential workers since the beginning of the pandemic. The warehouse employees have worked throughout the pandemic without hazard pay. According to union leadership, six workers have died and more than 300 have been infected with the virus, leaving some unable to work. The strike ended on Saturday with the approval of a new three-year contract. The Indypendent had the chance to speak with a few striking members on Friday. Here’s what they had to say… The Indypendent

Weekly News Wrap-Up: 1/22/2021

• Pandemic fuels union interest
• Four ways Biden wants to remake labor law
• The labor movement's game plan for the Biden era
• Teamsters condemn arrests of Hunts Point [NY] strikers
• Billionaires add $1tn to net worth during pandemic as their workers struggle
• Maryland lawmakers consider protections for transit operators, others

Biden Tells OSHA to Issue New Covid-19 Guidance to Employers

Jan. 22, 2021 | HEALTH & SAFETY | President Biden directed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Thursday to release new guidance to employers on protecting workers from Covid-19. In one of 10 executive orders that he signed Thursday, the president asked the agency to step up enforcement of existing rules to help stop the spread of the coronavirus in the workplace…. Union officials and labor advocacy groups have long pleaded with the agency to issue a rule, known as an emergency temporary standard, laying out steps that employers must take to protect workers from the coronavirus. The agency declined to do so under Mr. Trump, but Mr. Biden supported the approach during the campaign… New York Times

Trump Labor Board Counsel Fired After Resisting Biden's Call for Resignation

Jan. 21, 2021 | NLRB | National Labor Relations Board General Counsel Peter Robb, a Trump appointee, has been fired after refusing a request from President Joe Biden to step down from his post. Biden had asked for Robb's resignation Wednesday afternoon, shortly after the new president's inauguration, according to a White House spokesperson. The ouster of the labor board's top lawyer before his term was set to end in November follows criticism from Democrats over what many felt was the pro-management direction that the board has taken in recent years… Politico Related: Hoffa: President Biden takes correct step in firing NLRB counsel

Teamsters Pressure Democrats Ahead of Inauguration

Jan. 19, 2021 | U.S. LABOR | The 1.4-million-member International Brotherhood of Teamsters is hoping to remind Biden — and the Democratic leaders now in control of Congress — of the union’s priorities. It plans to launch a grassroots “Build Back Stronger” campaign today to push for seven pages of policy changes that organized labor has been seeking for years. Topping the list: a fix for the multiemployer pension crisis and beefed-up workplace safety enforcement amid the coronavirus pandemic… Politico Download: Immediate Federal Policy Priorities for the 117th Congress and Incoming Administration