Today in 1938 An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday — a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as “Armistice Day.” Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor Veterans of World War I.
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. Full story…
Teamsters! This really IS the time for action June 3, 2015| The public is starting to pay more attention to the negotiated-in-secret TPP deal and what its passage will mean for the nation. Fast Track proponents are trying to move quickly, pushing to bring the legislation for the job-killing TPP to a vote in the House. Granting a Fast Track rubber-stamp for the TPP would only accelerate a global race to the bottom in wages and working conditions that nobody wins – except, of course, for big transnational corporations that are eager to exploit labor abuses abroad to pad their obscene profits. But we can win this fight. Literally thousands of organizations – representing the environmental, family farm, civil rights, consumer, LGBT, student and other movements – have united with labor in saying NO to Fast Track. We need your voice, too. Make the call to your Representative now at 888-979-9806 and urge them to vote NO on Fast Track. Then send an email too.
Leaders of carhaul local unions approve contract proposals June 4, 2015| Leaders of local unions that represent Carhaul Teamsters overwhelmingly approved contract proposals Wednesday in Detroit that will be presented to the employer group today as both sides prepare the negotiate a new National Master Automobile Transporters Agreement. More…
Essay contest deadline approaching June 9, 2015| The deadline is June 15 for entering the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund's Annual Essay Contest. Teamster sons, daughters or financial dependents, age 23 and younger who are currently attending community college, a 4-year institution or a technical/vocational program are eligible to apply here…
Hoffa: Overworking truckers is dangerous June 10, 2015| Highways across Michigan and the U.S. have become increasingly dangerous for motorists. And that will only get worse if Congress approves a transportation spending bill that effectively keeps the suspension of rules in place that allow truck driver to work longer hours, that permits larger double-trailers and that prevents the U.S. Department of Transportation from raising minimum insurance standards that have been frozen on place for three decades. The fate of those provisions, tucked inside a $55 billion federal transportation spending bill, is now being considered on Capitol Hill. Full story…
Hoffa: TAA will offer little help to workers hit hard by trade June 10, 2015| For years, the Teamsters have been strong supporters of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) legislative efforts that have offered support to thousands of workers who have lost jobs due to bad trade deals. But not this time…
Carhaul negotiations underway in Chicago June 11, 2015| Negotiations began Wednesday, June 10, for a new National Master Automobile Transporters Agreement (NMATA) covering almost 6,000 carhaul employees. Nearly 200 are members of Local 355. The Teamsters National Automobile Transportation Industry Negotiating Committee is negotiating with the employer group, the National Automobile Transporters Labor Division. Local 355 Recording-Secretary and Carhaul Business Agent Bill Alexander is a member of the national negotiations committee. The current contract and its supplements expire the end of August. Additional info here.
Former Sparrows Point steelworker speaks out on impact of failed trade policies June 11, 2015| This new ad from the AFL-CIO and USW highlights how the loss of manufacturing jobs due to bad trade policies has hit manufacturing workers like former Sparrows Point craneworker, Mike Lewis, especially hard.
Hoffa applauds trade package vote but warns fight isn't over yet June 15, 2015| In a press release issued last week, General President Hoffa said that in rejecting the Trade Adjustment Assistance portion of the trade package, "a resounding bipartisan majority of lawmakers agreed that workers don't want to be retrained for a new career – they want to keep the good middle-class jobs they have now." However, the battle didn't end Friday. "The Teamsters and others who stand with American families must remain resolute. Corporate cronies are likely to try to get TAA and fast track through the house again" this week. Workers voices' need to continue to be heard on Capitol Hill. Read more at teamster.org. Related: Liberals deal Obama a stunning blow on trade -- but one more showdown awaits.
Teamsters endorse pension protection bill June 18, 2015| The IBT issued its support today for new legislation that will protect earned pension benefits for retirees and boost multi-employer pension plans for workers and participating employers.The “Keep our Pension Promises Act,” sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), will roll back provisions slipped into the fiscal 2015 spending bill approved by Congress last year that made earned pensions benefits vulnerable to cuts. The measure would restore anti-cutback rules so that recipients in financially troubled multi-employer pension plans will be protected from having their benefits cut. Continued…
HBO confirms 'Veep' is leaving Maryland June 19, 2015| HBO announced yesterday that production for it's Emmy Award-winning political satire is heading back to Los Angeles. The show has been produced in and around Baltimore for four seasons, and employed hundreds of Marylanders, including 25 drivers from Local 355. In a statement sent to the Baltimore Sun, HBO thanked Maryland "for making the last four seasons of 'Veep' such a success' and looked "forward to returning with another production in the future."
US Foods announces tentative plan to close Severn facility June 19, 2015| Teamsters Local Unions 355 and 570 officers and bargaining committees met with US Foods Baltimore management Wednesday to address the company's tentative plan to close the facility. More...
Local 355 carhaul drivers are among 6,000 Teamster carhaulers nationwide.
Teamsters union fights Toyota's greedy carhaul job-killing practices June 23, 2015| The Teamsters Union is fighting Toyota's greed in which the manufacturer is shifting business from dependable and experienced Teamster-represented carhaul companies to lower-bidding nonunion companies, a shift that is costing numerous Teamster carhaulers' jobs and lowering work standards while the company is raking in record profits. More information plus photos...
U.S. judge grants FTC request to block merger with US Foods June 24, 2015| Sysco Corp’s $3.5 billion merger with US Foods should be stopped for further review, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday, handing a major victory to the U.S. government in its effort to block the controversial merger. The judge’s decision could ultimately kill the deal between the two largest U.S. food distributors since the further review requested by the Federal Trade Commission is a lengthy process, and deals generally cannot be held together during a full trial. Continue reading… Today's Baltimore Sun story...
UPS Freight foursome capture first place in Spring Golf Outing June 25, 2015| Fifty-eight active members and retirees participated in the Local's annual Spring golf event June 13th, at the Hog Neck Golf Course in Easton, Md. Winners, photos and gallery link here.
Sysco walks away from US Foods merger June 29, 2015| Sysco Corp. said Monday it is walking away from its planned acquisition of US Foods Inc. after a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against the deal last week amid antitrust concerns. Sysco said it will pay US Foods a breakup fee of $300 million. The termination also cancels Sysco and US Food’s agreement to sell 11 distribution centers to Performance Food Group, Inc. Full story …
Teamsters to US Foods, Sysco: Restore labor relations, customer confidence June 30, 2015| Following [yesterday's] announcement that Sysco terminated its merger agreement with US Foods, the Teamster Union cited the decision as a critical step toward restoring labor relations and renewing customer confidence at the two companies. "As Sysco and US Foods move forward, we remain committed to a meaningful dialogue about the future health and prosperity of these two companies," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. Read more …
General Membership Meetings: Baltimore - Nov. 3 @ 10 a.m. Salisbury - Nov. 17 @10 a.m. Please be present and on time. And bring a coworker!