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 here. PHOTO: 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. 

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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. 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

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.

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 photos. Click 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.

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.com. Via 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.

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).

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.

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 driver. Deliveries 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.

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

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.

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. Note: The 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 15th. Questions? 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

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

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!

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

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

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 them. Update 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 here. * Photo 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.

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.

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.

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.”

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 | A 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.

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, 2021. Click 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.

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!

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.

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 Support, State of Maryland

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.

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.

Safety Success: Every 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.

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.

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 here. Related: 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.

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.

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 here. Related: 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.

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

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.

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 drop…Teamsters

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

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:

• Center for Disease Control (CDC)
• Teamster Safety & Health Coronavirus Factsheets
• Exposed and Infected Workers Rights and Employer Responsibilities
• Testing for COVID-19
• Self-Checker: Guide to help seek appropriate medical care

Federal Resources:

• Your right to report unsafe conditions during coronavirus pandemic
• The CARES Act: How will the coronavirus aid package impact your family?
• Four things to know about unemployment benefits under the CARES Act
• Federal income tax filing extended until July 15
• It could happen: How to vote by mail

State Resources:

Maryland

• File for unemployment here
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance
• State-funded child care for designated essential personnel
• Your rights to paid leave, sick time under the new law, Families First Coronavirus Response Act
• A guide to health benefits under COBRA
• Mortgage relief and foreclosure prevention
• Rental assistance: Fair Housing Action Center of Maryland
• Food supplement program - SNAP benefits
• Find a food bank in your area
• Car payment relief programs
• The new deadline to file & pay state taxes is July 15
• How to file your taxes for free, and more
• Maryland's Presidential Primary is June 2, 2020: Important election information here.

Delaware

• File for unemployment here
• Expansion of unemployment benefits during COVID-19
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance
• Child care options for designated essential personnel
• Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee paid leave rights
• A guide to health benefits under COBRA
• Food supplement program - SNAP benefits
• Find a food bank in your area
• Assistance paying the rent
• Help to avoid mortgage foreclosure
• Car payment relief programs
• The new deadline to file, pay state taxes is July 15
• How to file your taxes for free, and more
• Delaware's presidential primary is June 2, 2020: Important election information here.

Pennsylvania

• Info for PA employees impacted by COVID-19
• How to file an unemployment claim
• Workers’ Compensation and COVID-19 FAQs
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance
• Child care options for designated essential personnel
• Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee paid leave rights
• A guide to health benefits under COBRA
• Food supplement program - SNAP benefits
• Find a food bank in your area
• Assistance paying the rent
• Mortgage assistance: Avoiding foreclosure
• Car payment relief programs
• The new deadline to file, pay state taxes is July 15
• How to file your taxes for free, and more
• PA's Presidential Primary is June 2, 2020: Important election information here.

Virginia

• File for unemployment here
• FAQs from workers regarding COVId-19
• Q&A on claims related to COVID-19
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance
• Child care options for designated essential personnel
• Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee paid leave rights
• A guide to health benefits under COBRA
• Food assistance resources
• Find a food bank in your area
• Assistance paying the rent
• Mortgage help for homeowners
• Car payment relief programs
• The new deadline to file, pay state taxes is June 1
• How to file your taxes for free, and more

Washington, D.C.

• How to file an unemployment claim
• Unemployment benefits basics for COVID-19 emergency
• Expansion of unemployment benefits during COVID-19
• Chart: COVID-19 scenarios and benefits
• Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee paid leave rights
• A guide to health benefits under COBRA
• Food supplement program - SNAP benefits
• Find a food bank in your area
• Assistance paying the rent
• Foreclosure prevention resources
• Car payment relief programs
• The new deadline to file, pay state taxes: July 15
• How to file your taxes for free, and more
• DC's Presidential Primary is June 2, 2020: Important election information here.

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.

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/Sygma, US Foods/FSA, PFG/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 | 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

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

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

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