News
Teamster Freight Power Builds
The Teamsters organizing campaigns in freight at XPO/Con-way and FedEx Freight are going strong, with a recent major court ruling, growing a national network of worker activists and successful nationwide days of action leafleting by members at terminals nationwide.
In early March, a federal appeals court enforced a decision of the National Labor Relations Board and ordered FedEx Freight to recognize and bargain with Teamsters Local 71 in Charlotte, N.C. and Local 107 in Philadelphia, where members in separate elections had voted to join the Teamsters. FedEx Freight had refused to recognize the NLRB’s bargaining unit determinations and the resulting union election victories. This decision is a major win for Teamsters at FedEx Freight.
“We can’t be happier, this is a pivotal moment in this fight,” said Bobby Barry, a driver at FedEx Freight in Charlotte. “It really has boosted everybody’s confidence. We look forward to negotiating a contract.”
“We have a very strong group of FedEx Freight workers at Local 71 who want a contract,” said Steve Bess, Local 71 President. “After this ruling, I sent a letter to the company demanding that we negotiate a contract that will protect our members and their families. These workers deserve the security of a Teamster contract.”
“This latest victory in court is good news for the FedEx Freight workers who voted to join our local in October 2014,” said Bill Hamilton, President of Teamsters Local 107. “We demand that the company abides by this latest court decision and agrees to bargain a contract. The workers have waited far too long for this process to play out and they deserve to have their voices heard. We look forward to negotiating a strong contract that addresses their needs.”
XPO/Con-way
At XPO/Conway, two more days of action that include national leafleting events took place in February and March 2016.
“We have been following the International Union’s lead, and we have been out doing whatever is necessary to reach out to the XPO/Con-way workers,” said Ed Thompson, President and business agent at Local 776 in Harrisburg, Pa. “We are doing whatever is necessary to gain contacts with workers and grow a committee and ultimately get our facilities to an election to secure a voice for these workers.”
With the recent purchase of Conway Freight by XPO Logistics, multiple divisions within the Teamsters are working together to take on this new giant in transportation.
“Our campaigns are expanding at both companies and the recent FedEx Freight ruling gives us even more momentum,” said Tyson Johnson, Director of the Teamsters National Freight Division. “Our local unions and members have been doing a terrific job.”
The Teamsters are making history at both companies, with organizing, first-ever national days of action, nationwide engagement and interaction with the workers and the bargaining process that’s under way. The union has also filed unfair labor practices charges, is involved with federal court cases, is building nationwide activist committees, is conducting freight member organizing trainings at locals across the nation, launching shareholder resolutions and other ongoing steps.