Workers Win Teamster Representation After Years of Fighting for a Voice

(SALT LAKE CITY) – After a protracted battle with the Utah Transit Authority (UTA), a group of 40 rail operations supervisors at the agency are finally members of Teamsters Local 222.

“In true Teamster spirit, these hardworking men and women never gave up hope, even after all of this time,” said Spencer Hogue, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 222. “I’m extremely proud of them and elated to welcome them to our family.” 

The UTA workers approached Teamsters Local 222 seeking representation in February 2014. The group of supervisors faced an uphill battle because the UTA refused to recognize the group and did everything in its power to stop the organizing drive. There was a court battle that went on for years, and the agency lobbied to get the laws changed so the workers were ineligible for union representation. The UTA even spent taxpayer dollars on union busters to prevent the workers from organizing and inundated them with propaganda. After eight years, the workers voted by a 45-point margin to become Teamsters last week.

“This became a clearly established victory and reality last week when we were granted the opportunity to vote on the union, resulting in a landslide decision to become Teamsters,” UTA rail operations supervisors said in a statement following the organizing victory. “Attempts to communicate our needs and concerns as employees fell upon deaf ears with management. The Teamsters stood up and battled for our right to unionize with the courts, expending time and resources to secure our right to unionize and have our voices heard. We are so grateful to Local 222 for all of their hard work and we are delighted to have our new partnership going forward from here.”

Teamsters Local 222 serves over 3,000 members working for dozens of employers throughout Utah. For more information, go to https://teamsterslocal222.org/.

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