Teamster Solidarity, New Construction Division Leadership Overpower Corporate Greed

(PHOENIX)– Mining vehicle operators represented by Teamsters Local 104 unanimously voted to approve a new contract with Vulcan Materials following a two-year struggle to stop the nation’s largest producer of construction aggregates from gutting their collective bargaining agreement.

“The Teamsters are done accepting concessionary contracts driven by corporate greed,” said Sean M. O’Brien, Teamsters General President. “I commend the Vulcan Eight for taking a strong stand and demanding the wages, benefits, and job protections that they’ve earned. I also want to recognize the leadership of our Building Material and Construction Trade Division, including Division Director Tom Gesualdi and Western Region Division Representative Caesar Borjas, for moving quickly and decisively to support our members at Vulcan.”

The eight Teamster drivers, known as the Vulcan Eight, operate on-site mining vehicles at the company’s open-pit aggregates quarries in and around Phoenix. During negotiations Vulcan Materials aggressively pushed to eliminate the drivers’ union-sponsored pension and health care plans and increase workers’ health care costs more than $460 per month. The company also unsuccessfully tried to eliminate workers’ rights to honor picket lines, reduce overtime pay, and award itself the unlimited ability to replace workers with subcontractors, temporary employees, and autonomous vehicles.

The ratified agreement provides the drivers with a solid economic package. It allows them to stay in the Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust, provides the drivers with zero-premium union-sponsored health insurance, and favorably addresses concerns regarding work rule changes – including the right to honor a picket line.

In June, the mining vehicle operators unanimously voted to authorize a strike against Vulcan Materials. A strike at Vulcan Materials’ Arizona facilities could have affected operations across the country and the operations of its partner companies, including CEMEX. The Teamsters represent roughly 700 Vulcan Materials workers nationwide, including several hundred workers at recently acquired U.S. Concrete.

“No matter the size of the bargaining unit, Local 104 stands with workers across Arizona,” said Local 104 Business Agent Ryan Proctor. “Our determined Vulcan Materials members fought smart and refused to let this construction giant take advantage of them. Local 104 and our members at this company are deeply appreciative of the strong and aggressive support provided by the newly appointed leadership of the Teamsters Building Material and Construction Trade Division.”

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

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