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Teamsters And Coalition Of Unions Ratify Agreement At American Red Cross

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(WASHINGTON) – After several months of serious negotiations and a month-long balloting process, the Teamsters, as part of a union coalition, have ratified a new contract for members working at American Red Cross. The agreement will impact more than 1,300 Teamsters at 18 different local unions across the United States.

The Teamsters are part of a coalition of unions that negotiated the contract. The coalition represents more than 4,200 vital health care workers in 24 states, and includes Teamsters, AFSCME, AFT (HPAE and Oregon Nurses), CWA, UAW, UFCW, United Steelworkers and SEIU.

“It was very important that our local unions came together and helped educate members about the importance of this contract, which resulted in over 80 percent approving it,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “Now it is the time to move forward at the American Red Cross so that the unionized workforce can continue to be an asset to the organization.”

Teamsters have represented American Red Cross workers for decades, mostly in the mobile blood collection units that service communities in major metropolitan areas across the U.S.

“Sustainability was a core interest that labor and management brought into these negotiations,” said Michael Filler, Director of the Public Services Division. “Now that this first-ever national contract has been ratified, Red Cross will be in a better position to improve its operations and overall financial condition, while organized labor will enhance its ability to effectively address concerns across the country of current and future union members.”

American Red Cross workers are part of the Teamsters Public Services Division which represents over 273,000 employees at city, state and federal facilities and related businesses across the United States.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 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.