Episode 169: Growing for the Future: Listen to the latest episode of the Teamster Nation Podcast and learn how the union is organizing workers in the growing cannabis industry in California and across the country. Plus, remembering the Queen of Soul. Listen here.

All UPS Teamsters – Teleforum Call to Be Held Aug. 25: All UPS Teamsters – a teleforum will be held on Saturday, August 25 at 4:30 pm Eastern. Topics to be covered: 22.4 combination drivers, excessive overtime and less subcontracting in Feeders. The call in number is (866) 767-0669. Click here to view the flier

UPS Freight Members Teleforum, August 22: All UPS Freight members at invited to join a teleforum call on Wednesday, August 22 at 7:00 pm (Eastern).  This call will be an update on the UPS Freight tentative agreement. The telephone number is: (866) 767-0669

Teamsters Suspend Strike Activities at Coca-Cola United: On Thursday, Aug. 9, employees at Coca-Cola United in Mobile walked off the job to protest the company’s behavior during contract negotiations.

Teamsters Ratify Contract with East End Bus Lines: After 14 months of negotiations between East End Bus Lines and Teamsters Local 1205, workers at the company have voted by more than a four-to-one margin to ratify their latest contract.

Chicagoland Teamsters Ratify Contracts at First Student
Teamsters
Teamsters Locals 777 and 179 drivers and monitors who work for First Student ratified contracts that contain significant gains in representation, pay and benefits. More than 600 drivers and monitors are covered by the two agreements, and they provide services for Naperville School Districts 131 and 204.

 

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Episode 169: Growing for the Future:
EPISODE NOTES
Listen to the latest episode of the Teamster Nation Podcast and learn how the union is organizing workers in the growing cannabis industry in California and across the country. Plus, remembering the Queen of Soul.

SHOW NOTES
Features audio clips from Kristin Heidelbach-Terramoto, director of the Teamsters’ Cannabis Division; Barry Broad, Teamsters’ legislative director and chief lobbyist in California; Ricardo Baca, cannabis industry journalist and founder of Grasslands public affairs agency; Ophelia Chong, founder of Stock Pot Images and leading California cannabis industry authority; Richard Rodriguez, distribution driver with RVR Distribution and Teamsters Local 853 member. Listen here

All UPS Teamsters – Teleforum Call to Be Held Aug. 25: All UPS Teamsters – a teleforum will be held on Saturday, August 25 at 4:30 pm Eastern. Topics to be covered: 22.4 combination drivers, excessive overtime and less subcontracting in Feeders. The call in number is (866) 767-0669. Click here to view the flier

UPS Freight Members Teleforum, August 22: All UPS Freight members at invited to join a teleforum call on Wednesday, August 22 at 7:00 pm (Eastern).  This call will be an update on the UPS Freight tentative agreement. The telephone number is: (866) 767-0669

Teamsters Suspend Strike Activities at Coca-Cola United: Drivers, Salespersons, Mechanics, Others Went on Strike to Send Wake-Up Call to Company
(MOBILE, AL) – On Thursday, Aug. 9, employees at Coca-Cola United in Mobile walked off the job to protest the company’s behavior during contract negotiations. The 275 drivers, salespersons, merchandisers, clerks and mechanics are members of Teamsters Local 991. The workers suspended their picketing and went back to work at 5 a.m. today.
“We wanted to send a wake-up call that we will not stand for Coca-Cola treating workers this way,” said Antoine Lott, an equipment services technician at Coca-Cola United. “We work hard to provide for our families, and everyone at this company should be able to earn family-supporting wages.”
In negotiations, Coca-Cola United is demanding to pay new hires $6 to $8 less per hour than what it is currently paying.
“The wealth inequality in America is staggering, and Coca-Cola United is a prime example of how the 1 percent hoovers up money from the rest of us,” said Jim Gookins, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 991. “This company makes billions thanks to the hard work of its frontline employees, but it doesn’t want to share the wealth. For a rich corporation to demand cuts to workers’ wages is a slap in the face to workers, their families, and our communities.”
Gookins continued, “Meanwhile, Coca-Cola United’s executives have no problem paying themselves high salaries — the CEO alone belongs to 3 different country clubs: Greystone, Shoal, and Augusta. Coca-Cola’s employees deserve respect and a fair return on their work. It’s outrageous.”
“When Coca-Cola United insisted on cutting wages and wouldn’t listen to us at the bargaining table, we felt we had no choice but to go on strike as a wake-up call,” said Bobby Kovacevich, a delivery driver at Coca-Cola United. “We have good relationships with our customers and don’t want to hurt them, which is why we went back to work. We care about the community, but Coca-Cola United doesn’t seem to. We are asking the company to change its behavior so that we can negotiate a fair contract and avoid any more disruptions to our customers.”
Coca-Cola United is the largest privately-held Coca-Cola bottler in North America, with an estimated $2.2 billion in annual sales. It has nine production facilities in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Tennessee, and over 45 sales and distribution centers in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. Its customers include Walmart, Winn-Dixie, and the University of Alabama.

Teamsters Ratify Contract with East End Bus Lines: Five-year Contract Contains Substantial Increases to Wages and Benefits
(MEDFORD, N.Y.) – After 14 months of negotiations between East End Bus Lines and Teamsters Local 1205, workers at the company have voted by more than a four-to-one margin to ratify their latest contract. The more than 300 school bus drivers, monitors, mechanics and related classifications provide services for the South Country and Longwood School Districts.
“This has been a battle since day one, but this victory continues our strong momentum at Local 1205 as we continue to organize and bring justice to workers,” said Local 1205 Vice President Gary Kumpa. “In the past year we have organized close to 500 new members in many different job classifications and occupations. We have all fought very hard in our campaigns, and we look forward to growing our local even more.”
The five-year agreement includes a number of substantial improvements – including wage increases ranging from 2 percent to 7 percent with guarantees of no less than 2 percent yearly for the next five years. East End Bus will also participate in the Teamsters’ 401(k) plan, and make contributions of 55 to 60 percent to the unions health care coverage, with contributions increasing as the contract matures.
Lori Rizzitano is an East End Bus Driver who serves as shop steward and member of the negotiating committee. She has worked at East End Bus Lines for nine years.
“All of the employees were tired of getting kicked around by East End Bus,” Rizzitano said. “Still, everyone held strong through three years, three NLRB [National Labor Relations Board] cases, negotiations and the vote to accept it. The whole thing was hard but in the end we got the justice we deserve – a Teamster contract, Teamster protection; we couldn’t ask for anything more.
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.

Chicagoland Teamsters Ratify Contracts at First Student Teamsters Local 777 and Teamsters Local 179 Continue to Drive Up Standards Across the Private School Bus Industry
(NAPERVILLE, Ill.) – Teamsters Locals 777 and 179 drivers and monitors who work for First Student ratified contracts that contain significant gains in representation, pay and benefits. More than 600 drivers and monitors are covered by the two agreements, and they provide services for Naperville School Districts 131 and 204.
“These workers fought hard, stuck together and won,” said Local 777 President Jim Glimco. “School bus drivers from the Batavia First Student yard are now among some of the highest paid in all of the cities and towns throughout Chicago’s western suburbs.”
Local 179 President Tom Flynn echoed Glimco’s sentiments concerning the contract that was negotiated by Local 179.
“I don’t try to sell contracts,” Flynn said. “Our committee spoke to their coworkers and fought hard for what they wanted at the bargaining table. That’s why this contract was ratified by more than 80 percent of our members.”
Both contracts include free vision coverage, an increased 401K match and hourly pay increases that go as high as $23.50 for drivers and $16.25 for monitors, depending on years of service. The contracts also include pay raises for extra routes, plus safety bonuses and other bonus incentives.
Tani Benson is a driver and union steward at the Batavia First Student yard. She has been a Teamster bus driver for nine years.
“We increased the penalty for payroll errors in our contract – this way we can have greater accountability and a faster turnaround time for getting these problems corrected,” Benson said.
“If First Student workers in Illinois want to have a fair days wage, respect and representation, they need to join our movement and fight for a Teamster contract!”
Claudius Young is a Local 179 Steward who has been a driver at the Naperville yard for 11 years.
“We got increases across the board for drivers and monitors with our new contract,” Young said. “Every First Student worker in Illinois should join the Teamsters. That way we can make sure we have a voice in regards to what’s going on in our workplaces, and try and make things better for everyone.”
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.
 

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