TEAMSTER HAPPENINGS – JANUARY 2019

Freight topics

• Business Agent Steve Bishop was appointed to the YRC National Negotiating Committee as well as the Carolina Bi-State committee of which he chairs.  Obviously YRC contract negotiations are still ongoing and although several key items have been agreed to and resolved there is still considerable work to done before expiration date of 3/31/19.
• YRC: Warning letters protests - 78, Suspensions adjudicated - 55, Discharges adjudicated -19 & Complaints settled and paid - $16,591.50
• USF Holland: Warning letters protests – 31, Suspensions adjudicated – 13, Discharges adjudicated – 3 & complaints settled and paid – $5329.88
• UPS Freight: Warning letters protests -10, Suspensions adjudicated -3, Discharges adjudicated - 9

Complaints settled and paid - $1435.65

• Have resolved more than 102 discharges and suspensions. All of this since July 2018

UPS

• The UPS National Master and the Atlantic Area Supplement has been ratified. There are currently only 4 other supplements unresolved, Central PA, Western PA, Local 804 (New York) and Local 243 (Metro-Detroit). UPS Freight and CSI (Cartage Services) have all ratified as well.
• In accordance with our Bylaws, we are in the process of holding new Shop Steward elections in ALL of our UPS operations and hope to have these completed by the end of February.
• The Over 9.5 issues have been virtually eliminated due the Company’s new initiative which has solved the Excessive Overtime problems in the past.   
• At the current time 29 Full-time Feeder driver positions have been added in the Charlotte hub and surrounding area in the past six months. Charlotte Feeders has already announced they have a current need for up to 35 more Feeder and Feeder Q-list positions by the end of the year. They may have to go to outside hires in hopes of filling these positions once again if necessary.  
• We have been able to resolve over 32 off the job discharges and suspensions and returned the individuals to work.
•  We have won over $11,000 in grievance settlement since July 2018.

White Paper Contract

• We successfully completed the negotiations with the Red Cross. We teamed up with Local 391 and negotiated a Carolinas Regional Contract to cover all Red Cross facilities in the Carolinas.
• We have completed negotiations with ARAMARK Uniforms on a new three year contract which included increases in wages and pension contributions, while maintaining the current Health and Welfare coverage.
• After the management at Aramark refused to abide by the Collective Bargaining Agreement by refusing to post open routes, attempting to award routes to junior non-members instead of the senior Union member, and attempting to unilaterally lower employee’s commission rates, we filed multiple grievances to the Piedmont Grievance Committee while filing an ULP with the NLRB against the Company and the General Manager. The Company quickly asked for a meeting and resolved all outstanding grievances, including the awarding of open routes, back-pay, and restoration of higher commission rates to the affected employees.
• After a prolonged arbitration case with the American Red Cross, and refusal by the Company to honor the arbitrator’s decision, we prevailed at enforcing the decision. The employee was returned to work with more than one year’s back-pay and benefits.
• We are currently gearing up for Contract talks with BlueLynx Distribution. The current contract will expire in July 2019.

Organizing Front

• We have recently been contacted by FedEx Freight in an attempt to possibly organize them once again. This was due primarily to the Company’s new policy of suspending drivers off the job, pending an investigation for ANY and ALL motor vehicle infractions, including in their personal vehicles.  We have made it very clear, IF we decide to pursue this venture again it will be ONLY if and when they sign both the NLRB Right to Represent cards AND the membership authorization form and If THEY do their due diligence.

Steve Bishop, Business Agent for YRC and Holland will be in contrace negotiations during the following weeks:

Monday, February 11, 2019 through Friday, February 15, 2019.

Monday, February 25, 2019 through Friday, March 1, 2019.

Monday, March 11, 2019 through Friday, March 15, 2019.

Monday, Marchh 18, 2019 through Friday, March 22, 2019.

Monday, March 25, 2019 through Friday, March 29, 2019 (if needed)

During this time period you can leave him a message on his cell phone (704) 363-6486 and he will return the call when he is available.

ALL MEMBERS OF TEAMSTERS LOCAL 71

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP FOR CHILDREN &

GRANDCHILDREN OF ELIGIBLE MEMBERS

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

Local 71 is taking applications for the College Scholarship for Children and Grandchildren of eligible members who will graduate from High School in 2019.

All applications must be received at the Local Union no later than May 3, 2019 to be considered for approval. Two (2) scholarships will be awarded to the 2 highest academic scholars, for a maximum value of $2000 per scholarship.

To obtain an application form you may download off the website: www.teamsterslocal71.com or contact the office at 704-596-2475 x223.

Fraternally,

TEAMSTERS LOCAL UNION NO. 71

Ernest K. Wrenn

Secretary-Treasurer

2019 Teamster Local 71 Scholarship Application.pdf

YRC NEGOTIATIONS RESUME,
CONTINUED PROGRESS REPORTED
The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) met this week tocontinue negotiations for a new National Master Freight Agreement covering YRC Freight, Holland and New Penn.
The parties met for full days over the course of the week and discussed a wide variety of issues.TNFINC secured a tentative agreement with improvements on a number of items such asequipment, safety, stewards and work opportunities.TNFINC Co-Chair Ernie Soehl stated: “We continued making progress for the members andresolved a number of national non-economic items. Obviously we will still need to tackle the
difficult economic issues, but at least so far I am encouraged by the progress.”
Negotiations are scheduled to resume later in the month.