ABF LOCAL LEADERS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT

Two Representatives from Each Local Review, Endorse Contract

Leaders from about 160 Teamster local unions that represent ABF members unanimously endorsed a tentative master agreement and supplements today that covers 7,500 workers. The vote to support the tentative agreement and supplements paves the way for a vote by the members.

“Our members’ number one goal was to protect their health, welfare and pension benefits and we achieved this despite all the financial challenges the company is facing,” said Gordon Sweeton, Co-Chairman of the National ABF Negotiating Committee for the Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC). “We also protected good Teamster freight jobs.”

The union negotiating committee has unanimously endorsed the tentative agreement.

The Teamsters were able to defeat numerous attempted takeaways sought by the company, including major cuts to health, welfare and pension benefits.

The tentative agreement does call for a 7 percent wage reduction, but that will be entirely recouped by the fifth year of the contract.

“Nobody ever wants to see a pay cut, but in light of the company’s struggles and our desire to see the company survive, something needed to be done,” Sweeton said. “It is in our best interests, as well as ABF’s, that this company be given a chance to climb out of this deep recession so that our members’ futures are protected.”

Ballots will be mailed out on or about June 3 and are due back on or about June 27 and will then be counted.

Welch: Setting the record straight on ABF attempt

YRC Worldwide Inc. CEO James Welch wants to set the record straight on the company’s attempt to acquire ABF Freight System Inc.

On Thursday, Welch sent a letter to all of the Overland Park less-than-truckload carrier’s employees explaining the company’s thinking behind the attempted acquisition of the Fort Smith, Ark. based company, his thoughts on the “leak” and media reactions to the acquisition, and his reaction to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters statement, which called the company’s behavior arrogant and “unconscionable.”

Welch opened the letter by explaining that the company, its board of directors and executives have a fiduciary duty to grow profits and increase shareholder value, and because of that they “spend a lot of time discussing strategic options” that can strengthen YRC.

He then said he met with Arkansas Best CEO Judy McReynolds for a total of one hour on March 22, sent a follow up letter to McReynolds on March 25, and received a letter rejecting the offer on April 1.  Full Story......

HOFFA STATEMENT ON YRCW EFFORTS TO ACQUIRE FREIGHT DIVISION OF ABF

The following is the official statement of Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa regarding recent reports that YRC Worldwide Inc. attempted to acquire ABF Freight Systems.

“It is unconscionable that in the middle of the IBT's sensitive negotiations for a new contract for 6,000 ABF Teamsters, and in the context of years of continuing sacrifice by our members at YRC, that YRC would advance a secret effort to acquire ABF's freight division. This interference in the collective bargaining process is an affront to all of the hardworking men and women at both companies.

“Before YRC begins looking for acquisition targets they should first restore our members' wages and pension contributions. We have seen this kind of arrogance from YRC before. We thought they had finally learned the lessons of past management catastrophes. Unfortunately it appears they have not. We want to give credit to ABF for rejecting this gambit, and we now will demand from YRC a full accounting of the calculations and decisions that went into their latest misstep.”

YRC made bid to acquire ABF Freight

The company that is a target of a $750 million lawsuit filed by Fort Smith-based Arkansas Best Corp. recently made an attempt to buy Arkansas Best’s largest subsidiary, ABF Freight System.

According to this report from trade publication DC Velocity, YRC Worldwide CEO James Welch met March 22 in Fort Smith with Arkansas Best President and CEO Judy McReynolds to discuss the idea.

According to the DC Velocity report, Arkansas Best officials declined a detailed discussion on the YRC offer, and have said no further talks have been held on the matter.

Neither company has made a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange about the meeting. A 10-Q filed Wednesday (May 8) with the SEC by Arkansas Best did not include mention of the meeting between McReynolds and Welch.

ABF generates about 78% of Arkansas Best revenue.  Full story here...........

UPS FREIGHT LOCAL UNION LEADERS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMEND TENTATIVE AGREEMENT FOR RATIFICATION

Teamster Local Union leaders representing UPS Freight workers across the country unanimously endorsed the tentative national agreement today, clearing the way for ballots to be prepared and sent to members.

View changes to the UPS Freight contract here. View the UPS Freight tentative agreement highlights here.

General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall, who also serves as Package Division Director and Co-Chairman of the Teamsters UPS Freight National Negotiating Committee with General President Jim Hoffa, presented the changes contained in the tentative agreement to nearly 200 Local Union leaders.

“This is a strong tentative agreement that does exactly what our members asked for, which is to take on subcontracting while increasing wages and pension contributions,” Hall said. “The committee stayed focused and united, and they got the job done.”

Details of the tentative agreement with UPS Freight were outlined at the “two-person” meeting, attended by two representatives from each Local Union. This is the second national agreement for UPS Freight Teamsters.

“Both negotiating committees were at the table at the same time representing 250,000 workers at UPS and UPS Freight,” Hoffa said. “That’s a lot of bargaining power. We were able to show a united Teamster front and it paid off.”

Local leaders are being encouraged to hold Local Union meetings to discuss details of the tentative agreement.

Ballot packages will be mailed to all members at the end of May for ratification of the master agreement. Complete voting instructions will be included in the ballot package. Tentatively, ballots will start being counted on or about June 20.

TEAMSTERS URGE CONGRESS TO STOP DANGEROUS INCREASES IN TRUCK WEIGHT AND SIZE

DOT And Congress Plan To Push Company-Friendly Legislation

Today, the Teamsters, the Truck Safety Coalition, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and representatives of several families who have suffered death and injury as a result of truck crashes, held a news conference marking the re-introduction of legislation that would prevent an increase in size and weight allowances for trucks.

“Corporate greed is the only thing driving the trucking industry to push reckless legislation that would put heavier and longer trucks on our highways,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “Our members travel the nation’s highways every day and know fully the dangers of putting bigger trucks on a highway system already in disrepair. It makes no sense to cause further damage to our highways and bridges when Congress hasn't found a way to fund the much-needed repairs to our crumbling infrastructure.”

Currently, federal limitations on truck size and weight are enforced on interstate highways while states are allowed to set the limits on all other roads. The Safe Highways and Infrastructure Protection Act (SHIPA), sponsored by Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), will be re-introduced today and will thwart efforts by some in Congress and at the Department of Transportation to seek further ways to circumvent these restrictions.

“The claim that fewer trucks will be an end-product of truck size and weight increases simply isn't true,” Hoffa said. “This is about safety and ensuring as safe a workplace for our driver members on the highways as anyone working on a factory floor.”

UPS LOCAL LEADERS UNANIMOUSLY ENDORSE UPS TENTATIVE AGREEMENT

Leaders of Teamster Local Unions that represent UPS workers across the United States voted unanimously today to endorse the tentative UPS national agreement, paving the way for ballots to be prepared and sent to members.

View changes to the UPS contract here. View the UPS tentative agreement highlights here.

General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall, who also serves as Package Division Director and Co-Chairman of the Teamsters National Negotiating Committee with General President Jim Hoffa, presented the changes contained in the tentative agreement to more than 300 Local Union leaders.

“Our members made clear they wanted us to protect their health care benefits and address harassment while increasing wages and retirement contributions,” Hall said. “This is a strong tentative agreement that achieves all those things and more.”

Details of the tentative agreement with UPS were outlined at the “two-person” meeting, attended by two representatives from each Local Union. The UPS national master contract is the largest collective bargaining agreement in North America.

“I commend the negotiating committee for staying focused and united,” Hoffa said. “Backed by the determination and engagement of our members, the committee kept its mission in sight and remained a force at the bargaining table. This is an agreement we can all be proud of.”

Local leaders are being encouraged to hold Local Union meetings to discuss details of the tentative agreement.

Ballot packages will be mailed to all members at the end of May for ratification of the master agreement, and any supplements and
riders if applicable. Complete voting instructions will be included in the ballot package. Tentatively, ballots will start being counted on or about June 20.