UPS Freight Workers in West Virginia Sign Cards to Become Teamsters

Teamsters gaining members at UPS unit

Since the Teamsters began working to organize 12,600 United Parcel Service of America Inc.'s UPS Freight truck drivers and dockworkers two weeks ago, 2,500 have signed up to join.

UPS Freight, formerly Overnite Express Inc., is based in Richmond, Va. Repeated union organizing drives at Overnite had failed for more than 50 years, until employees at the company's Indianapolis location voted to join in July 2006.

"As more and more cards are submitted to the arbitrator for certification, more and more workers are on their way to a more secure future at UPS Freight," said Jim Hoffa, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

Teamsters Vice President Ken Hall, who is also president of Local 175 in South Charleston, is leading the "card-check neutrality" campaign to organize UPS Freight employees across the country.

Those employees include 78 who now work at UPS Freight docks in Nitro, Bluefield, Parkersburg and Fairmont.

Hall is also the union's leading contract negotiator for 238,000 Teamster members working for United Parcel Service, which specializes in delivering small packages to homes and businesses. (UPS Freight handles larger freight shipments for businesses.)

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