DHL Workers in Ohio Overwhelmingly Vote to Join Teamsters

Employees Seek Improved Compensation, Respect, Job Security


In votes counted late last night, some 19 sort maintenance mechanics and tech reps at the DHL gateway in Wilmington, Ohio voted 17-2 to join the Teamsters Union. The workers seek stronger wages, affordable health care coverage, job security and on-the-job respect.

“This is a great win for us,” said Gary Mendenhall, a sort maintenance mechanic. “As Teamsters we can negotiate together for the things that matter here in Wilmington.”

“I am proud to welcome these DHL workers into our union,” said Roger Insprucker, President of the Ohio Conference of Teamsters. “As Teamsters, we will work to not only enhance the livelihood of these workers and their families, but we will also fight to make DHL a strong and positive presence in our Wilmington community and in the industry.”

The election is one of two organizing elections that began at DHL facilities on March 6. The second election involves approximately 370 workers at the DHL sort facility in Niles, Michigan, where voting concludes at 1 a.m. on March 8. The DHL facility in Niles is DHL’s third-largest sort center in the U.S.

The 19 workers in Wilmington join the more than 12,000 Teamsters who work throughout the DHL system. Within the next few weeks, thousands of Teamsters who work at DHL Express will begin reviewing the tentative agreement for the historic, new national agreement at their company.

UPS Freight Workers in South Carolina Sign Cards to Become Teamsters

In Latest Victory, About 440 Drivers and Dockworkers Will Join Local 509

An overwhelming majority of about 440 workers at the UPS Freight terminals in Gaffney, Greenville and Columbia, in South Carolina, have signed authorization cards to become Teamsters, bringing the total number of drivers and dockworkers seeking to join the union to about 7,640 since January 16, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced.

The workers at the three terminals are seeking to join Local 509 in Cayce, South Carolina.

“I’d like to thank all the committee members who work at UPS Freight as well as Teamsters Package Division Director Ken Hall,” said L.D. Fletcher, Local 509 President. “We’re glad to welcome the UPS Freight workers to Local 509. It’s gratifying to see that after a 50-year struggle for Overnite workers to join the union and win a Teamster contract, it’s finally happening. We look forward to representing the workers and giving them what they need in the future.”

“We know the workers in South Carolina have endured a long struggle, and we’re very excited to see this day,” Hall said. “The committee did a great job on the campaign and soon we will begin negotiating a contract for these workers that will give them the protections and guarantees they deserve.”

Official open to extending truck project

Cross-border program challenged in court

A controversial pilot program to test the safety of Mexican trucks traveling throughout the United States has drawn fewer participants than expected, raising the chance that it might be extended to collect additional results, a top federal transportation official said yesterday.

In an interview, John Hill, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, blamed opposition to the program in Congress and among groups such as the Teamsters union for depressing participation.

Some trucking companies are reluctant to pay several thousand dollars a year for insurance required to cross the border “in light of the uncertainty of whether or not it (the program) is going to continue,” Hill said.

No decision has been made on whether to extend the program, which began Sept. 6 and is scheduled to last one year, the Department of Transportation said.

Hill, who has overseen the program since its inception, said one way to collect additional safety data would be to extend the program beyond its scheduled end.

“I think it will depend on how much interest we see (among carriers in joining the program) after the congressional uproar,” he said.

As the program reached its halfway point yesterday, supporters and opponents were awaiting a ruling from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, which heard arguments Feb. 12 on a lawsuit filed by the Teamsters and other groups claiming that the program is unsafe and illegal.

Congress passed a law last year shutting off funding for the pilot program. The Bush administration has continued the program, arguing that the narrowly worded law bars new pilot programs but does not end the existing one – an interpretation that sponsors of the legislation reject.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters began the program with hopes that it would prove Mexican trucks safe and lead to a permanent opening of the border to long-haul truck traffic, as provided for in the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The program allows up to 100 carriers from each country to send trucks across the border. But as of yesterday, there were just 18 Mexican carriers and five U.S. carriers participating. The 18 Mexican carriers had 62 trucks enrolled, while the U.S. carriers had 45 trucks in the program.

Hill said 63 Mexican carriers have passed the comprehensive U.S. safety inspection required to enter the program. But of these, only 18 have purchased insurance and actually participated.

The Teamsters also are surprised by the low number of participants, union spokeswoman Leslie Miller said.

“Surprised and pleased,” she said.

UPS Freight Workers in Nashville Area Sign Cards to Become Teamsters

In Latest Victory, 75 Drivers and Dockworkers Will Join Local 480

An overwhelming majority of 75 workers at the UPS Freight terminal near Nashville have signed authorization cards to become Teamsters, bringing the total number of drivers and dockworkers seeking to join the union to about 7,200 since January 16, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced.

The workers at the terminal in La Vergne, Tennessee are seeking to join Local 480 in Nashville.

“We couldn’t have done this without the hard work of Local 480 Organizer Dudley Blankenship, who met with workers day and night to answer their questions and keep them updated,” said David Mottern, President of Local 480. “Dudley did a phenomenal job. The workers are very excited that the Teamsters have returned and will be representing them.”

“The Nashville-area workers are yet another group that has struggled for years to win a Teamster contract, and we will deliver that to them soon,” said Ken Hall, Director of the Teamsters Package Division. “Their persistence and patience will pay off.”

FedEx, UPS look to gain if DHL scales back

Analysts expect money-losing DHL will scale back in the United States and could make the announcement as early as today, handing FedEx Corp. and UPS a boon.

If DHL closes terminals and hubs, analysts say FedEx could get 35 percent of the lost business in the air and another 25 percent on the ground.

If the restructuring costs DHL 2 percent of revenue, FedEx stands to gain $45 million in business, according to a research note published Wednesday by Edward Wolfe. UPS, which has a more powerful ground network, stands to realize $71 million.

DHL, a subsidiary of Deutsche Post World Net, is the fourth-largest player in the U.S. overnight package business, with revenues in the Americas for 2008 estimated at $2.3 billion.

With 9 percent market share, DHL trails the U.S. Postal Service, (32 percent) FedEx (31 percent) and UPS (25 percent).

DHL joined the competitive U.S. overnight business in 2003 when it purchased Airborne Freight for about $1 billion, rankling FedEx and UPS, which accused the monopoly Deutsche Post of investing in a U.S. carrier to fight them on their own turf.

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UPS Freight Workers in Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois Sign Cards to Become Teamsters

In Latest Victories, About 100 Workers Will Join Locals 236, 325 and 364

An overwhelming majority of about 100 workers at UPS Freight terminals in South Bend, Indiana; Rockford, Illinois; and Paducah, Kentucky have signed authorization cards to become Teamsters, bringing the total number of drivers and dockworkers seeking to join the union to more than 7,100 since January 16, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced.

The workers are seeking to join Local 364 in South Bend, Local 325 in Rockford and Local 236 in Paducah.

“Our freight stewards and members on the organizing committee did a great job getting the literature out to the UPS Freight workers—they played an instrumental role,” said Bob Warnock III, Local 364 President. “We wouldn’t have been successful without the help of our stewards and members.”

“The UPS Freight workers have remained committed and confident in their quest to become Teamsters,” said Jeff Porter, Local 325 Secretary-Treasurer. “I’m very excited to be welcoming the workers to Local 325.”

“I want to thank Leah Ford of the International Union’s Legal Department and Package Division Director Ken Hall for their help and support with the campaign,” said Harold “Bud” Dillow, Jr., Local 236 President. “Local 89 President Fred Zuckerman and his organizer, Kevin Evans, were also a big help. The UPS Freight workers stood together in their effort to join the union.”

“These latest victories show once again how local unions are helping each other, and how Teamsters are helping to reach out to the UPS Freight workers,” Hall said. “This campaign is all about unity and cooperation.”

Atlanta: Brian Vickers preview

The Nicorette 300 marks Brian Vickers' fourth NASCAR Nationwide Series start at Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS). In three previous starts, Vickers earned his best start and best finish in the same event in 2006 when he started third and finished seventh in the March 2006 event at AMS. The 2003 Nationwide Series Champion has completed 97.3% of all laps possible at Atlanta Motor Speedway, including 12 laps led. Vickers also has nine Sprint Cup Series starts to his credit, earning three top-10 finishes.

Vickers is hoping to ride the momentum of last weekend all the way to Victory Lane at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Capturing the pole for the No.32 team last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Vickers had a car capable of winning the race but a blown tire and the resulting damage took him out of contention. The No.32 Braun Racing team is off to a good start in the 2008 season. In three races to date, the team has earned two top-five finishes and one pole award.

ABF On Board the No.32 at Atlanta Motor Speedway

ABF Freight Co. is in its third year of sponsorship at Braun Racing. A partnership that began in 2006 has been nothing short of successful. Last year, ABF etched their name in the history books when the ABF Camry captured the first Toyota Camry pole in history at California Speedway. This season, the ABF Camry will be piloted by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran, Brian Vickers, in nine races.


Vickers on Racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway

"We had a pretty good weekend in Las Vegas. We were able to capture the pole and earn a great position for the start of the race. Unfortunately we had a tire blow and we were in the garage pretty early. I'm hoping that this week we can finish what we started last weekend and be in that first position again but, this time during the closing laps of the race. This is a great team and I'm really proud of the effort these guys put in each week. I'm confident we will be just as strong this weekend as we were in Las Vegas."

Teamsters, Unions-America.com Join Forces to Help Locals Create Web Sites

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters and Unions-America.com have joined in a co-branding agreement to provide web site building and hosting services to all Teamster local unions.

The TeamsterActive system makes it easy for any local union to create and maintain its own web site. The system requires only basic computer skills. If you can turn a computer on and send an e-mail, you can use this system.

TeamsterActive operates completely over the Internet, so locals do not have to purchase or learn expensive new software. Plus, Unions-America staff will provide 24/7 tech support and training on the system.

Unions-America.com is a GCC Teamster employer, which means that all sites created in the TeamsterActive system are union-made by Teamster members.

“The Internet is quickly becoming an essential tool for organizing and communicating with members,” said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. “More and more, our members are turning to the web for their news, to have their voices heard on critical legislative issues and to build solidarity with other Teamsters. It is important that our locals utilize this vital technology to more fully involve and engage our members.”

The TeamsterActive system has been designed to make creating and updating web sits as simple and inexpensive as possible. Locals can even choose to have Teamsters Union news headlines and press releases automatically update on their pages.

The Teamsters Union has created four professionally-designed web site layouts and a variety of color schemes to help locals customize the look and feel of their own sites.

“We are very happy to get this project off the ground,” said Unions-America.com owner Timothy Johnson. “This company has provided web services to the labor community for seven years, but as GCC Teamsters this relationship holds a special place in our hearts. I can truly say that we will do whatever we can to help grow this union. A solid, informational, interactive web site not only helps members, but it also provides a starting point for workers considering organizing with the Teamsters.”

Using the TeamsterActive system, local unions can choose the web site features they want and populate the site with their own content. This means that every site will enjoy not only a professional design, but also a uniquely local flavor.

Visit www.teamster.org/teamsteractive for more information and to sign up for an online demonstration.

Hundreds of UPS Freight Workers in Texas Sign Cards to Become Teamsters

In Latest Victories, About 720 Workers Will Join Locals 745 And 657

An overwhelming majority of about 720 workers at 10 UPS Freight terminals in Texas have signed authorization cards to become Teamsters, bringing the total number of drivers and dockworkers seeking to join the union to more than 7,000 since January 16, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced.

The workers at terminals in Irving, Fort Worth, Garland, Tyler, Waco and El Paso are seeking to join Local 745 in Dallas, and workers in San Antonio, Pflugerville, Harlingen and Laredo are seeking to join Local 657 in San Antonio.

“The workers have waited a long time for this day,” said Rod Cuevas, a Local 745 organizer. “They are very excited to become part of Local 745 and we’re excited to have them. We look forward to helping them improve their working conditions.”

“The employee-organizers at each terminal did a great job keeping their coworkers together,” said Frank Perkins, Local 657 President. “All the workers were very patient throughout the process and soon they will have a winning contract.”

“The Lone Star state has put us over the 7,000-worker mark,” said Ken Hall, Director of the Teamsters Package Division. “Throughout Texas and across the United States, UPS Freight workers are standing up and taking action to improve their lives.”

In addition to the Texas workers, a majority of UPS Freight workers in West Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Indiana, California, Florida, Arkansas, Arizona, New York, Kentucky and New England, including the large cities of Chicago, Las Vegas, Cleveland, Atlanta, Houston, San Diego, St. Louis, Orlando, Charlotte, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Oakland, Seattle, Memphis and Detroit, have submitted cards to become Teamsters.

UPS Freight Workers in Nevada, Arkansas and Pennsylvania Seek Teamster Membership

In Latest Victories, About 170 Workers Will Join Locals 631, 773 and 878

An overwhelming majority of about 170 workers at the UPS Freight terminals in Las Vegas, Nevada; Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; and Little Rock, Arkansas have signed authorization cards to become Teamsters, bringing the total number of drivers and dockworkers seeking to join the union to nearly 6,300 since January 16, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced today.

The workers are seeking to join Local 631 in Las Vegas, Local 773 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Local 878 in Little Rock.

“We’re excited to be welcoming the UPS Freight workers to Local 631,” said Tommy Blitsch, President of Local 631. “Our organizer, Tom Corey, worked diligently on this campaign. We would like to thank our UPS and freight members who talked to the UPS Freight workers about the benefits of being Teamsters.”

“We have been meeting with the workers since June of last year and they have been chomping at the bit to become Teamsters,” said Dennis Hower, Vice President and business agent for Local 773. “It’s fantastic that they now have the chance to join the union. We want to thank Ken Hall (Director of the Teamsters Package Division) for his hard work putting the program together.”

“With this latest set of victories, we have reached the pivotal half-way point in our goal to collect cards from the majority of 12,600 UPS Freight workers,” Hall said. “I appreciate all the local union leaders and UPS Freight workers who have been instrumental in our success so far.”

A majority of UPS Freight workers in West Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Indiana, California, Florida, Arizona, New York, Kentucky and New England, including workers in the cities of Chicago, Cleveland, Atlanta, Houston, San Diego, St. Louis, Orlando, Charlotte, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Oakland, Seattle, Memphis and Detroit, have submitted cards to become Teamsters.

YRC Worldwide Ranks Number One in its Industry

For the sixth consecutive year YRC Worldwide, one of the largest transportation service providers in the world, has been ranked Number One in its industry on the FORTUNE Magazine annual list of America's Most Admired Companies. In addition, YRC Worldwide ranked number one in all eight categories, an exceptional recognition achieved by only 13 other companies.

The reputation attributes are: Innovation, People management, Use of corporate assets, Social responsibility, Quality of management, Financial soundness, Long-term investment, and Quality of products/services.

"We are honored to receive this prestigious recognition for the sixth year in a row," said Bill Zollars, chairman, president and CEO, YRC Worldwide. "We are especially excited to have ranked number one in all eight attributes of reputation categories, an achievement that validates our position as an industry leader and our ongoing commitment to our customers."

Zollars added, "This announcement comes at an opportune time, coinciding with the new five-year labor contract we have in place that will lay the foundation for new services and superior performance. Internationally, our global network is making significant progress in Europe, Asia and Latin America."

FORTUNE's annual list of America's Most Admired Companies will appear in the March 17, 2008 issue, on newsstands March 10th. To create the industry lists, FORTUNE and its survey partner, Hay Group, asked executives, directors, and analysts to rate companies in their own industry on eight criteria, from investment value to social responsibility. A total of 622 companies in 65 industries were surveyed.

ABF Freight System, Inc., announces the culmination of the Haul Across America tour, part of the U-Pack-A-BackPack initiative to combat child hunger. During the tour, ABF visited nine cities to collect success stories on overcoming child hunger. The tour ends this week in Washington, D.C., when ABF delivers the collected stories to Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., co-founder of the bipartisan Senate Hunger Caucus.

The U-Pack-A-BackPack initiative is a joint effort between America's Second Harvest and ABF U-Pack Moving to create awareness and raise funds to fight child hunger. The initiative is providing one million pounds of food to children at risk of hunger. ABF also is providing a matching gift for donations received through U-PackABackPack.org. The funds are used for a variety of childhood and family hunger initiatives, such as the school backpack and Kids Cafe programs.

"The goal of the Haul Across America tour is to increase awareness about hunger in America and help raise funds to combat the problem," says Kay Lynn Clay, ABF U-Pack Moving manager. "Behind every hunger statistic there is a story of an individual, a child or family and how they ended up in need. The narratives reveal the role that emergency hunger relief organizations serve in communities from coast to coast. We have been proud to play a part in this awareness-building event."

The tour began October 17, 2007 in Portland, Ore. A notebook containing the stories, symbolically carried in a school backpack, traveled in the cab of an ABF truck to nine cities. Stories were added to the collection in each city. The final day of the tour begins at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 5, at Bruce Monroe Elementary in Washington, D.C. The collection of stories will then be presented to Sen. Lincoln at a 1:30 p.m. ceremony on Capitol Hill.

America's Second Harvest is the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the country with more than 200 member food banks and food-rescue organizations serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The Network supports approximately 50,000 local charitable agencies operating more than 90,000 programs including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs and Kids Cafes.