Saturday, April 12, 2008

YRCW subsidiaries introduce expedited China-U.S. ocean service

YRC Worldwide Inc. subsidiaries Roadway and YRC Logistics Global have rolled out an expedited ocean service from China to the United States this week.

YRC said in a statement that this new offering adds new supply chain services at origin and destination for global shippers, as well as expand its logistics offerings to more global markets.

“Global supply chains are more dynamic than ever,” a YRC spokesperson told LM. “This offering provides a unique [service] for those customers who seek a faster service at a more reasonable price…our customers are sourcing globally, and we are providing solutions to that end.”

The spokesperson noted that the new expedited ocean service from China to the U.S. will provide several benefits for shippers, including: transit time improvement from standard LCL (less-than-container-load) ocean service, which lowers costs by improving inventory turns; significant cost reduction over air; many Chinese origins with multiple sailings per week that will provide faster speed to market; Guaranteed delivery or your money back if it fails to deliver by scheduled delivery date; and faster inventory turns & cash-to-cash cycle.

The service will originate from seven origin ports in China—Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen—and the Port of Long Beach is the lone U.S. port involved in this endeavor.

Roadway President Terry Gilbert said in a statement that this new service meets a need in the marketplace for a reliable, cost-effective alternative to air transit for LCL shipments from China. And the YRC statement said that this service is expected to be at least six days faster than standard ocean transit, and it will be comprised of multiple weekly sailings from the seven China-based origin ports. And the service will offer priority unloading of containers at the Port of Long Beach, which will expedite deliveries, as imports will be diverted through the Roadway network with guaranteed delivery to its final destination.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Teamsters Support Pelosi in Blocking Vote on Colombia Deal

Hoffa Says Congress Should Not Vote on This Agreement This Year


Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on Thursday commended House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for blocking a vote on the proposed trade deal with Colombia.

The Teamsters will continue to strongly oppose the agreement.

"All of these trade deals are hurting American workers, but this one is especially bad because of Colombia's horrible human rights record," Hoffa said. "No agreement with Colombia should be considered until the government prosecutes the killers of trade unionists and until the union killings stop. Already this year, 11 trade unionists have been killed. It will take years to address the decades of violence and impunity that has taken place."

More than 2,500 trade unionists have been assassinated in Colombia, and very little has been done to bring their murderers to justice.

Hoffa on Thursday sent a letter to members of Congress urging them to support Pelosi.

"The Teamsters have always opposed the current Fast Track procedure and are pleased that the Democratic leadership has exerted its rightful constitutional authority over trade," Hoffa wrote.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

UPS Freight Workers in Missouri, New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin Sign Cards to Become Teamsters

In Latest Victories, About 290 Drivers, Dockworkers Will Join Teamsters

An overwhelming majority of about 290 workers at the UPS Freight terminals in Missouri, New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin have signed authorization cards to become Teamsters, bringing the total number of drivers and dockworkers who have signed cards to 10,000 since January 16, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced.

On Monday, Hoffa and Teamsters Package Division Director Ken Hall announced that more than 89 percent of UPS Freight workers who are already Teamster members ratified a new contract, which improves wages, benefits and working conditions.

The workers at the Richmond, Virginia location, which has been certified, will be joining Local 592. In addition, workers have also signed cards in Buffalo, New York; Youngtown, Ohio; Appleton, Wisconsin, and; Rolla, Missouri. The workers will join Local 375 in Buffalo, Local 377 in Youngstown, Local 662 which covers the Appleton and Green Bay area in Wisconsin, and Local 682 in St. Louis.

"Our continued success to organize UPS Freight workers is a great victory," Hoffa said. "The workers have shown us they are committed to joining the Teamsters and we are proud to have them among our ranks."

"We have organized 10,000 workers in less than 100 days, thanks to the continued efforts of UPS Freight workers to join the Teamsters," Hall said. "These workers now have a strong voice in their workplace, backed up by the strongest union."

"This is an historic moment for these workers, especially since they work in Richmond, where UPS Freight is based," said Jim Smith, President of Local 592. "It's a great victory."

"Our organizers worked hard to get this done and we couldn't be prouder to have the UPS Freight workers join us," said Joe Sorrento, President of Local 375.

"Yellow Freight workers were instrumental in helping us with our victory," said Gary Cossarini, President of Local 682. "We ended up getting 100 percent of our cards signed."

"This has been a hard fought battle and the victory means roughly 50 families in our area will see improved benefits, wages and a better quality of life," said David Reardon, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 662. "We could not be happier to have these workers as members."

"The UPS Freight workers will now be represented by a strong union that will get them a great contract," said Charlie Burns, the Trustee for Local 377.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Jobs, Economy and Trade Focus of Teamsters' Convoy For Change

Hoffa Meets With Workers in Eastern Pennsylvania

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa kicked off the union's three-day "Working Class Convoy For Change" by meeting with workers in Eastern Pennsylvania to discuss how to keep good jobs in the state and why the Teamsters are against free trade agreements that hurt the U.S. economy.

Hoffa also spoke on other issues affecting America's working families, including how the policies of Sen. Barack Obama could greatly benefit workers. The Teamsters have endorsed Obama, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president.

Hoffa said he was greatly concerned that just last month, nearly 3,000 people lost their jobs in Pennsylvania, more than any other state, according to the Economic Policy Institute. And since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into effect, companies in Pennsylvania had shut down 1,583 plants, offices and warehouses.

"The current administration has sat by while company after company shut down business in Pennsylvania, taking the jobs of so many workers out of the country," Hoffa said. "We need a president who will put U.S. workers first and keep jobs here. That will boost not only the economy, but the morale of workers and all Americans."

Hoffa met with UPS workers in Scranton and Bethlehem. He also met with workers at Ocean Logistics in Scranton. He was slated to meet with ShopRite workers in Breinigsville. Hoffa will meet with workers in Hershey, Reading and Pittsburgh on Wednesday and Thursday.

Workers spoke to Hoffa about their top priorities for this election.


"My number one issue is the economy and the war -- we need to bring those boys back home," said Grace Fadarishan, who has worked at Ocean Logistics for 31 years and has been a Teamster since 1976. "But we need jobs too. We need jobs in America. They should not be shipped overseas."

UPS driver Michael Kovaleski in Scranton said his top issues this election are security.

"My security, my family's security. Financial security, job security, physical security," Kovaleski said. "I have two young boys and the most important thing is their futures and the way things are going -- the economy, what's going on in the world -- we need a change."

Monday, April 07, 2008

Teamsters Will Strongly Oppose Colombia Trade Agreement

Hoffa Says Bush Again Turns His Back On Workers

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said Monday he will strongly oppose the trade agreement with Colombia that the Bush administration is sending to Congress.

"This trade deal is an insult to every American who works for a living," Hoffa said. "Workers are feeling the pain of the trade deals that began with NAFTA. They have been disasters.

"The Teamsters, the Change to Win federation and the entire labor movement will work tirelessly to defeat this job-killing trade deal that never should have been negotiated in the first place," Hoffa said.

The proposed deal with Colombia is especially repugnant to U.S. labor unions as Colombia is the most dangerous country in the world for union members.

More than 2,500 union members have been murdered by Colombian death squads since the 1980s. There have been more than 400 murders since President Uribe took office five years ago. Yet the Colombian government has done very little to effectively stop death squads from murdering workers for trying to form unions.

Congress will now have 90 legislative days to act on the Colombia trade deal. The Democratic leadership has made its position clear: Until the union killings in Colombia stop and the murderers are brought to justice, this deal should not be brought to Congress.

"Workers don't need trade policies that kill jobs," Hoffa said. "In Pennsylvania alone, 1,583 plants, offices and warehouses have closed since NAFTA took effect because of trade. These trade deals must be stopped."

Hoffa is about to embark on a five-city tour of Pennsylvania to talk about jobs, the economy, the nation's failed trade polices and Sen. Barack Obama's positions on these and other issues affecting working families.

UPS Freight Workers Vote Overwhelmingly to Ratify Contract

More than 9,900 Workers Covered Under Contract

The Teamsters added more than 9,900 new members with workers at UPS Freight, overwhelmingly ratifying a contract by more than 89 percent. The agreement will improve wages, benefits and working conditions, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced today.

The Teamsters kicked off this organizing campaign in 2006 when it organized UPS Freight workers in Indianapolis and negotiated a contract with the company that was ratified by a 107-1 vote last October.

In January 2008, the Teamsters launched its nationwide campaign. Hoffa and Teamsters Package Division Director Ken Hall attributed the organizing success to the card-check agreement the Teamsters won from UPS in December 2007. Card-check is a procedure where workers sign cards to join a union instead of going through a voting process. A majority of workers in a bargaining unit must sign cards, which are then certified, before the company recognizes the union.

“The card check agreement gave the Teamsters the boost it needed to organize UPS Freight, and the workers responded overwhelmingly. This is the largest organizing victory in the freight industry in 25 years,” Hoffa said. “We were amazed that at the 90-day mark of our national campaign, 9,900 workers had signed cards. This shows the workers’ commitment in joining a union that will give them a strong voice in the workplace.”

“We were committed to providing the best contract that we could for these workers and we have achieved that,” Hall said. “We are proud to have them join our ranks and look forward to representing them. I want to congratulate the Locals and the workers on a job well done.”

The contract expires on July 31, 2013. Among the contract’s highlights:


* Wage increases totaling $4.35 per hour or nearly 11 cents a mile over the contract.
* An improved health care plan with lower employee premium costs with no increases in costs to employees over the life of the contract.
* Overtime pay for work exceeding 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week.
* UPS Freight employees lock in their current pension benefits.
* The cost of retiree health insurance for most retirees is reduced substantially with no increase in premium cost to employees over the life of the contract.


The Teamsters will continue to organize UPS Freight workers nationwide. There are currently more than 15,000 UPS Freight workers, with 12,600 eligible to sign cards. The contract ratification caps a 50-year struggle by the Teamsters to organize workers at Overnite, which was bought by UPS in 2005 from Union Pacific Railroad and renamed UPS Freight.

Sunday, April 06, 2008

YRC Worldwide Schedules April 25 Earnings Call

YRC Worldwide will host a conference call on April 25 at 9 a.m. ET to discuss its first quarter earnings. The earnings will be released after the market close on April 24.

The call will be available via dial-in or webcast at streetevents.com and via the YRC Worldwide site. An audio playback will be available after the call via the StreetEvents and the YRC Worldwide sites.