YRC, Teamsters will discuss proposed change of operations in Dallas

Representatives of YRC Worldwide Inc. and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters will meet on April 19 in Dallas to discuss the company’s proposed change of operations request, a release from the labor union said.

The Overland Park less-than-truckload carrier’s proposed change of operations request aims to reorganize subsidiary YRC Freight’s operational network. The proposal will cut 230 jobs throughout the network.

YRC Freight President Jeff Rogers previously has said the change of operations request is good business for the company.  Full Story........

ABF National Master Freight Agreement Gets 30-Day Extension

Negotiations continued this week with ABF for a successor to the 2008-13 ABF National Master Freight Agreement. Slow progress continues to be made. However, significant issues remain to be discussed. ABF requested a 30-day extension so that negotiations could continue.

 The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) agreed to grant a 30-day extension. Any economic improvements in a new agreement will be retroactive to April 1, 2013. As a result, the current ABF-NMFA is extended through and including April 30, 2013.

All ABF employees covered by that agreement should continue to work as normal. Members covered by separate stand-alone contracts between ABF and their local unions should contact their local unions for updates.

ABF Driver Scott Harris Earns Back-to-Back NY Driver of the Year Awards

For the second consecutive year, ABF driver Scott Harris has earned recognition as New York Driver of the Year from the New York State Motor Truck Association. Harris earned the recognition during the organization's Safety and Education Symposium March 26 in Albany, New York.

A five-time winner of the New York State Driving Championships, Harris's distinguished career as a professional driver includes winning numerous safe driving awards. He is a past winner of the American Trucking Associations National Championships and a former ATA National Driver of the Year.  Harris has driven for ABF for nearly 30 years, accumulating more than 30,000 hours and three million miles without a preventable accident. Harris operates from the ABF service center in Albany.

"Scott has made winning championships as routine as the professionalism he demonstrates each time he is behind the wheel of his truck. All of us at ABF are extremely proud to have Scott Harris setting an example for not just ABF drivers but all the professional drivers on the road," said Sam Cates , ABF safety and security director.

The New York State Motor Truck Association is a nonprofit trade association formed to promote and protect the interests of the trucking industry in New York. It is an affiliate of the American Trucking Associations.

Holland honored for helping heroes

Holland was honored by the partner charities of Operation Homefront and H.E.R.O.E.S. Care for years of service to America's service men and women.

Holland President Scott Ware was present to receive an honorary American flag, which was once proudly flown in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on September 11, 2011 over Camp Eggers in Kabul, Afghanistan.

The flag was received in recognition for over five years of participation by Holland in the bi-annual (sometimes quarterly) care package drive for American troops overseas.

According to Holland St. Louis linehaul driver and board member of Operation Homefront, Roy Gillespie, Holland has been responsible for much of the "heavy lifting" in these drives: sorting, handling, and delivering innumerable care packages--with the combined efforts of drivers, dock hands, management and operations personnel throughout the Holland network.

In addition to the care package drive, the St. Louis service center--the home base for Holland troop-supporting operations--helped Welcome Home the Troops last January in association with Operation Homefront.

Holland thanks Operation Homefront and H.E.R.O.E.S. Care for the extremely meaningul award.

We look forward to continuing our joint efforts in supporting our great nation's military men and women.