Wednesday, August 29, 2007

90 More USF Reddaway Workers Join Teamsters

Ninety dockworkers and drivers at two USF Reddaway terminals in California are now Teamsters after the company recognized the workers through a card-check agreement.

The card-check agreement enabling the latest victories was included in a contract that was ratified earlier this month by workers at Reddaway terminals in California, Arizona and New Mexico. The contract was ratified 216-13.

In the latest victories, 25 workers at the Benicia, California terminal and 65 workers at the Stockton, California terminal are now Teamsters. The Benicia workers joined Local 490 in Vallejo, and the Stockton workers joined Local 439 in that city.

The Stockton group included workers in Modesto who had earlier signed cards seeking to join the union. However, the company merged the Modesto and Stockton terminals and more cards needed to be collected. In Benicia, 22 of the 25 workers signed cards; in Stockton, a majority of the 65 workers signed cards.

“We’re very happy to welcome the new members in Benicia and Stockton and we continue to reach out to USF Reddaway at other terminals in the West,” said Bob Paffenroth, Western Region Coordinator for the Teamsters National Freight Division. “There are still more than 2,000 workers at 43 nonunion terminals who are seeking a strong voice with the Teamsters, and we will work with them to make that happen.”

The workers in Benicia and Stockton will be covered under the same contract that was ratified earlier this month. The five-year contract will significantly improve their wages, pensions, health care and other benefits.

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