HOFFA STATEMENT ON YRCW EFFORTS TO ACQUIRE FREIGHT DIVISION OF ABF

The following is the official statement of Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa regarding recent reports that YRC Worldwide Inc. attempted to acquire ABF Freight Systems.

“It is unconscionable that in the middle of the IBT's sensitive negotiations for a new contract for 6,000 ABF Teamsters, and in the context of years of continuing sacrifice by our members at YRC, that YRC would advance a secret effort to acquire ABF's freight division. This interference in the collective bargaining process is an affront to all of the hardworking men and women at both companies.

“Before YRC begins looking for acquisition targets they should first restore our members' wages and pension contributions. We have seen this kind of arrogance from YRC before. We thought they had finally learned the lessons of past management catastrophes. Unfortunately it appears they have not. We want to give credit to ABF for rejecting this gambit, and we now will demand from YRC a full accounting of the calculations and decisions that went into their latest misstep.”