Teamsters
Teamsters Secure Contract at Smithfield Foods
(SMITHFIELD, Va.) – More than 300 members of Teamsters Local 822 in Smithfield, Virginia, overwhelmingly ratified a strong new contract with Smithfield Foods. The workers produce ham and bacon products sold nationwide under Smithfield-owned brands that include Armour, Gwaltney, and Eckrich.
Under the contract, workers will receive a 12 percent wage increase, along with back pay. The deal also blocks proposed health care cost increases and guarantees pay during certain non-disciplinary absences.
“This contract is proof that when workers stand together and say ‘no’ to a bad deal, they can force real change,” said James Wright, President of Teamsters Local 822 and Vice President At-Large of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. “Our members rejected a contract that didn’t meet the moment, stayed united, and came back with something stronger. This agreement sets a new standard at the Smithfield facility.”
The contract also ends a long-standing practice that forced workers to use their breaks due to mechanical breakdowns during the first hour of their shift — a key issue on the shop floor. Additionally, it establishes a Maintenance Training Program Subcommittee to expand training opportunities and ensure skilled trades workers are fairly compensated.
“We weren’t going to settle for less than what we’ve earned,” said Michele Putnam, a 22-year worker at Smithfield Foods and member of Local 822. “We stuck together and made sure this contract reflects the work we do every day. This will give us more stability on the job and more security for our families.”
Teamsters Local 822 represents over 3,000 workers across the Tidewater Area working in a variety of industries. For more information, visit www.teamsters822.com.
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DHL Teamsters Ratify Contract
(WASHINGTON) – DHL Teamsters have voted by a 92 percent margin to ratify a new four-year collective bargaining agreement. The new contract was secured following a credible strike threat that would have involved thousands of DHL Teamsters across 26 locals around the country.
“DHL Teamsters were prepared to take action and hold management accountable if they failed to deliver,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Our members were ready to shut this company down if it failed to live up to its obligations, and management knew it. That leverage delivered serious wage increases, locked in strong job protections, and made it clear that Teamsters will not allow technology to undermine our rights or livelihoods.”
The new four-year agreement includes a 20 percent wage increase, higher health and welfare contributions, and critical job protections. It also establishes robust safeguards against AI-driven routing systems that undermine seniority and explicitly prohibits the use of autonomous vehicles that threaten Teamsters jobs.
“We made it clear to management from Day One that we were ready to act if the company didn’t deliver,” said Alex Perez, a DHL delivery driver and member of Teamsters Local 745. “That unity is what won this contract. It raises the bar across the board and gives us the protections we need moving forward.”
The DHL Teamsters National Master Agreement protects thousands of workers nationwide and was set to expire on March 31. With a looming strike threat, the Teamsters national negotiating committee reached a tentative agreement less than 24 hours before the contract was set to expire.
“This agreement demonstrates exactly what happens when our members are organized and prepared to take action,” said Bill Hamilton, Director of the Teamsters Express Division. “The company knew we were serious, and the result is a contract that delivered real gains and protects our work into the future.”
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on X @Teamsters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
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Recology Teamsters Win Historic Contract
(TUKWILA, Wash.) – Nearly 400 Recology workers represented by Teamsters Local 174 in Washington state have voted by an overwhelming 95 percent margin to ratify an historic contract.
The new agreement contains more than 90 provisions that will directly improve workers’ quality of life. Highlights include raises up to 43 percent, pension increases of $5 an hour, additional paid time off, greater seniority rights, and improved workplace safety standards.
“All of us here at Recology are proud to have taken part in negotiating such a strong contract. This agreement is going to make it so much easier to get by,” said Tim Simpson, a Recology worker and devoted member of Local 174. “Our entire unit was ready to do whatever it took to get a fair agreement that reflects and rewards our hard work. Our success is all thanks to the involvement of our brothers and sisters, the commitment of our rank-and-file negotiating committee, and our close coordination with Local 174.”
Recology is a $1 billion sanitation company headquartered in San Francisco. The Teamsters Union proudly represents more than 2,000 Recology workers across the West Coast.
“This is one of the best contracts Local 174 has ever produced. It is the direct result of the engagement of the members and the planning and process that we worked together to outline ahead of this successful campaign,” said Rick Hicks, Teamsters Western Region International Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer of Local 174. “Recology knew the members were willing to put up a fight to get the deal they have earned and deserved. Every single person who helped negotiate this agreement should be proud of their relentlessness and tenacity. That was key to us getting such a strong contract over the finish line.”
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on X @Teamsters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
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Teamsters at the Brookfield Zoo Chicago Launch ULP Strike
(CHICAGO) – More than 100 members of Teamsters Local 727 at the Chicago Zoological Society (CZS), doing business as the Brookfield Zoo Chicago, have launched an unfair labor practice (ULP) strike. All members, except for animal care specialists, walked out at 5 a.m. this morning. The animal care specialists will join the strike line once the essential care plan for the animals has been finalized.
On Friday, May 1, the zoo confirmed that its plan to provide an alternative, comparable health care plan for the members was not true. Management acknowledged that they are not proposing any heath care plan to replace the current union health care that would not be available under the company’s last, best, and final offer.
“It’s clear that management is trying to slow roll an agreement on a plan for the animal care specialists to provide essential care to the animals during a work stoppage. This is a blatant attempt to interfere with these members’ lawful right to strike,” said John Coli, Jr, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 727. “While we work to plan for the animals to be cared for, our other members at the Zoo will hold down the strike line. We urge the public not to visit Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Not only are we asking for support for our ULP strike, but many of the animals will not be on exhibit and there will be no custodial or maintenance staff on site. We have urged the zoo to close to the public until an agreement is reached.”
In a good faith effort to settle the contract, the union bargaining committee presented a full and comprehensive offer. The zoo ended negotiations, rejecting the union’s offer without presenting a counterproposal.
Teamsters Local 727 represents nearly 10,000 hardworking men and women throughout the Chicago area. For more information, go to teamsterslocal727.org.
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Temco Teamsters Rally for Fair Contract at Home Depot Headquarters
(ATLANTA) – Three months after becoming the first group of Home Depot workers to unionize, Temco Teamsters and their allies rallied outside of corporate headquarters in Atlanta, demanding union recognition and to begin negotiations for a fair contract.
The group of over 80 flatbed truck drivers for Temco Logistics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Home Depot, began organizing with Teamsters Local 528 in December 2025. Since then, Te mco and Home Depot management have engaged in repeated unfair labor practices.
“It is no shock to us that Home Depot would engage in illegal union-busting tactics. But Temco Teamsters will prove that worker solidarity always wins,” said Tom Gesualdi, Director of the Teamsters Building Material and Construction Trade Division. “We call on Home Depot and Temco to end their unfair labor practices and recognize Temco Teamsters by negotiating a fair contract.”
“I’ve been a Teamster for over four decades, and I’ve never seen as vicious an anti-worker campaign as what Home Depot and Temco are running,” said Chuck Stiles, a representative of Teamsters Local 528. “After threatening our members’ jobs and trying to buy their votes during the union election, the company is now refusing to meet and negotiate a first contract. Our members will not be intimidated by Home Depot’s illegal and immoral tactics.”
Along with improved pay and health care, Temco Teamsters are fighting for better workplace conditions and to address safety and scheduling concerns.
“As Teamsters, we will force Home Depot to listen to our demands for respect and dignity on the job,” said Damari Chase, a Temco Driver and member of Local 528. “We will not rest until we get the union contract we have earned.”
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents over 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on X @Teamsters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
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Teamsters California Condemns Rushed, Reckless DMV Rules Allowing Driverless Trucks
(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) – The following is a statement from Teamsters California Co-Chairs Victor Mineros and Peter Finn regarding the California Department of Motor Vehicles’ (DMV) new rules on heavy trucks that were announced this week:
“The DMV’s decision to rush forward with driverless heavy‑duty trucks is reckless, and we will use every tool necessary to stop it — including taking this fight to the courts. Make no mistake: this is just the beginning of Teamsters California’s fight for good jobs and safety on our roads.
“We have been clear from the start: a change this sweeping should be handled through the legislature, out in the open, with real transparency and accountability. Instead, the DMV is making major public policy behind closed doors.
“The DMV is also ignoring the real-world stakes. These rules put our streets, our highways, and our jobs in jeopardy. This agency happily greenlit technology that companies still won’t fully disclose safety data on, thereby threatening the livelihoods of the professional drivers who keep California’s economy moving. That’s why California voters are with Teamsters: there’s no substitute for a human driver behind the wheel.
“Teamsters California will keep fighting for public safety and good jobs throughout and beyond the November elections — and then the next administration — until California gets rules that protect communities, protect workers, and put accountability over experimentation and corporate greed.”
Teamsters California is the united voice of 250,000 workers across dozens of industries who power the state’s economy and communities every single day. For more information, go to teamstersca.org.
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With Teamsters’ Support, Maryland Bans Mandatory Captive Audience Meetings
(ANNAPOLIS, Md.) – Maryland Teamsters are celebrating the passage of SB 417/HB 45, legislation authored by Delegate Joe Vogel (D – Gaithersburg), which bans mandatory attendance for workers at captive audience meetings. These meetings are employer-sponsored propaganda sessions designed to discourage workers from organizing.
“We started fighting for this bill three years ago because banning this undemocratic practice is a moral imperative — not just for the labor movement, but for everyone in our state who cares about economic justice,” said Sean Cedenio, President of Teamsters Joint Council 62 in Baltimore. “This a major victory for working families in Maryland, and it happened because Teamsters mobilized, showed up in Annapolis, and made our voices heard.”
Maryland is the 14th state to ban mandatory captive audience meetings. As a result, nearly one in three Americans now lives in a jurisdiction where employers can’t forcibly subject workers to anti-union meetings.
“I was subjected to vicious public attacks during a captive audience meeting when I was a rank-and-file worker fighting to form a union,” said Brandon King, an organizer with Teamsters Local 570. “No worker should ever be put in that position. Thanks to Teamsters and the leadership of Delegate Joe Vogel, State Senator Clarence Lam, and the strength of our coalition, Maryland workers are now protected.”
Teamsters Joint Council 62 represents more than 20,000 hardworking men and women throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C.
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Teamsters Ready-Mix Drivers On Strike Against Glacier Northwest
(TACOMA, Wash.) – Ready-mix drivers represented by Teamsters Local 313 at Glacier Northwest, a CalPortland company, have reached the one-month mark of their unfair labor practice (ULP) strike against the company as negotiations over a fair contract have stalled. The drivers, based in DuPont, Wash., are fighting to address significant wage and benefit disparities with other CalPortland ready-mix drivers in neighboring King County.
“Glacier Northwest Teamsters do the same work as CalPortland’s other drivers in Washington state, yet the company denies them the fair wages and respect they have earned,” said Nick Lansdale, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 313. “Rather than bargaining in good faith, CalPortland’s proposals would deepen inequality and undermine the livelihoods of hardworking Teamsters in Pierce County.”
The union also condemned the company’s decision to bring in replacement workers and engage in other anti-union tactics since the strike began on April 1. Local 313 continues to call on CalPortland and Glacier Northwest leadership to immediately return to the table and reach a fair agreement that recognizes the essential role Glacier Northwest Teamsters play in the company’s operations.
“The fact that CalPortland would bring in scabs just proves the value we provide to this company and reaffirms the decision we made last month to go out on strike,” said John Silver, a seven-year Glacier Northwest driver and member of Local 313. “All we are asking for is to be treated with the same respect and fairness that CalPortland treats drivers who live an hour away from us. We are ready to stay here as long as it takes to get a fair contract.”
Glacier Northwest Teamsters will remain on the picket line until management returns to good-faith bargaining and offers proposals that accurately reflect the importance and reliability of their work.
For over 120 years, Teamsters Local 313 has represented workers in a wide range of industries throughout the Pacific Northwest. For more information, visit teamsters313.org.
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Teamsters at the Brookfield Zoo Chicago Authorize a Strike
(CHICAGO) – More than 200 members of Teamsters Local 727 at the Chicago Zoological Society (CZS), doing business as the Brookfield Zoo Chicago, have rejected their employer’s last, best, and final offer and voted to authorize a strike.
The collective bargaining agreement expires at 11:59 p.m. on May 1, 2026. Despite having bargaining scheduled for April 27 and 29, CZS abruptly ended bargaining early on April 27 and presented its last, best, and final offer.
“Chicago Zoological Society should be ashamed for offering our hardworking members less than four percent in wage increases, while boosting their CEO’s compensation over 70 percent,” said John Coli Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of Local 727. “To add insult to injury, the zoo’s final proposal would eliminate the 100 percent employer paid union health care — something these Teamsters have earned and relied upon for decades. The zoo has used our members’ pride in working for an animal conservatory and love for the animals against them for years. Our members deserve a fair contract that addresses their staffing and safety concerns and pays them a fair and equitable wage.”
The hundreds of animal care specialists, groundskeepers, patrol officers, seasonals, aides, and custodians are demanding a contract that includes wage increases and staffing guarantees. Throughout bargaining, CZS has committed numerous unfair labor practices (ULP) including bad faith bargaining, direct dealing, unilateral change, retaliation, and threatening/intimidating union workers. There are currently eight separate ULP charges pending with Region 13 of the labor board against CZS.
Negotiations are scheduled for Friday, May 1, ahead of the expiration at the end of the day.
Teamsters Local 727 represents nearly 10,000 hardworking men and women throughout the Chicago area. For more information, go to teamsterslocal727.org.
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Olympia Fields Police Department Unanimously Votes for Teamsters Representation
(OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill.) – Patrol officers, corporals, and sergeants at the Olympia Fields Police Department have voted to join Teamsters Local 700.
“We are proud to stand with the men and women of the Olympia Fields Police Department. These officers showed tremendous courage and solidarity in demanding the representation they deserve,” said Ramon Williams, President of Local 700. “Local 700 is committed to fighting alongside them every step of the way, at the bargaining table and beyond.”
The Olympia Fields Police Department was previously represented by another union that did not provide adequate support to the members. Turnover was high and the employer repeatedly violated the contract with no repercussions, and workers knew they needed stronger representation.
“We knew we deserved better because we are worth it,” said Officer Rhonda Jones. “Now we can celebrate in pure joy knowing we have selected the best and strongest union for our brothers and sisters in blue. We just want a better quality of life to help us serve the community we swore to protect and provide a service for. We refuse to stop fighting for what is right.”
Teamsters Local 700 represents public sector workers in a variety of classifications in Cook County, and throughout the public sector of Illinois.For more information, please visit teamsterslocal700.com.
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