Teamsters
Teamsters Celebrate Life of Longtime Leader R.V. Durham
Ralph Vinson “R.V.” Durham, who led Teamsters Local 391 for more than a quarter century, passed away on March 17, 2026.
From a young age, Durham understood the value of a hard day’s work, delivering newspapers, laboring in cotton fields, and helping in his family’s restaurant. Those early lessons shaped a lifetime commitment to fighting for dignity on the job.
He began his Teamsters journey in 1950 as a truck driver for Roadway Express at 19 years old. He learned the job from the ground up, earning the respect of the rank-and-file members he would one day lead at Local 391. A year later, he married Ethel “Skeets” McDaniels, and together they built a family, raising two children.
Over a remarkable 45-year career, Durham rose through the ranks — first as a business agent, then as Secretary-Treasurer, and ultimately as President, a position he held from 1969 to 1995. Even as his responsibilities grew, he led with the perspective of someone who had done the work himself, earning the trust of the membership and never losing sight of who he represented.
In 1973, Durham took his fight to Washington, D.C., where he founded and led the Teamsters Safety and Health Department while serving as International Vice President on the General Executive Board. He appeared numerous times before Congress and worked closely with OSHA to strengthen worker protections.
Drawing on his experience behind the wheel, Durham worked across multiple presidential administrations. Appointed by Presidents Ford, Carter, and Reagan to the National Highway Safety Advisory Committee, he pushed back against harmful deregulation that threatened the livelihoods of Teamsters in the trucking industry. He understood what was at stake because he had lived it.
At a time when the trucking industry faced growing threats, Durham became a national voice for protecting worker safety and union rights. Still, he never stepped away from his local, commuting from Winston-Salem, N.C., to Washington several days a week as he continued to serve as President of Local 391.
In 1991, during the first direct election of International Union officers by the rank-and-file, Durham ran for General President, bringing his message of strong, member-driven leadership to Teamsters across the country. He later returned home to Local 391, where he continued to serve for another five years before retiring.
Retirement didn’t slow him down. Durham remained a constant presence at the Local 391 union hall, regularly attending membership meetings and staying connected to the union he loved. He was known for his steady optimism, his deep loyalty, and his unwavering belief in the power of working people standing together.
“The strength of our union is built on leaders like R.V. Durham — people who came up from the shop floor, never forgot where they came from, and spent their lives fighting to make things better for the next generation,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “R.V. represented the best of the Teamsters. He dedicated his life to protecting members, raising industry standards, and proving what solidarity can achieve. Our union is stronger because of him, and our thoughts are with the Durham family.”
Outside the union, Durham enjoyed traveling, visiting destinations across the United States and Europe with his family. He is survived by his two children, two grandchildren, and four siblings. His legacy lives on in the generations of Teamsters he mentored, the contracts he helped secure, and the union he devoted his life to advancing.
The post Teamsters Celebrate Life of Longtime Leader R.V. Durham appeared first on International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Pollard Banknote Teamsters Ratify Contract
(YPSILANTI, Mich.) – Nearly 200 printing and production workers represented by Teamsters Local 337 in Ypsilanti, Mich., have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a powerful new contract. Backed by a credible strike threat and high rank-and-file engagement, the workers secured record raises, protections against forced overtime, and major improvements to retirement benefits.
“This agreement fixes a lot of the wrongs we were experiencing on the job. We got strong pay increases retroactive for months. For the first time, we enshrined our retirement security into our contract. And we locked in guarantees that Pollard Banknote cannot force us to work extreme amounts of overtime,” said Jeremy Helton, a 10-year maintenance technician and steward for Local 337. “This contract shows what workers can accomplish when we stick together. It would not have been possible without the support of Local 337 and the commitment of my fellow stewards and the rest of our brothers and sisters on the shop floor.”
The bargaining unit includes press operators, machine technicians and assistants, and folder operators and assistants. They produce lottery tickets for several states and countries. Helton and his co-workers are part of a growing movement of graphics workers who have left the sham Printing Packaging and Production Workers Union to gain strong representation in the workplace with the Teamsters.
“These new Teamsters went through a lot just to join our ranks. During the organizing process, we saw their strength and determination firsthand, so it was no surprise to see how engaged they were throughout bargaining,” said Todd Lince, President of Local 337. “The gains these workers secured are a testament to a lot of hard work. We are beyond proud to have them as part of the Local 337 family.”
Teamsters Local 337 represents over 6,000 workers from a range of industries throughout Michigan. For more information, go to TeamstersLocal337.com.
The post Pollard Banknote Teamsters Ratify Contract appeared first on International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Teamsters at Keurig Dr Pepper Vote Overwhelmingly to Authorize Strike
(JONESBORO, Ga.) – Members of Teamsters Local 528 at Keurig Dr Pepper facilities in Norcross and Union City, Ga., have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. The vote comes after the company continuously failed to offer workers a fair contract.
“These drivers and warehouse workers deserve an agreement that reflects the hard work they put in every day,” said Jeff Padellaro, Director of the Teamsters Brewery, Bakery, and Soft Drink Conference. “It’s time for this company to stop dragging its feet. If KDP wants to strike themselves, they’re on the right path.”
“Our members are loud and clear that they will not settle for anything less than a fair contract,” said Kip Cortez, Local 528 Business Agent. “They don’t want to strike, but if the company does not get serious and bring a deal to the table fast, they are ready to act.”
The 150 drivers and warehouse workers voted down Keurig Pepper’s last, best, and final offer by a 13-to-1 margin. The company has continuously dragged out negotiations and has committed numerous unfair labor practices. Keurig Dr Pepper has a legal obligation to bargain in good faith.
“Negotiations were going well until everything became ‘no’ from the company,” said Andre Polk, chief steward and eight-year warehouse worker at Keurig Dr Pepper. “The company started trying to bust our union and bully workers. We want respect in our workplace, and we are ready to strike until KDP gives us the respect we deserve.” Local 528 represents thousands of working men and women throughout the state of Georgia. For more information, please visit teamsterslocal528.org.
The post Teamsters at Keurig Dr Pepper Vote Overwhelmingly to Authorize Strike appeared first on International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
INEOS Teamsters in Ohio Unanimously Authorize a Strike
(ASHTABULA, Ohio) – Members of Teamsters Local 377 at INEOS, one of the world’s largest chemical producers, have unanimously authorized a strike ahead of their contract expiration on March 31. Just three years ago, these same workers had to strike to get their first collective bargaining agreement.
The 43 Teamsters are covered by a joint collective bargaining agreement with 66 chemical workers, represented by International Chemical Workers Union Council (UCWUC) Local 1033C, who will also strike if a fair contract is not reached by the end of the month.
“INEOS has been nothing but disrespectful to workers throughout the life of the current contract and have continued that behavior at the bargaining table,” said Steven Anzevino, President of Local 377. “Our members work hard and put in long hours — including hundreds of hours in overtime annually — to make this company profitable, while being extremely understaffed.”
The unions have met with INEOS management more than a dozen times to negotiate a new agreement, and the company has made nothing but insulting proposals like cutting sick time and personal days. Meanwhile, current staffing levels are dangerously low and a single call-off can shut down the entire plant.
“The company continues to demand cuts to sick leave while pushing for additional overtime, despite workers already clocking between 500 and 1,300 overtime hours annually. Their focus on profit over the well-being of our families is unacceptable. We are fighting to be treated as people, not machines,” said Julie Bihlajama, Secretary-Treasurer of ICWUC Local 1033C.
“There’s a clear disconnect between management and employees, and it has become very apparent during negotiations,” said Nathan Summers, a steward at INEOS. “Our employer is engaging in surface bargaining and making proposals like reducing sick time while proposing increased forced overtime which the company knows we will not accept.”
Teamsters Local 377 represents workers in a wide variety of industries throughout Northeastern Ohio.
The post INEOS Teamsters in Ohio Unanimously Authorize a Strike appeared first on International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
10,000 Teamsters Nurses at Corewell Health East Authorize a Strike
(WASHINGTON) – Registered nurses at Corewell Health East, represented by Teamsters Local 2024, have voted by nearly 90 percent to authorize a strike. The 10,000 nurses across nine hospitals and campuses throughout southeastern Michigan have been fighting for their first union contract since June 2025.
Nurses are demanding safe nurse-to-patient ratios, fair wages, affordable health insurance, and improved workplace safety.
“This overwhelming strike vote shows that nurses are done being bullied into silence while executives put profits over patients and gamble with our safety and our licenses,” said Rachel Szadyr, a cardiac ICU nurse and member of the bargaining committee. “It’s no secret that nurses everywhere are struggling. We keep losing incredible nurses because of a rigged system that lets so‑called nonprofit hospitals pile more responsibility onto nurses, while stripping away the resources we need to provide safe care. This isn’t sustainable and it’s exactly why we are fighting for the best possible contract.”
In November 2024, Corewell nurses beat back an aggressive $1.7 million union-busting campaign by voting three-to-one to join the Teamsters. In the 16 months since organizing, Corewell management has continued to attack nurses and violate labor law by withholding several economic opportunities that were given to nonunion employees, eliminating pull pay, and terminating their student loan repayment program.
“The clock is ticking for Corewell Health East to offer Teamsters nurses the contract they deserve — or 10,000 nurses will take this fight to the streets,” said Tom Erickson, lead negotiator and Teamsters Central Region International Vice President. “This greedy corporate hospital system spent millions to try to stop these nurses from becoming Teamsters and now they are hemorrhaging even more money on anti-union attorneys who want to keep workers from getting the best possible contract. This strike vote should make it crystal clear to Corewell — we aren’t backing down and if they continue to keep this charade up, nurses are united and ready to take power into their own hands.”
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.
The post 10,000 Teamsters Nurses at Corewell Health East Authorize a Strike appeared first on International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Redrock Environmental Workers Join Teamsters
(CHOWCHILLA, Calif.) – A group of 30 sanitation workers at Redrock Environmental Group has voted to join Teamsters Local 431. They will now gain the backing of North America’s strongest union and fight together for a contract that delivers higher wages, strong health care benefits, and safety.
“This is an important victory that will have a real impact for me and my co-workers,” said Cam Vaughn, Redrock Environmental driver. “Our line of work is dangerous and puts us at serious risk. Now that we’re Teamsters we will fight for a strong first contract with better safety standards, pay, and health benefits.”
Redrock Environmental is owned by Caglia Environmental, a waste and recycling collection company in Madera County. The workers provide sanitation services for thousands of residential and commercial customers and operate the Fairmead Landfill and the North Fork Transfer Station. This group is the first at Redrock Environmental to organize with the Teamsters.
“I want to congratulate and welcome all 30 of our newest members. Despite efforts by the company to union bust and divide workers, they never wavered, showing strength and solidarity every step of the way,” said Justin Scott, President of Teamsters Local 431. “This win gives the company a glimpse of how strong our members will stand in their upcoming contract fight. We look forward to supporting them as they pursue fair wages and benefits that reflect the value of the work they do to keep our communities clean and healthy.”
The new unit joins tens of thousands of sanitation workers represented by the Teamsters Solid Waste and Recycling Division.
Teamsters Local 431 represents over 2,700 members across Madera and Fresno counties. For more information, please visit TeamstersJC7.org.
The post Redrock Environmental Workers Join Teamsters appeared first on International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Cannabis Teamsters in Chicago Ratify Contract
(CHICAGO) – After five months of negotiations, cannabis workers at Dispensary 33 have unanimously ratified their first five-year contract with Teamsters Local 777.
“This contract recognizes the vital roles these workers play in the success of this business, and it ensures they are treated with the respect they deserve,” said Jim Glimco, President of Local 777. “We’re proud to bring more stability to Dispensary 33 by securing higher wages, improved health care benefits, and strong job protections against unjust discipline or termination.”
Teamsters at Dispensary 33 secured this agreement less than a year after budtenders overwhelmingly voted to join the union. Over the past four years, Local 777 has secured collective bargaining agreements for hundreds of workers in the Illinois cannabis industry.
“Cannabis workers across the country are organizing to win better wages, stronger benefits, and real career opportunities,” said Jesse Case, Director of the Teamsters Food Processing Division. “Our members at Dispensary 33 are proving what’s possible when workers stand together and demand a fair contract. Agreements like this help turn cannabis jobs into stable careers.”
“This was honestly one of the hardest and most fulfilling experiences I’ve ever gone through,” said Lyzette Soto, Local 777 member and award-winning budtender. “We are passionate and proud of the community we’ve created to guarantee better conditions in our workplace!”
Founded in 1937, Teamsters Local 777 represents workers in a wide variety of industries throughout the Chicago area. For more information, go to teamsters777.org.
###
The post Cannabis Teamsters in Chicago Ratify Contract appeared first on International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Read More....
Palm Springs City Workers Join Teamsters
(PALM SPRINGS, Calif.) – More than 250 workers in the City of Palm Springs voted to join Teamsters Local 1932, marking a significant milestone for workers seeking a stronger voice in the workplace and better representation in negotiations with the city. The new Teamsters provide essential services that help keep Palm Springs running smoothly for residents and visitors alike.
“Palm Springs workers made it clear that they want a real voice on the job,” said Randy Korgan, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 1932. “We are proud to welcome these hardworking public workers into the Teamsters family and look forward to working alongside them to secure a strong contract that reflects the important work they do every day.”
This organizing effort represents a growing movement of workers across the Coachella Valley and Inland Empire who are organizing with the Teamsters to strengthen their rights and improve workplace conditions.
“We care deeply about the work we do for the residents of Palm Springs,” said Kathy Simonette, a new Teamster in the City of Palm Springs. “We chose Teamsters because we want a stronger voice on the job and a union that will stand with us as we work to improve our workplaces and the services we provide to our community.”
Teamsters Local 1932 represents more than 16,000 workers across the Inland Empire. For more information, visit teamsters1932.org.
The post Palm Springs City Workers Join Teamsters appeared first on International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Teamsters: Without Worker Protections, DOJ Must Block Paramount-Warner Merger
(WASHINGTON) – The International Brotherhood of Teamsters told the Department of Justice (DOJ) this week that the proposed merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery poses a direct threat to film and television workers nationwide, including nearly 15,000 rank-and-file Motion Picture Teamsters. The 1.3-million-member union submitted a detailed report this week to the DOJ’s Antitrust Division outlining these concerns and is urging the DOJ to intervene and block the deal unless substantial and enforceable safeguards are put in place to increase domestic production and protect jobs.
“This merger threatens the livelihoods of the very workers who built these studios into industry giants,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “We’ve seen what happens when corporations consolidate power: jobs disappear, production leaves American communities, and workers pay the price. The DOJ has a responsibility to stop deals that eliminate competition and harm working families. Unless Paramount and Warner Bros. can guarantee enforceable protections for domestic production and labor standards, this merger can’t be allowed to move forward.”
The merger would consolidate two of the five major studios in Hollywood and combine streaming platforms HBO Max and Paramount+, further concentrating decision-making power in an industry already dominated by only a few corporations. Previous mergers have a well-documented track record of harming workers — Disney’s 2019 acquisition of 20th Century Fox resulted in eliminated production units, significant job losses, and canceled projects. Paramount and Warner Bros. have not yet announced any enforceable merger-specific benefits to workers or standards to combat these risks and have done nothing to suggest they will.
“The film and television industry has been in a fragile and fluctuating state for the last several years and entertainment workers are simply trying to survive through that instability. Another mega‑merger is the last thing this industry needs,” said Teamsters Motion Picture Division Director Lindsay Dougherty. “This story is not new. Greed-fueled consolidation of corporate power is a direct threat to good union jobs and the livelihood of our members. We will not stand by while corporate executives try to consolidate power even further at the expense of the people who make every movie, every show, and every streaming platform possible. Motion Picture Teamsters are urgently reminding the DOJ that it has an obligation to step in to protect workers and prevent any further damage. Our number one priority continues to be the employment of our members, and we will continue to call for opposition across all levels of government to reject any deal that threatens jobs while consolidating power and market share.”
Under federal antitrust law, the DOJ must challenge mergers that threaten competition in any market. The Teamsters will only support a deal that includes enforceable commitments to increasing and maintaining domestic production, strong labor standards, and guarantees against layoffs and erosion of union jobs. Without such protections, the Teamsters call on the DOJ to sue to block the merger entirely.
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.
The post Teamsters: Without Worker Protections, DOJ Must Block Paramount-Warner Merger appeared first on International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Genesis Logistics Teamsters Ratify First Contract
(STAFFORD, Va.) – More than 500 drivers and warehouse workers at Genesis Logistics, a wholly owned subsidiary of DHL, have voted overwhelmingly to ratify their first Teamsters contract. The group, jointly represented by Teamsters Local 322 and Local 639, secured higher wages, expanded paid time off, and improved working conditions.
“Winning our first Teamsters contract is a promise of stability, dignity, and a future built alongside our sisters and brothers,” said Matthew Relford, a driver at Genesis Logistics and member of Local 322. “Our agreement means fair wages, real benefits, and the strength that comes from sticking together. As Teamsters, we are able to build something greater than ourselves.”
Last year, drivers at the company’s Stafford facility voted by a 90 percent margin to join the Teamsters. That campaign helped build momentum in the warehouse, where workers overwhelmingly supported union representation. Genesis Logistics management ultimately agreed to voluntarily recognize Local 639 through a card-check agreement.
“Our first contract is a strong foundation that we fully intend to build on,” said Amanda Pallant, a warehouse worker at Genesis Logistics and member of Local 639. “Together with our fellow drivers, we secured guaranteed wage increases, just-cause protections, and enforceable rights in our workplace. Most importantly, this process brought us together across job classifications and strengthened our solidarity.”
Genesis Logistics distributes pre-packaged food and other products for 7-Eleven. The company’s Stafford distribution center supplies convenience stores throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. With the ratification of these agreements, the Stafford facility is now a wall-to-wall Teamsters shop.
“These workers overcame a lot to reach this moment, and their determination is what made this agreement possible,” said Bill Davis, President of Local 639. “We’re proud to have secured strong first contracts for our newest members, and we look forward to building on this momentum to continue raising standards for workers in this industry.”
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.
The post Genesis Logistics Teamsters Ratify First Contract appeared first on International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Read More....