Teamsters

Foremost Farms Teamsters Authorize Strike

(REEDSBURG, Wis.) – Members of Teamsters Local 120 at Foremost Farms in Reedsburg, Wis., have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. The group of 40 workers is fighting for a fair contract while the company fails to address chronic staffing problems, lagging wages, and retirement security, and seeks concessions that would weaken existing overtime and attendance protections.

“Our members keep Foremost’s butter operation going despite severe staffing shortages and crazy overtime schedules,” said Shaun Mullikin, Business Agent with Teamsters Local 120. “They are asking for wages that reflect their work, to maintain the overtime and attendance protections they have fought hard to secure, and retirement security that gives them dignity after years on the job. The vote they took shows they are united in demanding the contract they deserve.”

Teamsters at the Reedsburg facility produce butter for Foremost Farms, a major dairy cooperative with operations across the Midwest.

“We are not asking for anything unreasonable,” said Drew Schafer, a worker at Foremost Farms and steward with Local 120. “We want wages that keep up with the work we do, fair overtime rules, and pension contributions that ensure we can retire. We want to reach an agreement as soon as possible, but Foremost Farms needs to stop playing games and come to the table with a serious offer or we will hit the streets.”

Teamsters Local 120 proudly represents over 15,000 workers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota. For more information, visit local120.org.

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Teamsters Demand Chicago City Council Pass the Delivery Protection Act

Posted in: Teamsters

(CHICAGO) – Following the announcement of a Subject Matter Hearing for the Chicago Delivery Protection Act in the City Council on September 15, Teamsters are demanding that alderwomen and aldermen support the legislation.

Introduced by Alderwoman Julia Ramirez (D-12th Ward), the Chicago Delivery Protection Act would require delivery companies operating in city limits to secure licenses for their last-mile delivery facilities and ban subcontracting practices by companies like Amazon. Amazon utilizes a corrupt model where it shifts liability to subcontractors known as Delivery Service Partners (DSPs), which allow it to ignore worker demands for better conditions, engage in illegal union busting, and threaten the safety of residents throughout the city.

“The movement to end Amazon’s dangerous DSP model is growing because workers are fed up with this company’s lies and mistreatment,” said Randy Korgan, Director of the Teamsters Amazon Division. “Amazon Teamsters are leading the fight to hold Amazon accountable. We are calling on Chicago Alderwomen and Aldermen to defend everyday Chicagoans by passing the Delivery Protection Act.”

“Amazon has taken advantage of Chicagoans for far too long. Convenience cannot come at the price of worker health and safety, nor the safety of our neighborhoods,” said Thomas W. Stiede, President of Teamsters Joint Council 25. “The Delivery Protection Act will preserve jobs while finally making Amazon liable for injuries and accidents that occur.”

The legislation in Chicago follows growing support for a similar effort in New York City. The New York City Delivery Protection Act has won supermajority support from the City Council and backing from Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

“Amazon makes all the profit off us but wants none of the responsibility any other employer would have. That isn’t just wrong — it’s dangerous,” said Ash Brooks, an Amazon driver out of the DIL7 facility in Skokie, Illinois. “Amazon sets my routes, watches me as I drive, and confirms my deliveries at the end of each day. We need the law to catch up to the reality of delivering for Amazon, and that’s why I support the Delivery Protection Act.”

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 at Cass-Clay Creamery Ratify Contract

Posted in: Teamsters

(FARGO, N.D.) – Over 100 members of Teamsters Local 120 at Cass-Clay Creamery have overwhelmingly ratified a strong contract that delivers fair wages, improved health care, a pension, and other workplace protections.

Cass-Clay Creamery’s Fargo facility is part of Dairy Farmers of America’s (DFA) broader dairy network and produces, packages, and ships dairy products distributed throughout North Dakota and surrounding communities, including fluid milk and Stonyfield yogurt pouches.

“This contract is a huge victory for the hardworking Teamsters who keep Cass-Clay running every day,” said Kevin Saylor, Vice President of Local 120. “Our members stood united and fought for what they deserved. Because of their solidarity, they secured a strong contract that recognizes their value and protects their future.”

In addition to wage and benefit improvements, the agreement includes successor language, stronger workplace protections, and a fair grievance and arbitration process. The new contract reflects the essential work Teamsters perform at Cass-Clay and sets a stronger standard for workers across DFA’s dairy network.

“Many of us have spent years at Cass-Clay making sure these dairy products reach our community’s tables,” said Matt Hussel, a Cass-Clay Creamery worker and member of Local 120. “I want to shoutout our brothers and sisters on the bargaining committee for a job well done. The improvement in wages and benefits alone will make a real difference for us and our families.”

Teamsters Local 120 proudly represents over 15,000 workers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota. For more information, visit local120.org.
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Encore Boston Harbor Teamsters Overwhelmingly Authorize Strike

Posted in: Teamsters

(EVERETT, Mass.) – Over 1,300 workers at Encore Boston Harbor, represented by Teamsters Local 25 and UNITE HERE Local 26, have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. Local 25 represents 211 workers in the warehouse, horticulture, and floral departments, as well as workers in the call center, cage cashiers, limo drivers and dispatchers, traffic attendants, valet and guest experience attendants at Encore.

“The workers at Encore Boston Harbor work hard and make the casino the financial success that it is,” said Tommy Blitsch, Director of the Teamsters Convention, Trade Show, and Casino Division. “Management’s failure to negotiate is leaving this group with no other choice but to head to the picket line. There is only one way this ends, with a fair agreement.”

“We’re proud of what we built at Encore, and we take pride in the work we do every day,” said Sem Avdic, a warehouse worker and member of Local 25. “We work hard to make this company successful, and we believe we deserve a fair contract that allows us to provide for our families. Nobody wants to strike. But nobody is going to keep making Wynn rich while our own families fall behind.”

Encore took in $847 million in Boston last year, according to Wynn Resorts’ filings with the SEC, yet management refuses to come back to the table to negotiate a fair deal with wage improvements. The current contract expires August 31, and workers are prepared for a work stoppage if a deal is not reached.

“This is a union town. Teamsters don’t cross picket lines, and neither does Boston,” said Thomas G. Mari, President of Local 25. “If our members are on that sidewalk, we’re asking every worker and every family in this city to stand with them: while they’re out, stay out.”

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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CalPortland Ready-Mix Teamsters Overwhelmingly Ratify One-Year Contract

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(OAKLAND, Calif.) – Two weeks after going on an unfair labor practice strike, over 350 ready-mix Teamsters at CalPortland have overwhelmingly ratified a new one-year contract with the company. Members of Teamsters Locals 853, 665, 315, and 150 at CalPortland went on strike after the company refused to set timely bargaining dates over a new agreement, threatening union work across multiple counties in Northern California.

“A year ago, this company wouldn’t even commit to hiring our members. But through Teamsters militancy and solidarity, CalPortland Teamsters protected their jobs and won vital wage and health benefits increases,” said Tom Gesualdi, Director of the Teamsters Building Materials and Construction Trade Division. “They have shown what is possible when workers stand together and demand their fair share.”

“This victory is due to the dedication of our members and lockstep support from our community of allies and elected officials. The Teamsters especially appreciate San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie for playing a critical role in ensuring an agreement was reached,” said Peter Finn, President of Teamsters Joint Council 7 and International Vice President At-Large. “For over 350 workers from four locals to strike and win in two weeks is no small feat. This contract is a shining example of the power of Teamsters unity.”

In addition to an industry-standard wage increase for Northern California concrete drivers, CalPortland Teamsters also protected their current contract language in totality for 12 months. The company had previously implemented unilateral changes to contract language without the union’s consultation or permission.

“We voted to strike because we know the true value of our labor. All of us were united and ready to stand on the line for as long as it took,” said Gary Kunesh, a 30-year CalPortland Teamster from Local 853. “For us to win this contract in just two weeks shows the power of being a Teamster.”

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Teamsters, Sen. Sanders Demand Answers on St. Albans Creamery Shutdown Plan

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(WASHINGTON) – Yesterday, Teamsters Local 597 leaders and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) joined workers outside the Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) St. Albans Creamery in St. Albans, Vt., to condemn the idling of the facility and the company’s potential union-busting motive to do so. The press conference highlighted the impact the closure would have on Teamsters in the facility, their families, the local dairy economy, and the broader St. Albans community.

“Dairy farmers in the St. Albans area are already facing enormous pressure from rising costs, volatile milk prices, and an increasingly concentrated dairy industry,” said Curtis Clough, President of Local 597. “Idling this creamery would only make those challenges worse by disrupting a facility that local farmers, workers, and families have relied on for generations. DFA owes this community a full explanation because when a plant like this is put at risk, it is not just Teamsters jobs on the line — it is the future of family farms and the economic stability of St. Albans and the entire region.”

“The St. Albans Dairy Farmers of America plant has been an important part of Vermont’s dairy economy and a critical source of decent-paying jobs for more than 100 years,” Sen. Sanders said. “The decision by Dairy Farmers of America to close this plant appears to be nothing more than illegal union busting. I stand with the Teamsters in calling on DFA to reverse this decision and keep this vital plant open.”

During the press conference, Sen. Sanders and members from Local 597 called on DFA to provide a full public explanation for the idling decision and urged the dairy giant to engage with workers and the community directly. The Teamsters Union will continue to stand up for its members and explore all available avenues to protect jobs and workers’ rights.

“Our families made sacrifices while we stood in the rain on strike so we could put food on the table and win a fair contract,” said Ted Westover, a warehouse worker at St. Albans and steward with Local 597. “Now our jobs are on the line because it seems a multimillion-dollar business got their feelings hurt. It’s hard not to see the timing for what it is. This looks like classic union busting.”

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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10,000 Corewell Health East Nurses Ratify First Teamsters Contract

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(WASHINGTON) – Registered nurses at Corewell Health East, represented by Teamsters Local 2024, have voted to ratify their first union contract after more than 13 months of negotiations, delivering a historic victory for nurses and patients across Michigan’s largest health care system.

The three-year agreement protects more than 10,000 nurses at nine hospitals and campuses and dozens of outpatient clinics. Highlights include a 15 percent wage increase over the life of the agreement, a one-time lump-sum payment on a previously withheld wage increase, a safe staffing committee that allows nurses to confront management directly on nurse-to-patient ratio issues, a new PPO option, and other critical workplace protections.

“Corewell nurses knew their value when they organized to become Teamsters, and now they’ve proven it at the bargaining table,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Corewell threw millions of dollars at union-busting consultants and attorneys to stop this contract from happening, but our members refused to let management buy their way out of giving them the strong contract they have long needed.”

Corewell Health East RNs first made history in 2024 when they voted three-to-one to organize in one of the largest NLRB elections in decades. They subsequently received a charter by the International Union for their own nurse-led local union. Now, Teamsters RNs have inked an industry-leading contract that protects nurses and patients alike.

“Less than one third of nursing contracts nationwide mention the words ‘safe staffing,’ and yet, Corewell Health East Teamsters were able to secure an entire article on staffing in their first contract,” said Peter Finn, Director of the Teamsters Public Services and Health Care Division. “Workers get more as Teamsters, and we are excited to see more nurses follow the Corewell nurses’ lead and organize with North America’s strongest union.”

“This contract is a significant step towards securing a better future for nurses, thus making a better future for our patients,” said Michael Browning, an interventional radiology nurse at Corewell Health East’s William Beaumont University Hospital. “After 32 years of nursing, finally having a seat at the table is amazing. I am so proud to have been a part of this victory.”

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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New Jersey Teamsters Endorse Bipartisan Slate of Pro-Union Candidates for Congress

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(SPRINGFIELD, N.J.) – Today, New Jersey Teamsters announced their Congressional endorsements. The candidates are incumbents who have demonstrated a commitment to American workers by voting for the Faster Labor Contracts Act (FLCA).

Teamsters endorsed Senator Cory Booker (D) and Representative Donald Norcross (D-1st District). Booker co-authored the Senate version of the FLCA and voluntarily recognized his campaign’s staff union with the Teamsters in 2020. A lifelong union member, FLCA co-author, and Chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus, Norcross has also supported the Teamsters by serving as the lead sponsor of the Butch-Lewis Act and fighting to protect collective bargaining rights for federal workers.

The Teamsters also endorsed Jeff Van Drew (R-2nd District), Herb Conaway (D-3rd District), Chris Smith (R-4th District), Josh Gottheimer (D-5th District), Frank Pallone (D-6th District), Robert Menendez (D-8th District), Nellie Pou (D-9th District), LaMonica McIver (D-10th District), and Analilia Mejia (D-11th District).

The Faster Labor Contracts Act, a Teamsters-backed bill that passed the House of Representatives in June, would become the most significant labor legislation enacted in 80 years. It would streamline the process for newly organized workers who are working to secure their first collective bargaining agreement.

“There are more than 50,000 Teamsters throughout New Jersey, and they all agree that our union should only support politicians who support us,” said Al Rispoli, President of Teamsters Joint Council 73. “This bipartisan coalition refused to vote no on the FLCA even in the face of immense pressure from corporate lobbyists. They stood strong and had our backs, so we’ll do the same for them when we go to the polls in November.”

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Teamsters, Allies Release Report on Amazon Violations of New York WARN Act

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(NEW YORK) – Today, Teamsters were joined by the National Employment Law Project (NELP), the Action Lab, and the Alliance for a Greater New York (ALIGN) in releasing a report exposing Amazon as the leading violator of the New York State Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (NY WARN) Act.

The union simultaneously filed a complaint with the New York Department of Labor over Amazon’s WARN Act violations, demanding that the Office of the Commissioner of Labor investigate Amazon’s control of its third-party contractors, or Delivery Service Partners (DSPs), and the company’s failure to follow the law. Amazon uses DSPs as shell corporations to shield itself from the legal responsibility the company owes to its workforce.

“This is yet another reason why Amazon is a parasitic white-collar crime syndicate,” said Randy Korgan, Director of the Teamsters Amazon Division. “Jeff Bezos, Andy Jassy, and the rest of the crooks who run this company can’t find a labor law that they don’t want to violate, but the Teamsters have bad news for Amazon: the law has a way of catching up with you.”

Most DSPs have Amazon as their only “customer,” so when Amazon terminates a contract, the entire DSP shuts down. The NY WARN Act requires private employers with more than 50 workers in the state to either provide severance or give workers at least 90 days advance written notice before mass layoffs affecting 25 people or more.

“Amazon sells itself to communities as a ‘job creator,’ but today’s revelations should dispel that notion completely,” said Tom Gesualdi, President of Teamsters Joint Council 16. “In reality, Amazon has killed more jobs in the logistics industry than any other company in New York. The Teamsters and our allies will not allow Amazon to continue harming its workers or our communities with its illegal actions.”

The report demonstrates that since 2018, Amazon has closed 35 DSPs in the state, resulting in the loss of over 3,500 jobs. Amazon’s job-killing makes up an outsized percentage of layoffs across New York’s entire transportation and warehousing industry. A full 25 percent of all workers laid off in the industry since 2023 have been Amazon drivers. A majority of Amazon drivers never received the advance notice required by law, and Amazon may owe as much as $11 million in back wages.

“I worked for two DSPs that Amazon closed without enough notice or severance, leaving me and my family stranded,” said Maria Degante, who worked at Amazon’s DBK4 location in Queens. “But we aren’t going away quietly. My co-workers and I are organizing to demand that Amazon pay us what we are owed and pass the Delivery Protection Act at the New York City Council, so this never happens to another driver.”

The Delivery Protection Act, which Teamsters and their allies are campaigning to pass in New York City, which would end Amazon’s subcontracting shell game and force the company to directly hire its drivers.

“This report, which shows frequent mass layoffs and WARN Act violations at Amazon’s captive DSPs, highlights that they are not bona fide independent businesses but pawns of a giant corporation that needs to be held accountable for their operations,” said Paul Sonn, State Policy Program Director at NELP. “New York City’s proposed Delivery Protection Act would do just that — and the city council should act swiftly to approve it.”

“Amazon uses and abuses workers, then throws them away. And guess what: the DSPs Amazon claims to protect are no less vulnerable,” said Daisy Chung, ALIGN Campaigns Director. “Today’s report adds to the pile of evidence that Amazon will put profit over people every time, even if they have to kill jobs, hurt workers, and destroy communities to do it. We need the Delivery Protection Act now to demand justice for Amazon workers and force a trillion-dollar company to answer for their harms.”

“This new data shows that Amazon is disproportionately behind sudden, permanent closures in the transportation and warehousing sector in New York — and it’s happening again and again,” said Irene Tung, Director of Program and Policy at the Action Lab. “The company is using a shell game to lay off delivery drivers without giving them notice as required under the law, then leaving them to fight for backpay they’re often never able to collect. The Delivery Protection Act is urgently needed to make Amazon directly accountable to the drivers whose livelihoods it controls. New York must investigate this pattern, and the City Council must move swiftly to pass this common-sense reform.”

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Teamsters, Allies Release Report on Amazon Violations of New York WARN Act

Posted in: Teamsters

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