Brian Fisher

UNFI Ratified historic contract with Union healthcare and pension!!! Just weeks after collecting 1.3 Million in back Pay.

Drivers at UNFI Gilroy have just secured a historic contract with the company. And just weeks after forty-two(42) UNFI Teamster members secured 1.3 million dollars of back pay that was owed to them due to a wage calculation error.

This was a very strong second contract win for the members at UNFI. Not only increasing their wages above market rate but also securing Union Healthcare and Pensions.

“I am so proud of these members. These drivers did what works.” Said Teamsters Local 853 Vice President and UNFI Business Agent Ray Torres, “First, they determined what was important to them in this contract. Then, they determined a fair level of compensation based on their performance. Then most importantly, they trusted each other and the judgment of the leadership and negotiating committee and showed willingness to strike for those earnings.”

“We held the line strong,” said Ruben Lopez, the Chief Steward for UNFI “when we bargained the first contract, we knew we might not get everything we wanted, but this second time around because everyone held together, we advanced our positions on the Healthcare and Pension, and proved our worth over the past 3 years. This group deserves my highest praise.”

When presented in this way, the company understood that they needed to share their profits with the employees who made them successful.

UNFI is one of the four major Food Service Industry Trucking companies, along with PFG(Performance Food Groups/VISTAR), USFOODS, and SYSCO FOODS, that Teamsters Local 853 represent in the Bay Area.

If you know of any drivers or warehouse workers that are in the Bay Area food service industry not under Union Contract, let us know. If they want to be fairly compensated and protected for their work, let’s actively work to get them into our Teamster family for their sake and the sake of their families.

UNFI Ratified historic contract with Union healthcare and pension!!! Just weeks after collecting 1.3 Million in back Pay. Read More »

Teamsters at Bimbo Bakeries, Castroville, in negotiatins for their next conract

Pictured here are just a few of the outstanding Teamsters 853 from Bimbo Bakeries Castroville. Led by Chief Steward Louis, this group is coordinating the charge in their current contract fight. “I am very proud of this group and all of our members at Bimbo. They are refusing to accept anything other than what they deserve.” Said Business Agent David Crawford. “These members serve our community every day and ensure that people have food on their table. Without their dedication and sacrifice, the community they serve would suffer. We owe them our support in this contract fight”.

Stay tuned as this negotiation unfolds!!

Teamsters at Bimbo Bakeries, Castroville, in negotiatins for their next conract Read More »

VISTAR Drivers Vote Overwhelmingly to Join Teamsters Local 853

To all Teamster 853 members,

📣📣🥳🥳👏🎉 Please join us in welcoming our newest members, who just today voted to join our ranks.

These 29 drivers at VISTAR voted to join Teamsters Local 853, and were solid from start to finish. We are looking forward to getting them the wages, benefits, and job protections they have earned on the job. And in return, we feel this energetic, solid group will be great members, and a great addition to our Teamster family.

“A model of determination and unity, this group has shown courage from the very beginning,” said Teamsters Local 853 Vice President Ray Torres, “They stood up to the Union Buster and to corporate greed. I couldn’t be prouder of how they came together as one and simply knocked it out of the park!”

“When organizing a group, one of the first things we gauge is the group’s enthusiasm and determination. When we started with this group at VISTAR, they were already acting like Teamsters.” Said Teamsters Local 853 Secretary-Treasurer Steve Beck, “They were banded together and determined to act as one unit from the first day. And it showed in their overwhelming vote to unionize. All they needed was a little direction and guidance; they already had the rest wrapped up. I’m impressed, proud, and excited to have this group join our 853 family.”  

Please join us in welcoming them!!!!

VISTAR Drivers Vote Overwhelmingly to Join Teamsters Local 853 Read More »

Suspected Faulty Computers Shortchange Teamster Commissions at the Coliseum in Oakland

Seven Teamsters working for The Mandate Company who run concessions at the Oakland Coliseum recently disputed their wage calculations. The source of the error seems to originate from Aramark equipment. Aramark contracts with The Mandate Company and provides hand-held concession computers for these members. These seven members determined that the end-of-shift sales figures had been incorrect on the Aramark machines, and cheated these members out of rightful commissions.

So, in conjunction with Teamsters Local 853 Business Agent John Arnolfo and Mandate workers and Stewards, they are approaching the company to try to make our members whole by securing the back pay. Should The Mandate Company choose to deny their claim, the Local can exercise the next step by filing a case through the California State Labor Commissioner.

Pictured here are those Concession Vendor Teamsters meeting with Union attorney Sarah Kabnar (bottom right) regarding outstanding wage claims.

Stay tuned and we will let you know the outcome or further developments.

Suspected Faulty Computers Shortchange Teamster Commissions at the Coliseum in Oakland Read More »

Genesis Logistics contract negotiations

Teamsters at Genesis Logistics are hard at work hammering out their new contract. These warehouse workers and drivers have the task of keeping all of the Seven-Eleven convenience stores in the Bay Area stocked. The warehouse picks, preps, and loads, and drivers deliver all the goods to stores as far north as Yuba City, east to Sacramento, and a little south of Fresno. These members keep us fueled up when we’re on the road.

Pictured left to right on the negotiating committee are Steward Pete Hall, Steward Miguel Muñoz, and Steward Trent Rivera. Thank you for your hard work and for keeping your members’ needs front and center.

Stay tuned as we report the results. Let’s all give a shout to these Teamsters; go get that good contract!!!

Genesis Logistics contract negotiations Read More »

Small battle, big win for 853 Members at DHL PAO, Sunnyvale

DHL Steward Darren and Business Agent James Long used a grievance along with a potential Unfair Labor Practice charge for bad faith bargaining to stop DHL Sunnyvale from enacting a semi-annual bid that the members did not agree to!  After a review and further back and forth between Local 853 and the company, DHL was required to follow a provision in the contract, the 20/60 rule, which then created three new bids.   

This was a great win for all the members working at DHL and another example of how a contract and Teamster unity protect workers on the job. Shout out to steward Darren and the rest of the team for making it happen!

💪💪💪 Pictured above is Darren removing the semi-annual bid from the board!

Small battle, big win for 853 Members at DHL PAO, Sunnyvale Read More »

First Transit Stanford Members Stand Unified in Contract Meeting

First Transit Stanford Members met at the San Jose Hall to discuss the current contract negotiations. We discussed a variety of topics, including wage, pension, and vacation increases. We also had a deep discussion on Strike prep, grievance procedures, and the role of a shop steward. Most pressing was the importance of unity among the rank-and-file membership.

“It is of the utmost importance that we move as one unit and continue to support each other through this fight. Without unity and a common goal, our efforts will most certainly fall flat. Having a concise vision of what we are demanding is the very best way to secure what we know we deserve. I am proud of this group for standing up and indicating to the company that our terms are reasonable, attainable, and most importantly justified.” BA David Crawford

First Transit Stanford Members Stand Unified in Contract Meeting Read More »

Martin Luther King Jr.: Champion of Labor Unions and Equality for All

853 Sisters and Brothers,

On this MLK day, we would like to remind you of the ties between King’s efforts and the success of the Labor Movement in the 50s and 60s. We felt it important we understand the history of a man whose efforts built a foundation that we all now stand on.

Labor and Equal Rights

Martin Luther King Jr. was not only a leader in the civil rights movement but also a passionate advocate for labor unions and workers’ rights. He understood that economic justice was inseparable from racial equality and believed that unions were essential to building a fair and equitable society. King’s work demonstrated that the fight for civil rights was also a fight for the dignity and well-being of all workers, regardless of race or class.

King consistently supported labor unions, viewing them as a powerful force for social and economic change. He praised the labor movement for transforming oppressive conditions into progress and opportunity, declaring that unions were “the first anti-poverty program.” King stood in solidarity with workers, joining strikes and protests to demand fair wages, safe working conditions, and the right to unionize.

King’s Death

Tragically, King was killed in Memphis, there to support the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers’ strike, where he championed the cause of Black workers who marched under the rallying cry “I Am a Man.” Cementing his legacy as a tireless advocate for labor rights.

Equality in our modern time

While labor unions were central to King’s vision, his advocacy extended to broader struggles for equality. He believed that economic justice and racial justice were deeply intertwined and that no group could achieve true freedom without solidarity among all marginalized communities. King often emphasized that injustice in one area threatened justice everywhere, urging people of all backgrounds to unite in the pursuit of equality.

King’s legacy as a champion of labor unions and universal human dignity serves as a reminder that the fight for justice requires collective action. His unwavering commitment to economic and social equality continues to inspire movements for fairness and opportunity today.

Martin Luther King Jr.: Champion of Labor Unions and Equality for All Read More »