Brian Fisher

What happens when you have a motivated workforce, a solid organizing team, and connections with local politicians? The workers at the Oakland Zoo just found out when they voted on September 30 by a four-to-one margin to unionize. Teamsters Local 853 is proud to welcome the 55+ zookeepers at the Oakland Zoo and looks forward to negotiating their first union contract.

“These workers demonstrated tremendous courage so they can get a contract that addresses the issues they care about – respect, wages that reflect the cost of living, guaranteeing a high quality of life for the animals and their habitats, and a voice on the job,” said Pablo Barrera, Local 853 Organizing Director.

“It was an incredible experience,” Barrera adds. “These workers were knowledgeable and motivated. Of course, they were fearful of retaliation, because they had to contend with a union buster that zoo management brought in.”

As the zoo’s Senior Keeper, Jason Knight stays late to put animals to bed and do nighttime feedings. He couldn’t be more proud of the union drive. “The process of coming together, deciding to join the Teamsters, and winning the election with such amazing numbers has brought us all together. We look forward to moving into the future as a group,” he said, adding that “One thing that unifies us is that we all love the Oakland Zoo – the movement has been an act of love for the zoo and for each other. It’s been an incredibly positive experience all around.”

Barrera, Business Agent Mike Henneberry, and JC7 Political Director Doug Bloch all played a role in lining up support for the union drive from Oakland City Council Member Treva Reid and Mayor Libby Schaaf. In addition, several workers had an opportunity to meet with Congress member Barbara Lee who was visiting the Local 853 building. These elected officials did not hesitate to contact zoo management and demand they do the right thing for their workers.

As the group heads into negotiations, the union and workers say they were instrumental in helping pass Measure Y, an Oakland referendum to increase funding to the Oakland Zoo. “This bill will enhance educational opportunities, and elevate the standard of living for animals, expanding conservation work and increasing access to the institution for the city’s residents,” explained Barrera. “The union will make sure that the zoo’s increased budgets are shared among the zookeepers,” he added.

In our largest drive-thru membership appreciation event yet, more than 800 members came by Local 853’s offices in Oakland (Oct. 29), San Jose, and Watsonville (Oct. 30). They filled out a card to enter the raffle and collected a Local 853 long-sleeved t-shirt.

The Local has held this event since 1993, but until the pandemic arrived, it was held indoors at a local school. Hopefully, we can get back to the indoor party venue soon so that staff can cook breakfast for the members and everyone has an opportunity to snack and chat.

Nine lucky members were selected at the November regular membership meeting on Nov. 10 to win a new TV or karaoke machine.

We all look forward to the day when we can get back to meeting in person, having the local staff make breakfast for the members, offering convenient flu shots, hearing the state of the union, and holding the live raffle. Fingers crossed that’ll happen for the 30th anniversary of these events!

Congrats to the lucky raffle winners

You didn’t have to be at the meeting to be a winner, and sadly none of the winners were. But since they had attended one of the three Membership Appreciation events, where they had filled out a winning raffle ticket, their win was just as valid.

Congratulations to select members at Gillig, Cargill, MV Transportation, Reliant Metals, Alhambra, Pak’nSave, and UPS who will get a TV or Karaoke machine delivered to their worksite.

Hopefully, 2023 will be the year that we can get out of our cars and get back to meeting in person. Watch for it!

Getting a union is not easy, as the 50 workers who run the mail room for Meta, the parent company of Facebook, will attest. They work for a contractor called Canon Business Services. Back in the fall of 2021, they contacted Local 853 determined to gain union representation because, according to Business Rep Pablo Barrera, “the management team was unprofessional, disrespectful, and acting as bullies. Wages and benefits are generally poor and the company shows obvious favoritism for the paltry wage increases it does offer a few workers. And COVID safety protocols have been lax at best.”

It wasn’t long before 78% of the workers signed cards saying they wanted a union. Instead of recognizing the union though, the company hired a union-busting law firm and pulled all kinds of shenanigans leading up to and including election day (December 15), where they posted armed guards at the entrance and had cameras monitor the voting area. By the time the votes were all counted, the election was tied, which usually means that the union lost.

However, the union filed objections with the labor board. In May, the Board did something rare: they issued a “Giselle Packing” ruling that asserts that when a union election is so tainted by the employer that it was not fairly held, the company must recognize and bargain with the Union as the exclusive collective bargaining representative. This only happens when the Board views the actions of the employer as being egregious.
“That was huge,” says Barrera, “or it should have been. But the employer continues to refuse to comply with the NLRB remedy.”  In mid-June, the workers unanimously signed a petition to Facebook/Meta stating, “We support the position of the NLRB and continue to authorize the union to serve as our bargaining representative with Canon Business.” A new NLRB hearing is set for September 12-14.

“Canon Business Services is not acting responsibly. We’ll do what we need to do, but Facebook needs to take a stand to ensure that the workers on its campus are treated fairly and with respect,” Barrera adds. Local 853 joined with several other unions, including SEIU-USWW and UNITE-HERE, as well as Silicon Valley Rising, to hold an action at Facebook/Meta on August 18. “We need for them to issue a ‘responsible contractor policy,’ so that when workers come together for a union, their wishes are respected. Facebook has leverage to make sure its contractors treat their workers right—they need to use it.”

When Local 853 chose its winner of the 2022 Harry Polland/Bob Morales Joint Council 7 Scholarship, they didn’t realize how much that choice was a family affair. Nathan Sanchez, the winner, is the son of Paul Sanchez, who has worked at Southern Glaziers Wine and Spirits in Union City for almost 15 years, the last 10 as a Foreman.

Nathan graduated from Arroyo High School in San Lorenzo in June and plans to attend Chabot College to become a Dental Hygienist. Eventually, his goal is to be a pediatric dentist. “Rather than be the old guy that the kids don’t like, I want to be the ‘fun guy!’” Nathan said.

Nathan’s essay was a beautiful tribute to the role the union has played in the life of his family. After listing some of the many benefits of belonging to a union that Nathan’s dad had ticked off, including competitive wages, safe work practices, job protection, and more, Nathan concluded that “My family is part of an amazing family—the Teamsters.”

The decisive moment when Nathan realized how important a union could be was when his dad was out of work with an injury, and their family health insurance was suddenly canceled. This drove everybody into a panic, as Nathan’s mom’s life-saving health treatment was slated for the following week. Nathan’s dad called his business representative, Steve Beck, and within minutes, “my dad and my mom both got calls restoring our health benefits… The Teamsters did it…. Mom was able to get her infusions on time.”

As Nathan says, “Words could not express how important being a part of a union is. They have been lifesaving.”

At Local 853’s August membership meeting, Nathan’s whole family—grandparents, parents, and siblings turned out to accept the scholarship, and Nathan and both of his parents got an opportunity to thank the Local.