Teamster Local 853 would like to recognize five Business Agents, Gloria Segura, James Long, David Crawford, Ralph Campos, and Jonathan Pinney, for being sworn in as Alameda Labor Council delegates. These Business Agents will be responsible for advocating for the betterment of our members in the general Alameda Labor community. They take the concerns of our members and support political agendas in Alameda County.
Most of the time, we highlight our members, but let’s all take a moment to thank these business agents who put in the time, nights, and weekends for their members. Day in and day out. Bravo!
In a visit to GILLIG this week, Labor Secretary Julie Su’s organization tweeted, “Our clean energy transition needs strong partnerships, including between workers and management. Happy to meet with GILLIG to see their facility creating zero-emission buses, talk about their labor-management partnership, and see the benefits of employing unionized workers.”
The Biden Administration is focused on furthering its commitment to Unions across America as a pathway to worker success. This visit, and many others like it, further solidifies their commitment.
It was a rare opportunity for members of Teamsters Local 853 to meet with a high-level government official from the Department of Labor. Stewards Robert Terry, Erik Vancil, Lyle Funderburk, and Lupe Pinedo put their best foot forward as they represented our Teamster family and the strong partnership between GILLIG management and their Union workforce.
Teamsters 853 members at GILLIG are coming off a stunningly good contract in their recent negotiations, which is a testament to forward-looking companies like GILLIG, who are leading the future in the zero emissions American Built busses. They recognize the true value of a Unionized workforce.
“We are so proud of these members who are being singled out as an example to the country and unions everywhere of what a union workforce can contribute on a national level. They earned this with their consistent commitment to their work,” said Steve Beck, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 853. “We are also aware that regardless of political affiliation, Teamsters Local 853 is willing to work with whoever is in office if they are expanding and strengthening unions across our State and the country.”
Also present for the meeting were Teamsters Local 853 Vice President Ray Torres and Recording Secretary Mike Henneberry.
Bimbo bakery drivers showed up in force for their proposal meeting this past Saturday. It was a good meeting that covered a wide range of topics, including Health and welfare, pension, pay, increases in sick days, company discipline, and the company not paying employees on time.
Special thank you to Stewards Carlos from San Leandro and Eddy from Concord for helping run the meeting and making sure that every voice was heard! Stay tuned as this negotiation plays out.
Today is your day. Your ballot should have arrived by now at your house.
There is a reason why so many truck drivers in our Country are in a union, because they know its life changing for the better.
So no matter how much attention, and begging. and insincere letters they send you now that you have them scared, the fact is that if you vote UNION YES, you have just secured a better life for you and your family.
Corporations are beholden to their shareholders and are required to maximize profits. That is what you are up against. They see you as a source of profit so they want to cut your pay and benefits. Without a Union contract, you are against the shareholder without any way to push back.
So VOTE YES and mail your ballot back today, right now.
Look at our website and see what we do day in and day out. On the home page are stories of what we do and the victories we win EVERY SINGLE DAY!
Let’s do this together, and knock it out of the park, and let those shareholders and management know you are worth more than they will ever give you willingly.
Ray Torres and the entire Teamster Local 853 staff and the 13,000 members we represent.
Teamsters 853 held a kickoff meeting this week with Bill Quinteros who presented pension benefits along with Teamster 853 President Steven Lua who reviewed heath care benefits. Driscolls contract negotiations will be finished in the next couple of weeks. Members at Driscolls will then be voting soon thereafter on whether or not to accept the contract offer. Stay tuned for the next round.
The reason why the company will never pay you what you are worth without the Union is because they can divide you one at a time, and you will never know how much you left on the table. And you have no leverage if you don’t act as one group.
But we do. The Teamsters know exactly how much is on the table, and we will get it for you just like all of the drivers from all these other Food Delivery Driver companies.
Listen to Marcus From PFG in Gilroy. They went Union and just got their first contract this March, which was very good for wages, benefits and job protections. In the end, 100% of the drivers voted for the contract- it was that good!!
This Driver, Marcus, at PFG in Gilroy explains how they got a great wage increase which was a given because they acted as a group, but the contract was more important because it gives them rights and protections on the job they never had before to hold management accountable.
He also saw how the company tried to grab a few drivers and treated them really well to stop the Union, but in the end, even those drivers voted YES for their unbelievably good contract.
The company outright lied to their face, but it didn’t work.
Look at other operations that have gone Union in the Bay Area
Significant improvements in benefits, wages, and job protection were all there for these drivers, and they can be for you, too!!
The Union has a heart. It is not like the mindless corporations we battle, whose only goal is to maximize profit at your expense.
They want you to squabble about outdated penny fees and unlikely strikes so you don’t hear this: – Union employees get paid better, period! – Union employees get better health care, period! – Union employees get better pensions, period! …and straight-up Union employees don’t have to take crap from their employers anymore on the job or be subject to harassment or termination without cause because you will finally be protected on the job.
So, let’s set the record straight. -You will not pay any initiation fees because we don’t enforce that -You will not be forced to do any disciplinary activities because we don’t do that in our modern Union -You won’t pay any union dues until you have a contract -In the extremely unlikely event that a strike is considered, the members always get a vote on whether or not to strike, period.
And the company doesn’t want you to know this because if you VOTE UNION YES, then they can’t keep robbing you of your fair wages and benefits.
Take it from those who know and the drivers they support
Members at Alhambra Water voted unanimously to authorize a strike and engaged in practice picketing yesterday morning at four Bay Area locations. Progress of negotiations has been very slow with Alhambra and there have been several key areas that Alhamabra is refusing to recognize.
The members are being paid below the industry standard for the work they do, and the company has continually tried to change company policy affecting members without member involvement.
There is no win-win with these tactics, so members are fed up, and rightly so. They may have to use their ace in the hole and strike, just to get whats fair.
This past Saturday, Teamsters Locals 70, 315, 896, and 853 voted by a margin of 370-29 to ratify a new contract and an extensive change of operations agreement. This was a long and complex contract that incorporated many moving parts, including the restructuring of territories in the Bay Area.
Shout out to our Coca-Cola stewards, Jerry Trujillo and Jason Aguilar, and everyone who participated in the decision-making committees.
Special thanks to Pete Lamb, International Representative of the Brewery Soft Drink division, for bringing everything together in the dark hours before dawn (literally)!
This past Saturday, 80 Performance Food Group drivers in Gilroy assembled at the company to vote their first contract. It was a tremendous success as the members voted 100% YES in unity.
This has been a year-long effort made by the IBT, Tom Erickson, and Teamsters Local 630, all of whom graciously sent videos and supported these drivers through the entire process from UNION YES to RATIFICATION AT 100%. We also want to thank the company for getting to a cooperative point in negotiations and doing the right thing for these drivers.
“With so many coming together to make this happen, these drivers were so excited to vote on this life-changing contract.” said Teamster 853 Vice-President Ray Torres “Big shout out to the contract committee, the IBT, International Vice President, Tom Erickson, Teamsters Local 630 for all the videos and support….and especially to Secretary-Treasurer Steve Beck who made the contacts, commitment, and resources available to hit a grand slam on this organizing drive.”
