Local 853

 The 122 drivers, warehouse workers, draft technicians, order pickers, merchandisers and sales workers at AB (formerly Horizon Beverage) in Oakland ratified their four-year contract by a 72% margin in June.

“The biggest issue to overcome was that the structure of pay for drivers was changed from hourly to base-plus-commission,” explained Business Rep Efren Alarcon. “They’ll no longer get overtime, which is a big change. But our experience is that good drivers will make a lot more money this way.”

While the drivers were unhappy with that part of the proposal, Alarcon says he knew that the company was never going to lift it. “The Southern California local went on strike for six weeks over the same issue and the company didn’t budge.” Alarcon adds that the negotiating committee included four rank and file members who “pushed strong and hard to make as many improvements as possible to the driver compensation package, including safety nets.”

That change aside, the committee was successful in racking up big gains to the pension and medical plans. “We went from a company medical plan to Teamsters National Trust, which is huge. We also got significant raises for the sales group, bringing them up to where they should be. By ratifying the contract, all members received a $1,500 signing bonus.”

The AB contract was set to expire on April 1. Alarcon says that he and the committee began bargaining in February and that they met with the company 14 times via Zoom. “That was a challenge as we had to learn to exercise patience,” Alarcon adds. “The process was lengthy but cordial and professional throughout.”

Alarcon had a lot of thanks to spread around. First was to the bargaining committee:  Patrick Christy and Sujit Singh, both drivers; Rich Weinberger, Sales; and Tim Griego, Warehouse. He also wanted to acknowledge the help and advice he got from Local 853 President Dennis Hart, Secretary-Treasurer Rome Aloise, and IBT Beverage Conference Chair Greg Nowak, who used his relationship with AB nationally and lent the support of the Conference to help finalize the contract.

Sometimes good news takes time! On June 14, 2021, the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) ruled in favor of Local 853 regarding a unilateral change made by the San Francisco Department of Public Works.

The union had filed an unfair labor practice charge against DPW in August of 2018 alleging that the new Human Resources Director at DPW had made a unilateral change by allowing employees only one union representative at investigations, Weingarten meetings and Skelly hearings and that the change was implemented without notice to the union.  The PERB judge stated that it was the Employer’s duty to make sure policy is implemented properly, which includes giving notice to the union and making sure that HR directives do not result in a unilateral change in working conditions.

As a result, PERB ordered the City to stop imposing a one-representative limit on employees at investigations, Weingarten meetings and Skelly hearings and they ordered a notice posting.  Most importantly, PERB ordered the City to make whole the affected employees by taking back any disciplinary action that resulted from the failure to permit more than one representative at Skelly hearings and Weingarten and investigative meetings.

The Teamsters San Jose parking lot was the site of the Youth Ride and Stunt Show on Saturday, June 19. The event was held with other community activists to help at-risk youth stay off the streets and either get a union job or further their education More than 150 young people attended the event.

The Department of Industrial Relations ruled in favor of a Teamster petition to require the prevailing wage for ready-mix drivers who do on- and off-hauling to and from construction sites in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties. This means that the minimum rates for this work go from $33.85 to $69.07 per hour.

“This doesn’t change the rate for our members,” says Stu Helfer “because they were already getting the higher rate. However, it protects our standards and brings up the wages of lots of non-union ready-mix drivers when they work on a prevailing wage job.”

This determination had previously been made in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

“Our contractors told us that we have to level the playing field. So we did,” Helfer says with great pride.

A majority of the 15 drivers, janitors, and maintenance workers at Crothall Healthcare in Gilroy filed cards to show their interest in joining Local 853. These workers had a laundry list of grievances, including safety issues, favoritism, mistreatment, and lack of respect. Surprising everyone—including organizer Pablo Barrera—the company recognized the unit without having to have an NLRB election.

“We were sure that we’d have a fight on our hands,” says Barrera. “But because the Manteca facility is already under contract with Local 386, the company didn’t have a problem recognizing the union through card check. We are working to develop a contract using the 386 agreement as a template.”

The Gilroy facility services major Bay Area hospitals with linens, towels, blankets, pillowcases, laboratory coats, and hospital scrubs.

The nearly 100 members at the Safeway Milk Plant in San Leandro unanimously ratified their new four-year contract on July 8.

“These members worked through the pandemic, supplying milk and other products for Safeway and other brands. The company has been investing a lot of money into expanding the plant for new lines, like almond milks and creamers, and it was time that they also invested in their employees,” said Business Rep Jesse Casqueiro.

The agreement was all about economics: The members will get good wage increases each year of the contract and the company will increase their pension contributions each year as well. The contract also included additional trainer pay and a night shift differential.

After our highly successful San Jose job fair in July, Teamsters Local 853 is sponsoring an Oakland job fair on August 28. It will be held from 8 a.m. to Noon on Saturday, August 28 at our Oakland office parking lot: 7750 Pardee Lane.

Job seekers are encouraged to bring copies of their resumé. They\’ll have an opportunity to meet job recruiters from about 15 different Teamster employers, ranging from drivers (tech bus, school bus, paratransit, truck); warehouse; and manufacturing. All jobs pay good wage, offer a variety of benefits and a union contract with a voice on the job

This is an ideal opportunity for people who were laid off during the pandemic or who want to make a job/career change.

Check out the brochure here: Job Fair Oakland

Were you laid off due to the pandemic shutdowns? Do you hate your job but want to keep good Teamster wages and benefits? Do you know someone out of work?

Come to the Teamster Job Fair on Saturday, July 10 (8 a.m. to Noon) and/or spread the word!

Fourteen Teamster employers who collectively have more than 150 jobs available will be coming to the Teamster 853 office in San Jose (1452 N. Fourth Street) to see who they can sign up. This is a tremendous opportunity to make a new start with a Teamster job. Positions include drivers (bus, shuttle, truck, paratransit); merchandisers and route sales, manufacturing, and more.

For more info or to pre-register for the event, use the QR code below or go online to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/teamsters-job/fair-tickets-158812330957.

(May 26, 2021)  This morning, a gunman killed eight Valley Transportation Agency (VTA) workers and himself at a union meeting of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 in San Jose.

Teamsters Local 853 also has members who subcontract to the VTA. The following is a statement by Teamsters Joint Council 7 President Rome Aloise:

“Fortunately, our members were safe from this horrific event. However, this is yet another devastating mass shooting that has snatched the lives of working people in the course of their day. These workers, who continued to put themselves at risk and work heroically throughout the COVID shutdowns should not have to fear for their lives due to the pandemic of gun violence. We join with the South Bay Central Labor Council and Working Partnerships USA to support a fund for the victims’ families that they established this morning, and will strive to ensure that no more workers are harmed by senseless violence.”

The following is a statement by South Bay Labor Council Executive Officer Jean Cohen:

\”We’re heartbroken to hear the news this morning of a mass shooting at the VTA light rail yard. As we closely monitor the situation, our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all VTA workers. These are our brothers and sisters in the labor movement, and we are here for them with love, solidarity, and support.\”

Donations may be made here: https://act.wpusa.org/vta_victims_support_fund