Member Info

Many of us who enjoy our Union Jobs may not understand the work that goes into organizing a group of workers who want to vote Union YES.

And those of us who have been through it know all too well how grueling and hard it can be for potential members.

We celebrate the members who win with joy and exuberance, because the members are the ones who had the courage to step out of their comfort zone and strike out for something better truly life changing.

But this is about the behind-the-scenes coordination that takes place on every organizing campaign. It is never ever as simple as a group of workers getting together and voting.

Most times, when a Union vote is announced and certified by the National Labor Relations Board(NLRB), the company will hire Union Busters. These Union Busters have one purpose: to stop the workers from unionizing by deceiving and intimidating workers during the entire campaign. They plant seeds of doubt with lies and deceptions, full stop. And those tiny seeds of doubt can derail an otherwise well-intentioned group of workers who just want a union contract for a better life.

It takes a group of professionals to successfully deliver the truth to workers who are in a Union campaign. It’s an all-hands-on-deck effort. So when First Student Bus Drivers contacted Local 853 for representation, we reached out to the IBT and JC7 to team up on the Union campaign, and the results were phenomenal.

Business Agent Tracy Kelley, who manages and supports roughly 1100 members in the bus driver division(dispatchers, vehicle cleaners, reservationists, and warehouse members) worked with IBT/JC7 organizers Adam Padilla, Allison Calistro-Yazzie, Aurellio Mendoza, Maria Ambriz, and Alejandro Negrete, to put together an all-hands-on-deck campaign to support these potential members. Weeks of multiple in-person one-on-one conversations, group meetings, emails, and text messages kept First-Student bus drivers in possession of the truth about Union representation. It ultimately resulted in a whopping 29-6 vote yes. A rarely seen percentage.

Teamsters Local 853 would like to take this space to recognize the efforts of this group, who did such a good job. Their selfless work in support of our Local was a model of unity and success.

“This group’s hustle on the First Student organizing drive was Teamsters-level good. Their contribution made Teamsters Local 853 stronger as a local, and was a model of cooperation between our Local and the IBT and JC7.” said Stephen Beck, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of Local 853.“Because of their effort, I can congratulate our newest brothers and sisters for standing up for what they deserve,” “These drivers ensure that our kids get to and from school safely. And now they will be treated with respect they deserve with a fair contract that reflects their importance within the community.”

Pictured from left to right: Organizer Aurellio Mendoza, Organizer Maria Ambriz, First Student Driver Vanessa Bumbrico, Organizer Adam Padilla, Organizer Allison Calistro-Yazzie, and Business Agent Tracy Kelley 

On April 24, employees of TransDev/Ride Plus in Redwood City voted to join Teamsters Local 853 and pre-ratified a contract that includes the same “No Strike – No Lockout” provisions found in agreements with TransDev workers nationwide. This language is standard across the country and appears in contracts covering thousands of TransDev employees. It serves a critical role in protecting workers’ rights, ensuring they retain the power to take action when all other efforts for fair treatment have failed. The “No Strike – No Lockout” clause is a cornerstone of union rights and must never be surrendered under any contract.

But this is what TransDev is trying to do with our new Sisters and Brothers in Redwood City. They have stalled negotiations on this specific point. Taking away this fundamental right for workers to stand together, for each other.

So we are asking for your support of these workers by building an awareness campaign. Know that, like so many first contracts before, these workers at TransDev Redwood City are standing together and demanding the language they deserve in their contract.

Please stay tuned, more to come on their struggle.