We have a lot of movement going on right now regarding your progress and wanted to give you some updates.
Your election has been recognized and certified by the NLRB(National Labor Relations Board.)
We have assembled a bargaining committee of some of your fellow workers and have been in discussion.
US Foods management has agreed to begin negotiating with your group this coming March.
We will be announcing a proposal meeting for all US Foods Drivers in the next few weeks to discuss and submit a proposal to the company. This is where we all discuss what you want from the company. Then, we will draw up a formal proposal.
Please stay tuned, and please attend the proposal meeting when we announce it to ensure you have your say and are informed of our progress.
US Foods Brothers, I am Steve Beck, the secretary-treasurer and principal officer at Teamsters Local 853. I am responsible for leading Teamsters Local 853.
Congratulations on the vote you took to become a Teamster. I welcome you into our family. Today is a great day for you and your coworker’s future at US Foods.
Teamsters Local 853 represents 13,000 members just like you in the Bay Area from over 300 companies. We have considerable expertise in negotiating good contracts in your industry. Drivers at Coremark, UNFI, Sysco Foods, and Performance Food Groups are all Teamsters, so we know what fair wages and benefits look like in this industry, and we will be fighting to get you the salary and benefits you deserve for the work you provide.
We need your help and your participation.
For as long as I am here, you will hear me talk about the most important thing about being in a union. That is to be a well-informed member and to participate in the Teamster activities that affect you and your fellow members.
Unions are only as effective as their members’ unity and motivation to take a stand and help each other. Unity in numbers is how we get good contracts against greedy employers and how we get labor-friendly legislation. We vote for politicians who understand and support the working women and men who live in our communities, and we show up and use our collective voices to protest injustice in the workplace.
This is a battle between corporations whose sole mission is to make as much money as possible by any legal means… and the workers who usually deserve more than they get from those employers.
What you can do to start things off.
Please start getting involved now by signing up to our email list, where you will get important information on events that affect you and your coworkers here:
On behalf of myself, Steven Lua, our President, and the entire staff at Teamsters Local 853, welcome again, and let’s do this smartly and together, the Union way.
In Union, Steve Beck Secretary-Treasurer and Principal Officer of Teamsters Local 853
There is a reason US Foods is giving you confusing and conflicting information. And, in some cases, outright lying about this vote.
WHY?:
US Foods will lose a lot of money once you become a union group. They can no longer dictate what they pay you and how they treat you. And that is a very big and expensive problem for the company. So, of course, they want you to vote no.
A YES VOTE means they can no longer take the profits they should rightly be paying you, the workers who make their company successful. Plain and simple math. You get that money now, not their shareholders.
These are some answers to the lies we have heard US Foods has been telling you.
LIE # 1 – the union can force you to strike —— TRUTH – A strike is always authorized by a vote of the members being asked to strike. The Union cannot force a group to strike in any circumstance.
LIE # 2 – US Foods would have addressed your concerns without involving the union if you had come to them before contacting the Union —— TRUTH – The company will do anything it can to keep you from Unionizing because they lose profits and control once the Union comes in and gets you the wages, benefits, and job protection you deserve.
LIE # 3 – US Foods cant give you a cost of living raise while you are in a Union Vote —— TRUTH – The company can give you a cost of living increase as long as they are not giving it to you in exchange for a NO VOTE
LIE # 4 – You will pay initiation fees —– TRUTH – You will NOT pay any initiation fees to join the union, ever.
LIE # 5 – You will pay union fees as soon as you vote yes —- TRUTH – You will NOT pay union dues until your group has a contract with US Foods.
VOTE YES – and change your life for the better. Let’s get to the process of moving some of those profits over to where they belong: the workers! 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽
US Foods Drivers, ballots were mailed out to your home on December 14th. A better future for you is today. CHECK YOUR MAILBOX!!!
There has been some confusion on how to vote. We have heard that US FOODS has been giving confusing, conflicting, or straight-out misinformation regarding this vote.
When you vote, ONLY MAKE ONE MARK on the Ballot—your vote. Marking your ballot in any other way will make the ballot invalid. – DO NOT SIGN IT, DO NOT DATE IT, just put an X in the box for your YES vote!!!
Mail your ballot back right away. If you fail to mail your ballot, your vote will not be counted.
DO NOT Sign the Ballot or mark it in any way other than your vote.
You will NOT pay any initiation fees to join the union.
You will NOT pay union dues until your group has a contract with US Foods.
Vice President Teamsters Local 104 in Arizona, who represents US Foods drivers sets the record straight on their last contract with US Foods.
Their last contract got a $3.35 raise upfront with $1 raises the subsequent 3 years along with free Teamsters health insurance for members and their families and Teamster Pension Fund. That is the power of bargaining as a unit, and not just taking what the employer offers.
If you have any questions, give Teamsters 853 Vice President Ray Torres a call at 661-903-2980.
Remember, in California these are the Union differences between Union and Non-Union.
So if you vote YES, you will be more likely to secure better benefits and salary.
-higher wages (11.2% more than what nonunion workers make)
-employer-provided health insurance (96% compared to 69%)
-access to paid sick days (93% compared to 75%)
-retirement benefits through private employers (82% to 48%);
-and pensions through private employers are much more likely (54% to 8%).
Let’s do this. Pave the way to a stronger and better future for you and your family.
For the entire time you will be a Teamsters 853 member, you will hear from the leadership to get involved with your union. We throw out slogans like “We are stronger together”, and “Strength in numbers”.
But what does it really mean to get involved with the Teamsters 853 union? What can one member do to help. And how does that effort translate into helping our members or working women and men in general?
Three new members make a huge impact.
This is the story of Three Premier Recycler members in San Jose who stood up to testify to the San Jose City Council on wage theft. Their testimony contributed to convincing several council members to aggressively and publically stand up to Premier Recycle and advocate specifically for the workers and their contract.
Roughly a year ago, Premier Recycle workers in San Jose voted to unionize their workplace as Teamster 853 members. For the past year, Premier Recycle has employed standard union-busting tactics to stall a Union contract from moving forward. The longer they stall, the better it is for them.
So recently, Teamster 853 members Alex Obeso, Ramon Castillo, and Mike Flores from Premier Recycle, along with Business Agent Jesse Casqueiro and Vice President Ray Torres, took the opportunity to make statements to the San Jose City Council on wage theft in their industry.
Around the same time, a letter was written on behalf of three of the San Jose city council members to the company that owns Premier Recycle. This excerpt sums up the tone of the letter.
“We are well acquainted with the strategies you are all implementing to intimidate your workers from organizing and ensuring a quality workplace. We have heard concerns of safety & wage theft claims, falsification of votes, unwarranted surveillance and a general environment of hostility, division and divisiveness among other unfair labor practices. Let it be known that we take jeopardizing the wellbeing of working families as a personal issue. The resilience and strength of San José is built upon the labor of the working-class. This is an understanding that many of our Council colleagues share. ”
San Jose Councilmember, Peter Ortiz
Read the whole letter from three San Jose council members to the owners of Premier Recycle.
This is the power of participation of just three members of Teamsters Local 853, who stepped up and decided to get involved. Their actions resulted in securing strong allies in government who will advocate for workers everywhere.
So when you say, “I’m just one member of Teamsters Local 853, what can I do?” We say a lot!!! Now you know just one way members can change things for the better.
There are also simple ways to get involved in your union.
Teamsters at Golden Brands in San Francisco on Saturday ratified a four-year contract that had the full support of the Union Negotiating Committee. 87 of 117 members in the unit showed up Saturday morning to vote.
“I’m extremely proud of these members and want to say special thanks to my STRONG, VOCAL & FOCUSED negotiating committee,” said Business Agent Efren Alarcon. “Because these four stuck together, they ensured the whole group got a good contract!”
Congratulations to our Sisters and Brothers at Golden Brands.
Teamsters at Matagrano Beer’s new facility in Hayward. After decades of being in South San Francisco, all 124 Teamsters at Matagrano Beer were asked to report to duty 30 miles away in Haward, CA. There was a mix of reactions from members. For some, the move brought them closer to home, and for others, farther away.
From left to right are: Solis, Phil Arellano, David Tan, and Joe B.
From left to right are: Danny D., Ismael Sifuentes, and Jaime Saenz
On Friday, March 10, 2023, after heavy storms swept through many parts of California, the Watsonville and Pajaro community was devastated when a levee broke, and flooding caused 1,700 residents to be evacuated from their homes. Teamsters Local 853 represents members who were impacted by these floods and to date, members from S. Martinelli, Del Mar Foods, and H.A. Rider have been relocated to shelters and hotels while they wait for officials to allow them to return home. The flood has been named one of the biggest weather-related disasters in California and we are only in the beginning stages of how it has affected the community.
Pajaro Valley is known for its agriculture and is home to many farm workers who will be out of a job this year due to the compromised crops caused by the flooding. The long-term damage means that some of the members we represent will have a low volume of crops to process and package. This affects members from Driscoll’s, Del Mar Foods, and the cold storages that store these crops.
Teamsters Local 853 partnered with other Unions (UFCW, Liuna, Teachers Unions, and others) along with the Monterey and Santa Cruz Central Labor Council that represent employees in the community to host a BBQ event on Wednesday, March 22. We assisted our members and the community by distributing gift cards for groceries. We also distributed clothing and toiletries. We had a strong showing of over 100 members, city officials, and union representatives who spoke on overcoming the devastation these floods created and continuing to build on our community.
If you, or someone you know, have been affected by the flooding, and you are seeking information or support, please contact Teamsters Local 853 President, Steven Lua, with the provided contact information below.
Steven Lua
Teamsters Local 853
22 E. 5th Street
Watsonville, CA 95076
Phone# (831) 724-0683
Fax# (831) 724-1554
