News

US Foods Drivers End Strike – Secures Industry Leading Contract for Food Service industry

Teamsters Local 853 is excited to announce the end of the US Foods strike in Livermore, where a proposal was just voted on and has been ratified by the membership.

Point blank, this was an incredible, industry-leading contract that secured significant wage gains, badly needed health care relief and safety language that allowed the drivers to determine whether routes and trucks are safe to work, and authority to remedy safety concerns.

This contract has been a struggle from the start. These drivers voted to join the Teamsters in 2024 and, for many months, have been negotiating with the company. When things soured and their backs were against the wall, they had no choice but to strike. It was a decision that was not taken lightly.

“I was so proud and humbled to have stood with all of these members through this fight,” said Ray Torres, Teamsters Local 853 Vice President and Strike Captain. “Their determination and desire for something better is a very welcome addition to our over 13,000-person strong Teamster Family at 853.”

This was a Teamster community effort. We want to recognize all of the members and other locals who took the time to stand with our members. Your support was critical in keeping the momentum and motivation up.

Special shout out to Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division, Tom Erickson, for his guidance and support, and everyone who contributed at the IBT.

Stay tuned to this space, as there will be more to come, but for now, we want to recognize and congratulate every one of the drivers at US Foods in Livermore!!!!!!!

US Foods Drivers End Strike – Secures Industry Leading Contract for Food Service industry Read More »

Teamsters Local 912, now 853, was the center of the Universe in the 1980s during the Watsonville Strike – watch the Movie, March 8th

Sisters and Brothers,

During a time when Ronald Reagan broke the back of the Air Traffic Controllers, Union work and protections was heavily debated. It was during this time that these Teamsters went on Strike for eighteen(18) months as a beacon of solidarity and justice for the workers who make all the money for the frozen foods corporations in Watsonville.

On March 8th, there will be a screening of a documentary that highlights their struggle. This is a significant part of the history of the Parajo Valley. Don’t miss the opportunity to understand what the workers before you had to do to establish the rights, wages, and benefits you now enjoy. And the legacy they have left you.

Be sure to get tickets in advance here at this link 👉 Watsonville on Strike.

Get tickets

Also showing after is a follow-up documentary: Daughters of the Strike / Hijas de la huelga. (This short film features sisters Blanca and Wendy, and their mother Sylvia, a former cannery worker and one of the striking workers during the historic Watsonville Cannery Strike of the mid-1980s. )

CineLux Green Valley Cinema
Movie Theater
1125 South Green Valley Road Watsonville, CA 95076
March 8, 2025, 6:30 - 8:30 PM PST

Watsonville On Strike is an intimate portrait of the 18-month cannery workers’ strike which virtually paralyzed this rural California town

This superb documentary showing the unvarnished facts of long, hard-fought labor battle–workers united, workers divided, the high and low points–may be the best introduction yet available to the realities of class struggle as it exists today. 

–Jessica Mitford, Author

Update: March 20th

Teamsters 853 Business Agents Santos Lerma, Gloria Segura, and Ralph Campos were in attendance for this film. Below are some of the women who participated in the strike and attended the showing. 18 Months was the strike of all strikes. These members are amazing.

Teamsters Local 912, now 853, was the center of the Universe in the 1980s during the Watsonville Strike – watch the Movie, March 8th Read More »

VISTAR DRIVERS, Welcome to Teamsters Local 853

VISTAR Brothers,
My name is Steve Beck, I am the secretary-treasurer and Principal Officer at Teamsters Local 853. I am responsible for leading Teamsters Local 853.

Congratulations on the vote you recently took to become a Teamster. I want to welcome you into our Teamster family formally. I have already heard about and witnessed the unity your group has shown, which propelled you to a high-margin win on your vote. This unity is going to serve you well.

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 USFOODS, Coremark, UNFI, Sysco Foods, and Performance Food Groups are all Teamsters 853 members, 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 can you 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:

Sign Up

Follow our feeds on Facebook and Instagram, where you will regularly see members like you all over the Bay Area and the work they do.

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

VISTAR DRIVERS, Welcome to Teamsters Local 853 Read More »

UNFI Ratified historic contract with Union healthcare and pension!!! Just weeks after collecting 1.3 Million in back Pay.

Drivers at UNFI Gilroy have just secured a historic contract with the company. And just weeks after forty-two(42) UNFI Teamster members secured 1.3 million dollars of back pay that was owed to them due to a wage calculation error.

This was a very strong second contract win for the members at UNFI. Not only increasing their wages above market rate but also securing Union Healthcare and Pensions.

“I am so proud of these members. These drivers did what works.” Said Teamsters Local 853 Vice President and UNFI Business Agent Ray Torres, “First, they determined what was important to them in this contract. Then, they determined a fair level of compensation based on their performance. Then most importantly, they trusted each other and the judgment of the leadership and negotiating committee and showed willingness to strike for those earnings.”

“We held the line strong,” said Ruben Lopez, the Chief Steward for UNFI “when we bargained the first contract, we knew we might not get everything we wanted, but this second time around because everyone held together, we advanced our positions on the Healthcare and Pension, and proved our worth over the past 3 years. This group deserves my highest praise.”

When presented in this way, the company understood that they needed to share their profits with the employees who made them successful.

UNFI is one of the four major Food Service Industry Trucking companies, along with PFG(Performance Food Groups/VISTAR), USFOODS, and SYSCO FOODS, that Teamsters Local 853 represent in the Bay Area.

If you know of any drivers or warehouse workers that are in the Bay Area food service industry not under Union Contract, let us know. If they want to be fairly compensated and protected for their work, let’s actively work to get them into our Teamster family for their sake and the sake of their families.

UNFI Ratified historic contract with Union healthcare and pension!!! Just weeks after collecting 1.3 Million in back Pay. Read More »

Teamsters at Bimbo Bakeries, Castroville, in negotiatins for their next contract

Pictured here are just a few of the outstanding Teamsters 853 from Bimbo Bakeries Castroville. Led by Chief Steward Louis, this group is coordinating the charge in their current contract fight. “I am very proud of this group and all of our members at Bimbo. They are refusing to accept anything other than what they deserve.” Said Business Agent David Crawford. “These members serve our community every day and ensure that people have food on their table. Without their dedication and sacrifice, the community they serve would suffer. We owe them our support in this contract fight”.

Stay tuned as this negotiation unfolds!!

Teamsters at Bimbo Bakeries, Castroville, in negotiatins for their next contract Read More »

VISTAR Drivers Vote Overwhelmingly to Join Teamsters Local 853

To all Teamster 853 members,

📣📣🥳🥳👏🎉 Please join us in welcoming our newest members, who just today voted to join our ranks.

These 29 drivers at VISTAR voted to join Teamsters Local 853, and were solid from start to finish. We are looking forward to getting them the wages, benefits, and job protections they have earned on the job. And in return, we feel this energetic, solid group will be great members, and a great addition to our Teamster family.

“A model of determination and unity, this group has shown courage from the very beginning,” said Teamsters Local 853 Vice President Ray Torres, “They stood up to the Union Buster and to corporate greed. I couldn’t be prouder of how they came together as one and simply knocked it out of the park!”

“When organizing a group, one of the first things we gauge is the group’s enthusiasm and determination. When we started with this group at VISTAR, they were already acting like Teamsters.” Said Teamsters Local 853 Secretary-Treasurer Steve Beck, “They were banded together and determined to act as one unit from the first day. And it showed in their overwhelming vote to unionize. All they needed was a little direction and guidance; they already had the rest wrapped up. I’m impressed, proud, and excited to have this group join our 853 family.”  

Please join us in welcoming them!!!!

VISTAR Drivers Vote Overwhelmingly to Join Teamsters Local 853 Read More »

Small battle, big win for 853 Members at DHL PAO, Sunnyvale

DHL Steward Darren and Business Agent James Long used a grievance along with a potential Unfair Labor Practice charge for bad faith bargaining to stop DHL Sunnyvale from enacting a semi-annual bid that the members did not agree to!  After a review and further back and forth between Local 853 and the company, DHL was required to follow a provision in the contract, the 20/60 rule, which then created three new bids.   

This was a great win for all the members working at DHL and another example of how a contract and Teamster unity protect workers on the job. Shout out to steward Darren and the rest of the team for making it happen!

💪💪💪 Pictured above is Darren removing the semi-annual bid from the board!

Small battle, big win for 853 Members at DHL PAO, Sunnyvale Read More »

Martin Luther King Jr.: Champion of Labor Unions and Equality for All

853 Sisters and Brothers,

On this MLK day, we would like to remind you of the ties between King’s efforts and the success of the Labor Movement in the 50s and 60s. We felt it important we understand the history of a man whose efforts built a foundation that we all now stand on.

Labor and Equal Rights

Martin Luther King Jr. was not only a leader in the civil rights movement but also a passionate advocate for labor unions and workers’ rights. He understood that economic justice was inseparable from racial equality and believed that unions were essential to building a fair and equitable society. King’s work demonstrated that the fight for civil rights was also a fight for the dignity and well-being of all workers, regardless of race or class.

King consistently supported labor unions, viewing them as a powerful force for social and economic change. He praised the labor movement for transforming oppressive conditions into progress and opportunity, declaring that unions were “the first anti-poverty program.” King stood in solidarity with workers, joining strikes and protests to demand fair wages, safe working conditions, and the right to unionize.

King’s Death

Tragically, King was killed in Memphis, there to support the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers’ strike, where he championed the cause of Black workers who marched under the rallying cry “I Am a Man.” Cementing his legacy as a tireless advocate for labor rights.

Equality in our modern time

While labor unions were central to King’s vision, his advocacy extended to broader struggles for equality. He believed that economic justice and racial justice were deeply intertwined and that no group could achieve true freedom without solidarity among all marginalized communities. King often emphasized that injustice in one area threatened justice everywhere, urging people of all backgrounds to unite in the pursuit of equality.

King’s legacy as a champion of labor unions and universal human dignity serves as a reminder that the fight for justice requires collective action. His unwavering commitment to economic and social equality continues to inspire movements for fairness and opportunity today.

Martin Luther King Jr.: Champion of Labor Unions and Equality for All Read More »

Teamster 853 union officials support Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien and Congressman Adam Schiff and the Recent NLRB ruling for Amazon workers

Amazon. The company has grown so fast that no single organization or government agency has been able to keep up. Among the large transport and delivery companies like UPS, FedEx, and DHL, Amazon is widely known for providing their drivers and warehouse workers with wages and benefits below industry standards.

Consequently, all eyes are on the Teamsters organization nationally as they prosecute the case to organize this industry juggernaut.

One of the major ways Amazon has been able to get around paying their employees prevailing wages and benefits is by hiding behind subcontractors. Amazon contracts with smaller delivery companies established specifically to deliver for Amazon, but since these smaller companies are considered contract workers, Amazon is not required to consider them direct employees, and the job protections that come with this arrangement.

Recent NLRB Bombshell Ruling in Favor of Amazon Workers

President Biden’s appointed NLRB board has recently ruled that Amazon’s sleight-of-hand workaround is no longer legally binding to hide behind. In a recent ruling, the NLRB(National Labor Relations Board) has said that regardless of the middleman contract worker status, Unions can now treat these subcontractors as direct employees of Amazon and, therefore, can pursue organizing from a much stronger position for these workers.

So when the Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien and Congressman Adam Schiff did a joint media event to mark this new ruling, Teamsters Local 853 answered the call.
Teamsters 853 President Steven Lua, Vice President Ray Torres, and Recording Secretary Mike Henneberry joined them to show our support for these Amazon workers and this larger national strategy.

The importance of bringing equity and fairness to such a large part of the warehouse and delivery community in the United States cannot be understated. These workers deserve better, and the Teamsters are fighting to bring it to them.

Stay tuned to this space as we bring you more updates on the progress of this very significant initiative and how it will impact the Amazon workers right here in the Bay Area.

Teamster 853 union officials support Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien and Congressman Adam Schiff and the Recent NLRB ruling for Amazon workers Read More »

Labor Day – The battle between the rich and the working class – How FDR(Franklin D. Roosevelt) Changed everything for Unions in 1937

In the 1920s and 30s, union membership had been decreasing significantly for decades. The gap between the rich and middle class was at a high point in history for that time period. It was a time when the rich were able to exploit workers almost unrestricted. Federal laws protecting workers’ rights to Unionize were weak, with little real ability to force companies to follow labor protection laws.

Enter FDR

Historically, Franklin D. Roosevelt was widely considered the second-best president of the United States, only behind Abraham Lincoln. He shepherded our country through WW2 and the Great Depression and, as part of his New Deal agenda, passed some of the most significant laws in history to protect and lift up the middle class.

These laws gave Americans the rights and the tools to even out the wealth gap and provide more fairness between workers and companies.

As part of this “New Deal,” FDR signed into law the single most impactful pro-union legislation in history. It was called the Wagner Act, which gave real teeth to enforce workers’ rights and push back at corporate exploitation.

As a result, unions experienced a massive increase in membership in the late 30s, 40s, and 50s, and they were arguably responsible for building the middle class in America.

Labor Day 2024

So today, on Labor Day 2024, Teamsters Local 853 would like to commemorate FDR for what he did for working women and men in America. And for fundamentally giving Teamsters and every other Union the rights and protections to thrive.

But, more is needed at this point in history.

It’s easy to get nostalgic about a time eight decades ago as a great era for Unions, but we would be remiss in pointing out that corporate exploitation of workers has been increasing since the 1960s, and Union membership has been declining since then as a result. But there is hope. Over the past three years, we have lived in a resurgence of union support, largely due to our current presidential administration. President Biden is widely known and accepted as the most pro-Union president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt. So we are privileged to currently live in an era where we are beginning to reverse many decades of worker exploitation. You probably see it in all the record contracts of the past three years. We hope that eighty years from now, unions will look back fondly and speak of the two great presidents for Labor. One of which presided in our time.

Teamster 853 Sisters and Brothers, Enjoy your weekend and take pride in the work you do and the point in history we, as Union members, occupy. Most of all, join us in respecting all those who came before us, giving us the wages and job protection that help keep the goals of a strong middle class alive.

Teamsters Strong, Teamsters Proud

Labor Day – The battle between the rich and the working class – How FDR(Franklin D. Roosevelt) Changed everything for Unions in 1937 Read More »