News

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 »

Teamsters 853 hosts barbecue for Costco Teamsters in San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Redwood City in preparation for national contract negotiations

Teamster 853 Costco workers in the Bay Area will soon be gearing up for contract negotiations. And what better way to start getting our Costco Teamster family focused and united on this coming contract than a delicious barbecue? Costco has a National contract with thousands of members across the country, and a good way to start getting our Costco Teamster family focused on this coming contract is to have a meal together and discuss strategy. So last week, Teamsters Local 853 served barbecue to our members in San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Redwood City.

“When Teamsters are unified, we win big. So, we are bringing our Costco family together to get ready for our upcoming National Contract negotiations.” Said Teamster President Steven Lua. “We’re looking forward to working with our Costco sisters and brothers across the whole country.”

“We come out to these members’ workplaces, serve them food, and talk about the best way to maximize our opportunity in this contract.” Said Teamster Business Agent Cesar Martinez, “It’s a great way to kick things off among a group that is already very strong and focused.”

This was a multi-day affair. Local 853 made sure there were enough staff in attendance to talk to members and help with the barbecue. In attendance were Secretary-Treasurer Steve Beck, President Steven Lua, Vice President Ray Torres, Recording Secretary Mike Henneberry, and Business Agents Scott Gonsalves, James Long, Cesar Martinez, Efren Alarcon, Gloria Segura, and Jonathan Pinney.

San Jose Almaden Costco

Sunnyvale Costco

Redwood City Costco

Teamsters 853 hosts barbecue for Costco Teamsters in San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Redwood City in preparation for national contract negotiations Read More »

Six months of work come to fruition with the 100% ratification of these Teamsters at Watsonville Community Hospital

This Tuesday evening, the teamsters at Watsonville Community Hospital held a ratification meeting, and they voted unanimously to accept the new contract offer.
This has been a long-running affair. Three years ago, the Hospital was in financial trouble under previous leadership, preventing substantive increases for its employees at that time. However, things have changed as the Hospital is now under new leadership and ownership.

“We spent six months working to improve wages and benefits for our members and came out successful in our efforts.” said Teamster 853 President Steven Lua, “This road has been long and winding. Congratulations to these members. They have really earned this victory!”

Teamsters helping Teamsters in Santa Cruz and Monterey County: The history of how Parajo Valley community residents teamed up with Teamsters Local 853, other locals, politicians, and community leaders to save the Watsonville Community Hospital.

The Watsonville Community Hospital is the go-to facility for many residents in the Parajo Valley community. A community made up of parts of Santa Cruz County to the north and Monterey County to the south. This hospital has been a mainstay in the community. In 2022, the “for-profit” hospital filed for bankruptcy and faced a shutdown, which would have been a devastating loss to the community. So Local Unions, including Teamsters Local 853, several area politicians, and community advocates, successfully lobbied to create a specific Parajo Valley Health District to carve out funding to publically save and run the hospital. And in 2022, the bill was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, and the hospital was saved.

The very same Parajo Valley community is home to many Teamster 853 food processing and warehousing workers. These Teamster 853 women and men process and pack the fruits and vegetables in Watsonville for brand names like Green Giant and Driscolls. That food is then shipped all across the country.

So today we not only celebrate this great new contract for the Watsonville Community Hospital Teamsters, but also the success of the lobbying to keep the hospital running and supporting a community that so many other Teamster 853 members live and work in.

If you are a Monterey or Santa Cruz County resident who voted to approve the funding measure in the last election, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your role in strengthening this community of Teamsters.

Six months of work come to fruition with the 100% ratification of these Teamsters at Watsonville Community Hospital Read More »

Douglas Parking Teamsters at Stanford Hospital sit for an Issue Meeting.

We give you the fine gentleman from Douglas Parking at Stanford Hospital. These Teamster 853 members are critical in making sure people have a safe way to travel around the campus and hospital.

 “I have the pleasure of getting to know these members on a personal level,” said Business Agent David Crawford, “knowing and understanding our members this way is the best way we can effectively address their issues. We are building a community based on trust and mutual understanding, so when we need each other to stick together, we are already most of the way there.”

At the meeting we discussed a variety of topics, including sick pay, vacation entitlements, and how to build better relationships and communication between the union and the company so that we all may benefit. 

Thank you, Brothers, for putting the time in to make things better.

Douglas Parking Teamsters at Stanford Hospital sit for an Issue Meeting. Read More »

California Workforce Development Board Visit – Behind the Scenes – Teamster 853 Labor leaders, members, willing companies, and government officials working together to ensure the rights of California workers

The success of the Labor movement depends on many variables. Two of the most important are the solidarity of our members and our leaders’ ability to work with politicians and government organizations to create partnerships and laws that support workers in our communities. If done well, the results are our members’ good contracts.

Member-Company Partnership and Showcase

This year, GILLIG has been a focal point of many high-level political visits because Teamsters Local 853 members and the company have forged a strong worker-company bond that showcases what can be done when the company and their employees work well together. Last week, they hosted a meeting with California Workforce Development Board Executive Director Kaina Pereira, Secretary Stewart Knox, and Asst. Deputy Secretary of Climate, Derek Kirk.

What Got Done

At this meeting, Teamsters Local 853 Secretary-Treasurer Steve Beck, President Steven Lua, and GILLIG Shop Stewards had meaningful discussions with these politicians along with executives from GILLIG. The meeting focused on the continuing need for partnerships at all levels of government to have the support of labor and the companies they represent. These partnerships help secure industry-leading contracts at Teamsters Local 853, which includes important retirement benefits for hundreds of members and their families.

Obligation to Our Members

“The battle between greedy corporations and working families is never-ending,” said Steve Beck, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 853. “As the ones chosen by our membership to lead our Local, we owe them our vigilance and hard work to continue to come out on top, and these meetings and negotiations are one of the ways we fulfill that obligation to our members.”

California Workforce Development Board Visit – Behind the Scenes – Teamster 853 Labor leaders, members, willing companies, and government officials working together to ensure the rights of California workers Read More »

Teamsters Win Battle in the Robotaxi War

Sisters and Brothers,

Over the past weeks and months, the Teamsters in the Bay Area have been focusing on the growing danger that the Robotaxi and autonomous driving vehicles technology poses to Teamsters’ jobs and public safety.

We had the big rally in Sacramento to bring attention to AB316 legislation to Governor Newsom’s attention, and most recently, the rally at the SF Cruise Headquarters to draw public attention to the threat of this unvetted technology being pushed by corporate greed.

And although we don’t win every battle, as evidenced by Governor Newsom’s veto of AB316, it’s the constant pressure and willingness to keep fighting that keeps big tech power in check and under the scrutiny of the public eye.

And, it’s this effort that allows us to claim victory in a battle in this war. Last week, the California DMV, which has oversight over autonomous vehicle development, suspended all RoboTaxi permits in San Francisco, where they were being allowed to be tested. Stopping the entire program, with immediate effect.

It’s a lesson that we continually learn: if you, as a Teamster, come out and support our causes along with Teamster 853 staff, we slow or stop the momentum that corporate greed creates. So, we want to publically acknowledge all the sisters and brothers who made the effort to come out to a rally, support the preparation, or spread the word to keep awareness of our causes in the public eye. You make this victory possible, and without your help and participation, we cannot succeed.

“Something that some of our newer members may be just learning is that when it comes to political action, our union is not always about what our staff can do for our members, but it is what our members do for each other.” Said Steve Beck, Teamster 853 Secretary-Treasurer, “I’ve said it many times: ITS YOUR UNION, and participation at this level is a way to take ownership of your Union and help each other out.”

Stay tuned to this space as we continue to stay active in the interest of our Teamster members.

In Union,

Steve Beck, Steven Lua, and the entire Teamster Staff

Teamsters Win Battle in the Robotaxi War Read More »

New Smart and Final Owners, Grupo Commercial Chedraui, from Mexico, Engages in worker exploitation. fires two entire Union warehouses of employees, then forces them to re-apply at a lower wage to keep job.

Imagine if you were on the job, and one day management just fired everyone, then said you can apply for the same job at a lower wage in a new location. This is exactly what happened at Smart and Final when Grupo Commercial Chedraui from Mexico purchased Smart and Final. These workers demand their jobs be guaranteed at just wages and with a union contract! Without representation from a Union, this kind of blatant injustice and disrespect for employees would go unchallenged.

Teamsters 853 Staff Leaflets six(6) Bay Area Locations. Gilroy, San Mateo, Redwood City, Daily City, Hayward, and Fairfield: So it’s our job to spread the word about how Smart and Final treats their employees. Teamsters Local 853 have now engaged in a first line of defense called leafletting. Simply standing out in front of Smart and Final locations and letting shoppers know what has happened to the Union workers at the company. California is arguably the most Union-friendly state in the country, and informing shoppers to make better choices when shopping for their groceries will get traction from Californians.

So if you shop at Smart and Final or know friends and family who do, send them this article and spread the word. Right now, the new owners of Smart and Final are not respecting their employees for the vital work they do. Just the opposite, they are acting in a completely undignified and exploitative way, treating them like a disposable resource. Spread the word; the more people that know, the faster we can get justice for these workers.

Pictured: Teamsters 853 Business Agents Cesar Martinez, Efren Alarcon, and Gloria Segura, along with Vice-President Ray Torres and organizer Juanita Smith fanned out in the Bay Area to bring awareness to these workers’ cause by leafletting Smart and Final.

New Smart and Final Owners, Grupo Commercial Chedraui, from Mexico, Engages in worker exploitation. fires two entire Union warehouses of employees, then forces them to re-apply at a lower wage to keep job. Read More »

Continuing the Legacy of Those Who Came Before Us.

853 Sisters and Brothers,

Labor Day holds immense significance for Teamster members as it commemorates our union’s hard-fought victories and enduring Solidarity. This day honors the dedication of those who rallied for workers’ rights, leading to better wages, improved working conditions, and the establishment of unions. It reminds us of the power of collective action and the ongoing struggle for fair treatment in our workplaces.

Union members celebrate Labor Day not only as a moment to rest but also as a testament to their ongoing commitment to preserving and advancing workers’ rights across various industries, embodying the essence of unity and progress.

👉 It is crucial as Teamster Members to understand that our good jobs came from the struggle of so many before us. And that without regular participation in this process, our good jobs will suffer under the pressure of corporate greed and exploitation.

👉 When you celebrate your day off for Labor Day this coming Monday, please consider our past and what you might do to further our cause that so many before us started.

In Solidarity,

Steve Beck, Steven Lua, and the entire Teamster 853 Staff

Continuing the Legacy of Those Who Came Before Us. Read More »

Rally for Good Jobs and Safe Streets – Can you attend?

Sisters and Brothers,

It’s no secret that the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is reshaping entire industries. This is triggering unprecedented changes in how we live and work and threatens the livelihoods of millions of working people nationwide.
Teamster drivers are at the forefront of this fight as autonomous vehicles are rolled out across the state.
Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) on public roads with little regulation and without a human operator are fatal threats to Californians’ lives and livelihoods.
Join Teamsters and California Labor as we caravan across the state to our Capitol in Sacramento to call on Gov. Newsom to sign AB 316 to protect good union jobs and keep our streets safe.

WHERE AND WHEN:

Sacramento Capital
Sutter Health Park 
400 Ballpark Dr 
W. Sacramento, CA 95691 

Tuesday, Sept. 19 @10am 

DOWNLOAD THE FLYER

DOWNLOAD

Rally for Good Jobs and Safe Streets – Can you attend? Read More »