Wrongful Termination

Not so fast, Tony’s Fine Foods, we will take our jobs back with full back pay and benefits

Aurelio Mendoza and Ivan Gonzalez are Tony’s Fine Foods stewards who were instrumental in moving the organizing drive forward for their group. So when this group voted UNION YES, what did the company do? They tried to terminate the employment of Aurelio and Ivan on some trumped-up charges. How surprising.

Under the law, this is called retaliation, and it is illegal in the United States.

So despite the company’s best efforts to intimidate these members, we are happy to announce that, yes, the law is on our side. And with the help of Teamsters Local 853 under the guidance of Vice President Ray Torres, Aurelio and Ivan are both back to work with full back pay and back benefits.

And as a general rule, if you are an employer and illegally terminate key union members who also sit on the contract negotiating committee, you have just made extremely motivated enemies of the company. And they are going to bring that energy to the negotiating table and the company will pay the price for such an abuse of power.

Not so fast, Tony’s Fine Foods, we will take our jobs back with full back pay and benefits Read More »

The Perks of Being a Union Member – Family Leave for Newborns

If you are a parent and work a full-time job, then you know what I am about to say. The incredible toll a family newborn takes can only be described as an overwhelming blessing that requires all hands on deck. Teamster Nabil Al-Zoqari from Laz Parking is soon to be the father to a newborn and is preparing for that time by scheduling time off from work. Time that he is entitled to take because of the (FMLA)Family Medical Leave Act.

So last week, Nabil and his steward, Ghebreyesus, met with Business Agent James Long and Laz Parking to make sure it was clear to the company that Nabil wanted to claim some of his FMLA leave. Without union support and representation, workers at non-union companies might not even know that the FMLA exists or would not have the confidence to exercise this option. FMLA entitles workers to take up to 12 weeks off for medical-related life events like childbirth.

This is an example of the everyday work Teamsters do for its members. Helping you navigate the ups and downs of life, like the birth of a child.

So join us as we congratulate Nabil on his newborn child and wish him well in those first critical weeks when that little baby needs to be surrounded by mom and dad.

History of the Federal Medical Leave Act

Prior to 1993, governments and legislators were not up to speed on the new nuclear family. Mom doesn’t stay home any more, both parents work full time jobs, and having a child was seen by many corporations as an impediment to their bottom line profitability. Workers couldn’t take leave for newborns or other medical circumstances without facing the threat of termination.

However, in 1993, under the leadership of President Bill Clinton, the Family Medical Leave Act was voted by Congress and signed into law. Almost entirely driven by democratic Senators and Congressmen, this legislation prevented corporations from terminating employees wishing to take leave for medical reasons or, in this case, a newborn baby and gave them this protection for up to 12 weeks.

It is this law that keeps Nabil and other Teamsters safe from the threat of termination when faced with a life-changing medical event.

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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 »

This Sunnyvale UPS Driver knew his rights, fought back, and got his job back.

When UPS management tried to deny his reinstatement, Nathanael Naranjo, a UPS Driver at Sunnyvale, did something about it.

Nathanael was taken off the job because of some educational compliance issues he was required to complete. And when he finished those requirements, he was eager to get back to work. But when he came back, UPS management said no. Their response was weak and vague as to the reason why, so Nathanael did what all members should do when they need help; he talked to his steward and his Business Agent.

In the three weeks that followed, Business Agent David Crawford coordinated a full-court press with Nathanael and the foothill center stewards against UPS management to get Nathanael reinstated. At every turn, the group was met with unreasonable and unrelenting resistance, but in the end, UPS management was forced to capitulate and put Nathanael back to work.

“What UPS management tried to do to Nathanael was wrong, so we got in there, wore them down, and forced them to make it right.” Said business agent David Crawford. “Nathanael and the stewards from the foothill center should be commended because they showed fierce Teamster determination and unity and never gave up. And it really paid off. I am really happy to see Nathanael back to work at the job he and his family count on.”

This Sunnyvale UPS Driver knew his rights, fought back, and got his job back. Read More »

A Great Victory over Wrongful termination with Full 18 Months Back Pay and benefits

Sisters and Brothers, a great victory to share with you. Patricia and Lucas were both wrongfully terminated at Kelloggs 19 months ago. After a lot of hard work coordinated by Ray Torres and shop steward Eric Calderone, we are happy to report that Patricia and Lucas are both back at work along with their Back Pay, Health Benefits, 401K, and pensions.

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