Candlelight vigil this Tuesday, Feb 10th, for Teamsters 853 member Juan Jacobo who tragically passed on the job at US Foods
Teamsters 853 member Juan Jacobo, who worked at US Foods in Livermore, tragically passed away on the job on January 21st. Teamsters Local […]
Spanish-speaking shop steward seminar in Watsonville
This week, Teamsters Local 853 held a Spanish-speaking shop steward seminar in Watsonville. Shop stewards from Driscolls Inc., S. Martinelli, and Del Mar Foods […]
Township Retail Services Teamsters Ratify 4 Year Contract with big wins on Salary and Pension
If you have ever been outlet shopping at the Gilroy outlet mall, did you ever wonder who keeps the mall’s public space clean? Yes, […]
Teamsters Local 853 welcomes courageous group who initially formed their own independent union.
Oro Loma Sanitary District operates a regional wastewater collection and treatment system—moving sewage from homes and businesses through hundreds of miles of sewer lines […]
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 […]
First contract ratified at 100% – The women of Latinas Contra Cancer do the kind of work that rarely makes headlines, yet changes entire lives.
The women of Latinas Contra Cancer do the kind of work that rarely makes headlines, yet changes entire lives: they walk alongside people facing […]
60‑Day Extension extended for 17,000 drivers with Legal Address Outside of California – Non-Domicile CDL Suspensions Update
CA DMV update for non-domiciled / limited-term CDL(California Driver’s License) & CLP(California Learner’s Permit) holders California DMV has stopped issuing non-domiciled CLPs/CDLs after a […]
Our celebration wish for the holidays as we look to achieve monumental things in 2026.– Steve Beck
2025 was an incredible year Teamsters Local 853 Sisters and Brothers. Because of all your efforts, we are closing out 2025 stronger than ever. […]
Congressman Mike Thompson shows his support for striking Teamsters Local 853 members at Westlake as they walk the line for the sixth straight month
Teamsters Local 853 thanks Congressman Mike Thompson for his support in honoring the men and women of Westlake Royal Stone Solutions who work in […]
The richest, and first-ever, regional contract in the country; SYSCO Foods ratifies a four-year contract
Teamsters Local 853 members at SYSCO Foods in San Francisco were ground zero for the industry—the first food-service group in the Bay Area to […]
Teamster 853 members at Certainteed ratify record breaking offer
Teamsters Local 853 members at Certainteed ratified a new three-year contract with significant gains to wages. This group followed the recipe for success. They […]
Unyielding Westlake Workers On Strike – five months and counting – these Teamster 853 members personify grit as they stand for justice
The canyon between the haves and the have-nots has never been wider than the time we are living in right now. The super-rich influence […]
Teamster 853 members at Gatorade overwhelmingly ratify new offer
This week, Teamster 853 members at Gatorade overwhelmingly accepted their new contract offer. The new contract provided record pension increases, wages, and protection from […]
Yellow Freight Bankruptcy Update – NOV 20th, 2025
To see all updates go to this master Link for all Updates: https://teamsters853.org/yellow-freight-updates/
Steeler Inc. ratifies new contract at 100% YES VOTE
🏢 Building the products that build the world. 📣 Big shout-out to these Teamster 853 members from Steeler Inc. These members at Steeler build […]
Teamsters Local 853 holds General Meeting for ZUM Drivers at Oakland Unified School District
Being on the same page, understanding, and supporting a common goal of workplace improvements. These are the reasons it’s important to have general meetings […]
Challenge Dairies Teamsters Ratify new contract at 96% yes vote
We see the trucks everywhere and signs everywhere. The Northern California butter that lines the shelves of most grocery stores across America. A name […]
Undivided, undeterred, and stronger than ever, Teamsters Local 853 celebrates our members’ unity
Strikes, protracted negotiations, unfair labor practices, worker exploitation, union busters, and income inequality: being a Teamsters 853 member means taking a stand and taking […]
Safeway Milk Plant Teamsters Ratify new contract at whopping 95% yes vote – best contract in memory
As some of the senior members at the Safeway Milk Plant stated, “This is the best contract we have ever had”. Teamsters 853 members […]
Student Transportation of America Members Ratify Strong 4-Year Agreement – w/First Time Pension
Student Transportation of America Teamsters have voted to ratify a new four-year contract that delivers meaningful gains in pay, benefits, and protections. Wage increase […]
On the job safety a major issue in SYSCO Negotiations
🔥🔥 On the job safety a major issue in SYSCO Negotiations – Strike Deadline Set!! Sysco has less than one week left to present […]
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, […]
Read More
Celebrating our Teamster Children – Second scholarship awarded to Claire Porter
This summer, three Teamster 853 children were lucky enough to be the recipients of scholarships funded by our local. One of these students is Claire Porter. Claire is the stepdaughter of RNDC employee and Teamster member Kathryn Ingram. Claire is in her last year at CSU Fresno studying kinesiology. Claire wrote an essay on the […]
Read More
Golden Brands in San Jose ratifies new four-year contract at overwhelming 98% approval!
This week Golden Brands in San Jose enjoyed the fruits of their labor. They prepared well, participated greatly throughout the entire proposal process, and stuck together. And the end result is a whopping 98% approval vote for this new four-year contract. “The stewards, negotiating committee, and all of the Golden Brands members who put their […]
Read More
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 […]
Read More
Former 853 member, Carlos Reyes, sends us a message from SOCAL: 853 at heart and always sporting my 853 gear
Former 853 member Carlos Reyes from Cresco Labs is now in Southern California after Cresco Labs shut its doors. He sent us a message this morning from SOCAL as he supports Teamsters Local 952 Amazon Picket, saying, “I’m always 853 at heart and always sporting my 853 gear”. Carlos recently helped organize his company, which […]
Read More
Niko Glafkides was awarded one of Three 853 Scholarships this Summer
“This is one happy kiddo. Please let everyone know how thankful our family is for the scholarship.” wrote Niko’s mom, Stacie. Niko Glafkides took home a $500 scholarship from Teamsters Local 853 for his first year attending Boise State. Niko, the son of Gillig employee Dennis Glafkides, wrote a paper on the importance of Labor […]
Read More
Vern Gonsalves Retires After Long Local 853 Career & He’ll Still Serve
July 31, 1978 that’s when Vern Gonsalve’s odyssey with Local 853 began. Originally employed by Wesco in San Leandro Vern subsequently worked out of the union hall at the Safeway spice plant, Allied Sysco and Macy’s. Then he hit a home run and got hired on under Local 853’s jurisdiction at Gillig in Hayward. He’s […]
Read More
Eduardo Garcia Gomez – Shop Steward for Bimbo, Concord Center
Sisters and Brothers, Pictured here is Eduardo Garcia Gomez, Shop Steward at Bimbo, Concord Center. Eddie is also on the negotiating committee for the import/express contract fight that we are currently engaged in. All the stewards on the committee, like Eddie, provide critical insight into the inner workings of their particular industry. Without their input, […]
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 […]
Read More
Transdev Stanford 853 members hold a proposal meeting for their upcoming contract.
Pictured are Teamsters Members from Transdev Stanford. These bus drivers are of the utmost importance to Stanford’s students and staff around the campus. They provide excellent service and safety and are a prime representation of what 853 Teamsters do. This week, we held a proposal meeting to discuss their upcoming contract fight. “The goal of […]
Read More
Let’s welcome back Tony’s Fine Foods as they start negotiating their first contact
These Teamsters at Tony’s Fine Foods are breaking ground and pushing new boundaries in their first contract negotiations. They are drivers working in four states; California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. Working towards a master contract to cover them all. “This group is special because Tony’s Fine Foods was once a union company nationwide, and many […]
Read More
Teamsters 853 Transdev Stanford shop steward Kris Vegas
Pictured here is Transdev Stanford shop steward Kris Vegas. Kris is the voice for the rank and file at the Stanford Transdev location. His skills in contract enforcement and communication with the members, as well as management, are the key to success in the workplace. “We are lucky to have Kris working side by side […]
Read More
Summertime Member Meetings Cancelled
In observance of the Summertime for vacationing members, a vote was taken and approved by membership to suspend monthly member meetings for July and August. Teamster Local 853 member meetings will resume on September 12th at 7 PM at the Oakland Hall.
Read More
Golden Brands holds proposal meeting in San Jose
Last weekend, Teamster 853 members of Golden Brands in San Jose held a proposal meeting to discuss their upcoming contract negotiation. “We are unified and on the right path,” said Teamsters 853 Vice President Ray Torres. “Our members are motivated, involved, and behind their committee; it’s the best way to get a great contract for […]
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 […]
Read More
Going Above and Beyond for Your Union
I’m proud to introduce Chief Steward for MV Transportation Half Moon Bay/Mission Bay Martin Haro. He was instrumental in bargaining their recent contract extension. Because of his hard work and dedication, Martin helped secure a massive wage increase for all classifications, along with improvements to health and welfare. Its members like Martin allow us as […]
Read More
Prepare for your next job interview in the unionized trades
Sisters and Brothers, Be ready for your next union job when the opportunity presents itself by taking this two-hour training course. Learn about the interview process, what to expect, and how to prepare. CTWI is holding three separate free seminars during the summer. If you think you can benefit, then show up at Teamsters Local […]
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 […]
Read More
US FOODS in Livermore enter into their first contract negotiations
Now, it’s time for the payoff. These members voted to Unionize just a couple of months ago, and now are bringing their A-game to the negotiating table. “Stay unified, trust your committee and guidance from the Local,” said Teamster Vice President Ray Torres. On behalf of every member and staff at Teamsters Local 853, we […]
Read More
Members can never be armed with enough information about workplace issues – DHL Teamsters monthly meeting, aka “The Dumpster Meeting”
– Every month, Teamster 853 members at DHL formally meet 30 minutes before the 10 AM start time. This regular check-in gives our members a chance to get updates on workplace issues, share their complaints and concerns, and discuss actions and solutions. Big shout out to all the members at DHL PAO in Sunnyvale, CA. […]
Read More
Teamsters at Tonys Fine Foods are preparing for their first-time contract negotiations.
Congratulations to these new members from Tony’s Fine Foods, who got together on Sunday with Teamsters 853 President Steven Lua and Vice President Ray Torres to begin preparations for negotiating their first contract. There are 190 drivers who span a large geographic area across multiple Teamster Locals. Stick together, be smart about your contract, trust […]
Read More
Teamster 853 Business Agents and union officials fly to Virginia to show our support for the Teamster’s effort to organize Costco locations nationwide
This month, in Virginia, COSTCO employees did something no COSTCO location has done in 20 years. They voted to join the Teamsters. Nationally, many workers at COSTCO believe that the corporate culture has been changing for the worse. This change has made it more difficult to get good jobs with good benefits at COSTCO. So, […]
Read More
June Membership meeting change Notice
As motioned and seconded at the membership meeting, our June Member Meeting has been changed from Thursday, June 13th to Tuesday, June 11th at 7 PM.
Read More
MV Transporation Convenes Contract Enforcement Meeting
Way to go, sisters and brothers; this is how you strengthen your group. MV Transportation members came out to the Teamsters Local 853 hall in San Jose this Saturday for a Contract Enforcement meeting. The group discussed Weingarten’s rights and rights to representation, the Grievance procedure, and NLRB violations. When everyone knows the protections that […]
Read More
Rey Polhen from S. Martinelli
Teamsters Local 853 would like to extend our condolences to the family of Rey Polhen who worked as a Teamster for 40+ years at S. Martinelli. Rey was known to be kind, friendly, and loved cracking jokes. Every year during the holiday, Rey would stop by the Teamsters Watsonville office to drop off S. Martinelli’s cider […]
Read More
Local 853 hosts CTWI fundraiser – keeping Union Labor involved in our major Bay Area Projects
The Construction Trades Workforce Initiative(CTWI) held a fundraiser and mixer at Local 853 last week. CTWI is an important organization that works to ensure the long-term sustainability of the construction industry by bridging the gap between union construction labor and key stakeholders. Teamsters Local 853 is part and parcel of the inner workings of many […]
Read More
Teamsters Hispanic Caucus Scholarships Available – Deadline July 26th
Sisters and Brothers, Every year the California Teamsters Hispanic Caucus awards scholarships to: Deserving High School Seniors Graduating this year, Who are: A Daughter or Son of an active Teamster whose dues are current with his/her Local Union; And are: Attending or have been accepted by an accredited University, College or Trade School. If you […]
Read More
Stewards and Members Lead the way in SF City and County Bargaining
Teamsters Local 853 represents a large unit of truck drivers (Class 7355’s) and track maintenance supervisors (7251’s) employed by the City and County of SF. Bargaining for a new contract for these members began in January. From the onset of bargaining in the new year 853 members at the city made it clear that they […]
Read More
It is with deep sympathy and condolences to the family of 24-Year Teamster William “Scott” Proud
Teamsters Local 853 would like to recognize and offer our deepest sympathy and condolences to the family of 24-Year Teamster William “Scott” Proud, whose sudden passing has shocked and saddened us all. William was just one block away from getting to work at DHL when he was struck and killed by a car. According to friend and DHL […]
Read More
Golden Brands Sacramento Overwhelmingly Ratifies Contract at 92%
Roughly 125 Teamster drivers and warehouse workers at Golden Brands in Sacramento ratified their new four-year contract at 92% approval this week. Wages and Medical Benefits took center stage at the negotiating table as this was a multi-vote effort. The members rejected the company’s first proposal outright. The committee took the second set of negotiated changes back to […]
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 […]
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 […]
Read More
Yellow Freight Bankruptcy Update – April 19th, 2024
Yellow Freight Teamsters Members, here is the latest update published by the IBT regarding the bankruptcy. Please download the original document to review here.
Read More
TEAMSTERS JOINT COUNCIL 7 Harry Polland/Robert Morales Scholarships Available
Sisters and Brothers, The Teamsters Joint Council 7 awards annual scholarships for Teamsters 853 members’ children and wards. Scholarships are available to all children or wards of any active Teamster 853 member. This scholarship can be used for any scholastic or vocational field or school. If you are interested in applying, you can download the […]
Read More
Five Teamster Business Agents are sworn in as Alameda Labor Council Delegates
Teamster Local 853 would like to recognize five Business Agents, Gloria Segura, James Long, David Crawford, Ralph Campos, and Jonathan Pinney, for being sworn in as Alameda Labor Council delegates. These Business Agents will be responsible for advocating for the betterment of our members in the general Alameda Labor community. They take the concerns of […]
Read More
United States Department of Labor Secretary, Julie Su, meets with Gillig and Teamsters 853 members – lauds positive partnerships between Union and company
In a visit to GILLIG this week, Labor Secretary Julie Su’s organization tweeted, “Our clean energy transition needs strong partnerships, including between workers and management. Happy to meet with GILLIG to see their facility creating zero-emission buses, talk about their labor-management partnership, and see the benefits of employing unionized workers.” The Biden Administration is focused […]
Read More
Bimbo bakery drivers show up in force for proposal meeting on Saturday.
Bimbo bakery drivers showed up in force for their proposal meeting this past Saturday. It was a good meeting that covered a wide range of topics, including Health and welfare, pension, pay, increases in sick days, company discipline, and the company not paying employees on time. Special thank you to Stewards Carlos from San Leandro […]
Read MoreLets do this right Now
Today is your day. Your ballot should have arrived by now at your house. There is a reason why so many truck drivers in our Country are in a union, because they know its life changing for the better. So no matter how much attention, and begging. and insincere letters they send you now that […]
Read More
Kick-off meeting at Driscoll’s – discussion around pension, health care, and the upcoming ratification vote
Teamsters 853 held a kickoff meeting this week with Bill Quinteros who presented pension benefits along with Teamster 853 President Steven Lua who reviewed heath care benefits. Driscolls contract negotiations will be finished in the next couple of weeks. Members at Driscolls will then be voting soon thereafter on whether or not to accept the […]
Read MoreTeamsters 853 knows what is fair and what is not because we represent The four largest companies in the food service industry! They all get better pay, benefits, and job protection than non-union employees.
The reason why the company will never pay you what you are worth without the Union is because they can divide you one at a time, and you will never know how much you left on the table. And you have no leverage if you don’t act as one group. But we do. The Teamsters […]
Read MoreGive it a Rest US Foods
US Foods Drivers in Tracy The Union has a heart. It is not like the mindless corporations we battle, whose only goal is to maximize profit at your expense. They want you to squabble about outdated penny fees and unlikely strikes so you don’t hear this:– Union employees get paid better, period!– Union employees get […]
Read More
Teamster 853 Members at Alhambra Water Engage in Practice Picketing after voting unanimously to authorize a strike
Members at Alhambra Water voted unanimously to authorize a strike and engaged in practice picketing yesterday morning at four Bay Area locations. Progress of negotiations has been very slow with Alhambra and there have been several key areas that Alhamabra is refusing to recognize. The members are being paid below the industry standard for the […]
Read More
Teamsters Reyes Coca-Cola Ratifies new contract and operations changes by an overwhelming 93% YES Vote
This past Saturday, Teamsters Locals 70, 315, 896, and 853 voted by a margin of 370-29 to ratify a new contract and an extensive change of operations agreement. This was a long and complex contract that incorporated many moving parts, including the restructuring of territories in the Bay Area. Shout out to our Coca-Cola stewards, […]
Read More
PFG Success – Performance Food Group drivers Ratify unbelievable contract at 100% YES
This past Saturday, 80 Performance Food Group drivers in Gilroy assembled at the company to vote their first contract. It was a tremendous success as the members voted 100% YES in unity. This has been a year-long effort made by the IBT, Tom Erickson, and Teamsters Local 630, all of whom graciously sent videos and […]
Read More
Skilled union workers from Teamsters Local 853 delivered the first sustainable, low-emission vehicle fleet to ABQ RIDE in New Mexico.
GILLIG, America’s premier heavy-duty transit bus manufacturer, built by skilled unionized workers represented by Teamsters Local 853, proudly announces the delivery of the first batch of 35 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to ABQ RIDE in Albuquerque, with plans for an additional 18 buses later in 2024. This milestone highlights the collaboration between GILLIG and […]
Read More
Teamster 853 members at Prudential Overall Supply meet to discuss their new contract proposal.
This past Saturday, members from Prudential Overall Supply had a proposal meeting to discuss their upcoming new contract. Stick together, listen to your committee, and get that good contract. Shout out to shop steward Duke Sevilla for all you do for your members every day.
Read More
TEAMSTERS ENDORSEMENTS FOR THE CA 2024 PRIMARY – MARCH 5TH
Sisters and Brothers, One of the most powerful tools we have for gaining strong contracts against greedy corporations is our numbers at the ballot box. To protect the hard-earned gains in our contracts, it is critical that we elect politicians who share our values. Electing officials who have our backs will ensure companies will not […]
Read MoreUS FOODS TRACY – Signup Cards and new videos from drivers
US FOODS Tracy, We are crushing it right now and want to go out on a grand slam. If you know anyone left that you work with who has not signed a Union card, please forward this web page to them and ask them to sign it by clicking below and filling out the form. […]
Read MoreUS Foods Livermore Negotiating Updates
US Foods Drivers Group in Livermore, We have a lot of movement going on right now regarding your progress and wanted to give you some updates. 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. In Union, Ray Torres, […]
Read More
