Saturday, May 30, 2009

Organizing Workshop

Organizing Workshop will be held:

DATE: SUNDAY,JUNE 14, 2009

TIME: 8:30 AM - 11:00 AM

PLACE: TEAMSTER LOCAL 952
140 MARKS WAY, ORANGE CA.

COME AND MEET THE TEAM WHO HELPED THE
School Bus Workers Ratify A Strong Teamster Contract!

School Bus Workers Ratify Strong Teamster Contracts

May 28, 2009


First Student school bus workers who are members of Local 952 in Orange, California recently ratified strong first-time Teamster contracts.

The two agreements cover the 81 First Student drivers in Santa Ana, as well as 110 drivers and 10 attendants with First Student in Mission Viejo.

“This was a sweet victory and we are very pleased,” said Cole Franklin, a driver at the Mission Viejo location.

According to Ruben Lopez, a business agent and organizer with Local 952, the workers were extremely focused throughout the negotiations of these contracts.

Both three-year agreements provide improvements to wages; paid bereavement and jury duty leaves; paid sick days; seniority rights for biding of routes; as well as layoff and recall by seniority, among many other industry-leading advancements.

“It is important to organize all of the contractors in this sector, including at companies like Durham, in order to push up wages and benefits for all hardworking bus workers,” said Patrick D. Kelly, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 952.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

FAQS About Forming a Union

What is a union?
A union is an organization of workers who join together in order to have a voice in improving their jobs in the workplace.

What are my rights on the job?
You and your co-workers have a legal right to form a union at your work place. You are protected under the law and it is illegal for management to in any way threaten, harass, spy or discriminate against any employee for union activity.

What kind of raises and benefits can we expect with a union?
Every union contract is different, because it reflects the priorities of the group that negotiated it. But, on average:
Union contracts typically include guaranteed annual raises, pay steps that reward experience and length of service, and higher shift differentials, certification and specialty bonuses, and other premium pay.
Union members have better benefits. Most employees represented by a union have achieved fully paid family health benefits and guaranteed pensions.

Who makes decisions in a union?
A union is a democratic organization. The employees who are members of the union make all the primary decisions. They vote on their union contracts, they elect union leaders, they vote on bylaws and any changes in dues structure and they or their elected representatives vote on other important decisions. A union is guided by the priorities that the members choose.

Do we have a right to form a union?
Yes. By law, employees have the freedom to form a union and work together to improve the quality of their jobs. You can-and should-talk to your co-workers about forming a union anywhere and anytime you're allowed to talk about non-work topics.
Your rights to distribute union literature (during breaks and lunchs, before and after work hours), and encourage other employees to support forming a union are protected by law. It's illegal for your employer to intimidate, discriminate, or otherwise interfere in your decision.

Will we be able to maintain a direct relationship with management?
Yes. Most employees say forming a union improves their relationship with supervisors because everyone knows what to expect and there are clear ways to resolve any problems that arise day-to-day. With a union , we share in decision-making.


Can we lose our benefits if we form a union?
The purpose of negotiating a union contract is to preserve and improve benefits, not lose them. When you sit down to negotiate a union contract, you start with your existing pay and benefits—including those accrued with seniority—and work your way up. Management cannot unilaterally reduce pay or benefits when you vote to form a union.
Because they're written into a legally binding contract that you've voted to approve, your pay and benefits are guaranteed-they can't be changed unless employees at your work place vote to do so. At a time when many companies are looking for ways to cut costs, forming a union is the best way to protect your current benefits.

Does forming a union mean we'll have to go on strike?
No. No one ever wants to go on strike—which is why about 98 percent of union contracts are settled without one. Strikes are the exception, not the rule. More importantly, a decision to go on strike is one that only you and your co-workers can make for yourselves through a democratic vote. If members don't want to strike, there won't be one-it's the members' decision to make by a majority vote.

Monday, May 25, 2009

U.S. House Approves Legislation Fought by FedEx, Airlines

By John Hughes

May 21 (Bloomberg) -- FedEx Corp. truck drivers, package handlers and other employees would be able to join unions more easily under legislation the U.S. House approved today.

Workers in FedEx’s Express unit could vote locally to join unions under the plan rather than having to hold a national election to gain representation. The labor provision was included by Representative James Oberstar, a Minnesota Democrat, in broader $53.5 billion legislation to finance the Federal Aviation Administration through fiscal 2012.

The 277-136 vote sets up a clash in the Senate between FedEx and larger competitor United Parcel Service Inc., which says the legislation would even the playing field with UPS’s union workforce. UPS workers organize under the National Labor Relations Act, which allows local organizing. FedEx operates under the national organizing standard used for airlines.

“The House of Representatives has done the right thing in closing this unfair loophole,” Teamsters President Jim Hoffa said in a statement. “FedEx Express workers have been deprived their right to form unions like workers at other package- delivery companies.”

The Senate hasn’t yet crafted its version of the bill. The House approved similar legislation in 2007 that wasn’t taken up by the Senate.

FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE:

Now YOU must contact your states' U.S. senator and inform them of your support for this bill.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

We'll Find Out Sooner Or Later Henry

The FedEx Watch Dogs have heard that FedEx LTL service manager Henry and his Hench men in Mira Loma Ca. have threatened their employees. Telling them, if they hear or find out that anyone is talking Union, or mentioning the Teamsters, even during breaks, that these employees will be "Fired"!

Well Henry your threats against your employees were illegal under the NRLB. A petition is in circulation now and when enough signatures are received, it will be presented to the NRLB.

The FedEx Watch Dogs

To start a petition against managers who have illegally threaten employees at your FedEx terminal, CLICK HERE to download a copy.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Take Action Now

This Wednesday, May 20th, the House will vote on the passage of the FAA Reauthorization Bill. Included in this bill is the Express Carrier Employee Protection Amendment as well as legislation on outsourcing of aircraft maintenance. Please send an e-mail to your Representative today urging him/her to pass the FAA Reauthorization Bill and not allow the Express Carrier Employee Protection Amendment or the outsourcing legislation to be removed or weakened.

The Express Carrier Employee Protection Amendment will ensure fair competition in the package delivery industry and protect the rights of employees. The deep pockets of corporations like FedEx should not determine which federal labor laws apply to employees, effectively denying them their right to organize. Nor should FedEx be allowed an unfair advantage in the package delivery industry.

The outsourcing legislation would apply the same inspection standards to all aircraft maintenance repair stations, whether foreign or domestic. The safety and security of air travel is at risk when our nation's airline maintenance is entrusted to foreign vendors without the rigorous inspection and oversight we have in the U.S.

We must work to protect the rights of workers through the Express Carrier Employee Protection Amendment and to stop the foreign outsourcing of American jobs in the airline maintenance field. Please urge your Representative to support the FAA Reauthorization Bill tomorrow with these critical pieces of legislation.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Results of BAD MANAGEMENT

YRC Worldwide plunges as debt fears re-emergeMay 13, 2009 3:31 PM ET


NEW YORK (AP) - Shares of one of the nation's largest trucking companies, YRC Worldwide Inc., sank Wednesday as investors continued to worry that it might not meet its credit requirements this quarter.

Overland Park, Kansas-based YRC said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission late Monday that it needs to cut more costs and get more shipments in order to counteract the steep decline in revenue from the slumping economy. In order to stay in line with its creditors obligations, it needs to post earnings before taxes depreciation and amortization of $45 million.

READ MORE CLICK HERE

FedEx Shares Fall; Outlook Better Than Rival’s

Shares of FedEx Corp. fell Monday as the broader markets lost ground, and an analyst said the company’s aggressive cost cuts might not be enough to offset the steep decline in volumes and the expected rise in fuel prices.

Stifel Nicolaus analyst David Ross cut the stock to “hold,” saying it won’t likely rise enough in the next several quarters to justify his previous “buy” rating.

He predicted shares will remain “range-bound” while uncertainty lingers about the timing and strength of economic recovery. Ross also forecast that the company’s volumes won’t get much better until next year.

FedEx has other problems that might tug on growth potential in the near future, the analyst said. A bill currently before Congress would make unionization easier – something that would likely drive up labor and other costs at the company. Rising fuel prices and pension liabilities will also affect growth, he said.

In the long run, Ross said he recommends FedEx over larger rival UPS Inc. because of its greater potential to improve margins and overall sales. But he suggested investors shouldn’t buy FedEx shares until they fall to about $50.

FedEx shares lost $2.36, or 3.9 percent, to $57.70 in afternoon trading. The stock has traded as high as $96.65 and as low as $34.02 in the past year.

Article from Memphis Daliy News, 5-12-09

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Leaders in Investment Community Speak Out for Employee Free Choice

by Seth Michaels, May 11, 2009


A coalition of investors, representing nearly $400 billion in assets, has stepped forward to say the Employee Free Choice Act is the right move right now to protect workers and strengthen the economy.

In a letter to Congress, 26 leaders from the investment community strongly endorse the Employee Free Choice Act, saying that it’s critical not just for the cause of human rights, but for business, too. The support of these business leaders is a valuable corrective to the anti-union spin and disinformation promoted by corporate lobby groups.

READ MORE CLICK HERE

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

IBT unity conference fedex freight organizing




On May 3, 2009, Teamster VP Ken Hall announces plan to organize FedEx at 8th annual Unity Conference. This segment highlights FedEx Freight campaign.

FedEx Drivers Win Class Cert. In Overtime Suit

FedEx Drivers Win Class Cert. In Overtime Suit - April 30, 2009
By Erin Fuchs
Emploment.Law360, New York (April 23, 2009)—A federal judge in California has certified five subclasses of drivers alleging FedEx Corp. bilked them of pay for missed meal periods, off-the-clock work and working split shifts. Judge Thelton E. Henderson of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California approved the five subclasses Tuesday.

He denied a motion to approve a sixth class, though, which would have consisted of drivers alleging FedEx hadn't paid them for inaccurate wage statements or paid their full wages when they left the company.

Judge Henderson also stayed further proceedings on three of the subclasses pending a California Supreme Court review of two employment cases. The high court will determine whether the word "provide" necessitates that employers certify that workers take breaks or simply requires them to offer the opportunity.

The subclasses would consist of delivery drivers or couriers employed by FedEx between April 14, 2006, and the present, all of whom are claiming FedEx denied them wages.

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