Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Comment from a Friend of CFTW

I am a former non Union GI/Estes driver who knows a lot of Former Viking/Fed Ex drivers who run on the line board And i heard the company wants to pay them along with the city drivers the same rate of pay. I heard 35 per hour? That is long over do and i think that is great.But my personal feelings are that line drivers in all fairness should make 50 per hour.And again this is A company decision to pay this rate I don't feel that line drivers should be upset.I think line drivers should argue with Management that your Job deserves more per hour for the reasons that you are in Climate and road conditions changes all the time example Snow-Rain-Winds driving at Night and early mornings away from your families on holidays and fatigue drivers from other Trucking companies and just regular people trying to reach there families afar.I have worked City for 14 years and line for 15 and most important work Union now "Teamsters" I have been injured from work and do not stress about my job not being there or not having my Benefits paid for Health and welfare that means every thing is paid for including my pension.So I think you drivers should stick together and think about why Fred Smith is doing this? Demand more and Demand he pay a Pension and your health and welfare. He makes a TON of money it is about time he take care of his drivers the heart and soul of Fed Ex Good luck and think about it. Ramon ABF driver. 

Friday, December 25, 2015

Merry Christmas

We would like to wish you all a Merry  Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

L A Trade Tech Labor Center Schedule of Classes WINTER 2016 Start January 4 and End February 5, 20165 (5 Weeks)

Change fedex to win highly recommend anyone who is interested in organizing FedEx Freight take classes like these that are offered at L A trade tech in your area.
Knowledge is Power !

LS 5-GRIEVANCE AND ARBITRATION  Sec. 3252 How to identify, investigate, write and present grievances and handle arbitrations.  Emphasis on participants’ own contracts, grievance procedures and experiences.  Instructors: Gillian Golberg and Steven Holguin, Holguin, Garfield, Martinez and Quinonez  Class Location: ILWU Local 56, 316 W. 7th St., San Pedro, 90731
THURSDAYS
LS 20-WORKERS’ RIGHTS Sec. 3254 Basic legal rights for workers, including: wage and hour laws, overtime, leaves, workplace privacy including e-mail and computers, accommodating disabilities, including pregnancy, and combating employment discrimination.  Instructor: Jim Varga, IATSE International West Coast Counsel  Class Location: L.A. County Federation of Labor, 2130 W. James Wood Bld., Los Angeles 90006
1-UNIT WEEKEND CLASSES AT TRADE-TECH
8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Aspen Hall Room 221
Must Attend Both Days to Earn College Credit
LS 132-STRATEGIC BRAGAINING Sec.0440 How to conduct a strong contract campaign including effective research, member involvement, building public support, and corporate campaigns.  February 20 and 21  Instructor: Marcus Hatcher, SEIU-UHW 
LS 114-WORKERS’ LEGAL RIGHTS  Sec. 0441 Know your rights at work.  Basic legal rights that protect workers covering such areas as meal breaks, overtime, anti-discrimination, family leave and disability benefits. February 27 and March 12 Instructor: Joe Paller, Gilbert and Sackman   
LS 107-POLITICAL ACTION SKILLS  Sec.0442 Survey of grassroots political organizing strategies, including: phone banks, precinct walks, get out the vote (GOTV), vote-by-mail, and communications.  March 5 and 19  Instructor: Rusty Hicks, L.A. County Federation of Labor 
LS 128-SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION  Sec. 0443 Learn the laws and how to combat sexual harassment and job discrimination, including the criteria for claims, agencies, policies and procedures for prevention.  April 9 and 16  Instructors:  June McMahon, Retired, UCLA Labor Center and Josh Young, Gilbert and Sackman   
LS 115-WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY* Sec.0444 How to identify and resolve workplace health and safety issues, and proactive strategies to improve workplace safety.  April  23 and 30 (*May 7 optional third day to earn Health and Safety certificate)   Instructor: Deogracia Cornelio, UCLA-LOSH

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

For the Record: Debunking Myths About the Gardena Strike


On November 9, 2015, FedEx employees from the Gardena, CA terminal went on strike to protest the company's unfair labor practices. FedEx management has wasted no time trying to spread misinformation about the events of that day.
Here are a few of the myths that management would like you to believe about the Gardena strikes and the truth about what really happened.

MYTH: The police refused to enforce trespassing laws because, as union members, they are biased.

REALITY:  According to Penal Code 552.1 PC union activities are an exempted from trespassing laws. "This article [prohibiting trespassing on or near posted industrial property] does not prohibit: (a) Any lawful activity for the purpose of engaging in any organizational effort on behalf of any labor union, agent, or member thereof, or of any employee group, or any member thereof, employed or formerly employed in any place of business or manufacturing establishment described in this article, or for the purpose of carrying on the lawful activities of labor unions, or members thereof." (From <http://www.shouselaw.com/trespass.html)

This means that the police were just following the law. Unfortunately, FedEx would rather question the integrity and authority of officers than accept that it is perfectly legal for their employees to strike. 

MYTH: The Teamsters forced the terminal to shut down.

REALITY: The representative for FedEx in an Ex Parte hearing explicitly stated that FedEx made a "judgement call" to "not attempt…to bring a truck in or take a truck out". Our sources have confirmed that the union leadership that was present that day was more than willing to negotiate that the terminal remain open and operational.

If any financial damage was done by this strike, it was caused by managements' unwillingness to even address the picketers.

MYTH: The picketers were disruptive and harassed a fellow employee.

REALITY: In the Ex Parte hearing requested by FedEx, Sergeant Berardi of the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, testified that the picketing was so peaceful that he did not feel the need to post a peace officer at the event.

The one accusation of harassment is questionable at best, with the accuser having multiple discrepancies between their signed declaration and testimony. There were however, multiple witnesses who testified that an anti-union employee brandished a tire iron in an aggressive manner during the event.

In a recent newsletter about the strike, FedEx states that "the way the Teamsters and pro-union employees behaved in Gardena speaks for itself" and we agree. The POLICE obviously thought they were well behaved, the only credible threats of violence came from ANTI-UNION  employees and the only reason there was any disruption of work and pay was because THE MANAGERS decided to shut down the terminal for the day.

It appears that FedEx is up to their same old tricks of deceit and misinformation again. It is disappointing that their anti-union campaign would even go so low as to attempt to smear a police officer's integrity to uphold the law but it just goes to show that they will stop at nothing to try to stop their employees from joining the Teamsters.

Stay Strong and Fight On!

Sunday, December 6, 2015

CCSD Employees Vote to join Teamsters

(LAS VEGAS) ––Clark County School District (CCSD) support workers have voted overwhelmingly to join the Teamsters Union, the Employee-Management Relations Board (EMRB) announced today. There are more than 11,000 support workers in the bargaining unit.

The vote for Teamsters Local 14 was a decisive win over the current bargaining representative at CCSD, with nearly 82 percent of workers voting to join the Teamsters over the Education Support Employees Association (ESEA). The unit is made up of a wide range of support workers, including clerical, custodial, maintenance, school bus and cafeteria workers who maintain and operate America’s fifth-largest school district.

“This is a historic day,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “These determined school workers stood strong to win this free and fair election. Today, their hard work has finally paid off. On behalf of the 1.4 million Teamster members, I want to congratulate them on joining the growing movement of public service workers nationwide seeking Teamster power.”

Support staff already voted overwhelmingly in favor of Local 14 representation, in a vote tabulated Feb. 3 of this year and in 2006. Despite democratically voting to join the Teamsters, both elections required a supermajority rule (50-percent-plus-1 of all eligible voters) for Local 14 to obtain certification. Following the election in February, however, hundreds of support staff took their case to the EMRB to win a fair election.

“This is what democracy looks like,” said Carlos Pinto, a head custodian at CCSD who spoke on behalf of the unit following the vote count. “We, the workers, brought change. It’s hard to express how meaningful this victory is for us. We couldn’t be prouder.”

Pinto was joined by co-worker Kim Bucy, an administrative secretary at CCSD who helped lead the organizing effort.

“This fight has always been about fairness and respect. After voting overwhelmingly to join the Teamsters in two elections, it was clear the supermajority rule was unfair to workers,” Bucy said. "By uniting to win a simple-majority election, we won fairness. Now we will unite at the bargaining table to win respect.” 

Speaking on behalf of Local 14, Secretary-Treasurer Larry Griffith thanked the workers for their dedication over the years, crediting the worker-led organizing committee for bringing change to CCSD.

“Workers at CCSD have done what many have called the impossible. It’s truly incredible what they’ve accomplished today,” Griffith said. “We will continue to stand in solidarity and unity with everyone at CCSD as we address a decades-worth of concerns.”

As the newest members of the Teamsters Public Services Division, CCSD support staff will join public employees across the country already enjoying the benefits of Teamster representation.

"This is an important vote, as the dreams of many will finally be realized," said Michael Filler, Director of the Teamsters Public Services Division. “As the newest Teamsters in the Public Services Division, thousands of Clark County school support staff and their families can focus on a more promising future."

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Posted: 21 Nov 2015 08:47 PM PST

Teamsters


America's Strongest Union

Con-way Freight, Inc. violated the rights of workers who were trying to form their union with the Teamsters and must re-hire two workers it unlawfully fired during the organizing campaign, among other remedies, an administrative law judge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ruled.
“By instructing employees not to wear union insignia, threatening employees for supporting the Union, filing criminal charges against an employee, suspending employees, and terminating employees because they supported the Union, the Respondent has engaged in unfair labor practices…,” Administrative Judge Eleanor Laws wrote in her decision.
The workers at Con-way’s Los Angeles terminal were trying to join Local 63. The company must cease its illegal activities, reinstate the two fired workers and pay them back wages and benefits, and take other steps.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Teamsters Gardena California Fed-Ex Strike Inspires Hundreds To Join Organizing Effort - 11/11/15

By Doug Cunningham

Eighty-five Fed-Ex drivers in Gardena California carried out a one day unfair labor practices strike as efforts to organize at Fed-Ex accelerate. They were supported on the picket lines by three hundred Teamsters from Joint Council 42. Council 42 teamsters organizer Randy Korgan says the attempted union busting that sparked this strike is happening at other Fed-Ex locations. KOrgan says the Teamsters are in for the long haul in the Fed-Ex organizing effort and strikes like the one in Gardena will inspire other Fed-Ex workers to join the union effort. [Randy Korgan]: “Just from this action hundreds of employees from all over the country have reached out in various ways asking what can they do to join in. How can they support the effort here as well as them starting to engage in discussions that maybe they do something like this on a larger scale.”

Click Here to Hear Audio

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

In Response

The FedEx Freight SPIN on what happened in Gardena is coming to service center near you. Yesterday a 2 page letter was seen at our Houston svc spinning the company’s misinformation.

The following is the response from a Fox 11 news article in Los Angeles,

FEDEX STATEMENT:

"FedEx Freight is exploring its options and will take appropriate legal action in response to this coercive and potentially illegal activity. We are working diligently to minimize any disruption to our customers and will continue to provide the high level of service they have come to expect from FedEx Freight.

Only a small handful of our employees in Gardena are involved, and most of the protesters are outsiders with their own agenda. These outsiders have resorted to intimidating and coercive conduct against FedEx Freight employees attempting to exercise their legal right to attend work and to decide for themselves whether they wish to be represented by a union‎."

The so called illegal activity that FedEx is saying is not true. At the beginning of the work stoppage, management were handed a petition sanctioned by the NRLB. Making this a legal 24 hour activity.

The small hand of employees, were over 80.

The supporters were Teamsters members, organizers and dock workers who, after management closed the Gardena terminal, went outside, picked up signs and walked side by side with the drivers.

All employees were back to work the following day.

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Teamsters take a stand for fair pay, organizing workers

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Teamsters take a stand for fair pay, organizing workers

Local 439 members in Stockton, Calif. leaflet at Fed Ex Freight.
The Teamsters joined with thousands of truck drivers, valet attendants and low-wage workers across the country today in a day of action to raise awareness about the sorry state of wages and benefits for millions of everyday Americans on the job.

FedEx Freight employees, port truck drivers and fast food workers held protests from coast-to-coast. They are joined by Teamster valet attendants at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, who are rallying tonight, and federal contract service workers in the nation’s capital on strike to call out employers who won’t pay fair wages and tamp down on workers organizing.

From Baltimore to Seattle, Teamsters stood outside more than 300 FedEx Freight terminals educating workers about the company's spending of $5.2 million over the past three years to cover the personal taxes of top executives as well hundreds of thousands of dollars to wage anti-worker campaigns. Meanwhile, workers there continue to have access to poor and expensive health benefits.

Teamster organizers said enough is enough:
FedEx Freight workers across the country have been building their power with the Teamsters' help for many months. Workers have committed to fighting for the long-haul to attain their true goal of a collective bargaining agreement with their employer. FedEx Freight workers want a voice and they want it in writing. Workers are overcoming their fear and the companies constant assault on organized labor. 
This workforce has built a very large core of committed individuals and continue to grow their pro-contract, pro-union, pro-Teamster ranks daily. They all understand that this is a marathon and not a sprint and are working diligently with their goal of memorializing their working lives in a written agreement with FedEx Freight!
Local 355 Teamsters gather in Baltimore.
Those efforts were repeated elsewhere. Port truck drivers and their Teamster supporters turned out in Los Angeles, New Jersey and Savannah, Ga. to raise awareness about wage theft and misclassification. These workers have been fighting to be recognized as full-time employees rather than contract workers.

The Teamsters have stood shoulder-to-shoulder in recent years with FedEx Freight workers and port truck drivers in an attempt to expand their voice in the workplace. That effort extends to valet attendants at several Las Vegas hotels as well as other disenfranchised workers across the nation.

The Labor Department’s own statistics prove why joining a union is important. The median union worker earns more than $200 a weekmore than a non-union one. That’s why the Teamsters have stressed the importance of labor membership in our recent “Let’s Get America Working!” campaign.

Teamster Strong, America Stronger!

Monday, November 9, 2015

Joint Council 42's official statement on today's strike in Gardena


GARDENA STRIKES!

  Today, in the City of Opportunity, our courageous brothers and sisters have taken a step toward a brighter future by  striking for the right to vote for Teamster representation. The decision to strike follows the successful Stockton campaign as well as other triumphant campaigns across the nation.
  The journey to this point has been a long one. Over the years, we have faced the deceptive anti-union tactics of FedEx Freight including harassment, wrongful termination and the blatant spread of misinformation. But despite their best efforts, we have stood strong in our fight to bring the Teamsters to FedEx because we know that a union contract is our only opportunity for a better future. 
  The choice to strike is a difficult one, but nothing worth having has ever been easy. Today and for however long it may take, we stand with our brothers and sisters in Gardena.  

Stay strong and fight on!

-The Change FedEx to Win Team

Sunday, November 1, 2015

XPO closes purchase of Con-way; layoffs begin within Con-way system

Saturday, October 31, 2015

XPO closes purchase of Con-way; layoffs begin within Con-way system

http://www.dcvelocity.com/articles/20151030-xpo-closes-purchase-of-con-way-layoffs-begin-within-con-way-system/

More than 10 percent of workforce is cut at HQ, IT center, source says; rebranding to XPO name takes effect.

By Mark B. Solomon

It wasn't long after XPO Logistics Inc. announced today that it had finalized its $3 billion acquisition of trucking and logistics provider Con-way Inc. that the bloodletting began at Con-way's headquarters in Ann Arbor, Mich., and elsewhere.

XPO will cut more than 10 percent of Con-way's workforce at Ann Arbor and at its Portland, Ore.-based technology center, according to an individual familiar with the situation. Between 2,500 and 3,000 employees work at both locations, the individual estimated. Included in the cuts will be an entire layer of Con-way upper management, whose elimination will save its new owner about $28 million a year; the managerial segment was not adding much value to the organization, according to the individual.

Also on the chopping block is an 80-person group devoted to developing and implementing "lean" management principles, an ambitious efficiency program that Con-way has championed for years. Shortly after the deal was announced in early September, Bradley S. Jacobs, Greenwich, Conn.-based XPO's chairman and CEO, met in Ann Arbor with leaders of the project and came away dubious that the benefits of the work justified the size of the current headcount, according to the individual.

The individual said that Con-way's drivers are likely not included in the layoffs. It is also unclear whether there will be further rounds of cutbacks

Executives who remain with XPO will be required to sign a two-year noncompete agreement, the individual said. The requirement could result in an exodus of top-level employees, who may wish to stay, but may worry they will find their hands tied should they subsequently find opportunities elsewhere in the industry.

The cuts, which had been expected internally for weeks, include employees in administration, operations, sales, and information technology, according to the individual. XPO declined comment other than a statement from Jacobs in announcing the deal's close that "we're moving quickly to eliminate redundancies and leverage our scale to better serve our more than 50,000 customers." At the time the deal was announced, XPO pledged to improve Con-way's operating profit by up to $420 million over the next two years. Part of that will come from cost cuts.

Con-way's four operating divisions—Con-way Freight; truckload carrier Con-way Truckload; third-party logistics-services provider Menlo Worldwide Logistics; and freight broker and intermodal marketing company Con-way Multimodal—have been rebranded as XPO Logistics. Menlo and Con-way Multimodal will be immediately integrated into existing XPO Logistics units operating in identical segments. Con-way Truckload, which as Contract Freighters Inc. was bought by Con-way in 2007 for $750 million and which today might fetch a little more than half that, will likely be sold for what Jacobs believes is the right price. He has said the unit might have value as a hauler of brokered freight.

Jacobs said earlier this month that XPO had received three unsolicited offers for Con-way Truckload. He wouldn't identify the bidders or the price of each offer.

Con-way Freight generates about $3.3 billion in annual revenue, which is more than half of the parent's $5.8 billion in revenue. It is known for providing excellent customer service, but in recent years has struggled to operate efficiently, or as profitably as many investors would like. Con-way Freight has specialized in the premium segment, where time in transit is compressed and service levels are relatively high. However, about three-quarters of LTL traffic moves in slower, more economical services, an area where the unit had little, if any, involvement.

Jacobs said earlier this month the new LTL unit will focus far more on the economy category, and could leverage the network of the former Pacer International, an intermodal provider with a great deal of equipment that XPO acquired in early 2014.

XPO has engaged recruiting firm Spencer Stuart to find a replacement for Joseph M. Dagnese, the head of Con-way Freight, who had been expected to leave the company at the time the deal closed. The complexity of integrating Con-way, and in particular positioning the LTL unit for future success, means that XPO will take its foot off the acquisition brake for at least a year, Jacobs said recently. Through 17 acquisitions in the past four years as well as internal expansion, XPO has gone from a company that didn't exist in late 2010 to a $15 billion firm today.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

It's coming!!! Dashboard cameras to a tractor near you. Will this be as bad as the scorecard or worse? The Pilot program is in effect currently. Cameras will be outward facing forward to capture your driving. Who is it to protect or put blame on?
Currently you are not allowed to have your own personal dash cam with you. Why? Because it's your video. Control needs to be with the company. Cameras will be on all the time. Every triggered event will require a review of the footage.
Outward facing cameras now but we all can see the future. Is there a plan to have a camera mounted facing the driver also? We see this as a way to remove all liability off the company and onto the driver. Accidents , incidents and hard braking will be reviewed. How many reviews before suspension, critical or termination?
Even the best drivers will trigger a review as a 4 wheeler cuts in front of them and hard braking is applied. This could easily be reviewed as tailgating. Language in a contract to protect you, sounds pretty good right about now. Don't you think? Do something about it before it's too late. Sign a card and get involved. Protect your livelihood !!!

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Fedex reaches tentative agreement with pilots

Fedex reaches tentative agreement with pilots

Reuters Aug 20, 2015 6:39 PM

Aug 20 (Reuters) - FedEx pilots tentatively agreed with the package delivery company on an amended collective bargaining agreement, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) said.

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Fedex and its pilots have been negotiating on employment conditions since 2011. FedEx management filed for a mediation process with the National Mediation Board in October 2014.

The terms of the agreement are not being released pending approval by the union's executive council, ALPA said on Thursday.

The contract would become amendable in 2021 if the tentative agreement is ratified by more than 4,000 FedEx pilots, ALPA said.

FedEx was not immediately available for a comment.

(Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru)

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Joe Brock Seen At GAR and SLG

Who is Joe Brock?

Rebecca Smith and Joe Brock: Who Are These People?

In the last two weeks, many of us at Jimmy John's have had to sit through mandatory meetings with Rebecca Smith and Joe Brock. Rebecca Smith and Joe Brock claim that they just want to give us information so we can decide for ourselves if we want to form a union. The truth is that they are from Labor Relations Institute, Inc., a third-party anti-union company hired by Mike and Rob Mulligan. LRI promises employers that if they are hired, workers will be unable to form a union, or your money back. Their standard fee is $3000 per day, $375 an hour. Do you think the Mulligans pay these people hundreds of dollar an hour to be a neutral voice? Since September 15, we estimate they have been paid $45,000 by the Mulligans, or enough to give every Jimmy Johns worker $200 cash. In a recent campaign against workers organizing a union at Soaring Eagle Casino, LRI made $1.5 million total for their work. Rebecca Smith and Joe Brock have a financial interest in convincing you to vote no. They have a history of using misrepresentations, lies, and subtle threats to divide and conquer workers. Do they deserve our trust? No!
Here is more information about this pair that they have been hiding.
Rebecca Smith
  • Claims to have worked as a union organizer. We contacted the Teamster union local she worked for when she lived near Pahrump, NV. They said she never worked as an organizer. She ran a program that taught people things like asbestos safety and forklift driving. That means she's lying to us.
  • Claims she voluntarily quit her paid position in the Teamsters union. The truth is her own coworkers petitioned to have her removed from union office because of her gross incompetence.
  • Was paid $103,031 for her work in a union-busting campaign at Soaring Eagle Casinos in Michigan in 2007. What did you get paid in 2007? Rebecca Smith gets a fat salary for union-busting, she doesn't know and doesn't care about what our lives are like.
  • Kicked out of her own union, Rebecca Smith now travels around the country making misleading and manipulative statements about unions for employers.
Joe Brock
  • Claims he was a union organizer. The truth is he was a highly paid official, not an organizer.
  • Was happy to earn more than $80,000 per year from the Teamsters, then took a pay raise to attack the union members who gave him such a comfortable life style.
  • Claims to be a Teamster who left because of problems in the labor movement. He doesn't tell us that he lost an election for office and then sued over losing. The Department of Labor ruled Brock’s claims against his local were baseless. So he quit and became a professional union buster.
  • Claims his job as an anti-union consultant lets him help workers improve their lives on the job. Do you really think the Mulligans all of a sudden decided bring Brock here for $3,000 per day to improve conditions? Brock is not here to improve workers’ lives. He is here to earn a buck preventing us from having more input into how this place is run.
These are the facts. Decide for yourself, who do you trust? Highly paid outsiders like Rebecca Smith and Joe Brock, or your own co-workers who want all Jimmy John’s employees to have more voice on the job?
All of the information in this note is based on research gathered from US Department of Labor reports and given to us by unions that Rebecca Smith and Joe Brock worked for or were members of. If you'd like to see the documentation, we'd be happy to show it to you. Contact us here.

What's the Law?

Employees




The law protects the right of employees to engage in protected concerted activities-group action to improve wages, benefits, and working conditions and to engage in union activities and support a union. You also have a right to not engage in protected concerted or union activities.\n\nThe statements contained in this smart phone application are intended for users' general information. This application may not be cited as legal authority. Particular statements may be subject to unstated exceptions, qualifications, and/or limitations, and may even be rendered unreliable without prior notice by changes in the law. In addition, although we have sought to provide broad general guidance, we do not claim completeness. In other words, you may be subject to prohibitions under the National Labor Relations Act that are not set forth here. The National Labor Relations Board expressly disclaims any purpose or intent to furnish legal advice. You may contact your nearest regional Board office and/or an attorney to discuss your specific situation or to learn more about your rights and obligations under the NLRA.

Your Right to Form a Union


Not represented by a union, but want to be?
If a majority of workers wants to form a union, they can select a union in one of two ways: If at least 30% of workers sign cards or a petition saying they want a union, the NLRB will conduct an election. If a majority of those who vote choose the union, the NLRB will certify the union as your representative for collective bargaining. An election is not the only way a union can become your representative. Your employer may voluntarily recognize a union based on evidence - typically signed union-authorization cards - that a majority of employees want it to represent them. Once a union has been certified or recognized, the employer is required to bargain over your terms and conditions of employment with your union representative. Special rules apply in the construction industry.

Your Rights during Union Organizing


You have the right to form, join or assist a union.
You have the right to organize a union to negotiate with your employer over your terms and conditions of employment. This includes your right to distribute union literature, wear union buttons t-shirts, or other insignia (except in unusual "special circumstances"), solicit coworkers to sign union authorization cards, and discuss the union with coworkers. Supervisors and managers cannot spy on you (or make it appear that they are doing so), coercively question you, threaten you or bribe you regarding your union activity or the union activities of your co-workers. You can't be fired, disciplined, demoted, or penalized in any way for engaging in these activities.
Working time is for work, so your employer may maintain and enforce non-discriminatory rules limiting solicitation and distribution, except that your employer cannot prohibit you from talking about or soliciting for a union during non-work time, such as before or after work or during break times; or from distributing union literature during non-work time, in non-work areas, such as parking lots or break rooms. Also, restrictions on your efforts to communicate with co-workers cannot be discriminatory. For example, your employer cannot prohibit you from talking about the union during working time if it permits you to talk about other non-work-related matters during working time.

How to Enforce Your Rights


If you believe your rights or the rights of others have been violated, you should contact the National Labor Relations Board promptly to protect your rights, generally within six months of the unlawful activity. You may make inquiries of the NLRB without your employer or a union, or anyone else being informed of the inquiry. A charge against an employer or union must be filed to initiate an investigation; charges may be filed by any person and need not be filed by the employee directly affected by the violations. Employees should seek assistance from the nearest Regional NLRB office, which can be found by clicking "Contact NLRB" above. It is illegal for an employer or union to retaliate against employees for filing charges or participating in NLRB investigation or proceedings.
If the NLRB determines that your rights have been violated by an employer or a union, you may be awarded appropriate remedial relief. For example, if an employer has unlawfully fired an employee, the NLRB may order the employer to rehire the employee and to pay the employee lost wages and benefits. Likewise, if a union's unlawful conduct has caused an employee to lose a job, the NLRB may order the union to seek the employee's reinstatement and to make the employee whole financially. In all cases, the NLRB seeks to undo as much as possible the effects of whatever unlawful conduct has occurred, including by ordering the employer or union to stop violating the law and to post a remedial notice informing employees of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

Concerted activity


Federal law protects employees engaged in union activity, but that's only part of the story. Even if you're not represented by a union - even if you have zero interest in having a union - the National Labor Relations Act protects your right to band together with coworkers to improve your lives at work.
You have the right to act with coworkers to address work-related issues in many ways. Examples include: talking with one or more co-workers about your wages and benefits or other working conditions, circulating a petition asking for better hours, participating in a concerted refusal to work in unsafe conditions, and joining with coworkers to talk directly to your employer, to a government agency, or to the media about problems in your workplace. Your employer cannot discharge, discipline, or threaten you for, or coercively question you about, this "protected concerted" activity. However, you can lose protection by saying things about your employer that are egregiously offensive or knowingly and maliciously false, or by publicly disparaging your employer's products or services without relating your complaints to any labor controversy.

Social media


Even if you are not represented by a union, federal law gives you the right to band together with coworkers to improve your lives at work - including joining together in cyberspace, such as on Facebook.
Using social media can be a form of "protected concerted" activity. You have the right to address work-related issues and share information about pay, benefits, and working conditions with coworkers on Facebook, YouTube, and other social media. But just individually griping about some aspect of work is not "concerted activity": what you say must have some relation to group action, or seek to initiate, induce, or prepare for group action, or bring a group complaint to the attention of management.

Saturday, October 10, 2015

The chairman, president, and CEO of FedEx Corp. lashed out yesterday

TRANSPORTATION
 October 8, 2015

FedEx chief rails against states' efforts to restrict use of independent contractors
At conference, Smith calls for federal pre-emption of state labor laws.

By Mark B. Solomon

The chairman, president, and CEO of FedEx Corp. lashed out yesterday at legislative and judicial attempts to penalize business' use of independent contractors, saying they interfere with interstate commerce and threaten to undermine the responsiveness and efficiency of the supply chain.
Keynoting an industry conference in his company's hometown of Memphis, Tenn., Frederick W. Smith said the U.S. and world economies have flourished over the past 40 years because transport deregulation allowed companies to be flexible in managing changes in a cyclical industry. Attempts by legislative and judicial bodies to restrict those freedoms are a "profound" change that bodes well for no one, Smith said.
"The more rigidity you put in the supply chain, the less responsive and efficient it will be in the marketplace," Smith said.
FedEx's fast-growing ground-parcel division, FedEx Ground, is staffed by independent-contractor drivers, a model FedEx inherited from the old Roadway Package System Inc., whose Caliber System Inc. parent was acquired by FedEx in 1998. With its nonunion operations as leverage, RPS competed effectively against the then-dominant parcel carrier, UPS Inc. Since FedEx acquired Caliber, it has made significant inroads into UPS' once-unassailable share of the U.S. ground-parcel market.
However, the model has come under assault in recent years in state legislatures and in the courts, with opponents arguing that FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery drivers essentially operate as company employees but are denied the benefits and job protections that come with being an employee. The most visible battle took place in California, where 2,300 FedEx Ground and Home Delivery drivers sued the unit claiming it improperly classified them as independent contractors and not company employees while they worked there from 2000 to 2007. After an appellate court panel in California ruled in August 2014 that the drivers were company employees under state law, FedEx Ground in July paid $228 million to settle the drivers' claims.
Smith today called for federal pre-emption of state labor laws that effectively block the free flow of interstate commerce, and intrude on a legally binding contractual relationship between company and contractor. "There is a steady drip, drip, drip of restrictive laws at the state level ... into what should be a contractual relationship between consenting adults," he said.
Smith was not upbeat about the outlook for the global economy, saying it is suffering from "low growth" as a result of government policies that are "business-agnostic at best, and anti-business in many cases." Smith added that there are no visible catalysts for improvement unless pro-growth policies are developed and implemented. He added that tepid economic demand will trigger a surge in merger and acquisition activity as companies facing a slow-growth environment look to expand by buying and building scale.
One of the few bright spots is the continued growth of e-commerce, Smith said. He noted, however, that e-commerce shipments, which at one time were made up exclusively of small, lightweight shipments, are getting bigger. This trend is putting pressure on traditional package-sortation systems that are not designed to process such heavier, outsized commodities as kayaks that are ordered online, he said.

Friday, October 9, 2015

THE 4 UNION CENTERS GET THE RAISE

THE 4 UNION CENTERS GET THE RAISE

OK so the perception that was conveyed through this company over the last two months was that the Union centers weren't getting the raise. Well another myth has now be proven wrong. Doesn't the un-informed people who hung these anti hand outs in CLT break rooms a month ago look uneducated now !!! All 4 centers who voted for the union are getting it. They have gotten everything you have this entire time.

Every minuscule policy change, the bonus, the raise, no increase in weekly medical for 2016. If you got it, they got it. But the company wants you to believe that they weren't going to get it so you would be afraid to join them. So you would be afraid to exercise your rights to form a union.

When the appeals in court by this company end. Our 4 centers have one thing you don't have. It's called a seat at the table. So as you enjoy your raise. Know that there will be talks in the future that only 4 centers take part in to negotiate pay , benefits , retirement , work rules in writing that will only be for their centers . Not yours. And here's a news flash for you . Our 4 YES centers don't pay dues. We will not ever have to pay until we get and ratify a contract. The Teamsters are working for free. "Yes free". Get involved. Make a call. Sign a card. Have a voice and Vote "YES"

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

FedEx stockholders approve union-backed proposal

   By Wayne Risher of The Commercial Appeal

Sept. 28, 2015

FedEx stockholders on Monday approved a Teamsters-backed resolution that proposes an easier path for share owners to promote candidates for the board of directors.

It was the only shareholder proposal adopted during the Memphis-based company's annual meeting, and the first such proposal to pass since 2010.

Rejected proposals included calls for a review of company ties to the Washington Redskins' FedExField, compensation clawbacks in case of management wrongdoing, an independent board chairman and increased disclosure of political campaign and lobbying spending.

Shareholders gathered in person and by webcast at the FedEx Express world headquarters in southeast Memphis.

Shareholder proxy access would allow significant share owners to nominate director candidates and have their candidates' names appear on the proxy, the company's notice of official business at the annual meeting. Critics say the current nominating system forces dissident shareholders to mount a campaign against the incumbent board.

The resolution, offered by Marco Consulting Group Trust of Chicago, asks directors to change company bylaws.

FedEx chairman, president and chief executive Frederick W. Smith, after announcing the votes, said the resolution was non-binding, "but we will take it into account as we evaluate our corporate governance structure."

Speaking for the resolution, Louis Malizia, assistant director, capital strategies, for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said, "We believe proxy access is a fundamental right that should be in place at all companies." He said companies including Chesapeake Energy, Hewlett-Packard, Western Union and Verizon had adopted similar bylaws in recent years.

The board opposed the resolution, saying current policies are adequate to hold directors accountable, provide stockholders access to the board and allow stockholders to suggest director nominees to a board committee.

The measure passed with 53.8 percent of voted shares, 122.1 million to 102.7 million.

Shareholders in 2010 approved a resolution seeking a way to call a board meeting, a right that was reserved for the board at that time.  The 2011 annual meeting enacted a provision that holders of 20 percent or more of FedEx common stock could call a special meeting.
 

About Wayne Risher

Wayne Risher is a business reporter for The Commercial Appeal. He covers FedEx and the logistics industry, as well as Downtown development. He is the producer of Hub City Insider.

Friday, September 25, 2015

Pigskin History: Labor Meets the GridironDetails

Pigskin History: Labor Meets the GridironDetails

Football has long been America’s most popular sport, with millions of fans following the action every week. Before becoming the king of the sports world, football had a long history of unfair wages and poor labor conditions. Here are some key facts about what happened on the picket lines before union players dominated on the field:

1956: The National Football League Players Association is founded

Creighton Miller, former college football star and attorney, agrees to help organize a union to bargain for fair wages. The NFLPA is formally granted union status by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in 1970 with John Mackey serving as the union’s first president.

1982:  Strike brings NFL games to a halt

With no sign of a contract renewal, the NFLPA is left with no choice but to strike. The 57-day action, launched on September 21, comes to an end with the ratification of a new five-year contract that returns lost salary to the players and includes important upgrades to benefits and health coverage.

1987: Owners fumble, hire replacement players to take the field

NFL owners refuse to negotiate another contract at the end of 1987, instead hiring replacement players to play in place of the striking professionals. One of the darkest years in NFL history, fans ridicule the substitute players of their beloved teams, calling them names like the San Francisco “Phoney-Niners” and Los Angeles “Shams.”

1993: NFLPA reasserts itself, Reggie White signs big contract as free agent

After a four-year hiatus from technically being a union, the NFLPA reasserts itself and the first true year of free agency is established. Reggie White is the crowning achievement of the new bargaining agreement, signing with the Green Bay Packers for $17 million over four years.

2012: NFL refs go on strike, replaced by duds

It’s not just the players who are represented on the field by a union. The boys in stripes that year were replaced with fill-ins that were highly scrutinized for making bad calls, including the infamous Fail Mary on the last play of a Green Bay-Seattle game that helped push negotiations along.

2015: NLRB rejects Northwestern football players’ bid to unionize

The novelty of a college sport petitioning to unionize recently catches the NLRB offguard. As a result, the board declines the bid of Northwestern football players to unionize, stating that it would bring disarray to labor relations across private versus public institutions. However, the NLRB does recognize that college players are employees, leaving room for future union bids.

- See more at: http://labor411.org/411-blog/880-pigskin-history-labor-meets-the-gridiron#.dpuf

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Teamsters to FedEx: ‘Stop Paying Executives' Personal Taxes'

Facebook Twitter Pin It Share on Tumblr Post to RedditSEPTEMBER 18, 2015FREIGHTPRESS RELEASES

Leading Proxy Voting Advisor Recommends Support for Proposal to End Tax Gross-Ups; and Shareholder Proposals to Reform Executive Pay, Corporate Governance and Reporting

PRESS CONTACTKara DenizEmail:kdeniz@teamster.orgPhone: (202) 624-6911

(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) – Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), the nation’s leading proxy voting advisor, recommends FedEx [NYSE: FDX] shareholders vote for a Teamster-sponsored shareholder proposal aimed at reforming the company’s executive compensation. The proposal urges the company to stop paying the personal taxes on behalf of the senior executive officers.

A review of ISS research indicates that FedEx’s practice of paying executives’ taxes on restricted stock awards is not a common practice among U.S. corporations and that this practice only serves to erode the goals of aligning executive pay with performance.

According to the company’s 2015 proxy statement, FedEx paid four senior executives a total of more than $5.2 million over the past three fiscal years to alleviate their tax burden from restricted stock awards.

“FedEx needs to emerge from the dark ages of executive compensation. While the company continues to pay millions to cover the personal taxes for the top executives on their restricted stock awards, its workers face unaffordable medical benefits and an unsecure retirement,” said Ken Hall, General Secretary-Treasurer of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. “It’s time the FedEx Board eliminate this outdated perk, as so many other U.S. companies have done.”

ISS also recommends that FedEx investors vote for shareholder proposals calling for independent leadership of the Board; enhanced transparency in reporting corporate political spending and lobbying; and to adopt a clawback policy for recoupment of incentive and/or stock compensation to senior executives to mitigate executive pay related risk at the company.

“This year FedEx shareholders are sending a clear message to the company, ‘we demand accountability in corporate governance, executive compensation, and reporting,’” Hall said.  

The FedEx shareholder meeting will be held Sept. 28, 2015, at the company’s corporate headquarters in Memphis, Tenn.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/teamsters.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Thom's blog

The data is in: Unions work very, very well for workers!

  It's official, unions are still very, very good for workers. According to not one, but two new reports, collective bargaining is the best way tool we have to raise wages and increase opportunity for workers.

The first report was released by The Center for American Progress on Wednesday, and it focused on economic mobility and "the ability to improve upon the economic situation of one's birth."

The authors of that study found, "a strong relationship between union membership and inter-generational mobility." In other words, children who grew up in union households were more likely to lead a better life than their parents.

The other analysis, which was released Friday by the AFL-CIO's Center for Strategic Research, draws a clear line between union membership and higher wages.

Separately, and together, these reports show how important it is to protect our collective bargaining rights, and why we should celebrate when workers declare a victory.

According to the AFL-CIO report, in the first half of 2015, workers who bargained for new contracts saw an average wage increase of 4.3%. And, despite the Right's best efforts, even more employees will fight to form unions in the upcoming year.

Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, said, "This report provides clear evidence that joining a union and bargaining with your employer is the most effective way to give workers the power to raise their own wages." He added, "When working people speak with one voice, our economy is stronger, and all workers do better."

The Republican war on unions hasn't stopped people from organizing, but we need to fight hard to make sure our collective bargaining rights don't disappear.

-Thom 

(What do you think? Tell us here.)

Sunday, September 13, 2015

9/10/15
No health care payment increases for the next 3 years for these Teamsters after voting "YES" to be represented by Teamsters Local 377 in Youngstown, Ohio. Workers also won the key elements of a Teamster bargaining agreement: a voice in the workplace, a seniority system, fair wages and representation. This is what you get when you stick together petition for Teamster representation and vote "yes". What would these workers have gotten if they voted no?? A safety cookout.
After voting to be represented by Teamsters Local 377, Youngstown, Ohio, in March, workers at Engineered Wire Products recently ratified their first collective...
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