Local 896

24 years of thanks-giving at Anheuser Busch

Anheuser Busch employees packaged and delivered 150 Thanksgiving food baskets on November 22, 2008.

Families Helping Families, a nonprofit organization owned and operated by Fairfield Anheuser Busch employees was founded 24 years ago. That year, the group prepared baskets for three needy families. This year, FHF packaged and delivered 150 food baskets for families throughout Solano County, delivered 30 grocery cards worth $50 each to local seniors, and provided 20 families with hot Thanksgiving meals.

“No family should go without a family meal on Thanksgiving,” said FHF representative Donelle Kucala. “Employees at Anheuser Busch have money deducted from their pay checks all year. These monies are pooled to provide meals for needy families at Thanksgiving and throughout the year,” she added.

Local 315

Local 315 members picket movie set

 

When Local 315 received word that the Japanese film “Sideways” was being set up and filmed in Calistoga, the Local contacted the production company to sign an agreement. But they refused.

“We immediately contacted Motion Picture Studio Transportation Drivers Local 399 in Los Angeles,” explains Secretary-Treasurer Dale Robbins, “and the next day Secretary- Treasurer Leo Reed sent Local 399 Business Agent Steve Dayan up north with picket signs. We jumped on this real quick.”

Local 315 President Carlos Borba, Business Agent Jim Sveum and Local 624’s Phil Ybarrolaza got together with members and retirees from both Locals to spend a day picketing. Their message was that the Teamsters will protect our jurisdiction to work on movies in the bay area.

“Local 399 decided to remove the picket line after we made our point loud and clear,” Robbins added, and Joint Council 7 President Chuck Mack has scheduled a meeting of Locals to discuss our role in the film industry in the Bay Area.

Local 350

Landfill workers vote for union representation

The 28 employees at the Allied Waste Newby Island Landfill in Milpitas voted in December to have Local 350 represent them. “The employer mounted an intense campaign against the local but ultimately lost the NLRB election,” says Secretary- Treasurer Robert Morales.

“I particularly want to commend Local 350 organizers Solon Castillo and Gary Kelly for a job well done,” Morales added. “Now we will commence negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement.”

Local 853

Teamsters protest GraniteRock at Annual EXPO

On a cold, crisp January 16, 2009 morning, Teamsters from Locals throughout the San Francisco Bay Area converged on GraniteRock’s Contractor EXPO at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Seaside, California. The crystal blue sky and the deep blue waters of the Pacific Ocean paled in comparison to the intimidating wave of Teamsterblue jackets greeting uns u s p e c t i n g contractors as they arrived at the event.

The annual EXPO, where contractors attend presentations and seminars about new building materials and construction/ business techniques, provided Local 853 an opportunity to educate those contractors about our ongoing conflict with GraniteRock. The Teamster action in Seaside took place under a direct threat from Granite- Rock’s lawyers who, in a letter to Teamster Locals, warned of arrests if union members tried to rent a room at the Embassy Suites or if there was any picketing at the EXPO. Teamsters did both. There were no arrests.

The presence of officials, business agents, stewards and rank-and-filers from Locals 85, 315, 350, 490, 624, 665, 890, and 912, along with representatives from the IBEW and the Operating Engineers, illustrated to contractors attending GraniteRock’s EXPO that, not only does Local 853 intend to continue the fight for fair wages, benefits and working conditions, but that the solidarity of all Bay Area labor is with us.

“GraniteRock, and its owner Bruce Woolpert, are attempting to gain a competitive advantage over the other leg i t i m a t e ready mix companies who are signatory to our contracts,” said Local 853 Secretary-Treasurer Rome Aloise. We want those who do business with GraniteRock to know that we are not going away, and that they should support companies that pay decent wages and benefits to their workers. We want Woolpert to know that his plan won’t work.”

Union members report that Woolpert cowered inside the hotel and failed to show his face to the hundreds of pickets. Sources say that 30% less contractors attended the EXPO than in previous years. “No one likes doing business with a bully. Finally, people see Woolpert for what he is and are fed up with him,” said Aloise.

Local 665

Parking Industry Teamsters approve new 4-year
deal in San Francisco

By an overwhelming 98% margin, the more than 1,700 parking workers in downtown San Francisco and at the City’s international airport voted, in separate meetings, to ratify new fouryear labor agreements in December. The new contract brings job stability and increased wages to Teamsters employed by over two dozen Bay Area parking employers.

The ratification came before strike action was taken by San Francisco Teamsters.

“In a down economy, this was a particularly hard fought battle,” said Local 665 Secretary-Treasurer Ernie Yates. “Our members stuck together, and the employers realized they had a fight on their hands if a settlement wasn’t reached before the holiday season arrived.”

Wages for most financial district parking valets and garage workers will reach $21.46 an hour by the last year of the contract. Included in the new package are improvements for both the pension plan and the 401k.

These Teamsters, along with their counterparts at San Francisco International Airport, will become the highest paid parking employees in the U.S.

Local 665 members will also enjoy a continuation of health benefits over the four years, with improvements fully maintained by the employers.

Stability in job assignments will come about with new contract provisions that prevent new hires from displacing long-term Teamsters in any of the city’s 300+ garages and lots.

The grievance procedure also includes new protections allowing for more fairness at disciplinary hearings and stricter requirements on the employers to show cause.

Major employers in the Master Parking Agreement include Ampco System Parking, Standard Parking, Central Parking, Imperial Parking, and Ace Parking Management.

Local 665 members participating in the vote included airport workers, and employees in San Francisco’s major commercial office buildings, hotels and city-owned garages.