Proposed Freight Agreement Has Concessions
freight_bulletin_dec_20.jpgAs expected, the proposed National Master Freight Agreement secures the $1 an hour needed to protect our pensions and health benefits.
It also contains concessions that severely weaken our contract.
Freight Teamsters need to take a hard look and decide for themselves: Is the proposed deal the best contract we can win?
Concessions
The tentative deal weakens our contract in several key areas.
Utility Drivers. The tentative agreement would allow “utility drivers” who could do both road and city work. Utility drivers would receive a slight pay premium, reportedly $1 per hour (a 4% premium). This would be similar to extending the Premium Service language to the entire contract.
Low-Wage Casuals. The tentative agreement would allow $14 per hour part-time casuals.
Longer Progression. The tentative agreement would reportedly make the new-hire rate even longer, stretching it out to four years. It would provide that a CDL-qualified new-hire would start at 85% pay (instead of 75%), but with the longer period, that's no gain, just more pain.
Economics
Wages. Reports indicate wages of $2.20 over the five year contract, ending in 2013. That would be an average of 1.9% increase per year. Reportedly it would be 50¢-40¢-45¢-40¢-45¢. Road mileage increases would be 1.25¢-1¢-1.125¢-1¢-1.125¢.
Benefits. $1 per year into pension and health and welfare. In most areas, it will be 35¢ health and welfare, 65¢ pension per year. This is the pattern set in the UPS contract and necessary to protect benefits.
Overtime. Reportedly new language would limit overtime during layoffs through a formula that would require carriers to recall a laid-off Teamster if a certain number of excess OT hours are worked.
UPS Freight: Raise Their Standards or Slash Ours?
Some Freight Division officers say we need to make givebacks because UPS Freight poses a threat to Yellow, Roadway, ABF and other union carriers.
The contract signed at Indianapolis UPS Freight by Hoffa and Ken Hall is far below the NMFA. The contract there includes a frozen company pension, $150/month employee co-pays for healthcare,and low-paid part-timers.
No doubt the substandard UPS Freight contract in Indianapolis is a threat to the NMFA, especially because UPS Freight is now going to move into long-haul freight.
But the UPS Freight contract covers only one terminal. Instead of slashing our standards, local unions and the Freight Division should organize UPS Freight terminals, and bargain jointly with the company to win NMFA standards.
That's a union solution that freight Teamsters can get behind. Bring UPS Freight up, not the NMFA down.
The International Union is refusing to give out information or copies of the tentative deal. It is possible that a quickie vote may be held after they release the tentative agreement in early January.
Get the facts. Talk with other Teamsters. It's your contract, your union and your decision.
Download a bulletin to distribute to other freight Teamsters.
Sign up for email updates from Freight2008.org.
freight_bulletin_dec_20.jpgAs expected, the proposed National Master Freight Agreement secures the $1 an hour needed to protect our pensions and health benefits.
It also contains concessions that severely weaken our contract.
Freight Teamsters need to take a hard look and decide for themselves: Is the proposed deal the best contract we can win?
Concessions
The tentative deal weakens our contract in several key areas.
Utility Drivers. The tentative agreement would allow “utility drivers” who could do both road and city work. Utility drivers would receive a slight pay premium, reportedly $1 per hour (a 4% premium). This would be similar to extending the Premium Service language to the entire contract.
Low-Wage Casuals. The tentative agreement would allow $14 per hour part-time casuals.
Longer Progression. The tentative agreement would reportedly make the new-hire rate even longer, stretching it out to four years. It would provide that a CDL-qualified new-hire would start at 85% pay (instead of 75%), but with the longer period, that's no gain, just more pain.
Economics
Wages. Reports indicate wages of $2.20 over the five year contract, ending in 2013. That would be an average of 1.9% increase per year. Reportedly it would be 50¢-40¢-45¢-40¢-45¢. Road mileage increases would be 1.25¢-1¢-1.125¢-1¢-1.125¢.
Benefits. $1 per year into pension and health and welfare. In most areas, it will be 35¢ health and welfare, 65¢ pension per year. This is the pattern set in the UPS contract and necessary to protect benefits.
Overtime. Reportedly new language would limit overtime during layoffs through a formula that would require carriers to recall a laid-off Teamster if a certain number of excess OT hours are worked.
UPS Freight: Raise Their Standards or Slash Ours?
Some Freight Division officers say we need to make givebacks because UPS Freight poses a threat to Yellow, Roadway, ABF and other union carriers.
The contract signed at Indianapolis UPS Freight by Hoffa and Ken Hall is far below the NMFA. The contract there includes a frozen company pension, $150/month employee co-pays for healthcare,and low-paid part-timers.
No doubt the substandard UPS Freight contract in Indianapolis is a threat to the NMFA, especially because UPS Freight is now going to move into long-haul freight.
But the UPS Freight contract covers only one terminal. Instead of slashing our standards, local unions and the Freight Division should organize UPS Freight terminals, and bargain jointly with the company to win NMFA standards.
That's a union solution that freight Teamsters can get behind. Bring UPS Freight up, not the NMFA down.
The International Union is refusing to give out information or copies of the tentative deal. It is possible that a quickie vote may be held after they release the tentative agreement in early January.
Get the facts. Talk with other Teamsters. It's your contract, your union and your decision.
Download a bulletin to distribute to other freight Teamsters.
Sign up for email updates from Freight2008.org.