TDC 2019 was another good year for the Teamster drivers that participated. There were five Teamsters that took home 1st place trophies; Donald Wood, Ricky Lucas, Kirk Weis, & Joseph Carrillo from ABF and Mike Johnson from YRC. These skilled Teamsters from New Mexico are all headed to the 2019 National Truck Driving Championships in Pittsburg Pennsylvania. Best of Luck and Skill in Pennsylvania! Congratulations to everyone! Thanks for representing yourselves, your company and your Union so well again this year and we look forward to 2020!

There were only 3 Teamster represented Companies that participated at this year's New Mexico Truck Driving Championships, ABF, TeamOne, and YRC, which included 26 Teamster drivers out of 118 participants, where 10 Teamster Drivers took home 14 awards, competing against non-union companies like FedEx (FedEx had 67 participants), Groendyke, Old Dominion, UPT and XPO.

The 26 Teamster participants sorted by Class: 3 Axle Class: Randall Amberman from ABF Freight, and; Stanley Aragon, Javier Cruz, Jose Hernandez, & Mike Johnson from YRC Freight.  4 Axle Class: Cameron Misner & Brian Thias from TeamOne UPS Logistics, and; Donald Wood from ABF Freight.  5 Axle Class: Robert Delgado & Joey Padilla from ABF Freight. Flatbed Class: Gerald Benavidez from ABF Freight.  Sleeper Class: Ralph Garcia & Ricky Lucas from ABF Freight, and; Michael McAfee of YRC Freight. Straight Truck Class: Kirk Weis from ABF Freight. Tanker Class: David Logan & Robert Zamora from ABF Freight, and; Richard Cruz from YRC Freight. Twin Trailers Class: Joseph Carrillo, Justin Gallant, Fernando Gonzalez, Steven Kelly Russell, & Chad Sullins from ABF Freight, and; David Martinez, Samuel Soto, Joseph Wright from YRC Freight.

ABF had 15 participants and lots of family and supporters at this year’s championships which also included ABF Freight Regional VP Andy Upchurch, West Regional Director Ed Myers, ABF Local Management and employees from the shop, dock, line haul, and office.  ABF won the Best NMTDC Team award and a Fleet safety Award, the over 5,000,000 mile safety award and Line Haul Manager Randy Archer of ABF received the 2019 Volunteer of the Year award.

The individual awards for ABF drivers; Donald Wood won 1st place in the 4 axel class (Donald Wood also won Highway Angel Award, Driver of the Quarter, & Driver of the Year Award), Joey Padilla won 2nd place in 5 axel class, Gerald Benavidez won 3rd place in the Flatbed class, Kirk Weis won 1st place in the Straight Truck class, Ricky Lucus won 1st place in the Sleeper class & Ralph Garcia won 2nd place in the Sleeper class, Robert Zamora won 3rd place in the Tanker class, and finally Joseph Carrillo not only won 1st place in Twin Trailer class, Joseph also won Grand Champion! Congratulations to Brother Carrillo, who is also a Teamster Local 492 Executive Board Trustee and the annual NM Teamster Appreciation Day Lead Event Coordinator.

TeamOne UPS Logistics had fantastic family support for their 2 tough competitors. Brian Thias won 3rd place in the 4 Axle Class, TeamOne also took home a Fleet Safety Award for 1,000,000 to 5,000,000 safe miles.

YRC had tons of family and supporters for their 9 competitors from Line Haul and City operations. Mike Johnson won his spot at the 2019 National Truck Driving Championships in Pittsburg Pa. by taking home a 1st place Award in the 3 Axle Class.

Click Here to view all 2019 the scores.

Go down memory lane below:

2017 New Mexico Truck Driving Championships

2016 New Mexico Truck Driving Championships

2015 New Mexico Truck Driving Championships

2014 New Mexico Truck Driving Championships

2013 New Mexico Truck Driving Championships

2012 New Mexico Truck Driving Championships

2011 New Mexico Truck Driving Championships

2010 New Mexico Truck Driving Championships

2019TruckRodeoResults.pdf

One of 27 Supplements Rejected, Agreement Not In Effect Until Approved

Teamster-represented workers at YRC Freight, Holland and New Penn have voted to approve the national master portion of the new YRCW National Master Freight Agreement that raises wages, restores a week of vacation and protects benefits.

The national master portion of the agreement, which covers about 25,000 workers, was ratified by a 60 percent to 40 percent margin. However, all but one of the 27 regional supplemental contracts (Joint Council 40) also passed. The national contract will not go into effect until the Joint Council 40 supplement is resolved. The parties currently have an extension agreement in effect. Employees should report to work as usual.

“Over the past decade our members have sacrificed so much to keep the YRCW companies operating, and this contract restores the week of vacation and provides $4 in wage increases, among other improvements,” said Ernie Soehl, Director of the Teamsters National Freight Division.

“This contract should improve the livelihoods of our YRCW Teamsters for the next five years,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “Freight is the backbone of our great union and this contract recognizes our members for their hard work.”

The improvements include:

• $4.00 in wage increases over five years for the vast majority of workers (an 18% increase for most drivers and dockworkers) including a $1.00 wage increase retroactive to April 1, 2019 (a 4.5% increase for most drivers and dockworkers);
• Significant increases for dock-only, clerical, maintenance employees, janitors and porters hired after February 2014 including a minimum of an immediate $1.00 wage increase retroactive to April 1, 2019;
• Restoration of the week of vacation that was given up years ago, effective April 1, 2019;
• Protection of health and welfare benefits with no employee premium co-pays. Up to $0.50 per hour increases each year for most funds. The company agreed to provide other funds with fixed guaranteed amounts to maintain benefits;
• Improved language to curb excessive executive bonuses; and
• Prohibitions against using driverless trucks.

Everyone needs to be signed up to the website because emails through the website are going to be our primary mode of communication over the next few months. ***If you know an YRC member of Local 492 who is not receiving email updates from Local 492, forward this email to them and tell them to CLICK HERE to sign up or call Trey White at 505-344-1925 ex 15***

Visit the 492 YRC Freight Negotiations 2019 Page

Agreement Increases Wages, Protects Benefits, Creates New Full-Time Jobs

The five-year contract covering about 250,000 Teamster-represented workers at UPS will take effect at 12:01 a.m. tomorrow, Monday, April 29, after workers in Michigan ratified the last outstanding supplemental agreement.

The national contract will increase wages, protect benefits and create thousands of new full-time jobs. Economic improvements in the contract are retroactive to August 1, 2018. The company has been notified of the ratification and will attempt to implement required raises during the next weekly pay period.

“This contract recognizes our members’ hard work by providing solid wage increases, protecting their health coverage, improving their retirement security and giving part-time workers the chance to advance into long-term careers,” said Denis Taylor, Co-Chair of the National Negotiating Committee and Director of the Teamsters Package Division. “We realize this has been a long process, and we appreciate our members’ patience and support.”

The UPS contract includes wage increases of $4.15 per hour for both full-time and part-time workers over the term of the contract and increases the part-time start rate by $2.50 retroactively to August 1, 2018. All full-time and part-time UPS Teamsters will continue to receive health insurance for the member and their family without paying premiums. The agreement also strengthens grievance enforcement for harassment with a sitting arbitrator and monetary penalties, and a new procedure to make it easier to get on or off the overtime list.

The agreement requires UPS to create 5,000 new full-time jobs during the term of the agreement, including a minimum of 2,000 Article 43 driver jobs, and a new combination driver classification that addresses the changes brought on through the e-commerce revolution.

Other Articles from today: UPS Final Supplement Detroit 243 Ratified

It’s Official! Today Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the new NM Film incentives into law. “New Mexico is recommitting to our film & TV industry! Signing SB 2 more than doubles the cap on the film tax credit and ensures that this booming industry will bring jobs to the entire state, not just Albuquerque and Santa Fe. We’re sending a clear message to producers inside and outside New Mexico: we want your business. Film and TV will be a bedrock of our economic diversification efforts, & this legislation represents our commitment to job creation, creative industries & sustainable growth,” said Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

“Now, everyone in the film industry knows that New Mexico is stable. It keeps its word,” said NM House Representative, Moe Maestas. “We have the most beautiful and modern studios, the landscapes, the workers. We know New Mexico is the best place in the world and thanks to the film industry, the world will know that as well.”

Your Teamster 492 Business Agents Melissa Malcom, Trey White and Tracy McCarty, spent hundreds of hours this session lobbying Representatives and Senators in the roundhouse on behalf of the Teamsters and Labor. In particular, they lobbied for House Bill 85 and Senate Bill 2, both of which have now been signed into law! Today at the film bill signing press conference, NM Cabinet Secretary of Economic Development publicly thanked the Teamsters for working so hard to protect NM crew during the 60-day session. The Teamsters were also publicly thanked by the Governor, Representative Antonio "Moe" Maestas and Senator Nancy Rodriguez. We want to thank all of them for taking the time to listen to our concerns and their commitment to the NM workers! We would also like to thank Little West and Jon Lipshutz from the AFL-CIO for working so hard to get this film bill to the Governor’s desk!!!  

HB85: House Bill 85 was signed into law earlier this week and will prevent counties from passing anti-union bills that prevent exclusive bargaining agreements. In other words, counties will not be allowed to pass or enact RTW laws. This is a great win for ALL unions in New Mexico.

“The passage of HB 85 Union Security Agreements is a victory for all working families in New Mexico. Deceptive and divisive "right to work" laws have no place in our state. During multiple legislative sessions, working people mobilized to stop so-called right to work laws from passing in the Roundhouse. Despite this, out-of-state special interest groups tried to undermine the will of the people by pushing these laws through at the local level. Those actions were a subversion of the legislative process, undermined the State's right to determine this issue, and are a distraction from real efforts to improve the lives of working New Mexicans. With HB 85 now signed into law, we hope county and municipal officials will focus on actually creating good jobs, promoting healthy communities, and making our state a better place to live for all working families.” - Jon Lipshutz.

SB2: SB2 will reduce the current 6 year bottleneck of rebate repayment by paying off $225 million of the current $382 in film debt over the next two years and raising the annual cap from $50 millionto $110 million. This will most definitely encourage more productions to film in NM. “There was a backlog and that causes some trepidation,” Lujan Grisham said. “Allowing us to pay down what we owe sends a very strong message to the industry that New Mexico pays its bills.”

Since 2003, the NM film industry has brought about $3.5 billion to New Mexico. During fiscal year 2017, the direct spend in New Mexico from the film industry was about $464.6 million.

The new law also adds a new incentive by completely lifting the annual cap for companies who lease or buy film studios in New Mexico and also commit to filming in New Mexico for 10 years. This will encourage much needed new film infrastructure be added to the New Mexico landscape. The new law also adds a 5% incentive for filming in rural areas 60 miles outside of Santa Fe/Albuquerque area. There is a real possibility that a Las Cruces, Roswell or Farmington film facility could exist in the near future.

The new Film incentives are going to ensure that New Mexico is a huge player in the film industry for years to come. It's going to create great new jobs for New Mexicans and give our current Teamsters more job security.