TEAMSTERS OVERWHELMINGLY RATIFY NEW NATIONAL CONTRACT AT ABF FREIGHT

Two Rejected Supplements Reach New Tentative Agreement, To Be Voted Next Week

IBT NOTICE 6/30/2023 - Teamsters have overwhelmingly ratified a new national contract at ABF Freight, as well as 25 of 27 supplemental agreements. The two rejected supplements, the Southern Garage and the Western States Pickup & Delivery, reached new tentative agreement today after the Teamsters met with ABF, and will be voted on within the next week. 

Article XII, Section 2(c) of the Teamsters Constitution provides in relevant part:

In the event such a special rider or supplement is not approved by the affected members, and the master agreement is ratified, the supplemental negotiating committee shall meet with the master negotiating committee to identify the issues which resulted in the rejection of the supplement. The master negotiating committee shall assist the supplemental negotiating committee when bargaining resumes with the employer to resolve the issues.

The appropriate negotiating committees were summoned to Teamsters headquarters and met with ABF today, Friday, June 30, to find a resolution to the supplemental issues.

The Teamsters Constitution further provides that:

In the event the parties cannot reach a negotiated settlement, the master negotiating committee shall have the authority to determine the appropriate action to be taken, including authorizing a strike.

After meeting with ABF, all issues have been resolved and new tentative agreements have been reached. The voting process for the two affected supplements will be rerun during the next week.

While we work through the constitutional process, all members at ABF should continue working and performing their jobs to the best of their abilities until further notice.

The five-year master agreement provides members with improvements to wages, benefits, and working conditions, among other gains.

“This national agreement will serve as the model for the rest of the freight industry. It will set the tone for national freight contracts moving forward. The gains made at the table will be long-lasting and far-reaching,” said Sean M. O’Brien, Teamsters General President and Chair of the Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC).

Ballots were counted today after two weeks of in-person voting. The agreement covers approximately 8,600 members at 137 local unions throughout the U.S. 

“Our members have spoken and overwhelmingly agree that this strong national contract will protect Freight Teamsters,” said John A. Murphy, Teamsters Freight Division Director and TNFINC Co-Chair. “We have paved the way for a brighter future for every Teamster at ABF. I want to thank the negotiating team for their hard work, especially our rank-and-file members who were able to join the committee for the first time. Their participation and input was invaluable.”   

Highlights of the national contract include:

• Wage Increases: Members will receive a $3.50 per hour raise effective July 1, 2023, with a total of $6.50 in raises over the life of the agreement. The wage increases in year one alone surpass those of the entire previous contract, providing meaningful improvements for members.

• Expanded Benefits: MLK Day is added as a new paid holiday, recognizing its significance. Starting January 1, 2024, two additional annual paid sick days have been added, increasing the minimum number of paid sick days from five to seven.

• Health, Welfare, & Pension Contributions: The company is required to increase its contributions to health, welfare, and pension plans, with a total of $4.46 per hour of additional contributions over the term of the agreement. 

• Work Protections: The national contract includes provisions to protect members’ rights and well-being. It prohibits the use of invasive technology and ensures new guardrails against the use of autonomous vehicles or freight transportation without drivers/operators, safeguarding job security.

6/30/2023 (Local 492 Notice)- Today, the Teamsters and ABF have negotiated new Tentative Agreements for the ABF Supplements that were voted down. We are sending this email from Local 492 now, so that everyone can be notified as soon as possible that there will not be a strike at this time. There will be another round of votes for the new Tentative Agreements for those Supplements that were voted down. More information to come. We will send out the official notice from the IBT as well as soon as it is sent to us.

6/29/2023 - The ABF Dock PUD Western Supplement, and two Office Supplements in the East have failed to pass. I have been in contact with the Western Freight Director and I am awaiting instructions from the IBT on how we will proceed. As we all know, the IBT has stated that we will have a signed contract by expiration (June 3Oth) or we will be on the street. I will keep all of you updated as soon as I have any news as to the status of this contractual ongoing issue. Click Here to view the 492 ABF Vote Tally Sheet. We will post the national numbers as they become available. 

Should any questions arise over this matter, feel free to contact me at (505) 344-1925 ext. 18.

Tracy McCarty

Teamsters Local 492, Freight Business Agent