The six supplements that did not get approved are: Central Region Over-the-Road Freight; Central Region Local Cartage; Southern Region Area Local Freight Forwarding Garage; Carolina Freight Council Over-the-Road; Western States Office Employees—Part V; and New Jersey-New York Area LU-701.
June 27th, 2013- The ABF National Contract has been ratified by a vote of 3,210 yes to 2,965 no. The Western Supplement for Road, Shop, and Dock also passed, the office supplement failed. Local 492 vote tally was 172 yes, 40 no (Corrected). Below is the statement put out by the IBT:
Teamsters Approve National ABF Agreement; Most Supplements Also Approved
Union Will Talk To Members In Areas Where Supplements Were Rejected
(WASHINGTON) – Teamsters employed at ABF Freight System, Inc. have voted to approve the national master portion of the ABF National Master Freight Agreement as well as 21 of the 27 supplements. Some local/area supplemental agreements, however, were rejected and issues in those areas must be addressed before the national agreement can be implemented.
“We understand the sacrifices our ABF members are making,” said Gordon Sweeton, Co-Chairman of the National ABF Negotiating Committee (TNFINC). “We will work on obtaining approval of those supplements that were not approved.”
The Teamster negotiating committees responsible for the supplements that were not approved by a majority of voting members will be talking with the members in those areas. In the meantime, the Teamsters Union will schedule meetings to engage the company in further negotiations to achieve our members’ objectives.
“Once ratified, the national contract will protect our members’ health, welfare and pension benefits and will also give the company the ability to compete in a very tough trucking environment, which is good for ABF and the long-term job security of our members,” Sweeton said.
The contract calls for a 7 percent wage reduction, but the reduction will be entirely recouped by the fifth year of the five-year contract.
