DHL Express workers ratify national labor contract

A new labor contract boosts wages and benefits, improves working conditions and strengthens job security for drivers, freight handlers, warehouse workers, clerical workers and call center representatives at dozens of DHL Express locations across the U.S., the Teamsters said.

The Trucker News Services

5/2/2008

WASHINGTON — In votes counted late Thursday, more than 7,000 Teamsters working at DHL Express ratified their first national agreement by a solid 82 percent, the union reports.

The contract is the union’s second new national agreement in the past month. These are the first new national pacts negotiated by the Teamsters Union in more than 30 years, a Teamsters news release noted. In votes counted on April 7, 89 percent of voting workers at UPS Freight ratified a new national contract that now covers approximately 10,700 new members.

“The vote from DHL Express members is a strong signal of support,” said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. “We were determined to obtain the best contract that we could for members, and I believe we have achieved that. I thank our national negotiating committee and our members on a job well done.”

The contract boosts wages and benefits, improves working conditions and strengthens job security for drivers, freight handlers, warehouse workers, clerical workers and call center representatives at dozens of DHL Express locations across the U.S., the union said.

“I can’t help but think that this is going to be a good thing for everybody,” said Sam Conover, a DHL driver and member of Teamsters Local 135 in Indianapolis. “I believe this helps the company by giving them some avenues to do some cost-saving. At the same time, our jobs have been protected and this is the strongest wage-and-benefit package I’ve seen as a Teamster.”

“It is my hope that this new national labor agreement will provide a great relationship-building opportunity for DHL and the Teamsters,” said Hans Hickler, CEO, DHL Express, U.S.A. “We experienced a new spirit of openness and cooperation between the company’s management and the Teamsters’ leadership to arrive at an agreement that we believe is in the best interests of all parties involved.”

The five-year contract expires on March 31, 2013. Among the national contract’s highlights: annual wage and benefit increases, including $8.35 over the term of the contract for pick up-and-delivery and clerical workers; all health-and-welfare and pension funds are maintained for current employees; a cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, applies to all employees and operations covered by the new agreement.

“Creating a national contract was a complicated undertaking and our members have shown that it was worthwhile work,” said Brad Slawson, co-chair of the Teamsters national negotiating committee. “Not only were we able to negotiate significant economic gains for members, this agreement provides job security by allowing DHL to better compete in this tough industry.”

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.