Teamsters' total more than 11,000 at UPS Freight

A majority of UPS Freight workers in 40 states have submitted cards to become Teamsters, the union said.

The Trucker News Services

5/27/2008

WASHINGTON — In four months, more than 11,000 UPS Freight drivers and dockworkers in 40 states have signed cards to become Teamsters, the largest organizing victory in the freight industry in 25 years, the union reports.

More than 9,900 of these workers have already ratified a new contract. Teamsters won card- check agreement from UPS in December 2007, and began collecting cards from UPS Freight (formerly Overnite Transportation) workers on January 16 this year.

“The determination and dedication of these workers to join the Teamsters is tremendous,” said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. “We are proud to represent them and we are closer to our goal of representing 12,600 UPS Freight workers.”

A majority of UPS Freight workers in 40 states have submitted cards: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

“To have organized more than 11,000 workers in such a short amount of time continues to amaze me,” said Teamsters Package Division Director Ken Hall. “These employees work tirelessly for UPS Freight and they should be rewarded with good wages and benefits.”

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