DALLAS, Texas — Employees of Penske Truck Leasing’s facility in the Redbird neighborhood of Dallas have freed themselves from the Teamsters Local 745 union officials.
A majority of workers, with assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, filed a petition requesting decertification of the local union with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on Nov. 14.
“More and more, American workers across the country are deciding they are better off without Teamsters union bosses who prioritize their own interests over that of the workers they claim to ‘represent,’” said Mark Mix, president NLRB. “We’re proud to support the growing number of workers engaged in the transportation and trucking industries who are demanding freedom from coercive unionism.”
Teamsters’ Disclaim Interest In Representation
The NLRB is the federal agency responsible for enforcing federal labor law, a task that includes administering votes to install (or “certify”) and remove (or “decertify”) unions in workplaces. By law, the NLRB should administer a decertification election if employees submit a petition in which at least 30% of workers demand such an election (this petition far exceeded that threshold).
The decertification election was scheduled for December 18, but on the day of the election, union officials formally disclaimed interest in continuing as the workers’ “representative,” removing the need for an election. Teamsters bosses presumably knew they would have lost the vote overwhelmingly, and preemptively conceded defeat.
Texas Employees Free from Union’s Twin Powers
Texas is a Right to Work state, meaning that Teamsters union officials cannot enforce union contracts that require workers to pay union dues or fees to keep their jobs. In non-Right to Work states, union bosses can have workers fired solely for refusing to financially support union officials’ activities.
However, in both Right to Work and non-Right to Work states, union officials can wield exclusive “representation” power over every employee in a workplace, unless the union is decertified. The workers at Penske’s Redbird facility are now free of both of these powers granted to union bosses by the government.
“I support decertifying the Teamsters union because the union isn’t benefiting us the way it should,” said Epifanio Hernande, a Penske employee in early December, shortly after his petition for decertification was filed. “The union rules aren’t beneficial to everyone, and instead of helping us progress, they end up holding many of us back. We deserve the freedom to exercise our own rights, speak for ourselves, and make decisions that reflect what we actually want — not what the union decides for us.”
Teamsters Union Continues Streak of Decertification
According to the National Right to Work Foundation, in just the last year, Foundation staff attorneys have helped several groups of employees free themselves from unwanted union “representation” by the Teamsters. These include two other cases in Dallas, where both delivery drivers for Restaurant Technologies, Inc. and employees at FCC Environmental Services recently booted Teamsters Local 745 bosses from their workplaces, the same union as in this case.
“Foundation staff attorneys have also noticed a marked rise in requests from workers seeking legal assistance in Teamsters decertification cases,” the National Right to Work Foundation said. “Recent NLRB statistics also suggest no union faces more decertification petitions than the Teamsters.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
No surprise that many are decertifying. Amazon needs a union. They are making money hand over fist. In Ohio the Amazon company semi drivers make $23./hr and work 12-13 hours per day. Food and freight haulers make $28-42 per hour. Once you are there you are behind for life. Of course if you were making $18. per hour at the Amazon warehouse you now make $23. it is a big raise for you. I worked in the Teamsters. coal mining UMW and the rubber workers. Coal miners deserve every penny. The Teamsters like the UAW created an adversarial relationship w/ the companies. The unions should have said give 8 hrs. work for 8 hours pay. There was much time wasted and stolen. Supervisors looked the other way and unions kept pushing. Many companies were not able to make changes to survive trucking deregulation from the 1980s. The unions were to blame for closures do to a hard nosed attitude. The top 20 carriers all went under sooner or later. ABF- Arkansas Best Freight is the only survivor. Unions refused to get rid of 24/7 365 break bulk terminals. Instead of a staggered work week Sunday work was double time and Sat time and one half. Many drivers took a 10-15% pay cut to keep the doors open. Of course the mob was involved in stealing much money from the union during the Hoffa days. My company went under because a high ranking Ohio union boss called a strike ( on a company going under) . We did go under. In most areas unions have outlived their usefulness. Steve
Just about all Steve mentioned is a lie. OK, Steve, what’s the underlying problem? Did you feel you were “screwed” out of something? Union companies are and have been weak because of deregulation act of 1978. I’ve worked for 11 different companies but kept on looking for another UNION job driving over the road. I’ve retired now and recieve a pension. I’ve always utilized the grievance when payroll thought to steal from me. You have your regrets but buried in lies, perhaps as many as our current president. I can guarantee you every one of those employees who chosen to de-certify will live to regret it. Brain washing in the southern conference is so typical. The young former Teamsters at Penske 4gotten you have to “MAN UP”when u are trying to preserve something that is worthwhile fighting for. Obviously Steve corporate America is not going to lay it in your lap. So sorry you haven’t figured that out.
Moderation ? I didn’t use any 4 letter words! Does language what Steve said in misconceptions and lack of knowledge how difficult it is to give workers and their families a better way of life acceptable. He has NO understanding how an organizing campaign for the workers and their families works. Fact checking him and allow ANY person to say untruths in an open forum and allowing him to go all “over the place” is a correction in facts
Their is always an underlying physiological
event that taken place that he is not mentioned.
I was raised by a die hard teamster. I have made a career in the construction trades and have seen all sides of labor unions.
It will be a cold day in hell before I belong to any labor union.
I don’t need anyone negotiating my compensation package.
As for Amazon how much they make has no bearing on union or no union I have yet to see a union represented employee risk everything they own to start their own business. It’s about risk vs reward. I refuse to use Amazon but It has nothing to do with the unions
I’m betting they aren’t going to get what they think can without representation. maybe a little more on the check but that will be eaten up by Healthcare premiums now. no pension but a 401 k ran by the company. not a good idea . 2 hours a month for medical dental and optical insurance is a steal. remember right to work means the right to work for less..
They are happy at this moment, when the dust settles and the company starts taking things away then it will be another story. Same thing all these right to work states try and say, but the truth is they are there for the company and to make sure they get maximum profits above all else.
Wait until the first week on January when the Company Heads tell their employees what their Medical payments are going to be going forward. Don’t call the Teamsters, they can not help you for a year. The Company will be looking for the ones that were involved in the Union. They will be the first to loose their jobs. No more Seniority. Enjoy your future employment.