September 2, 2010: It took over a month on strike. But New York movers in Local 814 have won their strike—and now workers who were making half union wages with no healthcare will be getting a big raise. Read about how they did it in this story from Labor Notes magazine. Rat Company Routed by New York Movers by Jane Slaughter It’s 12 feet long, with a tail, claws, and sharp teeth. It’s only a...

September 1, 2010: Transport workers across the world are holding a day of action to ram home the message to UPS managers that the sacking of 157 workers in Turkey will not go unnoticed. The workers were dismissed following an organising drive by the ITF-affiliated union Türkiye Motorlu Tasit Isçileri Sendikasi (TUMTIS); on 2 July, the conflict escalated in Izmir when it was reported that the manager of a UPS sub-contractor pulled out a gun...

August 31, 2010: The prospective new owners of The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News saw continued pushback from some of the newspapers’ unions Monday as a second group of employees voted Monday against a new labor contract. The newspapers’ pressmen, represented by a Teamsters local, voted 74-9 to reject the offer, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Tuesday. The thumbs-down on that proposal follows Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News machinists’ rejection on Sunday of a...

August 30, 2010: It is an anxious weekend for hundreds of families who've now been told they no longer have medical coverage; ongoing fallout from the strike involving workers at Coca-Cola distribution centers. The Teamsters Union says they went on strike because the company wanted to eliminate health care for retirees and make workers pay more out of pocket for benefits. Click here to read more at the Komo News.

August 27, 2010: A federal judge has upheld all elements of the Port of Los Angeles’ clean air program, including a controversial provision that bans independent truck drivers and requires them to be employees of companies that have obtained concessions. Los Angeles district court Judge Christina Snyder stated in Thursday’s ruling that the port’s concession agreements with trucking companies were a “business necessity” to protect the government’s financial interests. Click here to read more at...

August 24, 2010: Some 500 employees of Coca-Cola in Washington state have walked off the job and are on strike, according to a company official. The disgruntled workers, who are members of six local chapters of the Teamsters, said the company has failed to bargain in good faith with employees, resulting in a deadlock in negotiations, which began in April. The workers have been working without a contract since May 15, when their last contract...

August 19, 2010: The battle over the employment status of drivers at FedEx Ground moved to Massachusetts this week as 31 current and former drivers sued the carrier, alleging improper classification. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Boston, seeks class-action status. Plaintiffs contend FedEx exerts enough control over its drivers to consider them employees rather than independent contractors. FedEx controls the days the drivers work, enforces appearance and vehicle standards and monitors performance....

August 18, 2010: In an unexpected role reversal, the leaders of Teamsters Local 377 are facing accusations of unfair- labor practices from the local union hall’s two employees. The conflict has resurrected political tensions at the union, which has been plagued by infighting for several years. Click here to read more at Vindy.

August 17, 2010: The Laborers' International Union is rejoining the AFL-CIO five years after leaving in a bitter dispute that split the U.S. labor movement. The 800,000-member laborers' union represents workers in the construction industry. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka says the move is an important step in helping organized labor become more unified. Mr. Trumka has also reached out to Teamsters President James Hoffa about making a return to the AFL-CIO, and said in a...

August 16, 2010: As Delta Air Lines workers prepare to vote in massive union representation elections later this year, labor leaders say wins at the company could influence organizing around the Atlanta area and the South. “Delta is an icon in Atlanta,” said Patrick Scott, who works with the AFL-CIO-organized ATL Solidarity Committee, a coalition to support union efforts. The Delta elections will “set the tone” for other unionization campaigns, he said. Click here to...