March 27, 2008: Negotiations for a new national carhaul agreement have begun at a difficult time for Teamsters.
Now is the time to stand united to protect our gains and to reunite our national contracts.
Over 40 percent of U.S. Teamster carhaulers are employed by Allied Automotive Group and work at 17.5 percent below union scale, with another two years to run on their concessionary deal.
Another 20 percent, employed by PTS, await the sale of their company as it exits bankruptcy. As of mid-March, the initial auction to buy PTS was postponed because there was only one qualified bidder. The company has not revealed the identity of the bidder, but insiders report that it is Black Diamond Capital, PTS’s largest creditor.
PTS CEO Jeff Cornish has stated in a letter to employees and in meetings with Teamster officials that the company will emerge from bankruptcy with less debt and stronger, but a high priority will be getting an acceptable labor contract.
The remaining carriers—Jack Cooper and PMT, Cassens, and Active—are looking to get a piece of the concession candy store.
A Two-Year Contract?
Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) surveyed carhaul stewards and members on bargaining a two year contract to get all the carriers back under one contract when Allied’s deal expires, and got a very positive response. IBT Carhaul Director Zuckerman has not commented but reportedly intends to bargain another long-term contract.
The Hoffa-Zuckerman plan of getting PTS and Allied both under the ownership of Ron Burkle, and counting on Burkle to look out for Teamster interests, is not working.
The Teamster contract proposals presented to the employers are available at www.tdu.org [1]or by contacting TDU. For the most part they are minimal in nature but do contain a number of positive proposals.
Hold on to Our Standards
Carhaulers are not expecting to get fat raises in this bargaining round, but we need to hold onto all the gains we have worked hard for over the years. The employer benefit contributions (health and welfare and pension) will go up $1 per year, to match the standards set in earlier contracts.
If the cost of living clause is made effective in this year of soaring gas and food prices, there will be a cost of living increase of 32¢ on June 1 (0.8¢ running mile and 1.6¢ loaded mile). In the last contract the COL clause was not in effect the first year.
Most important at this time is to protect every gain we have won over the years, and reunite our national contract with all Teamster carhaulers under one contract.