July 15, 2011: On July 6, ABF won a round in their court battle to win concessions equal to those given to YRC, but they are still not expected to prevail in the lawsuit.

The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the district court judge erred in tossing out ABF’s suit for lack of standing, and must consider the merit. So ABF gets to go back to the district court for a do-over, but that does not address the merits of their case.

ABF now has to show that the Teamsters Union had no right to give YRC concessions without granting them to ABF. That may prove to be impossible. ABF withdrew from the employers’ joint bargaining group prior to the last contract.

ABF Teamsters rejected concessions negotiated by the Hoffa administration in May of 2010.