December 19, 2007: The International Union pushed through 17.5% wage concessions for 1500 PTS Teamsters, by giving none of them the right to vote on the pay cut. Allied Teamsters voted by a 3-1 margin to approve the concessions, in balloting tallied today.

There were nearly one thousand fewer votes cast than in the Allied vote in April, when most strong carhaul locals voted No. Most angry Teamsters simply didn’t vote in the charade, and many who did vote felt defeated or were ready to accept a promised $2,000 bonus for their yes vote. Only St. Louis Local 604 rejected the deal outright.

Thanks go to Flint Local 332 members Ava Miller and Rex Wheeler for going to Washington, D.C. to observe the voting on behalf of concerned rank-and-file Teamsters.

A big question mark is whether Allied will follow through and buy PTS, and retain the PTS business.

George Warner, PTS steward in Lansing Local 580, and Local 604 have filed a motion in federal bankruptcy court in Georgia asking the court to block the imposition of concessions on PTS Teamsters without their being allowed to vote.