UPDATED August 24, 2012: Some members are hearing from reports in industry journals that ABF has made a bargaining change. The answer is clear: the ABF bargaining split from YRCW happened in 2007, so zero has changed on that front.
What has changed is that since the 2008 contract, on three occasions YRCW was given concessions, and the 2010 concessions extended the YRCW contract until 2015. While YRCW Teamsters will be impacted by the ABF contract, that impact is indirect.
In 2008 the IBT first bargained with YRCW, then held ABF to the same deal, under threat of a strike.
Now the IBT is going to negotiate with ABF, but the negotiations and contract will have far-reaching implications for YRC Teamsters, UPS Freight Teamsters, our ability to organizing trucking in the future, and certainly our pension plans.
The future of freight is on the line. Solidarity among freight Teamsters is crucial.
International Union Surveys Locals on ABF Contract
August 22, 2012: In late August the International Union sent a survey to all freight locals, asking the principal officer or freight BA to respond to 11 questions about the upcoming contract.
Some questions are fairly standard. Other questions anticipate concessionary bargaining (for example, do you think it would be better to give concessions to ABF on wages or benefits?). One question asks if the union has handled the freight industry problems appropriately; but the only option other than agreement was that the IBT should have given more concessions to help the companies.
No word yet on a when a survey will go out to Teamsters working in the industry.
On Aug. 13, ABF sent the IBT a letter requesting negotiations "at your earliest availability."
ABF Lawsuit Dismissed, Focus on Negotiations
ABF's lawsuit against the Teamsters Union and YRCW, demanding concessions similar to what the IBT granted to YRCW companies, was dismissed on Aug. 1 by federal district judge Susan Webber Wright.
Now the focus for the future of the NMFA and ABF Teamsters shifts to the upcoming national negotiations. The new website, NoFreightConcessions.org, has more information on that matter.
ABF said it may consider an appeal to the federal court of appeals, which earlier directed the district court to re-hear the issue. The suit was filed in November 2010, alleging that the International Union violated the terms of the National Master Freight Agreement by giving YRCW concessions, but not ABF.
In other news, ABF reported a second quarter net profit of $12 million.
Click here to visit www.NoFreightConcessions.org
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