March 20, 2009: USF Holland is closing terminals and directing freight to YRC and New Penn.

USF Holland announced it is closing terminals in Albany, Allentown, Baltimore, Bedford, Mass., Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Syracuse, Wilkes-Barre, Penn., Dubois, Penn., Richmond, and Wichita.

These locations represent operations that USF Holland absorbed from the former USF Red Star and also the former home terminal for USF Dugan.

The last day of work for most Teamsters at these terminals will be April 3. Teamsters at locations with more than fifty employees will be entitled to pay under the WARN Act which requires qualifying employers to give sixty days notice before closing their doors.

The union can and should bargain to extend WARN Act pay to all affected members.

Many of the Teamsters at the closing terminals lost their jobs in 2004 when the Hoffa administration botched a strike at USF Red Star and the company shut its doors. Eventually, the IBT brokered an agreement to get some Red Star Teamsters put to work at USF Holland. Now, these Teamsters are losing their jobs again.

Holland is encouraging customers to move their shipments to other YRCW carriers: New Penn and YRC. Richmond and Wichita areas will be serviced by YRC and the remaining terminals in the east will be serviced by New Penn and YRC.

Teamsters at USF Holland are awaiting word on what rights they will have to follow the work.

An emergency Change of Operations hearing will be held on March 25 in Philadelphia. The company is requesting that the union waive the 30 day notification requirement before a Change of Operations.

This request gives the Freight Division leverage to bargain accommodations to protect the seniority rights of Teamsters—many of whom are being tossed to the curb by USF for the second time in their careers.

Click here to read the letter from USF Holland requesting a Change of Operations hearing.

Click here to read the memo from USF Holland management on the terminal closings.