September 8, 2008: In a presentation to investors today, YRCW CEO Bill Zollars announced that Yellow and Roadway will integrate operations over the next 18 months. They will end up as a single operating company called Yellow Roadway.

Outside the presentation, Chicago Local 705 Teamsters were on hand to greet Zollars with a huge banner that read “Yellow Roadway Corp. Worldwide Unfair to Labor. Teamsters Local 705.” Click here for the full story on Chicago Local 705 and YRCW.

Zollars claims the time is right because the economic recession has created enough excess capacity that the integration can gradually take place with no service problems and a smooth transition.

The plan calls for sales forces to be combined. Terminal combinations, where the rubber meets the road for Teamsters, will begin at “low density locations,” rather than large cities or break bulks.

The International Union announced they will “monitor” the situation.

We all hope that the process will go well for the 35,000 Teamsters who work for Yellow and Roadway. But we know a major goal of the plan is to move the freight with fewer workers.

Click here to see the slide show that CEO Zollars presented to investors (Note: Slide show begins on Page 9 of the document).