Now that the stock exchange shows YELL at the new marker for YRC Worldwide, what does this new branding mean for working Teamsters? First, it will mean consolidation and the need to protect jobs.

In a surprise move, UPS has sold UPS Freight to TFI, a Canadian trucking and logistics corporation. 

The US Treasury will loan YRCW $700 million under authorization from the CARES Act. $350 million will be used to make H&W and pension benefit payments, and the other $350 million will go to investment in tractors and trailers.

A May 9 Memo from the IBT Freight Division reports that arrangements have been made so that both active YRCW employees and employees laid off after March 1 will have the full 8 weeks of “Layoff Coverage" going forward from May 10 to continue health care coverage, if they are in TeamCare (Central States H&W). This includes both employees who have been actively working and those who may have already used up some of the “layoff coverage.” This extends H&W coverage for YRCW Teamsters presently laid off. Read the full memo for details. 

Today, TeamCare notified all locals and sent a letter to all YRCW Teamsters that YRC and Holland are delinquent on their March 2020 contributions and that they will be unable to pay contributions for work performed in April and May, which will mean a $75 million delinquency to the H&W Fund.

Freight Director Ernie Soehl told Teamster officials on a national conference call that he is in constant communication with freight employers regarding responses and operations during the COVID-19 epidemic.

In the wake of issues surrounding the Coronavirus, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has temporarily suspended certain hours of service regulations.

New Penn – YRC’s eastern regional carrier -- has proposed a change of operations that will create regional “velocity centers” and replace some road bids with the Utility Employee classification. New Penn proposes creating three regional velocity centers in Newburgh, NY, Scranton, PA, and Camp Hill, PA.

YRC management has announced they plan to reduce terminals from 384 to 320 by the end of 2020. In comparison, the combined Yellow and Roadway terminals that formed YRC Freight totaled 571 in 2009.

YRCW management has submitted a proposed change of operations to combine two very small Holland and YRC terminals in Northern Michigan. Affected Teamsters would dovetail into a Holland terminal operation, which would pick up and deliver YRC and Holland freight.