Benefit News

Life with Dues  Pension Update

Teamster Pepsi Members pull fire truck for Special Olympics.

Local 190 Election Endorsements

City won't fight unfair labor practices charge

Teamsters 190 Executive Board, staff, and members paint the Local Hall.

IBT recognizes Local 190 members for standing united

Picket Line News!

Teamsters Local 190 expected to ratify pact soon
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Teamsters 190 wins court decision, 911 operators handle only emergency calls.
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KULR 8 Strike Updates
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KULR 8: No progress on Strike
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Anti-trade pact group visits city
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It Takes a Fleet to Run a City
Photos of Teamster Members at the City of Billings
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Yellowstone County Employees Health Fair
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Good Crop of Sugar Beets Arrive
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CONTRACT UPDATES:
First Student offer was rejected 55 to 4.
Local 190 has requested the company come back to the table.
No official word as of this date.

Yellowstone County Detention Facility ratified a four (4) year agreement.
Contract provides a wage system based on a percentage of the sheriff's wage.
Also achieved a 1% longevity.

Yellowstone County MetraPark Maintenance ratified a two (2) year agreement.
Contract contains a longevity bonus which is paid to the member in a lump sum on the anniversary date.
Also achieved a 4 1/2 % increase in base wage.

Western Sugar approved a new three (3) year agreement, due to expire May 31, 2006.
Annual wage increases for technicians are 60 - 50 - 40 cents per hour.
Year-round non-technicians receive an additional 30 cts/hr annually, up from $11.25/hr.
Returning campaign employees, now $7.50 - 8.50/hr, will go up by 25 cts/hr annually.
The company will increase its current contribution to the health insurance plan by 90% of future premium increases during the term of the agreement.
The company's basic contribution to the 401K plan will be increased from 4.0% to 4.5% of wages.
There was some improvement on seniority language.

County, public works chief settle rift
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Pension Plan Updates
Effective July 1, 2003
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Anti-Union Group Loses Bid to Curtail Workers' Rights at UPS
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Teamsters, Freight Companies Reach Tentative Agreement
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Remarks of Negotiating Committee Chairman James P. Hoffa on Tentative Agreement Click here for full story...

Consolidated Freightways

Unfortunately, as you are all aware, Consolidated Freightways closed its doors without warning the Tuesday after Labor Day, putting our 7 CF drivers out of work. Four have been able to retire. The fight to protect Teamster jobs has received a boost from a group of Texas-based investors who are seeking to buy the assets of Consolidated Freight.

Rollin' International, a company created specifically to make the purchase, has offered $500 million for the company, including its air freight division. A Rollin' spokesman has said their objective is to get operations back, get trucks on the road in some form or fashion. Rollinâ has shown interest in maintaining the unionized, Teamster workforce.

I recently returned with Ray Becker from the National Master Freight Agreement (NMFA) meetings, where we outlined our negotiating positions. There are many strong proposals, including limits on subcontracting, increased sick leave and improvements in health and safety.

New Faces
Local 190 has had some staff changes this year. After much dedicated commitment Diana Nichols retired August 1 as our office manager. We are going to miss her cheerful demeanor, but we wish Diana well. Darla Dunham has smoothly moved into that role from her part-time position.

Business Agent Jim Larson has taken a similar position with Local 760 in Yakima, Washington, where we know he will do a terrific job. Wayne Erhart has taken over as B A for Jim and has hit the ground running. Wayne worked as a driver at Sysco for five years and worked for 11 years at Georgia-Pacific. He served as a job steward at both shops. His shops include: Boise Cascade, Food Services, Sysco, Keebler, Meadow Gold, Roundup Hospital, SuperValu, and Yellowstone County Jail. Wayne, his wife Diane, and their daughter, Christy, live on a ranch near Park City. Diane is involved in raising and training horses.

Local 190 Raises Charity Funds
Teamsters Local 190 has again raised money for the Yellowstone County Crime Victims fund.Our annual golf tournament netted $500 for the fund, which helps provide food, shelter, prescription drugs and clothing for crime victims of limited means.

Turnout was from both our members and management was terrific and it benefits a great cause and it didn't hurt that we caught a break with the weather.

By standing united, our Brothers and Sisters at UPS and FSA have won solid new contracts.

The six-year national United Parcel Service agreement has the largest wage and benefit increases in the company's history. The new contract has average annual wage and benefit hikes of $1.46 per year, for $8.75 total over the life of the contract. A huge plus is the creation of more than 10,000 new Teamster jobs through the elimination of subcontractors and union recognition for job classifications that had been diverted from the union.

Locally, our members at Food Services of America won a resounding victory in their negotiations, with an enormous amount of credit going to the job stewards who were part of the bargaining team. FSA returned to the table August 6 with a proposal giving us what we asked expected; it moves FSA into Teamster pension for the first time ever, maintains Teamsters Health and Welfare, and contains the largest wage given by FSA to our Local members since the mid-1980s.

FSA was genuinely concerned that our members were going to strike, and our members did a good job convincing FSA they meant business.Membership overwhelmingly approved the contract, 60-6.

Rehberg Wins Local 190 Endorsement, Election Bid
Congressman Dennis Rehberg earned the endorsement of Teamsters Local 190 in his bid to retain his seat in the US House of Representatives.

"Denny understands the needs of Montana's working men and women and their families," said Secretary-Treasurer Joe Dwyer. "Denny has opened the door to the Teamsters by visiting our National Headquarters, the Local 190 Union Hall, and our workers at the Billings sugar beet factory, the UPS distribution center, and many other job sites.

"Denny's position on the House Transportation Committee and his willingness to listen to our concerns make him the clear choice in the race for Montana's lone Congressman. His strong stand on the Farm Bill is important to our sugar workers. By working together, Denny Rehberg and the Teamsters can put Montana's economy back on the right road and create good jobs for our working families."

Bush Administration Opens Border to Mexican Trucks
This information has been provided by the IBT Governmental Affairs Department
The announcement that Mexican trucks will soon be able to travel anywhere in the U.S. came late in the day on Thanksgiving eve, perhaps hoping that few people would take notice of this major action by the Administration. After DOT Secretary Norm Mineta certified that there would be no threat to public safety (What planet is he on?), President Bush then modified the Presidential Executive Order that has kept the border closed for the past six years. Now the only thing that stands in the way of these Mexican trucks is the lawsuit that was filed by the International and others that argues that no Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was completed to measure the effect on the environment of thousands of older trucks spewing diesel fumes, as required under the law. Since the Transportation Department's announcement, our lawyers have gone to court seeking a stay that would keep the border closed at least until the original case is decided. In addition, our government must still negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding with Mexico to allow DOT safety inspectors into Mexico to perform safety audits of Mexican carriers. That could take longer that the 30 days anticipated.

And here's the best laugh yet! Mexico is considering seeking compensation (that means they want us to pay them) or suspension of trade benefits with the US because it claims that all safety regulations are discriminatory and violate NAFTA.

Date Archived - 2/27/03

US Senate

No recommendation

District 22