The International Brotherhood of Teamsters reportedly agreed to a tentative three-year contract that averted a nationwide car-hauling truck driver strike.
After agreeing to a one-year extension in 2021 on a five-year deal, the National Master Automobile Transporters Agreement was set to expire in early June. Union truckers have seemingly grown impatient as the labor contract restricts their ability to secure the fast-rising wages that big-box fleet drivers and others enjoy. Keeping pace with 40-year high inflation has been a chief concern of unionized truckers.
“With an 8.3 percent inflation rate, we’re going backwards, and there are tons of other trucking companies that are out there hiring at higher wages than we are making. I’m just not bumping a dock. This is specialized freight where you couldn’t grab any truck driver and tell them to go load this and drive this truck. They wouldn’t have any idea,” one Teamster reportedly said during negotiations.
Teamsters have earned a reputation for being tough negotiators and members are generally not afraid to go on strike. Workers had already authorized union representatives to call a strike if a deal wasn’t in place by Wednesday, June 1, and another one-year extension was reportedly off the table. The critical issue voiced by union truckers revolves around at least equal pay compared to non-union drivers and staying ahead of inflation.
“All of the other drivers who are nonunion are getting paid better,” a Teamster truck driver reportedly said. “We are not elevating the appropriate people. When we put them in places of power, they forget where they came from and the job that they are supposed to be doing there. The people have to know what they are standing for, see the bigger picture, and stay committed to that picture.”
Although the 29 local union shops representing the 3,000 specialized truckers have a tentative deal in play, there are significant hurdles ahead. Ratifying the three-year deal requires Teamster bosses in Washington, D.C., to get on board before sending it to local leadership. If everyone checks the yes box, rank-and-file members will vote the measure up or down. Although workers appear on edge about the new contract, negotiators and union officials appear optimistic.
“This agreement addresses our members’ top priorities. We will release more information once the local union leaders have the opportunity to review it,” Teamsters Carhaul Division Director Avral Thompson reportedly said. “I want to thank the negotiating committee for their hard work and dedication throughout the bargaining process. We are proud of what we have accomplished. This agreement will improve wages and benefits and will serve as a national model to organize hundreds of new car haulers nationwide.”
Car haulers rank among the most skilled and experienced truck drivers and are tasked with moving high-value freight. In recent years, carmakers have shifted transportation to cost-effective rail, which now handles 75 percent of all new car and truck deliveries.
Sources: wsws.org, teamster.org, freightwaves.com
It’s a shame that well-paid drivers are brought down by owner-operators who will work for cheap-then whine about their sorry plight.
A race to the bottom.
It’s not tha o/o that haul cheap freight mostly It’s the big companies now the crybabies union drivers are at the bottom of the payroll don’t feel sorry for them the need to pay more dues to overpaid union leaders