Nine days after their four-year contract expired, about 100 concrete truck drivers, members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 294, have struck for the first time since 2000, hinging on wage and pension contribution issues.  The Schenectady Gazette has more.

     Charles Bentley, a former Secretary-Treasurer of Local 294 in the 1980's, has passed away.  His obituary has been posted via the Times Union.

         The IRB has urged the takeover of  Chicago Teamsters Local 714, claiming its leaders allowed sham contracts and steered lucrative movie industry jobs in Chicago to relatives.  This story comes from TDU.  TDU also reports that Local 714 Secretary-Treasurer Bobby Hogan has been charged individually as well by the IRB.

   DHL, the struggling U.S.-based express shipping unit of German postal service Deutsche Post, is working on a deal with UPS to carry some of its air packages.  The agreement is expected to last up to 10 years and covers express, deferred and international packages, but not freight. UPS also will transport DHL air packages between the United States, Canada and Mexico.  The Associated Press provides details.

     In four months, more than 11,000 UPS Freight drivers and dockworkers in 40 states have signed cards to become Teamsters, the largest organizing victory in the freight industry in 25 years.    PR Newswire has the update.

    The Teamsters union has announced that 9,900 workers at UPS Freight have ratified a five-year contract with UPS that also makes them members of the union.  This report is via Charleston Gazette.

   A majority of nearly 130 workers at the UPS Freight  terminals in Syracuse, Albany (under Local 294) and Binghamton, in New York, and a terminal in Stockton, California have signed authorization cards to become Teamsters, bringing the total number of drivers and dockworkers seeking to join the union to about 5,830 since January 16.  PR Newswire continues its coverage.

      In a just filed brief, FedEx Home Delivery is requesting a review of a National Labor Relations Board determination that drivers at two Massachusetts terminals are employees and not "contractors" as contended by FedEx.  PR Newswire has more.

     FedEx has disclosed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it was facing taxes and penalties of more than $319 million for 2002 related to an IRS ruling regarding the classification of independent contractors at its FedEx Ground unit. The NY Times has the report and the IBT has released Jim Hoffa's reaction to the announcement.

     FedEx Home Delivery has agreed to pay five former and present drivers a total $253,000 to settle a series of unfair labor charges brought by the National Labor Relations Board against the company.  PR Newswire has the update.

     FedEx sought to thwart a Teamsters organizing drive in Northborough, Massachusetts by firing four workers who showed interest in the union, the National Labor Relations Board said in a complaint.  Bloomberg and PR Newswire carry this story.

    Unions should be required to make public more details of their internal finances, according to the Labor Department, as it proposed more detailed union disclosure forms and penalizing small unions who get into trouble with the law by prohibiting them from filing a simple form.  This story is reprinted from the Associated Press.

     An article from the Las Vegas Sun details a trend being followed closely in strong union communities where businesses are moving to improve relations with workers in anticipation of the Employee Free Choice Act. It would for the first time in 60 years allow workers to organize without putting the issue to a secret-ballot vote.

    An hour before the contract was due to expire, Local 294 approved a new three-year agreement with Sysco and the contract was ratified by members by close to a three-to-one margin during an expedited voting session.  The Albany Times Union has the announcement.

    Teamsters at Sysco moved a step closer toward a possible work stoppage as members voted to give the Local 294 executive board authorization to call a strike if need be.  The Albany Times Union continues its coverage.

    While May 1 is the expiration date for the previous three-year agreement at Sysco, Teamsters Local 294 has agreed to extend the contract through May 7 as talks continue, with health care costs being one of the top issues in the negotiations.  The Albany Times Union has more details.

      Unionized workers at Sysco Food Service have agreed to continue working at least through May 7 as they seek to negotiate a new contract with the company. The current one expires 05/01/08.    Sysco, meanwhile, has been advertising to hire replacement workers should members of Teamsters Local 294 choose to strike.  The Albany Times Union provides coverage.

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