Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Woo-hoo! Another Teamster organizing victory in IL

A warm welcome to our 136 new brothers and sisters who drive for Megabus in Chicago.  Technically, it wasn't an organizing victory because they joined Teamsters Local 777 through card check, with 85 percent signing cards.

Megabus is a low-cost express bus service between major cities in the U.S. and Canada. It's owned by U.K.-based Stagecoach Group.

The drivers narrowly lost a vote to join the Teamsters last year in an election. According to Local 777,
The drivers had to wait a year before they could organize again and they were determined to gain Teamster representation.
The Megabus drivers got the campaign going again and the company saw that everyone wanted a union, so they said, ‘Let’s do card check,’” said Jim Glimco, President of Teamsters Local 777 in Lyons. “These workers do a great job and we’re happy to represent them.”
(Btw, California Teamsters at Alta Dena Dairy just signed their first contract after organizing in September through card check. The company had been non-union for 60 years.)
Megabus driver Henry Harris said he's happy they can now have a voice and representation with the company. His colleague Isaac Jones said they need better wages and benefits:
I was a union member before at another job, and I’m happy to be a union member again.
Teamsters Joint Council 25 President John T. Coli congratulated the hardworking Megabus drivers. Now, he said, they'll be able to improve their working conditions by negotiating a strong Teamster contract.