Woo-hoo! Another Teamster organizing victory in North Carolina!

Welcome to our 26 new brothers and sisters who just voted to join Teamsters Local 391 in Greensboro, N.C. They are warehouse workers at Vistar, a unit of PFG Foods, Inc.

Local 391 already represents truck drivers at Vistar, and the warehouse workers wanted a voice as well.

Jeff Meadows, an 11-year employee, said the company waged a vicious anti-union campaign against the workers.

We all held together. This campaign all boiled down to fairness. We just want to be treated fairly and equally.

Tony Scott, Local 391 vice president and business agent, said:

From the beginning these workers wanted a voice—they wanted Teamster representation. These workers are to be commended for standing up and standing strong for what they believe in for themselves and for their families.

Scott said it was a team effort from start to finish. He thanked his organizing committee, Vistar driver shop steward Russell Strickland, the Vistar drivers, and YRC shop steward and Barry Hardy, president of the Central Labor Council for Local 391, Barry Hardy.

Local 391 President Mike McGaha congratulated the new Teamsters and said he looked forward to negotiating a strong first contract.

Plenty of Teamsters rallying in OK, GA, NY, NC, MA

 

Teamster jacket in Raleigh, NC.Photo by Timothy Scarbrough for NC State AFL-CIO

Raleigh, N.C., was the site of a 15-minute silent protest across from the Statehouse. Here's how the NC State AFL-CIO described the event:

On April 4, 2011 at 12 Noon and for 15 minutes, we will commemorate the assassination in Memphis of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by standing in total silence across from the state legislative building while holding similar signs to remind the lawmakers inside that:

We are men and women.
We are workers, taxpayers, and citizens.

WE ARE ONE and WE HAVE RIGHTS!

Boston Teamsters today.

Boston Teamsters from Local 25 joined other unions to rally in front of the state Republican Party headquarters today to "stand in solidarity with workers in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, New Hampshire and other states fighting corporate politicians seeking to destroy collective bargaining."

In Atlanta, Teamsters are gearing up for a major rally to start soon. Teamster Brother Ben Speight says:

We are expecting Georgia's largest turnout to date in solidarity with workers rights today at the 'We Are One' rally at the King Center. From Atlanta to Boston, Madison to LA let's show them what Teamsters Power looks like!!!

New York Teamsters protested in front of UPS in Manhattan today. Tweets @teamstersonline:

Stop the War on Workers at UPS: April 4, 2011: Local 804 Teamsters rallied in front of UPS in Manhattan today to say NO to the War on Workers from Wisconsin to UPS.

And @OKWorkers tweets us about a noon rally organized by CWA in Oklahoma City.

saw plenty of Teamsters at the rally at the Oklahoma Capitol

Today's Teamster News 11.25.10

Light blogging for the next few days. Happy Thanksgiving!

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