Partnership for the Future - Teamsters Local 25

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6867_Local25_Fall07.qxp 12/14/07 11:09 AM Page 10Making History at UPS FreightLocal 25 Prepares For Campaign at North Billerica TerminalWorkers at UPS Freight (formerly Overnite Transportation)in Indianapolis overwhelmingly ratified their first ever contractin October, and employees at the North Billerica terminalhope to join the Teamsters soon.Once the national UPS master contract is ratified, theunion will organize UPS Freight terminals beyondIndianapolis through a card-check agreement that the unionsuccessfully negotiated.“We have been in contact with the workers in NorthBillerica and we are ready to distribute authorization cards,”said Sean M. O’Brien, Local 25 President. “The Boston-areaworkers are eager to become members of Local 25 and receivethe strong pay, benefits and rights on the job that theIndianapolis workers now enjoy. I am looking forward to welcomingthese workers into our family.”Victory in HeartlandThe contract in Indianapolis was ratified 107-1. The agreementwill improve wages, benefits and working conditionsand will serve as a model to organize thousands of other UPSFreight employees nationwide. The agreement also includes astrong grievance procedure so workers can challenge unfairdecisions by management.David Osborn, a city driver at UPS Freight inIndianapolis, said he has been fighting to become a Teamsterand work under a union contract for 15 years.“It’s a big relief,” the 21-year employee said. “We’vereached the goal of getting a Teamster contract. We’ve wantedit for so long and worked so hard to get it. I feel so proud tobe a Teamster. We’ve worked beside so many Teamsters overthe years, and now we are Teamsters.”Since the 1950s, workers at Overnite fought to join theTeamsters. The fight reached a peak from October 1999until October 2002, when Overnite workers represented bythe Teamsters led an unfair labor practices strike against thecompany, owned at the time by Union Pacific railroad.AnthonyPope,adockworkerattheterminalinMemphis who went out on strike in 1999, said it was a difficultperiod.“We suffered for so long over the years, but now I can’tfind the words to express my joy,” Pope said. “I’ve never seenpeople here so excited. Everybody is asking when we will get achance to join the union. I look forward to coming to worknow because I know we will be Teamsters soon and have aTeamster contract.”The workers’ quest for union representation was boostedin May 2005, when UPS announced it was acquiringOvernite for $1.25 billion.8 | The SPOKESMAN | FALL 2007 | www.teamsterslocal25.com
6867_Local25_Fall07.qxp 12/14/07 11:09 AM Page 11R.A.F.T.Turns 35 Years OldA program known as R.A.F.T. (Referral andFollow-up Team) celebrated its 35th year inexistence in November of 2007.R.A.F.T. is the alcohol and chemicaldependency outreach program atTeamsters Local 25. R.A.F.T. was started in1972 by President William McCarthy andVice-President Bill Leyden. The membersmeet every Wednesday night in the dayroomat the Charlestown Union Hall at 7p.m. and at the Stoughton Office onSaturdays at 9 a.m.The program’s motto is: “If you drinkbecause you want to, that’s your business…If you drink because you have to, we’rewilling to make it our business.”“This program is a great benefit for ourmembers who get themselves in troublewith alcohol and drugs at work,” Local 25President Sean M. O’Brien said.“My predecessorBill McCarthy had the vision to startthis program. I plan to support it as long asIaminoffice.”The Xpedx negotiating committee, left to right, steward Mike Woolf, holding 40-3 vote count;Sean M. O’Brien, Local 25 President & Principal Officer; Paul DeSanto and Steve PowersXpedx Workers inWilmington Ratify ContractFour-Year Agreement Improves Health-Care BenefitsWorkers at Xpedx Paper in Wilmington ratified a newcontract in November that improves health care benefits,maintains pension benefits, and boosts wages.“The number one issue was improving our health care, andthanks to the leadership of Local 25 President Sean O’Brien andVice President John Murphy, we now have the top health plan that’savailable,” said dockworker Mike Woolf, chief steward who hasworked at Xpedx for 24 years.“Sean and John made it clear to the company that we wanted abetter health plan and that the company would need to pay all thecosts, and that’s what wegot,” Woolf said.Workers ratified thefour-year contract by a voteof 40-3. “Everyone is reallypleased with the contract,”Woolf said.“Winning strong healthcarebenefits for our membersis critical, and we letthe company know this wasgoing to be the priority,”O’Brien said. “Protectinghealth care and pensionbenefits is something weRon & Anthony (11 years old) DiPerri, ofBillerica, Massachusetts. Ron has beena member at Xpedx for 18 years.take very seriously.”Xpedx is a paper distributorowned byInternational Paper.www.teamsterslocal25.com | FALL 2007 | The SPOKESMAN | 9
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Partnership for the Future - Teamsters Local 25

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