YRC Worldwide Inc. announced Thursday, Dec. 13, that its Trucking Management Inc. member subsidiaries have reached a tentative agreement with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters on a new five-year labor contract covering most dockworkers, drivers and certain other union employees. The present National Master Freight Agreement expires March 31.
“The early outcome of these negotiations is positive for our employees and positive for our customers,” said Mike Smid, president and chief executive officer of YRC North American Transportation, based in Overland Park, Kan. “With the major hurdle of the NMFA behind us, we are now positioned to remain competitive in a very challenging industry environment.”
TMI is the multiemployer bargaining representative for YRC Worldwide subsidiaries Yellow Transportation, Roadway and USF Holland. The YRC Worldwide subsidiary New Penn also has agreed to accept the terms of the tentative agreement. The agreement does not become effective until ratification by the Teamster membership.
The Teamsters said the NMFA protects workers’ jobs and benefits, and allows the unionized companies a chance to better compete against the nonunionized freight companies.
“The freight industry and our freight members are faced with many challenges, but this agreement will protect our tens of thousands of freight members’ futures, giving them the security they deserve,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters general president. “Our entire National Negotiating Committee, led by Vice President Tyson Johnson, did a great job protecting our members’ jobs and benefits.” The agreement also improves the grievance procedure for workers and addresses the issue of excessive overtime, Johnson said.
The NMFA covers about 75,000 union freight members. Leaders from freight local unions will meet on Jan. 8 in Washington, D.C. to approve the tentative contract, which would pave the way for members to vote on the agreement.
