Before XPO purchased Con-way for $3 billion last October, the Teamsters’ sights were set on Con-way employees. The union won votes for representation in Miami; Laredo, Texas; and Vernon, Calif. Con-way employees did, however, reject the union in Buffalo, N.Y.; Santa Fe Springs, Calif.; San Fernando Valley, Calif.; Bakersfield, Calif.; Manchester, N.H.; Harlingen, Texas; and Portland, Ore. The Teamsters also withdrew petitions before votes were held in Orlando, Fla., and Irvine, Calif.
Now, a group of 72 drivers from the former Con-way terminal in Aurora has filed for representation.
“The workers reached out to us because they are tired of being mistreated by this multinational corporation that puts profits over its hardworking employees,” said Tom Flynn, President of Local 179 in Joliet, Ill. “We look forward to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with these workers to help them improve their lives and to get the respect and dignity they deserve.”
Additionally, 125 warehouse workers in XPO’s North Haven, Conn., facility filed for Teamster representation to become what the Teamsters say would be the first Teamster-represented warehouse workers at XPO.
The Teamsters say these efforts to unionize stem from XPO keeping former Con-way employees “in the dark about terminal closures and layoffs.”
An XPO spokesperson said the union’s efforts stem from the Teamsters’ “declines in membership and credibility.”
“It’s no surprise that the Teamsters want to organize XPO employees to gain more dues-paying members, given the union’s significant declines in membership and credibility,” the spokesperson said. “We have strong relationships with our employees and the independent contractors who serve our customers. We’re confident that the best way forward is to continue the direct and open dialogue we have now, without interference from a third party.”
