Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023:
Teamsters, DHL end strike
Teamsters at Northeast Transportation Services — a third-party contractor for DHL Express — have secured a new contract with improved health care coverage, wage increases, more holidays and vacation time, and more paid time off, ending a strike that dragged on for seven months.
The 40 express drivers are members of Teamsters Local 251 in Providence, R.I.
Drivers went on strike June 22, 2022 and returned to work Jan. 17 under the terms of the previous contract after receiving notice of Northeast Transportation Service's departure. The company on Tuesday rescinded its decision and announced that it will remain a contractor for DHL Express in Pawtucket, R.I.
"Our seven-month strike has been life-changing. It brought us together stronger and allowed us to secure this historic contract," said Tiffany Thompson, a driver at Northeast Transportation Services. "Solidarity is at an all-time high after a long fight like this."
Secretary-Treasurer of Local 251 and Eastern Region International Vice President Matt Taibi noted "the gains made in the contract will set the tone for workers looking for better conditions in the contractor-model of the growing logistics industry."
Nearly 70K Freightliner, Western Star models recalled for corrosion concern
Daimler Trucks North America is recalling certain 2017-2023 Freightliner Cascadia, 2022-2023 Western Star 47X, Western Star 49X, and 2022 Freightliner 114SD vehicles. The brake modulator valves on the front axle may corrode and cause the vehicle to pull to the affected side during braking initiated by Electronic Stability Control (ESC) or Roll Stability Control (RSC).
Dealers will replace the front brake modulator valves, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 10, 2023. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL966.
DTNA late last year recalled more than 200,000 trucks for an issue that could cause uneven braking during an adaptive cruise control (ACC) braking event, saying “chemical corrosion could affect the functionality of the brake modulator valve, which during an ACC braking event may result in full system pressure applied to one wheel end."
In July 2020 more than 160,000 Cascadia models were recalled due to possible corrosion of unpainted brake modulator valves.
