organisation Without concrete, construction projects throughout the Puget Sound region will quickly run out of work for other construction trades to perform, forcing the layoff of potentially thousands of workers. The concrete companies have been intransigent. (Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.). Representatives for the concrete company owners, as well as the Associated General Contractors of Washington State, said they have been trying to work with the union to start talks under federal mediation for the last three weeks, to no avail."As a common process in stalled negotiations, we ask why the Teamsters have repeatedly refused mediation," wrote David D'Hondt, AGC of Washington's executive vice president, in a letter to the union. Dive Brief: As shipper concerns persist over a potential UPS strike this summer, the company has assigned high-impact executives to major customers to These workers, who are. They are unwilling to pay the workers prevailing wages and benefits. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Let Construction Dive's free newsletter keep you informed, straight from your inbox. In addition, striking workers took their show on the road for the [], Group of 34 construction drivers withhold labor over GMCs failure to bargain in good faith At 5:30am on Friday November 19, pickets went up at Gary Merlino Construction plants in Renton and Seattle as workers walked off the job in an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike. The dramatically subpar demands have led industry insiders to speculate that the concrete companies, working with major national construction companies, have forced employees to strike in order to begin a multiyear effort to purge union workers from the Seattle construction industry. "We are ready to bargain a fair deal that treats our members with the same respect already shown to the other construction trades when negotiating their contracts earlier this year. The contract agreement will close out a long period of labor unrest, which included a nearly-five-month [], August 1, 2022 Latest 4-year proposal from Employers Rejected 170 1 by Local 174 Members A full year after the expiration of their contract, the group of Teamsters Local 174 members working in the concrete industry have again voted overwhelmingly to reject the latest subpar offer from their Employers. One BTS driver was hospitalized for heat exhaustion last year, Ervin said. Teamsters Local 174 Strike at Gary Merlino Construction Enters Fifth Day 2021.11.26 Striking workers set up pickets in downtown Seattle to impact Merlino A mediation session last week between Teamsters Local 174 and employer representatives failed to produce results, meaning a strike involving more than 300 concrete company workers that has slowed projects across the Seattle area will continue. Redmond 18816 NE 80th St, Lehigh Cement analyse how our Sites are used. are seeking increased wages and enhanced healthcare benefits for recently retired members. Topics covered: labor shortage, recruiting & retaining workers, OSHA & Department of Labor rulings, safety protocols, and more. CHECK OUT THE UNION DIFFERENCE in Washington state: higher wages, affordable health and dental care, job and retirement security. For months, KIRO 7 has reported about the concrete workers on the picket lines. The workers are all members of Teamsters Local 174, and are on strike in protest of the six Companies' refusal to bargain in good faith. Teamsters 174 members strike, stopping the flow of concrete in the region Union says over 300 workers are participating in Unfair Labor Practice strike. They have recently refused to come back to the bargaining table. Seattle 5900 West Marginal Way SW Kenmore 6425 NE 175th St Harrell had said that if the strike wasnt settled by Feb. 20, the bridges reopening could face a significant delay.. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TeamstersLocal174. We are ready to bargain a fair deal that treats our members with the same respect already shown to the other construction trades when negotiating their contracts earlier this year. The city closed the bridge suddenly in March 2020 after cracks in the concrete were discovered. Laval, May 1, 2023 Teamsters Union Local 106 announced that as of May 1, 2023, 197 school bus drivers from Autobus Lasalle and Bigras Transport will be on strike, as no agreement has been reached with their respective employers. That contract includes an immediate wage increase as well as substantial future raises and addresses concerns, as well as addressing vehicle conditions and heat safety. This situation is more about an outside company trying to distract from their history of failing to meet their obligations.. Our Union is stronger than ever, and we will not give up our fight until we reach a fair contract. About 330 members of Teamsters Local No. 174 have been on strike since November 2021, saying that they are fighting for equity and the same benefits other construction workers around the city are given. KIRO 7 News Seattle facebook feed(Opens a new window), KIRO 7 News Seattle twitter feed(Opens a new window), KIRO 7 News Seattle youtube feed(Opens a new window), College baseball player shot in middle of game while standing in bullpen. The results of a second election held a year ago are stuck in litigation. Check if your Issaquah 6600 230th Ave SE Stop Grinch bosses from stealing Christmas for Teamsters families (Dec. 15), AFL-CIOs Fred Redmond visits Teamsters picket (Dec. 8), Concrete solidarity: Strike grows in King County (Dec. 6), Gary Merlino drivers ULP strike continues(Nov. 29), Short URL: https://www.thestand.org/?p=104822. We support credit card, debit card and PayPal payments. Share this article. 330 members of Teamsters Local 174 are currently on Unfair Labor Practice strike against Gary Merlino Construction, Stoneway Concrete, Cadman, Glacier/CalPortland, Salmon Bay Sand & Gravel, and Lehigh Cement. You can make a donation to help support the striking workers here. Gain a global perspective on the US and go beyond with curated news and analysis from 600 The Port of Everett is the second-largest export customs district in Washington state, and fifth-largest on the West Coast. Around the same time last year, the upstart Amazon Labor Union made history when it won a union election in Staten Island, the first of its kind inside Amazon. So, Im hoping that was their Hail Mary and now that it didnt get them a touchdown, maybe theyll come back to the table.. Prior to today, well over 100 Teamsters were already on strike at Gary Merlino Construction and [], Group of nearly 100 concrete drivers are members of Teamsters Local 174 Stoneway Concrete drivers joined their Gary Merlino Construction (GMC) brothers and sisters on the picket lines today, beginning an Unfair Labor Practice strike over their Employers failure to bargain in good faith. that they were disappointed by the mediation, alleging that the employers did not advance a worthwhile proposal. After speaking to the mediator on Friday and following her meeting with the joint Employers group on Thursday, it is clear to the Union [], On February 18, 2022, Commissioner Hillman of King County Superior Court ruled on a request by the attorneys for the struck sand and gravel companies to shut down Local 174s picketing. When Jamie Fleming with Teamsters Local 174 was asked what the main sticking point was, she said, As far as we can tell, this is philosophical at this point. Weve said over and over again that the offer that our members are going to ratify is gon to have to live up to all the other construction trades agreements that have been ratified over the last year and a half, Fleming said. A group of Amazon delivery drivers and dispatchers who work for a contractor in Palmdale, Calif., have officially unionized with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a major step forward in the effort to unionize the workers who deliver packages for the e-commerce giant. Standard Digital includes access to a wealth of global news, analysis and expert opinion. Topics covered: virtual design and construction, material and product innovations, productivity improvements through technological advancements, and more. In order to point the domain to your server, please login here to manage your domain's settings. Share this 330 Teamsters at six different concrete, cement, and construction [], Commissioner rules that striking Teamster members can carry on with nearly all picketing activities After a long-expected Hail Mary attempt by the companies to forcibly end Union picketing, Teamsters Local 174 members are still holding strong on picket lines today as King County Superior Court Commissioner Mark Hillmans Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) takes effect. Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) who work at the port honored the Teamster members picket line and refused to work. A bruising 16-day strike in 1997, the only strike in UPSs history with the Teamsters, cost the company dearly. Can I use my account and my site even though my domain name hasn't propagated yet. Teamsters Local No. Rajpal Singh, an Amazon delivery driver at the Palmdale delivery center, said hes hopeful that the contract will address compensation and safety issues. The strike was called after GMC management refused to []. 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Redmond 18816 NE 80th St, Lehigh Cement The judge told us we could still picket as much as we want. Construction technology continues to evolve even as the broader tech market hits a rough patch. offers FT membership to read for free. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning), Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy, Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American, Teamsters Local 174 Case Heard by United States Supreme Court, Penske Workers Ratify First Teamsters Contract. Representatives for the Teamsters said in an announcement that they were disappointed by the mediation, alleging that the employers did not advance a worthwhile proposal. You're seeing this page because your domain is setup with the default name servers: ns1.hostgator.com and ns2.hostgator.com. Laval, May 1, 2023 Teamsters Union Local 106 announced that as of May 1, 2023, 197 school bus drivers from Autobus Lasalle and Bigras Transport will be on "Alternative concrete suppliers are simply not available within our project area,"Rogoff said.. So, the employers just filed a lawsuit to try and stop us from picketing and that didnt work out for them. Or go ahead and contact a union organizer today! Subscribe to Construction Dive for top news, trends & analysis, The free newsletter covering the top industry headlines, EquipmentShare Announces Inaugural Bond Offering, JMJ Launches Free Toolbox Talks App to Make Safety Accessible to All, ALICE Technologies Extends Funding Series B Round to Access $47M in Capital, Burns & McDonnell Senior Executive Leslie Duke Named New CEO of 100% Employee-Owned Firm, By signing up to receive our newsletter, you agree to our. After six weeks of the strike, Seattles $23 billion construction industry has begun to grind to a halt without concrete. The Jan. 21 meeting ended "without a resolution to the open labor agreement,"a spokesperson for four of the concrete companies confirmed to the Seattle Times. The delivery drivers told Amazon about their new union Monday, demanding the tech giant respect their right to a contract. and other data for a number of reasons, such as keeping FT Sites reliable and secure, The rank-and-file bargaining committee and their Union representatives from Teamsters Local 174 arrived ready [], Over 100 striking construction and concrete workers bring protest activity to construction industrys front yard Yesterday morning, on the two-month anniversary of the start of their strike, a large group of Teamsters Local 174 members descended on the downtown Seattle headquarters of the Associated General Contractors to express displeasure at the organization for spreading misinformation [], Concrete Workers on Strike for Six Weeks Extend Lines to Woodinville and Smith Island (SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash.) At 7:00 a.m. PST, striking concrete mixer drivers and plant workers employed by the Cadman Cement Company extended their picket line to two Cadman-owned plants in Woodinville and Smith Island, Wash. Cadman is owned by the German [], Concrete Workers Shut Down 2nd-Largest Customs Export District in Wash. State (EVERETT, Wash.) At 7 a.m. PST, striking concrete mixer drivers and plant workers employed by Lehigh Northwest Cement Company extended their picket line to the Port of Everetts 55,000-ton bulk storage cement facility for three hours. Meanwhile, contractors working on construction projects throughout the region have begun to threaten lawsuits if the concrete does not start flowing again soon, even though the National Labor Relations Act and the Teamsters' expired contracts with the Companies protect the workers' right to withhold their labor until a contract is reached. But when Ervin allowed drivers to end their shifts without completing their Amazons delivery routes last year over what he said were health concerns, Amazon threatened to put Ervin on official notice that he could lose his contract, he said. "The Teamsters have remained willing to sit down and negotiate in good faith. down from $27.6 million in 2021. Hicks continued. On Friday, the 300+ ready-mix concrete and dump truck drivers and support staff offered an unconditional return to work starting on Monday for the people of [], Cadman Seattles postponement further delays critical infrastructure and low-income housing projects; Meanwhile, ready-mix concrete drivers are already back at work at local company Salmon Bay Sand & Gravel (Seattle, WA) After striking for more than four months to demand that their employers stop violating federal labor law, on Monday, over forty ready-mix concrete drivers [], Good-faith gesture from Teamsters designed to meet community needs as negotiations continue The full text of the letters sent to Cadman Seattle, Lehigh Cement, and Salmon Bay Sand & Gravel is below: It has been the Unions goal to reach a successor agreement since we commenced bargaining in mid-July 2021. The two sides met on Thursday, along with Northwest District of Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Commissioner Roger Moore and Regional Director Beth Schindler. You can also visit a picket line at the following locations: Calportand During your trial you will have complete digital access to FT.com with everything in both of our Standard Digital and Premium Digital packages. Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts. On Dec. 3, 2021, after six months of negotiations, Local 174 members were forced to strike after the companies refused to stop violating federal labor law by failing to bargain in good faith for a successor agreement. Seattle 5225 E Marginal Way S A recent statement from four of the concrete companies said they have bargained in good faith: Accusations have been levied against the companies of refusal to bargain. You can also make a check out to Teamsters 174 Worker Assistance Fund and send it to: Teamsters Local 174, 14675 Interurban Ave. S. Suite 303, Tukwila, WA, 98168. The strike is jeopardizing the reopening of the West Seattle Bridge, which was on track to reopen by mid-2022. In a 2022 safety report it published in March, the company said its accident rate has decreased significantly as it has rolled out more safety features in its fleet. Wagons were few, and there were not enough skilled teamsters to drive them, nor wheelwrights and blacksmiths to maintain them. Singh said there were days when he felt like he would pass out from heat exhaustion from walking into the back of his sweltering van to retrieve packages. personalising content and ads, providing social media features and to The union said there are no further talks planned, and picketing will continue until a contract is agreed on. The domain will be registered with the name servers configured from the start. The strike is pitting around 300 ready-mix concrete delivery drivers union members of Teamsters Local 174 against six major concrete suppliers. It also comes on the heels of a broader labor movement nationally dubbed "Striketober," as workers from various industries walked off the job that month. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Founded in 1909, Teamsters Local 174 represents 8,600 working men and women in Seattle and the surrounding areas. Constructions litigation claims and costs are among the highest of all industries. "The Teamsters have remained willing to sit down and negotiate in good faith," said Rick Hicks, secretary-treasurer for Local 174, in a statement last week. The strike began on November 19 with 34 workers at Gary Merlino Construction, but has since expanded into a general strike targeting Gary Merlino, Stoneway Concrete, Cadman, CalPortland/Glacier, Salmon Bay Sand and Gravel, and Lehigh Cement. Since the start of the work stoppage, there has been little progress on an agreement. An analysis by three Economic Policy Institute (EPI) expertsMargaret Poydock, Jennifer Sherer, and Celine McNicholasof data released Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed that at least 120,600 U.S. workers were involved in major strikes in 2022, up from 80,700 in 2021. Group of Amazon drivers in California join Teamsters union. We use America had no navy, so sea from 8 AM - 9 PM ET. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. With their UPS contract expiring this August, OBrien and the Teamsters are already gearing up for a potential strike. Topics covered: project delivery methods, contractor profiles, case studies of innovative projects and news from Capitol Hill, and more. Snoqualmie 5601 396th Dr SE, Cadman SEATTLE Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell is urging striking concrete workers to return to mediation and strike a deal. ", But in the Teamsters' statement about the ongoing strike, Hicks said an owners' representative hadn't spoken to the Teamsters in nearly six weeks. The Jan. 21 meeting ended "without a resolution to the open labor agreement,"a spokesperson for four of the, concrete companies confirmed to the Seattle Times. Seattle 5225 E Marginal Way S, Stoneway The concrete/cement companies where members of Local 174 are on strike include the giant German construction company HeidelbergCement (operating under the Lehigh and Cadman brands in the Pacific Northwest), the Japanese-based Taiheiyo Cement, and two major regional companies that control the flow of concrete in Seattle (the city with the second-most construction cranes in the country). By Nick Jones, UPS Teamster, Local 174 (Personal Capacity) The Supreme Court is poised to rule later this year on a case that could result in the largest attack on workers fundamental rights in decades potentially dwarfing even the horrendous 2018 Janus v.AFSCME decision that forced all public sector jobs to become right-to-work.. All we want is fairness. About 330 members of Teamsters Local No. Teamsters Local 174 On Unfair Labor Practice Strike at Gary Merlino Construction - International Brotherhood of Teamsters Press Releases Teamsters Local 174 On Unfair Labor Practice Strike at Gary Merlino Construction 2021.11.22 Group of The pandemic resulted in an uptick of labor activism at Amazon, which is the nations second-largest private employer. Thank you for your purchase with HostGator.com, When will my domain start working? Tech is not your friend. We will be proving that point by holding a holiday toy drive [], Concrete mixer drivers, dump truck drivers and cement plant employees walk off job after Employers fail to bargain in good faith A group of 330 Teamsters working for six different Employers are on picket lines today, prepared to go one day longer than their employers to reach a deal that has already been agreed to [], More than 300 members of Teamsters Local 174 now on strike As of this morning, unionized concrete has stopped flowing throughout King County as members of Teamsters Local 174 walked off the job in an Unfair Labor Practice strike. Under the back door agreement, Cadman would lease mixer trucks to Grady. You can still enjoy your subscription until the end of your current billing period. Johnathon Ervin, a veteran and the owner of Battle Tested Strategies, said he decided to recognize the union after repeatedly asking Amazon to address his drivers concerns about heat and vehicle safety. See the following letter, sent today to the companies: Dear Mr. Oliver, Yesterday, Director of Negotiations for Teamsters [], No interest from Employers on one-year extension offer while negotiations continue Members of Teamsters Local 174 met with federal mediators and Employer representatives today in an attempt to navigate a path out of the 3-month labor dispute that has shut down the booming Seattle-area construction business. All we want is fairness. The last writers' strike in 2007-2008 lasted 100 days and cost the California economy $2bn (1.6bn), leading to many cancelled or delayed shows. WebMore than 300 members of Teamsters Local 174 now on strike As of this morning, unionized concrete has stopped flowing throughout King County as members of Drivers for a company called Silverstar voted to join the Teamsters in 2017, but Amazon cut the companys contract shortly thereafter, BuzzFeed News reported. Since the start of the work stoppage, there has been little progress on an agreement. We are. Upcoming Kraken home playoff games are more expensive than flight, ticket to game in Dallas, Thousands of Amazon workers returning to offices after 3 years of working from home, Damage to tunnel at Westlake Link light rail station causing weeks of delays. Teamsters Local 174 Dec 03, 2021, 19:52 ET. 174. The union said there are no further talks planned, and picketing will continue until a contract is agreed on. Lehigh Northwest operates a giant storage dome [], 330 workers across six companies are back on picket lines today to protest Unfair Labor Practices After a brief break over the holidays, picket lines are now back up as 330 Teamsters continue to withhold labor as part of an Unfair Labor Practice strike. The 127 executives cover more than 380 UPS customers that collectively Though the delivery drivers wear Amazon branded vests, drive Amazon branded vans and deliver exclusively Amazon packages, they are not directly employed by Amazon. The companies asked for Local 174s members to be prohibited from physically being present at any time in the entrances or exits of the [], As concrete workers demand to bargain with their employers, King County moves to hold companies accountable for delaying public works projects Yesterday morning, the entire Teamsters Local 174 bargaining committee waited more than three hours outside Gary Merlino Construction headquarters, ready to negotiate a new contract to end the strike that has gone on for [], Last week, Teamsters Local 174 got wind of a plan that Cadman was trying to cut a deal for someone else to do struck concrete work on the Sound Transit PLA. For a full comparison of Standard and Premium Digital, click here. Seattle 5900 West Marginal Way SW In a first, Amazon warehouse workers in Bessemer, Ala. voted in 2021 on whether to unionize their warehouse, but the results were thrown out by a judge. The spokesman for the Employers' side, Charlie Oliver of Gary Merlino Construction, has not spoken a word to the Teamsters in nearly six weeks. Simply log into Settings & Account and select "Cancel" on the right-hand side. To become an Amazon Clinic patient, first you sign away some privacy, Elon Musk describes Starship flight as roughly what I expected, How Mark Zuckerberg broke Metas workforce. Monday mornings picket line extension to the Port of Everett cement terminal shut down all operations at the port, which supports nearly $21 billion worth of U.S. exports annually. The companies maintain the belief that mediation through the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service allows for an unbiased, disinterested, and professional mediator to facilitate a possible resolution.. With 330 Teamsters still on strike and the holidays fast approaching, its time to show these Employers that no matter how cruel they decide to be, they will never kill our spirits. It stopped being about the money it seems a long time ago because the employers have lost way more than this contract would have ever cost them. You can find the name servers you need to use in your welcome email or HostGator control panel. Heres what its like. SEATTLE, Jan. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- After a brief break over the holidays, picket lines are now back up as 330 Teamsters continue to withhold labor as part of an Unfair Labor Practice strike. Moore and Schindler decided to end the talks, the Times reported, though they said that the potential for further mediation stands. Hot off the heels of the announcement of the final software fix for the previous fires, another Chevy Bolt catches fire in Ashburn, Virginia on May 1st, 2021. ", "These giant, multinational construction companies are demanding that workers accept a package of wages, healthcare and retirement that would be a decrease in compensation over three years when you take inflation into account,"said Hicks. The top pay rate for mixer drivers is about $37 per hour, which is well behind other building trades, according to the Teamsters. The strike began on November 19 with 34 workers at Gary [], WE NEED YOUR HELP TO STOP THE GRINCH FROM STEALING CHRISTMAS! journalists in 50+ countries covering politics, business, innovation, trends and more. Loudoun Transit buses will stay parked starting Wednesday morning as union members ", The Associated General Contractors of Washington State, which isn't representing the concrete companies but has been posting updates about the dispute on its website,lobbied for mediation to go forward., "Mediation is the tool for the federal government to support labor management relations," DHondt wrote in his letter., The Seattle Times reportedthat layoffs could be in store for related workers such as masons, ironworkers, laborers and carpenters.Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff told the agency's governing board that missed cement deliveries will mean delays to the agency's contract milestones, acccording to the paper.