December 28, 2002

The 115 Teamsters Local 100 members who work as drivers and warehouse workers at a US Foodservice facility in Cincinnati, Ohio are serving as grassroots organizers. These drivers and warehouse workers are participating in a local piece of a national campaign to organize warehouse workers at US Foodservice and Alliant Food Services throughout the country. US Foodservice recently took over Alliant Food Services, which runs a nonunion shop near the US Foodservice facility where the Local 100 members work.

“A national strategy really begins at home,” said John Williams, Teamsters Warehouse Division Director. “We are going to operate with a sense of partnership, and we expect management to operate with a sense of partnership.”

Local 100 is working with US Foodservice to determine areas for increased efficiencies while at the same time protecting workers’ rights. Current US Foodservice Teamsters are also educating their fellow workers at the Alliant facility about the superior compensation and benefits of a Teamster contract. There are approximately 150 warehouse workers and drivers at that site.

“There are no better organizers than Teamsters who are doing the same work and talking about Teamster representation,” said Williams. “Organizing efforts are always stronger when you do affirmative action at the local level.”