March 27, 2008  
 

(Washington, D.C.) – An overwhelming majority of about 115 workers at the UPS Freight (formerly Overnite Transportation) terminals in Florida have signed authorization cards to become Teamsters, bringing the total number of drivers and dockworkers seeking to join the union to more than 9,700 since January 16, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced.

The workers are seeking to join Local 769 which includes the cities of Miami, West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale.

“More and more UPS Freight workers nationwide are signing cards every day, far exceeding my expectations,” said Ken Hall, Director of the Teamsters Package Division. “We look forward to having them join the Teamsters and we will make certain they get a contract that rewards them for their hard work.”

“The workers here in Florida will have more protections for themselves and their families with a Teamster contract,” said Michael Scott, President of Local 769. “These workers have a much brighter future ahead of them now.”

In addition to these workers, a majority of UPS Freight workers in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, the New England area, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington state and Wisconsin have submitted cards to become Teamsters.

Victories have come in numerous large cities, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Minneapolis, Nashville, Oakland, Orlando, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Sacramento, San Diego, San Jose, St. Louis and Washington, D.C.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.