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I am a former employee of USF Red Star. I am curious about what is being done to help former Red Star drivers get the monies that are due to us, and what is being done to help us out with the hiring at USF Holland. They promised us jobs and, as yet, only produced a fraction of the jobs.

--John, Local 560
 

Dear John:

We recently reached a settlement with USF Corporation in which 1,500 former Teamster employees of USF Red Star shared nearly $5 million stemming from numerous contract grievances.

However, the union's lawsuit over the improper closure is separate and is pending in court.

The company agreed to the settlement after the Teamsters Union filed numerous grievances on behalf of former employees. Because various supplemental agreements were involved in the settlement, the issues varied. Some grievances involved workers who were denied vacation pay, while others addressed unpaid personal time off.

The Teamsters Union is still negotiating a settlement over unpaid sick days and unpaid holiday time.

As for the lawsuit, the union has filed the action against Red Star, its parent USF Corporation, and USF Holland for closing Red Star as part of a corporate scheme to replace it with the Holland operation.

The lawsuit seeks Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act damages for the unlawful closing without the proper notice, and for breaching the Red Star contract.

As for the jobs at USF Holland, it is our understanding more positions for ex-Red Star workers will be made available as USF Holland's revenue in the Northeast increases. However, recent newspaper and transportation magazine articles indicate Yellow Roadway is reviewing Holland's expansion into the Northeast in light of their ownership of New Penn.

We will continue watching the situation. Please stay tuned to the Teamsters web site for the latest information, and thank you for your question.

In solidarity,

Jim Hoffa
Teamsters General President