Second Group of Tankhaul Drivers Joins Local 745
September 10, 2009
Workers Seek Fair Pay, Respect
A group of tankhaul drivers at Schwerman Trucking in Dallas have joined Local 745, the second such victory for workers at the company in less than three months.
The group of 20 drivers transports powder cement. On September 9, they voted 12-7 to join Dallas-based Local 745.
On June 18, 2009, a group of 18 drivers that transports “flux,” used to make roofing-grade asphalt, joined Local 745.
“In the latest victory, workers are seeking fair pay, respect and better dispatch procedures,” said Rod Cuevas, organizer for Local 745. “We will now negotiate a contract for both groups of drivers that address their concerns.”
In the latest campaign, the company employed a vicious anti-worker, anti-union strategy. The company mailed anti-union literature to workers’ homes and held anti-union meetings daily. Management also made constant threats that the company would shut down if workers voted to form a union.
“The workers prevailed because they remained united. There was a very strong organizing committee,” Cuevas said. “The workers didn’t believe the garbage the company was saying. Committee members made house calls with me to counter the company’s tactics. The workers did a great job sticking together and focusing on their goals.”
