Tree of Life Employees Vote Teamsters

Workers at Tree of Life, a specialty foods distribution center in Los Angeles, voted to join Teamsters Local 952 in Orange, California on May 15. Friday’s election marks the third time the 69 members in the bargaining unit attempted to join the union.

“I think the biggest thing this victory shows is the perseverance of this work group,” said Patrick Kelly, Local 952 Secretary-Treasurer. “This group has never been union before and they worked hard over the last five years to gain representation.”

Tree of Life employees say the primary reason they sought union representation was for greater respect on the job site. They are also seeking job security and fair compensation.

“The issue of job security definitely put our work group over the top,” said Frank Borba, a Tree of Life employee. “Nobody can afford to lose their job—especially in this economy. We sought Teamster representation because of the reputation the Teamsters have to gain respect and to negotiate strong contracts with job-protection language.”

Kelly expects bargaining to commence within the next few weeks.

“We are very happy that this group got the representation they need and deserve. We look forward to working closely with them in the future,” Kelly said.