News Updates

Ballots for the national carhaul agreement and the supplements were mailed on July 7, and workers who have not received a ballot may begin requesting new or duplicate ballots starting July 15.

If you have not received your ballot by July 15, contact your local union and request a new or duplicate ballot. Requests for new or duplicate ballots will be accepted by the International Union until noon Friday, July 22.

The deadline to return your ballot is 10 a.m. Friday, August 5 at the post office in Maryland.

The Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee is continuing negotiations today with the goal of reaching a tentative contract agreement by the contract’s expiration at midnight.

The employers requested an extension beyond tonight’s midnight expiration, but the union refused the extension, said Fred Zuckerman, Teamsters Carhaul Division Director. Instead, the union has insisted that the employers must bargain an acceptable agreement prior to the expiration.

The union’s committee will continue to meet until a tentative agreement is reached. Members will be kept updated about any developments.

Since the middle of March, the situation with Allied has been extremely fluid. The Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee (TNATINC) is working hard to ensure that Allied members' job seniority is protected as other TNATINC-signatory carriers (primarily Jack Cooper and Cassens) are picking up work that the GM, Chrysler and other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have been shifting from Allied.

The TNATINC transport companies are all highly experienced and professional carriers. We are troubled by reports that, aside from using TNATINC carriers, the OEMs are relying on non-professional auto transport companies to perform their hauling work in numerous locations around the country. We are concerned that such companies will disrupt the OEMs' supply chain to the dealers and the public, thereby hindering their dramatic resurgence in production and profits. Many of our hard working professional Teamster drivers have been idled by the OEMs' dispute with Allied, and we urge all sides to quickly resolve their issues so our drivers can go back to doing what no one does better–delivering vehicles safely to dealers.

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Allied System Holdings agreed to withdraw its attempt to unilaterally cut the wages of more than 2,500 Teamster carhaul drivers, averting a strike that would have impacted the delivery of vehicles throughout the country. The wage cuts would have been in violation of the Teamsters National Carhaul Agreement.

The Teamsters National Automobile Transporters Industry Negotiating Committee (TNATINC), which bargains on behalf of the carhaulers, was able to reach a resolution with Allied after a series of meetings with the company since it announced the cuts on March 9.

“I am proud of our members at Allied who stood strong in solidarity through this difficult process,” said James P. Hoffa, Teamsters General President and Chairman of TNATINC. “Our members have sacrificed so much the past three years to help save this company. Allied knew that they would not stand down. Our members will now receive the proper payment under their existing contract.”

In December 2007, Teamsters at Allied approved a plan to help save Allied, which included 15 percent wage cuts that were in effect for about two and a half years. The concessions were set to expire last May, but Allied balked and wanted the concessions to continue. However, a federal bankruptcy judge rejected the company’s efforts and the company finally agreed to pay an additional 20 percent as it was required to do under the original plan, retroactive to May 30, 2010.

Allied is contractually bound by the agreement to pay the industry-negotiated rate. Cassen’s and Jack Cooper, carhaul companies that are also covered by the Teamsters National Carhaul Agreement, are currently paying the established rate.

“Our members were prepared to go out on strike to ensure that Allied honored the contract,” said Fred Zuckerman, Co-Chairman of the Committee and Director of the Teamsters Carhaul Division. “I am relieved that Allied decided to do the right thing and today our members will be where they want to be – on their trucks, doing their job.”

System-wide, 58 Teamster Locals represent the 2,500 Allied carhaulers throughout the U.S. and Canada and hauls cars for General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Volkswagen.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, please visit www.Teamster.org.