News Updates
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.”
Teamster Goes for the Gold
July 29, 2009Tankhaul Drivers Join Local 745 In Dallas
June 23, 2009
Workers Seek Fairness, Respect
On June 18, tankhaul drivers at Schwerman Trucking in Dallas voted to join Local 745.
The drivers voted 14-3 to join Dallas-based Local 745. There are 18 drivers in the bargaining unit.
The drivers transport “flux,” which is used to make roofing-grade asphalt.
“The workers want a strong voice on the job to have a say about how the workloads are distributed,” said Rod Cuevas, organizer for Local 745. “They also want respect at work, fair pay and better benefits.”
Management waged an anti-worker, anti-union campaign, but the drivers remained united.
“They did a great job staying together,” Cuevas said. “They wore their Teamster pins every day and they interrupted the meetings where management tried to spread lies about the union.”
Schwerman is owned by Tankstar USA, and there are 34 Schwerman facilities in the eastern two-thirds of the United States.
Teamster Pride at Sieveking
June 18, 2009
Tankhaul Workers Maintain Great Health Benefits
Erik Wickerham gets to work between 4 and 6 a.m., depending on what he’s got to do that day. After preparing for the day, he and his coworkers drive trucks full of fuel to Sieveking’s customers. Beneath this mundane explanation, though, is a dangerous job that requires more skill than people outside the tankhaul industry may realize.
“We’re hauling hazardous materials, and this is explosive stuff,” Wickerham said. “You’ve got a lot of responsibility. It’s important to always know what others on the road are doing, and you have to be concerned that you don’t spill a drop. Most people don’t think twice when they see one of our trucks, but there’s a lot of responsibility that goes with this job.”
Now that Wickerham and his coworkers at Sieveking overwhelmingly ratified a new five-year agreement with the help of St. Louis’ Local 618, they’re that much safer. Plus, they got what they really wanted in this contract: protection of their health benefits.
“Our main objective was to keep the door closed on health and welfare. These highly skilled workers made it clear they didn’t want their health benefits to be eroded in any way,” said Gerald Kappauff, Vice President and business agent with Local 618. “Thanks to their dedication and hard work, we got what they wanted in the contract.”
Union Workplace
“With what’s going on with the economy right now, we did a lot better than others in the same situation,” said Wickerham, a Sieveking driver for nearly eight years. “Local 618 has done right by us. Gerald has especially done a great job. Whenever something comes up that you need the Teamsters for, they’re always there.”
Wickerham said he and the 21 other people in the bargaining unit recognize the importance of having a union in their workplace.
“Being in a union, especially now, is important. I’m glad we’re paid a fair wage to do this kind of work, but most people who are not in unions don’t get the same benefits. Nonunion guys usually have to contribute a lot for their health insurance, and that’s a strain on their pay. Also, a lot of these nonunion tankhaulers don’t have a pension they can rely on later like we can,” Wickerham said.
“When you’re in a union and doing this kind of work, you feel like you stand out because you take more pride. We know we’re taken care of in a lot of ways that others aren’t—like having vacation days and being compensated for overtime. People that don’t have that can get disgruntled pretty quick. And nobody wants a disgruntled driver piloting a moving bomb behind them on the highway.”
Union workers, he said, do a better job because they care more about their company and their customers. Having a good employer, though, also helps.
“The Sievekings are good people. They understand the importance of having a union in their shop, and they know it’s important to take care of your workers,” Wickerham said.