Allied Canada Wants Concessions

June 4, 2009: Allied Canada is pushing for concessions from Teamsters.

Their May 27 letter indicates that they are approaching each local; reportedly they are also approaching the leadership of Teamsters Canada to open the Eastern Canada contract.

Allied's letter talks about companies with cost structures (translation: wages and benefits) that are 30-40 percent less. Canadian drivers say there are a several small nonunion operators in Canada, and United Road trucks are seen sometimes. But no nonunion company has traffic out of a Canadian auto plant.

This is the time to be organizing those carriers, before nonunion companies start growing, as they are in the U.S.

In addition, officials in Toronto Local 938 are trying to sell the members on giving up the border agreement; they claim Zuckerman is on board with this concession, which would hurt drivers on both sides. That concession would violate the U.S. national contract: it would require a vote of members to give it (and jobs) away. Last time they tried that vote in Local 299, it was buried in No votes.

Click here to download the letter from Allied Canada.

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