JimKilbane

100 sanitation workers in California have joined the Teamsters in the last two weeks alone! Dozens of workers from Redrock Environmental in Madera, Calif., and Universal Waste in Lakeside, Calif., voted to unionize so they can fight for the industry-leading pay and benefits that sanitation Teamsters secure every day. “This is an important victory that will have a real impact for me and my co-workers,” said Cam Vaughn, Redrock Environmental driver. “Our line of work is dangerous and puts us at serious risk. Now that we’re Teamsters we will fight for a strong first contract with better safety standards, pay, and health benefits.”

Every year, the Teamsters Scholarship Fund helps hundreds of Teamsters families afford higher education. Applications for the scholarship fund are open until April 1 for Teamsters children, grandchildren, and dependents. Apply today: teamster.org/scholarships/

Teamsters at Brenntag in Des Moines, Iowa, are on strike as a result of the company’s unfair labor practices and failure to negotiate a fair contract. The hazmat drivers and warehouse workers represented by Teamsters Local 90 were locked out for a month after rejecting a contract that failed to meet industry standards. “Time and again, the company has refused to bargain in good faith. They delayed negotiations, offered a lowball contract, and ultimately locked us out when we didn’t accept it,” said Dillion Strait, a warehouse worker and Local 90 shop steward. “Their attempts to break our solidarity only strengthened our resolve. We will not stand for these unfair labor practices.”

Ralph Vinson “R.V.” Durham, who led Teamsters Local 391 for more than a quarter century, passed away on March 17, 2026. From a young age, Durham understood the value of a hard day’s work, delivering newspapers, laboring in cotton fields, and helping in his family’s restaurant. Those early lessons shaped a lifetime commitment to fighting for dignity on the job. He began his Teamsters journey in 1950 as a truck driver for Roadway Express at 19 years old. He learned the job from the ground up, earning the respect of the rank-and-file members he would one day lead at Local 391. A year later, he married Ethel “Skeets” McDaniels, and together they built a family, raising two children. Over a remarkable 45-year career, Durham rose through the ranks — first as a business agent, then as Secretary-Treasurer, and ultimately as President, a position he held from 1969 to 1995. Even as his responsibilities grew, he led with the perspective of someone who had done the work himself, earning the trust of the membership and never losing sight of who he represented. In 1973, Durham took his fight to Washington, D.C., where he founded and led the Teamsters Safety and Health Department while serving as International Vice President on the General Executive Board. He appeared numerous times before Congress and worked closely with OSHA to strengthen worker protections. Drawing on his experience behind the wheel, Durham worked across multiple presidential administrations. Appointed by Presidents Ford, Carter, and Reagan to the National Highway Safety Advisory Committee, he pushed back against harmful deregulation that threatened the livelihoods of Teamsters in the trucking industry. He understood what was at stake because he had lived it. At a time when the trucking industry faced growing threats, Durham became a national voice for protecting worker safety and union rights. Still, he never stepped away from his local, commuting from Winston-Salem, N.C., to Washington several days a week as he continued to serve as President of Local 391. In 1991, during the first direct election of International Union officers by the rank-and-file, Durham ran for General President, bringing his message of strong, member-driven leadership to Teamsters across the country. He later returned home to Local 391, where he continued to serve for another five years before retiring. Retirement didn’t slow him down. Durham remained a constant presence at the Local 391 union hall, regularly attending membership meetings and staying connected to the union he loved. He was known for his steady optimism, his deep loyalty, and his unwavering belief in the power of working people standing together. “The strength of our union is built on leaders like R.V. Durham — people who came up from the shop floor, never forgot where they came from, and spent their lives fighting to make things better for the next generation,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “R.V. represented the best of the Teamsters. He dedicated his life to protecting members, raising industry standards, and proving what solidarity can achieve. Our union is stronger because of him, and our thoughts are with the Durham family.” Outside the union, Durham enjoyed traveling, visiting destinations across the United States and Europe with his family. He is survived by his two children, two grandchildren, and four siblings. His legacy lives on in the generations of Teamsters he mentored, the contracts he helped secure, and the union he devoted his life to advancing.

More than 190 workers at IKEA’s distribution center in Joliet, Ill., have voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local 179. The win marks the third successful Teamsters organizing effort at the company in North America, signaling growing momentum to unionize the world’s largest furniture retailer. “We work hard every day to keep this operation running, and we deserve respect and a say in our workplace. We knew the Teamsters could give us that voice,” said Kathy Kasher, an IKEA worker and new member of Local 179. “We have long needed better pay, better benefits, and a better future for our families. We are going to go for all those things and more when we negotiate a powerful Teamsters contract.” Workers at the Joliet distribution center play a critical role in moving furniture and home goods across the Midwest and throughout the company’s supply chain. IKEA reported more than $1.7 billion in net profits last year. “We look forward to providing IKEA workers with the tough representation they deserve,” said Chris Richter, President of Local 179. “I want to congratulate our newest members and stand ready to fight for better wages, benefits, and working conditions.” “IKEA workers chose to become Teamsters because they wanted a union that delivers real results when it comes to representing members and securing strong contracts,” said Tom Erickson, Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. “We are committed to helping these new members get the protections they deserve and will be ready to take on this company with the full backing of the International Union.”

Big Tech’s business model has resulted in wealth concentrating in fewer and fewer hands. But unlike the corporations of the past, tech executives are not investing that money to create good jobs: justcauseteamsters.substack.com/p/big-tech-is-…

After nearly a year of negotiations, Teamsters Local 471 members at Associated Milk Producers Incorporated (AMPI) Dairy in Stoughton, MN have been forced out on strike over the company’s unfair labor practices. AMPI has refused to take negotiations seriously or present a fair, comprehensive proposal to the workers. The processing and shipping facility is critical for supplying cheese throughout the Midwest. Despite Teamsters working for over a year without a raise, AMPI has refused to offer a meaningful wage increase that keeps up with the rising cost of living. The company has rejected proposals that would give workers more flexibility and stability in their health care coverage and has failed to agree to basic employment protections, a guarantee that if the facility is sold or ownership changes, workers would be able to keep their jobs and union contract. “When I started at AMPI 18 years ago, this was a place where people built successful careers in a small town to support their families. Too many now see it as just a job, and that has been tough for me to watch,” said Heidi Barg, an 18-year lab technician at AMPI Dairy. “We’re not asking for anything unreasonable. We just want to be fairly compensated and treated with the respect our years of hard work and dedication have earned.”

The Teamsters Rail Conference gathered in Las Vegas for its quadrennial convention. Representatives from the BLET and the BMWED came together to discuss recent achievements and strategize new priorities for the years ahead, including contract enforcement and advancing legislation that safeguards the lives and livelihoods of union railroaders. “The Teamsters Rail Conference today is stronger, more unified, and more influential than it has ever been,” said Mark Wallace, President of the Teamsters Rail Conference and the BLET. “By working together, we will continue strengthening our voice, protecting our members, and ensuring that railroad workers remain a vital part of the future of the American transportation system.”

More than 500 members of Teamsters Local 25 set up Seafood Expo North America at the Thomas M. Menino Convention and Exhibit Center in Boston, one of the largest seafood trade shows in the world, which attracted over 20,000 attendees. Teamsters assembled more than 800 exhibition booths over 650,000 square feet of show floor, created displays, managed freight, and handled on-site logistics. “This is one of the biggest shows we work on,” said Paul McManus, chief steward and 50-year Teamster. “It's hard work, in a fast-paced environment, where we work together to transform the convention floor from a blank space to a fully branded event space with carpeting, seafood demonstrations, intricate booths, and much more. We take pride in our work and work together to make it happen."

DHL Teamsters in Indianapolis, represented by Teamsters Local 135, held a practice picket as the March 31 expiration of the DHL Teamsters National Master Agreement approaches. This week, the DHL Teamsters National Negotiating Committee reached tentative agreements on all supplements, but the fight for a strong national agreement is not over. The current agreement covers thousands of DHL Teamsters across 26 local unions in 16 states. Earlier this month, Teamsters voted by a 96 percent margin to authorize a strike. If DHL fails to present a fair national contract by the deadline, Teamsters will be forced to take action.

Teamsters nurses across the Corewell Health East system in Southeast Michigan are strike ready. These 10,000 workers are fighting for their first union contract — and they'll take it to the streets if Corewell doesn't give them the strong Teamsters contract they deserve.

This St. Patrick’s Day, the Teamsters proudly celebrate a shared history forged through struggle, migration, and collective action. From Dublin to Detroit, the Irish diaspora’s enduring commitment to organized labor continues to advance opportunity, justice, and prosperity for working people everywhere: justcauseteamsters.substack.com/p/from-dublin-…

Delivery drivers represented by Teamsters Local 554 at Premier-Midwest Beer & Beverage have been on the picket line for six weeks fighting for a fair agreement. For over 30 years, Teamsters Local 554 was able to ratify contract after contract with the company. This all changed when Premier-Midwest was acquired by Texas-based Glazer’s Beer & Beverage, which is proposing $10 per hour pay cuts and changes to health care that would drastically increase the cost of insurance. Striking Premier-Midwest Teamsters have seen overwhelming support from their community and thank Dropkick Murphys and @osbornforne for joining the picket line.

Jeff Padellaro, Director of the Teamsters Brewery, Bakery, and Soft Drink Conference, visited the Anheuser Busch Brewery in Cartersville, G.A., to meet with membership, inspect facility improvements, and discuss contract enforcement. Director Padellaro also attended Local 1129's monthly membership meeting for a town hall to answer questions and to discuss open enrollment with Allegiant Care representatives. The 375 brewery workers work in brewing, packaging, and quality assurance.

Huron and Eastern Railway workers represented by the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) of the Teamsters Rail Conference have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new contract. The maintenance of way workers secured 18.1 percent raises over the life of the new four-year agreement, along with increased paid time off and improved working conditions. “Throughout this process, the members were engaged, responsive and provided significant input to the bargaining table,” said Brian Thompson, General Chairman of the BMWED’s Allied Federation. “Their involvement was critical to securing this contract and I commend them for their commitment.”

Every year, the Teamsters Scholarship Fund helps hundreds of Teamsters families afford higher education. Applications for the scholarship fund are open until April 1 for Teamsters children, grandchildren, and dependents. Apply today: teamster.org/scholarships/

From ancient mechanisms hidden in forgotten ruins to enigmatic puzzles, the world of Crimson Desert holds many mysteries! Join us along for the adventure ahead. Coming March 19!

Teamsters political field organizers are on the ground encouraging members to vote for Raja Krishnamoorthi for Senate in Illinois. Krishnamoorthi has walked Teamsters picket lines, backed UPS Teamsters in their 2024 contract fight, and supported legislation to speed up new organizing. Raja is a proven leader who will continue to fight for Teamsters across Illinois in the U.S. Senate.

Airgas Teamsters at Local 251 secured a major arbitration victory after an arbitrator ruled the company violated Articles 5 and 10 of their collective bargaining agreement. The dispute arose when members honored Local 25’s picket line in solidarity with fellow Airgas Teamsters. In response, management retaliated—informing members there would be no work until further notice and bringing in a third party to replace bargaining unit work. The arbitrator determined that these actions were unjustified and in clear violation of the contract. The ruling affirms Local 251 members’ contractual right to honor picket lines without fear of discipline or discharge. “We were ready to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters to ensure that they got the contracts they deserve,” said Modesto Hidalgo, 21-year Teamster and steward. “Not one of our members crossed the picket line extensions because we knew our rights and were ready to enforce them. There is nothing wrong with fighting for the right things.”

Despite the University of Chicago Medical Center making $3 billion in profit last year, the hospital is offering pennies to the 2,000 Teamsters that make it run. UCMC Teamsters need a fair contract now that rewards their value with the pay and benefits they deserve.