Tankhaul Victory in California

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.teamster.org/07news/hn_070801_1.asp

Collaborative Effort Nets Nearly 500 Tankhaulers

August 1, 2007

Seven units of food-grade tanker truck drivers, totaling nearly 500 people, recently joined the Teamsters Union in California.

“This is something we’ve been working on for several months, but the patience and hard work of these workers has paid off,” said Odus Hall, a business agent with Local 948 in Visalia, California. “Credit goes to the workers at all Ruan companies for fighting for the right to join the Teamsters.”

Workers, who joined the union, are employed by Ruan Transportation and two of its subsidiaries, Jim Aartman Trucking and Cal Western Transportation.

Hall was instrumental in pressuring employers to recognize the Teamsters as the bargaining agent for these tankhaulers. The organizing drive began by building worker support at six different locations throughout California’s Central Valley. After more than 70 percent of the workers signed union authorization cards, the locals utilized ongoing bargaining to insist on a recognition agreement from Ruan Transportation, the largest transporter of liquid food-grade products in the Western U.S.

The California Teamster locals representing the drivers are: Local 63, Covina; Local 137, Redding; Local 386, Modesto; and Local 948, Visalia.