One of the two Teamsters strikes against units of food transporter and supplier Sysco Corp. has been settled, while the second is on the verge of ending.
According to reports by the Buffalo News and television station WWNY that had not been confirmed by either the Teamsters or Sysco as of publication time, the strike against the Sysco facilities in Syracuse, New York, ended earlier this week.
The Teamsters union had earlier said that it had more than 230 workers on strike in Syracuse. They were represented by Local 316. That strike began Sept. 28.
A Sysco spokeswoman said at the time that the striking workers were both drivers and warehouse employees.
Meanwhile, Mike Clark, the principal officer of Teamsters Local 653, which represents workers at a Sysco facility in Plympton, Massachusetts, said a new proposal will be put up for ratification to its members Thursday. That strike involved only drivers, numbering about 300, and began Sept. 30.
Clark, in a telephone interview with FreightWaves, said the terms of the contract to be submitted to the rank and file were agreed upon in negotiations that concluded Wednesday evening.
“If I didn’t think it was going to be approved, I wouldn’t have submitted it to the members,” Clark said.
The strike had turned hostile over the weekend. Local media reports in Boston said the strikers were bolstered by the arrival of about 400 Teamsters from other parts of the country. CBS Boston said 16 to 20 protesters were arrested on charges ranging from assault and battery to disorderly conduct.
Details on the contracts were unavailable, though Clark said the agreement in Plympton dealt with issues typical to labor negotiations. He said “working conditions” were a major part of the contract talks but did not provide specifics.
The Sysco 10-K form filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this year said about 9% of Sysco workers were unionized.
The Teamsters’ statement on its website said it represents more than 10,000 Sysco workers across the U.S.
More articles by John Kingston
XPO brokerage spinoffs RXO gets near-investment-grade debt rating from S&P
DOL independent contractor definition could pose problems for truck fleets
Brokerage solution to California’s AB5 rule gets support from Cowen panel