Teamsters Continue to Uphold Seniority Rights for Members in Illinois

For the second time this month, Teamsters Local 330 has prevailed in another key arbitration victory to preserve seniority rights for its hardworking members in Illinois.

In a decision on September 16, Local 330 representatives successfully protected seniority rights for drivers at Euclid Beverage, even those whose routes are temporarily discontinued by management. Original grievances filed by Local 330 in December 2014 called Euclid management to the carpet for ignoring seniority as it unilaterally reassigned Teamster drivers to different positions with lower pay grades.

The final ruling by independent arbitrator Robert A. Creo enforced seniority clauses in Local 330’s contract to protect workers’ access to appropriate route assignments and earned wage rates.

“Our members will no longer be forced into lower paying positions with no consideration of seniority, nor will their years of service to the company be ignored if their route is temporarily discontinued,” said Dominic Romanazzi, President of Local 330. “Before proceeding to arbitration on this issue, Local 330 made repeated efforts over many months to resolve the grievances with the company directly. However, management was unwilling to budge in the slightest and the union was left with no choice but to take the case to arbitration.”

Earlier this month, Local 330 representatives and stewards won a substantial arbitration decision for members at Senior Flexonics in Bartlett. The ruling also preserves workers’ seniority rights whenever management considers reassignments due to shift displacements or department reductions.

For its members at Euclid Beverage, Local 330 representatives spent months examining past practice and relevant case history with its legal counsel to defend Teamster drivers. Two Euclid members came forward as well to offer crucial testimony at arbitration.

Euclid Beverage is a North Aurora-based distributor of beer, spirits and other beverages.

“Local 330 will always use every resource available and will work diligently to protect our members’ rights whenever and wherever such rights are challenged by management,” Romanazzi said.

Teamsters Local 330 is an affiliate of Teamsters Joint Council 25, America’s premier labor union for Chicago, Illinois and northwest Indiana.