Local 710 Stands Ground on Health and Welfare, Secures Wage Increases

Twenty-nine Teamsters Local 710 drivers at PTO Faucher Brothers recently ratified a new three-year agreement with their employer. The contract is in effect until March 31, 2019.

Local 710 successfully secured improved wages for the members that will increase 40 cents per hour in the first year of the agreement and 30 cents per hour in each of the remaining two years. The company had proposed that the members begin making contributions to their health and welfare, which the union fully rejected. Rank-and-file bargaining committee member Rich Oria ensured that the stance of the entire membership was heard loud and clear at the bargaining table.

“We stood our ground regarding the members’ health and welfare benefits,” said Bernie Sherlock, Local 710 Business Agent. “Brother Oria got the message across to the employer that the membership did not want to start making contributions to health and welfare, and we were successful in retaining that benefit for them.”

Teamsters Local 710 is an affiliate of Teamsters Joint Council 25, America’s premier labor union for Chicago, Illinois and northwest Indiana.