Local 710 Negotiates Wage Increases Surpassing Last Three Agreements

Teamsters Local 710 warehouse workers at Chicago-area distribution company White Castle unanimously ratified a new three-year agreement in September.The contract is in effect from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2019.

The Local 710 Bargaining Committee successfully secured wage increases of 75 cents per hour in each of the three years of the agreement — much higher raises than the members have received in previous contracts. Additionally, the employer was pushing to move the members into their own health plan, but the committee was able to avert the move. The new contract maintains the Local 710 Health & Welfare plan with increases for the duration of the agreement.

“This is the best contract I have seen in the last three contracts,” said Local 710 Union Steward and Bargaining Committee member Jeff Sims. “When I put the tentative agreement in front of the members, they were overwhelmingly supportive and proud to pass it.”

The Teamster Bargaining Committee led by Sims and Local 710 Business Agent Chuck DeCola also secured retroactive pay back for all workers to July 1, 2016.

Local 710 represents seven warehouse workers at the White Castle distribution facility in Chicago. They pick orders and load trucks that service over 100 restaurants in the greater Chicagoland area.

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