NLRB Ruling Protects Drivers and Sets Union
Election for May
WASHINGTON, April 17,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- After a vigorous argument from
the Teamsters, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ruled
in favor of 80 drivers at United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) in
Sarasota, Fla., refusing to accept
the company's plans to outsource jobs to notorious nonunion
employer J.B. Hunt. The decision by the NLRB protects jobs and
safeguards the rights of UNFI workers seeking union representation
with Teamsters Local 79 in Tampa,
Fla.
"UNFI's attempt to outsource jobs was nothing more than a
desperate, union-busting tactic to stop drivers from becoming
Teamsters. The company's actions were shameful and illegal and
won't be tolerated," said Tom
Erickson, Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division.
"UNFI continues to make bad decisions at the expense of its
workers. The Teamsters will fight this anti-union employer in every
avenue, at every level. This ruling reaffirms UNFI workers' right
to representation in the workplace without interference from
management."
Based on UNFI's obstinate refusal to provide pertinent evidence
that its drivers would actually be laid off, the NLRB ordered an
election to be conducted on May 4 and
5 and the votes to be counted immediately.
"I was in tears when I got the news that we were going to be
able to keep our jobs and move forward with our election. This was
a huge win and a relief for all of us," said Patricia Morris, a seven-year driver at UNFI in
Sarasota. "As a former UPSer, I
know the value of being a Teamster firsthand and how beneficial
representation will be for us at UNFI. We're already seeing
results. Without the Teamsters, we could have lost our
jobs."
The NLRB is continuing to investigate whether UNFI also
committed unfair labor practices (ULPs) when it subcontracted
driving jobs to J.B. Hunt. The Teamsters have active organizing
campaigns at UNFI facilities in Pompano
Beach, Fla., and Harrisburg,
Pa., where the company is also attempting to outsource jobs
to prevent drivers from organizing. The Teamsters have filed ULPs
and are currently in litigation for workers in both locations.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters
represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto
Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on
Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at
Facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Daniel Moskowitz, (770)
262-4971
dmoskowitz@teamster.org
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SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters