Teamsters have overwhelmingly ratified a new national contract at ABF Freight, as well as 25 of 27 supplemental agreements. The two rejected supplements, the Southern Garage and the Western States Pickup & Delivery, reached new tentative agreement today after the Teamsters met with ABF, and will be voted on within the next week.

The five-year master agreement provides members with improvements to wages, benefits, and working conditions, among other gains.

“This national agreement will serve as the model for the rest of the freight industry. It will set the tone for national freight contracts moving forward. The gains made at the table will be long-lasting and far-reaching,” said Sean M. O’Brien, Teamsters General President and Chair of the Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC).

Ballots were counted today after two weeks of in-person voting. The agreement covers approximately 8,600 members at 137 local unions throughout the U.S.

“Our members have spoken and overwhelmingly agree that this strong national contract will protect Freight Teamsters,” said John A. Murphy, Teamsters Freight Division Director and TNFINC Co-Chair. “We have paved the way for a brighter future for every Teamster at ABF. I want to thank the negotiating team for their hard work, especially our rank-and-file members who were able to join the committee for the first time. Their participation and input was invaluable.”

Highlights of the national contract include:

• Wage Increases: Members will receive a $3.50 per hour raise effective July 1, 2023, with a total of $6.50 in raises over the life of the agreement. The wage increases in year one alone surpass those of the entire previous contract, providing meaningful improvements for members.

• Expanded Benefits: MLK Day is added as a new paid holiday, recognizing its significance. Starting January 1, 2024, two additional annual paid sick days have been added, increasing the minimum number of paid sick days from five to seven.

• Health, Welfare, & Pension Contributions: The company is required to increase its contributions to health, welfare, and pension plans, with a total of $4.46 per hour of additional contributions over the term of the agreement.

• Work Protections: The national contract includes provisions to protect members’ rights and well-being. It prohibits the use of invasive technology and ensures new guardrails against the use of autonomous vehicles or freight transportation without drivers/operators, safeguarding job security.

Read more here: https://teamster.org/…/teamsters-overwhelmingly-ratify…/