Teamsters Call On SFMTA To Adopt Labor Harmony Resolution

Labor Practices of Commuter Shuttle Operators Could Impact City

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Aug 18, 2015, 07:47 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Teamsters and shuttle drivers called on the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) to adopt a resolution ensuring labor harmony, at the agency's Board of Directors meeting today.

Teamsters and drivers for Bauer's Intelligent Transportation held an action next to the Mission Street BART station last week, urging SFMTA pass the labor harmony resolution that was unanimously adopted by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in March.

The resolution requires the SFMTA to consider the extent to which a company can assure labor harmony in its operations when granting an application for the commuter shuttle pilot program. The program allows commuter shuttles use of Muni stops.

"It's been long enough. The SFMTA should act now to ensure labor harmony," said Mark Gleason, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 665 in San Francisco. "It's the right thing to do for transit passengers and for drivers."

"It's important that drivers are treated properly, and that the shuttle companies that want to participate in the program, live up to certain standards. This resolution says that labor practices matter," said Rome Aloise, International Vice President, President of Teamsters Joint Council 7 and principal officer of Teamsters Local 853 in San Leandro, Calif.

At last week's action, drivers with Bauer's joined with Teamsters, calling on SFMTA to adopt the resolution. Bauer's drivers are currently organizing with Teamsters Local 665.

The San Francisco Labor Council recently sanctioned a strike at Bauer's. While the workers are not striking at this time, they are speaking out on the urgency for SFMTA to act on the Board's resolution before it could potentially impact 800,000 daily Muni riders.

Recently, the National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint against Bauer's that alleged the company engaged in interference with employees' attempts to speak to the Teamsters; surveillance of employees; and the creation of an in-house union by a company supervisor.

The Teamsters Union has organized shuttle bus drivers throughout the tech industry—at Facebook, Apple, Yahoo, eBay, Genentech, Amtrak, Evernote and other companies.

Warehouse and shipping workers with Google Express are voting in their Teamsters representation election this week.

The union is also negotiating industry-leading contracts for organized tech industry workers.

The Teamsters Union is part of a growing movement of labor, faith and community-based organizations and workers challenging income inequality in Silicon Valley through an innovative partnership called Silicon Valley Rising. For more information, visit: http://siliconvalleyrising.org/.

For more information on tech worker organizing with the Teamsters, visit: http://teamster.org/tech-drivers-deserve-union.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:
Doug Bloch, (510) 333-1179
[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO

SOURCE Teamsters Joint Council 7