Drivers in Sarasota Fight Back Against
Outsourcing, Win Representation
SARASOTA, Fla., May 6, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Drivers at United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) have
unanimously voted to join Teamsters Local 79 in Tampa, Fla. The 80-worker group stood strong
to overcome a nasty union-busting campaign by the natural food
distributor, taking their fight to the National Labor Relations
Board (NLRB) to secure a union election and beat back efforts to
outsource their jobs to notorious nonunion company J.B. Hunt.
"Gone are the days of unfair treatment and favoritism. Gone are
the days of unfair business practices. Gone are the days of begging
for a livable wage," said Rob
Kroupa, a seven-year driver at UNFI. "With one voice, we now
go to the bargaining table to begin improving our standard of
living."
Kroupa and his co-workers are seeking a strong Teamsters
contract to address years of concerns and mismanagement at UNFI's
Sarasota facility. Key issues
include wages, health care and retirement benefits, job security,
and working conditions.
"Despite facing significant obstacles, these workers were
unwavering in their commitment to secure their rights and win
representation. They refused to stand for UNFI's despicable
union-busting tactics and bravely took their fight to the NLRB when
the company tried to outsource their jobs. Their solidarity and
determination will serve them well as we take our fight into
negotiations for a first Teamsters contract," said Brian Rothman, President of Local 79.
On March 14, the NLRB ruled in
favor of holding an election for UNFI drivers after it agreed with
Local 79's vigorous effort to reject the company's bogus plans to
outsource jobs in a desperate attempt to stop the union effort.
Now, the Board is continuing to investigate whether UNFI also
committed unfair labor practices because it claims it subcontracted
driving jobs to J.B. Hunt.
"By becoming Teamsters, drivers in Sarasota have taken a bold step towards
achieving better wages, stronger benefits, real job protections,
and true respect in the workplace. This group showed courage and
put it all on the line to secure this crucial victory," said
Tom Erickson, Director of the
Teamsters Warehouse Division. "This is our second group of UNFI
workers to organize in the South in less than two months. We have
active campaigns underway across the country – including in nearby
Pompano Beach, Fla. – where we
will fight with the same tenacity to win them the representation
every UNFI worker deserves."
The organizing victory marks the third Teamsters UNFI organizing
victory at the company this year and follows recent Teamsters
organizing victories at UNFI in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Last year, more than 1,000 workers
at the company voted to join the Teamsters nationwide. The
Teamsters represent more than 4,000 members at UNFI across the
U.S.
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