SAN FRANCISCO, June 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AAA insurance
sales agents across Northern
California have voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local
665. The election was conducted by the National Labor Relations
Board (NLRB) via mail-in ballot and votes were tabulated today.
The 460 insurance sales agents with AAA Northern California work
at 77 locations across six regions, stretching from Merced, Calif., to the Oregon border.
"These workers stood united because they deserve a strong voice
and a secure future at AAA Northern California," said Tom Woods, Business Agent with Local 665. "They
want the stability and strength that comes with a Teamster
contract, and we're ready to get to work to negotiate an
agreement."
"I want my fellow workers in the insurance and financial
services industries to understand that they can protect themselves
with union representation. It's time to take control of your
future," said Jeff Wilkinson, a
29-year AAA Northern California insurance sales agent.
The workers had far-reaching support in their campaign to
organize, including from dozens of California political leaders, California
Central Labor Councils and the California Labor Federation. That
support was on display at a rally held in downtown San Francisco in April.
AAA Northern California
workers, who have the expertise to provide customers with insurance
to protect themselves and their families, sought out union
representation to ensure their own futures.
Insurance sales agents who have been with the company for
decades report feeling pushed out and fear termination over
changing and unrealistic sales targets. Meanwhile, new hires are
being paid a fraction of what tenured commissioned sales agents
earn.
The insurance sales agents, who work and live spread out in a
wide geography across Northern
California, came together during the pandemic to build their
campaign to organize. They remained united over regular,
well-attended Zoom calls.
"It Is beyond question that the workers exceeded any reasonable
expectation of perseverance and grit to get themselves to this
point and this is their win," said Tony
Delorio, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 665. "I want to thank
President Rome Aloise and Teamsters Joint Council 7, and the
International Union for their full effort and commitment to
assisting in this organizing effort. We are excited to begin the
work of negotiating a first agreement on behalf of these incredibly
hardworking Teamsters."
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 "like" us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Kara Deniz,
(202) 497-6610
kdeniz@teamster.org
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SOURCE Teamsters Local 665