Teamsters Local 710 Fights for Pension Protections at ABF
Union Demands Arbitration on Day-for-Day Pension Grievance
Photo © ABF
On April 1, Teamsters Local 710 submitted a formal demand to bring the deadlocked day-for-day pension grievance with ABF to arbitration.
The grievance alleged that the company was in violation of its memorandum of understanding with the union, which allowed Local 710 members to keep superior language on work rules and current practices when voting on the national contract. Local 710 previously fought for language on the “one punch rule,” wherein ABF would make regular contributions to a member’s pension when he or she punched in at least once per week.
After the national agreement was ratified, ABF reverted to making pension contributions on a “day-for-day” basis — members would need to punch in each day to receive their pension benefits for that day. Ultimately such a practice has the potential to result in lower pension contributions than ever agreed upon. When voting on the contract, there was no language on the ballot regarding any changes to pension benefits.
The Teamsters will continue to fight relentlessly for any pension benefits owed to our members.
There is a national crisis regarding pensions for workers all across the country, and we will continue to take these matters very seriously to ensure our members have the retirement benefits they have rightfully earned and deserve.
John T. Coli
Local 710 Trustee
Local 710 represents approximately 270 dock workers and drivers at ABF who work out of three freight terminals across the Chicagoland area.
Teamsters Local 710 is an affiliate of Teamsters Joint Council 25, America’s premier labor union for Chicago, Illinois and northwest Indiana.