CHICAGO, ILL | Rail workers at the ITS 63rd Street facility in Chicago voted yesterday to join Teamsters Local 710. This victory marks the third newly organized rail ramp for the Local, adding 74 new members.

“The momentum we’re seeing in organizing the rail industry has been great as we grow representation to those workers across the country,” said Mike Cales, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 710. “The aggressive campaigns we’ve been running for 710 together with the IBT and Joint Council 25 have been hugely successful, and we’re looking forward to continuing our Local’s organizing efforts to get rail workers the workplace protections and representation they deserve.”

Local 710 has also recently hired Justin Vaughn as an Organizer for 710, who comes from the rail industry at ITS and was working as an IBT Organizer.

“This employer knows the Teamsters are going after them, and they are fighting us at every turn to try and keep us out,” said Vaughn. “But as we continue to grow, the workers at more and more ramps are seeing just what the Teamsters can do to improve their working conditions and benefits, and they’re standing strong together to unionize.”

Teamsters Local 710 represents more than 850 rail workers at various facilities across the Chicagoland area, including two additional ITS rail ramps that have been a part of this ongoing national campaign: 57 workers at ITS Calumet and 133 workers at ITS Harvey.

ITS Organizing Team
Justin Vaughn
Matt Lundy
Bryant Smith
Larry Smith
Chris Trailor
Eduardo Farerra
Ken Irvy