MELROSE PARK, IL | The Teamsters Local 710 Jewel-Osco Transportation members have just overwhelmingly ratified their new contract by a nearly 6-to-1 margin. The new five-year agreement is effective March 9, 2026 and runs through 2031.

“This is a huge win for our members thanks to all of the incredible work by the members on our bargaining committee,” said Secretary-Treasurer Mike Cales. “It is very clear – from the hours spent crafting proposals to every single improvement won in this agreement – that our committee has a deep understanding of their contract and exactly what the members needed in a new agreement. These negotiations were some of the most difficult we have faced, but every single man on our committee did a phenomenal job standing together for the betterment of the entire bargaining unit.”

The 181 Drivers, Dispatchers, and Load Planners who work out of the Jewel/Albertson’s distribution center in Melrose Park, Ill. secured improvements throughout the entire contract, including:

• A raise of $11 per hour over the life of the contract, with a total $6 increase within the first year 
• Shortened amount of time to accrue vacation, reducing the amount of time to reach 5 weeks vacation from 20 years of service down to 16 years
• Added two more paid days off for a total of 8 – all of which do not have to be scheduled in advance and are automatically approved
• Company-sponsored health insurance shall be frozen for the entire duration of the contract, meaning no increases to costs or changes to the plan for 5 years
• All members of the bargaining unit are now guaranteed a 40-hour workweek on a regular schedule, whereas previously up to 20% of the unit was not afforded that benefit

“This was my first time sitting at the bargaining table, and I am proud to have been part of such a strong committee that worked well together,” said Steward Jim Miller, who has driven for Jewel for 36 years. “When we brought this tentative agreement to the members, they could really see everything that went through to get this deal, and there was so much more that went on behind the scenes. Working alongside Mike Cales, Mike Ramirez, and our attorneys was a great experience, and we all fought hard for this.”

“We had a strong committee at negotiations with excellent leadership from Principal Officer Mike Cales and Business Agent Mike Ramirez,” said Steward Mike O’Reilly, who has driven for Jewel for 10 years. “We successfully addressed our members’ concerns with protecting and enhancing strong contract language to recommend a contract our committee could proudly stand behind. This is the best contract and the best representation that I have seen as a 710 member, and I give my thanks to all involved.”

“This is, by far, the best contract our Jewel Transportation members have seen throughout their careers, all thanks to the dedication of this bargaining committee,” said Business Agent and Recording Secretary Mike Ramirez. “We had an immeasurable amount of experience packed into a group of 10 men who were unrelenting in their efforts to land this victory for the benefit of all our members. I am proud to have sat alongside them at the bargaining table, and I look forward to enforcing this contract alongside them as well.”

The Warehouse members at Jewel are in the process of reviewing their own tentative agreement and are set to conduct their vote on Monday, March 16. 

Teamsters Local 710 is an affiliate of Teamsters Joint Council 25 and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, representing more than 13,000 members across Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa.