Correction: The company locations noted in the story are not members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Dive Brief:
- Less-than-truckload (LTL) drivers for XPO Logistics voted against membership with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in Albany, N.Y., Transport Topics reported.
- XPO called this decision a victory for drivers on the company website, allowing drivers to "retain their voice" with the company.
- The Teamsters, however, allege XPO engages in driver misclassification and underpays warehouse workers, LTL drivers and port truckers, an assertion XPO denies.
Dive Insight:
This isn't the first time XPO and the Teamsters have butted heads, but based on previous clashes, it seems workers are divided over whether they need a union to protect their rights.
The Teamsters have resorted to various tactics to try to bring XPO workers into the union fold, including interrupting proceedings at the 2017 TPM conference. Director of Organizing Jeff Farmer has more than once voiced concern about worker treatment at XPO; driver satisfaction with the company seems to vary by region.
According to the Teamsters website, 34 drivers at Albany's XPO site were the first to initiate contact, requesting the right to Teamster representation by their Local 294, but in the end the drivers voted against membership.
Previously, XPO CEO Bradley Jacobs has declined to meet with the Teamsters, and was noted to have labeled the workers group as "out of control" and disruptive.
The union has also argued there exist accusations of wage theft, or illegal deductions from pay, as well as increasing income disparity, wherein a CEO earns an exponential amount more than the workers within the company.
XPO drivers are in negotiation to join the Teamsters in Miami, FL.; Laredo, TX and King of Prussia, PA, but have not yet joined. XPO Drivers in Aurora, IL.; Vernon, CA. and Trenton, NJ are contesting representation and not certified, XPO told Supply Chain Dive.
Furthermore, North Haven, CT XPO warehouse workers planned to join the Teamsters but while pending, petitioned XPO to withdraw the request for membership, to which the company complied.
