Posts Categorized: Secretary-Treasurer’s Update

The numbers tell the story: there is strength in numbers. Union workers make 27% more than their non-union counterparts. Without question, as the data shows, collective bargaining works. Not only are wages higher, but union workers are much more likely to have health benefits and a pension. This is a consequence of the right toRead More >

In late September my wife Devon and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. In looking back on the last 10 years, she said something that struck me as very relevant to the work we all do together at Teamsters 856. She talked about how it’s not the high-profile events that have mattered most over theRead More >

Don’t the let the term “sharing economy” fool you. There is no sharing. It’s really just the 1% making money by stripping workers of the rights for which the labor movement has fought so hard to secure. Just because the business transactions of these so-called “sharing economy” companies, such as Uber and AirBnB, are accomplished usingRead More >

One of the things that we are most passionate about is preserving access to quality, affordable healthcare. To do that, we must hold health insurance companies accountable by pushing for transparency to stop unjustifiable rate hikes. Historically, health insurance companies have not been required to provide underlying data to justify their rate increases and evenRead More >

With seven organizing wins over the last year, more than 1,000 workers have become new Local 856 members since early 2014. Through a commitment to organizing and a steady focus on fighting to get results at the bargaining table, our Local Union has been able to grow, both in numbers and in strength. While our primary focusRead More >