Teamsters 856 proudly announces the merger of Teamsters Local 601 into Local 856 effective August 1, 2019.

In June, Teamsters Local 601 members voted overwhelmingly to merge with Teamsters Local 856 to increase member strength, build on current Teamster Central Valley infrastructure, and advance organizing opportunities, while maintaining local control.

The merger establishes the creation of the Teamsters Local 856 Food Processing Division, with a board of rank-and-file leaders headed by Director Ashley Alvarado. Under Alvarado’s leadership, the board will offer industry-specific expertise and knowledge to enhance day-to-day representation, bolster union power in negotiations, and expand union membership to more workers in the food processing industry.

The Teamsters 856 Food Processing Division is headquartered in Stockton with an additional office and union hall in Yuba City.

“We are excited to get started and are ready to leverage the resources of a larger Local Union to increase bargaining power, provide stronger representation for all Teamsters 856 members and create the ability to invest in organizing to deliver more opportunities for good Union jobs in our communities,” said Teamsters 856 Principal Officer Peter Finn and Food Processing Division Director Ashley Alvarado in a joint statement.

Founded in 1949, Teamsters Local 856 represents 17,000 hardworking members in the San Francisco Bay Area, North Bay, Sacramento, and Central Valley communities.