FORE!!!

It's almost summertime; that old ballpark man is back in gear, the Local 776 family picnic was held last weekend, and things are heating up. They plan to get a lot hotter on August 2. Yep, it's that time of year again: the Local 776 Golf Tournament will tee off on Sunday, August 2. There will be plenty of competition as some of Local 776's best players tee it up for bragging rights. Think you've got what it takes to go a round of golf with these guys? If so, get your foursome together, dust off your putter, and clean the mud from your spikes! Come on out for a day of friendly competition, but don't delay; the foursomes fill in quickly.

See below for all the details on what will be another great Local 776 event!

Many of you know retired Secretary-Treasurer Ron Hicks. Ron was a "driving" force behind the golf tournament for over twenty years. He was busy from before sunrise until the last golf cart was put away, making sure the tournament ran smoothly. What you might not know about Ron is that he is an avid golfer. He has been chasing that little white ball for more years than he'll admit! Since he retired, he's been working on his game, cutting a stroke here and there. Rumor has it that Ron will play in the tournament this year! He's got a foursome together and plans on playing to win!

Local 776 held its membership family picnic on Sunday, June ^7th. Knoebels amusement park was the place for a day of food, fun, fellowship, and good times with family, friends, and co-workers. What a way to kick off the unofficial start of summer! Schools are out, and it's a day at Knoebels! Members, spouses, kids, grandkids, and retirees filled Knoebels, making it one of Local 776's largest member events. Teamster Pride was on display inside the park as a steady stream of Teamster members and family members sporting Teamster hats, caps, T-shirts, and sweatshirts milled about, enjoying themselves.

As is customary at Local 776 events, tickets for a 50-50 drawing were sold throughout the day to benefit the Local Union's scholarship fund. The 50/50 winner was Michele Fickling from Rabbit Transit. There were two additional drawings: Kyle Linkhauer from ABF  Freight won an LG 65-inch TV, and David Hartzell from Amsted Rail won a 36" Blackstone Griddle!

The Local 776 Retirees Club was at the Picnic; Club President Dave Wolf reported: "The Retiree Group had a great time at the Teamsters Local 776 picnic at Knoebels Grove. We ran our own 50/50 and the winners were:"

50/50 Cash: Michelle Meck

Giant gift card: Mike Hess

Sheetz gift card: Michelle Meck

Sheetz gift card: James Ziegler 

Sheetz gift card: Brian Motter

Dave added: "Many thanks to George and Brenda Goodling, Dave DeHart, and Nancy Russell for all their help selling the 50/50 tickets."

Local 776 President Spencer Dearth commented: "What a day for a picnic! "It's a great feeling seeing my Brothers and Sisters, along with their families and friends, enjoying each other, the day, and the park.

Today is a special occasion for me; it's my first Picnic as your President. If you've been following the Website and the Newsletter, you'll know that I assumed the Presidency of Local 776 on June 1st, following the retirement of former President Ed Thompson!

 I'm proud of this turnout; it's you, the members, who fuel that sense of pride, supporting your Local Union. As we move forward, continuing the progress of Local 776, there's nothing we can't do together, united as one strong force.

I want to thank EVERYONE from Local 776 who put in so much time and effort to make the Picnic a success. Without your support, this event could not happen."

To view additional photos from the Picnic, please visit the Photo Gallery to view "Knoebels Family Picnic 2026."

Thanks to all the members who submitted photos of your day at the park. There is also a gallery titled "Members Knoebels Photos 2026" that will be live for you to view on Monday, June 15th. If you want to share pictures, it's not too late; send them to info@teamsterslocal776.org, and we'll add them to the Photo Gallery!

Since this is Spencer's first Picnic as President and Mark Cicak's first as Secretary-Treasurer, we added a little something this year: while Spencer and Mark were trying to meet as many Members as possible, our photographer captured some of the meet-and-greets. You'll find them in the Photo Gallery under "Meet and Greet at Knoebels 2026."

At the Picnic there was Plenty of...

Members enjoying the day...

Food for both hands!...

Plenty of smiling faces!...

Plenty of first-time picnicers!...

And Plenty of thrills on the rides!

UPS Members:

In addition to the contractual wage increase scheduled for August 1, 2026, inflation triggered a cost-of-living adjustment. Full details can be found below:

Workers shouldn’t have to wait years for their first contract!

Tell Your Member of Congress to “VOTE YES” on H.R. 5408, the BIPARTISAN Faster Labor Contracts Act via the Take Action Link Here.

Workers have the right to establish a collective bargaining agreement after they elect to form their union, but the law is full of loopholes, and companies drag out the negotiation process for years. On average, it takes 458 days to secure a first contract!

Teamster members and workers across the country are done waiting for corporate-backed politicians to hold their donors accountable.

Last month, the Teamsters Union forced 218 members of Congress to sign a discharge petition, bypass House leadership and bring the Faster Labor Contracts Act to the House floor for a vote.

Now, tell your Member of Congress to “VOTE YES” and pass the bill!!