The James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund has begun accepting applications for the 2021 award year. The Fund awards financial scholarships to the sons, daughters and financial dependents of Teamster members.

Academic awards in the amount of $1,000 or $10,000 are awarded to eligible high school seniors. Vocational/Training program awards are available ranging from $500 to $2,000. In 2020, $1.2 million in scholarships were awarded.

Details on the application process can be found on the JRHMSF website:

www.jrhmsf.org

To apply, please go to this link and register:

https://aim.applyISTS.net/JRHMSF

The application deadline is March 1, 2021.

For information on additional scholarship opportunites For Local 776 Members please visit the "Member Resources" page.

On Saturday December, Local 776 hosted their annual Children’s Christmas Party, sort of. In a year where everything had been delayed, postponed, or out right canceled Local 776 held a Children’s Christmas “Drive Thru” at both the Harrisburg and York Union Halls.

Santa and his elves had a busy day in Harrisburg and York!

“In a year such as we are going through we felt it was necessary to try, in some way, to keep one of our traditions alive” commented Local 776 President Ed Thompson. “The Christmas party is always a huge success, the sights and sounds of the holiday fill the Union Hall as members gather with family, friends, and co-workers. All of us have been affected directly, or indirectly, by the pandemic, we felt it necessary to create some semblance of order, something to bring joy to the season for our kids”

It's always about our kids!!

What the “Drive Thru” lacked in togetherness it made up for with enthusiasm! There were lots of smiling faces from kids, as well as moms and dads, as a steady stream of vehicles made their way through the lines where the kids got to say hello to Santa, receive a gift, and also a goodie bag packed with treats! Santa and his band of elves were busy scurrying between “Santa Land” and the waiting vehicles.

A smile and maybe a wish? for Santa!

Fresh baked cookies are always a hit at the traditional party; Local 776 Trustee Rob smiley and his wife Janet again turned their kitchen into a cookie factory and baked and bagged dozens and dozens of cookies for inclusion in the goodie bags. Thanks for all your hard work Smiley’s!!

To view additional photos from the Christmas Drive Thru please visit the Photo Gallery.

Just in time for colder weather Local 776 has received another shipment of “Beanie Caps” Last year these quickly sold out, don’t delay! The Beanie Caps are available at both the Harrisburg and York Union Halls and can be purchased during normal office hours. Keep warm and show your Teamster Pride by wearing one of these caps. When picking up your cap make sure to check out the other Teamster items for sale to show your Teamster Pride! T-shirts, baseball caps, hooded sweatshirts; both pullover and zip-up, are available. If your spouse has been hinting at what would you like for Christmas? mention Teamster Gear!

Show your Teamster Pride!

On a cold blustery day, after 24 days on strike, the Navistar Teamster members ratified a new five-year agreement on November 28^th. Highlights of the new agreement include an increase in Company contribution to the 401k plan, wage increases ranging from $1.95 to $3.00 per hour, lump sums payments, and reasonable weekly healthcare contributions.

Teamsters Local 776 Business Agent Spencer Dearth stated, “our members did everything right during the strike. From staffing and participating on the strike line 24/7, to looking out for each other needs and following extra safety precautions due to COVID-19, they clearly gave the Employer a message of their intent to strike until issues with health care contributions, wages, and general work rules were improved from the last, best, and final offer voted down on November 2^nd.”

Navistar employs approximately 60 warehouse and maintenance workers at the Navistar Parts Inc. distribution center located in Manchester PA.

Navistar Members review the agreement prior to voting.

In a year like no other in recent history the upcoming Holiday Season will be not be what we would call “normal”. In what seems like a dark time we still have much to be thankful for. Our country is still the greatest nation on earth with freedoms, rights, and opportunities matched by no other nation. We as Americans are a resilient lot; we’ll find a way to safely celebrate Thanksgiving this year and safely move into the Holiday Season.

However you and your family and friends choose to celebrate Thanksgiving, please remain safe. On behalf of the Officers, Agents, Staff, and I we would like to wish everyone a Happy and SAFE Thanksgiving.

Fraternally,

Ed Thompson,

President Teamsters Local 776

With the way everyone’s lives have been  affected by COVID-19 in 2020; upending everyday life, events, holidays, etc. why should the Local 776 Children’s Christmas Party be any different? With some creative thought the Local 776 Children’s Christmas Party will go on; all but with a little different look to it for 2020. See below for full details:

On the 11th day of the Navistar strike, members walking the strike line were treated to fresh coffee and donuts courtesy of ABF road driver Jeff Keller. Jeff, a 39-year Teamster, offered words of support and wishes of good luck before taking a picture with a few members. Thanks Jeff.

Local 776 Member Jeff Keller (Center) supporting his Brothers and Sisters at Navistar.

If anyone driving by the Navistar warehouse in Manchester, PA wondered what was going on with people picketing the facility they found out on Thursday November 12 when Local 776’s tractor-trailer showed up to support the striking Navistar members. The members are hanging tough and are digging in for the long haul against Navistar.

Afterward the truck headed to Johnson Controls in New Freedom, PA. The Navistar Members, along with workers at Johnson Controls, represented by UAW Local 1872 paused their respective strike actions for a moment of solidarity and to take a quick picture with the Local 776 tractor trailer. Regardless of the Union the workers are represented by, they share the same fight to secure a fair contract with wages that rewards their hard work and affordable healthcare without concessions.

With Local 776 Driver Austin O'Brien up in the cab, Local 776 Business Agent Spencer Dearth (Center, yellow jacket) stands proud with the striking Navistar Members.

Local 776 BA Spencer Dearth and Local 776 driver Austin O'Brien, along with BA's Dave Licht, Eddie Sutton, and Organizer Mark Andreozzi lend support to the striking UAW members at Johnson Controls.

Local 776 BA Spencer Dearth (center) stands in solidarity with UAW Local 1872 President Mike Tawney and  International representative Darren Petty.

Millions of Americans relied on the US Postal Service in order to make their vote count in this election.  In the face of a global pandemic and malicious political interference, postal workers stood tall and got the job done.  

Now it is our turn to stand with our brothers and sisters from the American Postal Workers Union. November 17^th is a Day of Action to celebrate postal workers for the job that they have done and call on Congress to defend the Post Office.

The time is now; Congress must:

1. Provide at least $25 billion in immediate support for the Postal Service
2. Stop & reverse the mail slowdown policies introduced by Postmaster General DeJoy
3. Expand the role of the Post Office to provide vital services in every community.

To find a Day of Action event happening near you, click HERE.

After voting down a last, best, and final offer on November 2, 2020, Local 776 members employed at the Navistar parts distribution center in Manchester, PA decided to take a stand and went out on strike.

In August 2020, Navistar International Inc., a dominant global corporation in the automotive industry, notified Local 776 they were terminating their members’ Collective Bargaining Agreement effective October 31, 2020 if a new successor contract was not in place. This move backed the workers into a corner and forced them to either accept a subpar contract that raises the costs of their health insurance, kept retirement contributions stagnant, wages that would not keep up with the cost of living, and fundamentally change their working conditions, or turn it down and strike to take a stand for better wages, hours, and conditions.

We are now on day ten of the strike; the members are only requesting a fair contract that secures fair wages, affordable healthcare and a retirement plan for current and future teamsters who are employed by Navistar. Members have been striking 24/7 and will continue until a successor contract is in place.

Please show your support for your striking brothers and sisters by walking with them at 105 Steam Boat Blvd, Manchester PA 17345.

Local 776 Business Agent Spencer Dearth (yellow jacket) and striking Navistar Members

Local 776 Navistar Members taking a stand for their contract

Walking the line for a fair and just contract!