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The Labor Wire

January 25, 2019

Sunday’s Screen Actors Guild Awards will be one of the year’s most prominent celebrations of union labor. But SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) isn’t just putting on a party this week. Led by President Gabrielle Carteris, nearly 1,000 SAG-AFTRA members marched Wednesday in Los Angeles to condemn an unprecedented attack on unionism in the advertising industry.

Since September 2018, global ad agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) has been trying to illegally abandon its union contract. Backed by the AFL-CIO and affiliate unions from across the labor movement, SAG-AFTRA is waging a strike to condemn BBH’s actions and protect its members’ rights on the job at commercial shoots.

“It is amazing to stand here looking out at all of your faces,” Carteris told the crowd on Wednesday. “We are all here for the same purpose—to stand as one. We are living in a time when unions are being threatened, and today we say, ‘No more.’”

SAG-AFTRA’s Commercials Contracts have more than 600 signatories, which collectively produce the vast majority of commercials that viewers see every day. After being a signatory for nearly two decades, BBH is arguing that the agreement doesn’t apply to it, abandoning its responsibility to:

• Always shoot union commercials
• Provide fair pay and residuals
• Contribute to workers’ pensions and health benefits
• Guarantee workers’ safety on set
• Commit to the responsible and respectful use of workers’ images, voices and performances

This is a brazen attempt to undermine union protections at the core of the industry. Find out how you can help stand up for our brothers and sisters’ right to a strong union .

160,000: Number of SAG-AFTRA members on strike against BBH.

Follow the in-article links to be directed to the SAG-AFTRA websites for more information on this bold attack on working men and women.

With a partial federal government shutdown that has left 800,000 government workers without a paycheck for nearly a month Local 776 decided to step up and help some of these workers. The Local bought groceries for furloughed TSA (Transportation Security Administration) Agents at Harrisburg International Airport who are being forced to work during the government shutdown and aren't getting paid. Helping with the grocery distribution were Local 776 Officers and BA’s including Ed Thompson, Ron Hicks, Dave Wolf, Eddie Sutton, Dave Licht, John Taylor, George Goodling, and Organizer Mark Cicak. Additionally 776 members employed at Piedmont Airlines based at HIA came out to help and show support for the TSA Agents: Andy Barnes – Local 776 Steward and Piedmont Mechanic, Dylan Lascoli - Piedmont Mechanic, and Anthony Jones - Piedmont Mechanic. Tom Felice, representing the PA Conference of Teamsters was also on hand to help out. Congress continues to play politics while they are being paid, the most essential people, the government workers, are being held hostage and not getting paid.

The Local's service truck was unloaded right in front of the Airport Teminal

The groceries lined the corridor of the TSA office

Thankful TSA Agents pose with the group from Local 776

The seven Teamster local unions that represent UPS Teamsters covered by the Upstate and Western New York Supplement have reached a tentative agreement. Details can be found below. To view the listed documents follow the links below the article.

Upstate NY Cover Letter

Upstate NY Supplement

YRC, Holland, and New Penn negotiations continued last week. Details can be found below. Additional updates will be posted as they are received.

The Local’s “Christmas for Kids” community services project attempts to help some of the neediest families in the York area have a brighter holiday. At the conclusion of this year’s party the Local had 29 gifts remaining. With the challenge of what to do with the remaining gifts an opportunity presented itself. Officer Bree Wilson, a Local 776 member, who works for the West York Borough Police Dept. contacted Business Agent Bill Olmeda with a problem. Union Lutheran Church of York’s “Operation Pinch Hitter” was in danger of having to turn families away at Christmas time due to a lack of gifts for at risk or in crisis families. Some quick work by Bill to get the word to the Local Union executive board got the approval to donate the left over gifts to the church. Bill made sure the gifts were loaded for Bree in time for delivery to the church for Christmas! The following was received at the Local Union office from the church:

It has been a busy month at the Local Union; The Christmas for kids community service project, the children’s party, the dinner after the membership meeting, and getting all the extra toys moved in time for Christmas. In addition, the Local Union was again contacted by Dauphin County Human Services asking to help move their Holiday donations from their warehouse to the Farm Show Complex for the 10^th Annual holiday Celebration for Needy Families. Wheeling the Local 776 tractor-trailer around Harrisburg Organizer Mark Cicak and Business Agent Spencer Dearth arrived at the warehouse to load the donations and deliver them to the Farm show for the agency.

Teamsters: from loading up the donations at the Agency's office...

To unloading at the Farm Show building; People Helping People!

After a job well done the Agency Staff poses with BA Spencer Dearth.

Initial language proposals exchanged with YRC Freight, Holland, and New Penn for a new national collective bargaining agreement. Details can be fund below:

Santa’s workshop was full of gifts during the Local’s Christmas party and none of our “Teamster” kids left empty handed! When the party was over we had toys left over so it was decided to help more kids have a brighter holiday. A hospital is no place for children, especially at Christmas time. The Hershey Medical Center’s Children’s Hospital in Hershey received toys with the hope of making the kids there have a brighter holiday. Business Agents Dave Licht and Dave Vrona, along with Hershey Medical Center Union Steward Bob Krotser delivered the toys in time for Christmas Distribution to the kids. Commented Local President Ed Thompson “What better way to celebrate the Holiday than by sharing what we had left over with these hospitalized kids. This is just another way we support the communities where our members work and live"

Helping to make hospitalized kids holiday a little brighter are:

L-R: Business Agent Dave Vrona, Local 776 Steward Bob Krotser, Business Agent Dave Licht

The application process  For the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund for  2019 is now open for the sons, daughters and financial dependents of Teamster members (including the BMWED, BLET, GCC and TCRC). Academic scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 for high school seniors planning to attend a four-year college or university and Training/Vocational program awards of up to $2,000 for use at community colleges and trade schools.

Click on the poster above to be directed to the James R Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund website. Additional information on scholarship opportunities available to Local 776 members can be found under "Member Resources/Teamsters Scholarships.