Teamsters Local 174 Director of Communications and Research Jamie Fleming joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed the ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement for 225 concrete truck drivers.
Local 174 represents mostly truck drivers in Washington State.
Fleming explained how the ratification process involved a long-drawn-out fight lasting over a year. It included a nearly five-month strike over the holidays and cold winter months. She talked about why the members made the difficult decision to end the strike before reaching an agreement and the negotiation process that followed.
Ultimately, the membership ratified the contract by 77 percent and received most of what it initially sought, except for an improved retirement medical plan that would have helped retired members afford medical insurance until they reached Medicare eligibility. Fleming said the Union will seek this provision in future contracts after the current CBA expires in 2025.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more about Local 174’s struggle to ratify the contract for its concrete workers.