Teamsters Agree To New Agreement For Transporter Drivers

WASHINGTON, May 31, 2003; Reuters reported that the truckers who haul most new cars and other vehicles in the United States reached tentative contract agreements late on Saturday, averting a threatened nationwide strike.

The new contracts, which cover about 9,000 drivers, mechanics and other workers at more than a dozen companies, increase wage and benefits by 13.4 percent over the term of the agreements, the Teamsters union said in a statement.

The Teamsters threatened to strike at midnight EDT on Saturday unless new agreements were reached to replace the current deals that had run for four years were expiring.

The new contracts with the National Automobile Transporters Labor Division and Allied Automotive Group are five-year agreements.

"With the strong support from our car haul members, the union was able to protect those areas deemed untouchable: health care without worker co-pays, preserving our pension plans and improving job security," said Jim Hoffa, the Teamsters president and negotiating chairman.

"These contracts achieved those goals while also obtaining wage improvements and a strong cost-of-living agreement in a very difficult economic climate," Hoffa said.

The contracts cover drivers, mechanics and other workers who support operations to haul more than 80 percent of new cars and other vehicles trucked on U.S. roads.

They voted earlier this month by a 97 percent margin to authorize a strike, if new contracts could not be reached by Saturday's deadline.