AFL-CIO Contributes $500,000 to Teamsters' Strike at Overnite

WASHINGTON -- The AFL-CIO contributed another $500,000 to International Brotherhood of Teamsters to assist the Overnite workers and Teamster Locals in their unfair labor practice strike against Overnite Trucking, the trucking subsidiary of Union Pacific Corporation.

"For six years, the brave workers at Overnite have been struggling for justice against one of this nation's worst labor scofflaws," General President Hoffa said. "This contribution from the AFL-CIO continues to demonstrate to Overnite and Union Pacific that the entire American labor movement stands shoulder to shoulder with the striking Overnite workers."

"To echo Sir Winston Churchill's statement when we were at war with fascism, we will never, never, never, never, never give up," Hoffa said. "Why? Because the Overnite situation highlights a central question for every American worker: Does the right to organize for union representation exist in America anymore or can companies like Overnite willfully subvert that right?

"We are engaged in this extraordinary battle to determine whether the Overnite workers, or any workers in America, still have the fundamental right to organize and to bargain collectively on their wages, benefits, and working conditions."

Overnite has utilized legal tactics to stall the process at every stage. It is well documented that Overnite has instituted a scheme to deny its workers their basic bargaining rights. For example, workers at Overnite's Bedford Park terminal in Chicago won their right to engage in collective bargaining in 1982 -- nineteen years ago -- and are still without a contract because Overnite refuses to bargain in good faith. Overnite's strategy is simple -- spend millions of dollars to stall, delay, demoralize, and defeat the workers' desire for union representation. In short, Overnite's management created a self-fulfilling prophecy to its workers that organizing for collective bargaining rights was an exercise in futility.

The unfair labor practice strike against Overnite, a subsidiary of Union Pacific began on Sunday, October 24, 1999. It started in Memphis, TN and quickly spread to 140 Overnite terminals in 39 states.

The Teamsters represent approximately 3,500 Overnite workers at 37 of the company's terminals.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters represent more than 1.5 million working men and women throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.