April 15, 2018
New agreement accomplishes several goals set out prior to negotiations, avoiding potential strike
Just over a month after voting unanimously to authorize a strike against their employer, six “checkers” working at Swire Coca-Cola voted today to ratify a new agreement. The checkers, whose job is to inspect pallets of product for accuracy before they are sent out and when they are returned, are now covered by a 5-year agreement that addresses all of the goals the group identified prior to negotiations.
At the time of the strike authorization vote on March 4, getting an acceptable contract proposal from Swire seemed unlikely. The checkers’ authorization vote meeting was also attended in solidarity by hundreds of other Teamster members working at Swire Coca-Cola – members from other job classifications and other Teamster Local Unions throughout Joint Council 28. The week after the meeting, these fellow Swire brothers and sisters wore stickers to work that read “You mess with our checkers, you mess with us.”
“As a direct result of that successful solidarity campaign, which included Local 162 members in the Portland area and extended as far as Teamsters Local 104 in Phoenix, AZ, Swire returned to the bargaining table with a willingness to negotiate a contract that both sides would be able to live with,” said Local 174 Senior Business Agent Tim Allen.
That newly-ratified contract secures improvements to wages and pension, as well as better language to protect Teamster members on the job. The contract memorializes shift differential pay Swire was attempting to eliminate, and most importantly the group solidarity effort was able to keep a draconian Management Rights clause proposed by Swire out of the contract. The clause would have given the company the right to change policies and working conditions without notifying the Union.
“We’re happy with this contract, and we’re happy that Swire finally listened to us and showed us some respect at the bargaining table,” said Swire checker Tyson Baker, who is the group’s shop steward and rank and file representative at the bargaining table. “We got what we needed. It’s a big win for us!”
“This is a great contract for our checkers, and a great win for the Teamsters,” said Local 174 Secretary-Treasurer Rick Hicks. “Swire Teamsters throughout the region stood together to support these six checkers, and because of that support and solidarity, we achieved a strong contract. It’s amazing how much power we have when we all work together.”
Founded in 1909, Teamsters Local 174 represents 7,200 working men and women in the Seattle area. “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TeamstersLocal174.