July 10, 2023

Group of construction drivers ratify first Agreement to become full Teamster members

The construction-industry Teamster family has grown yet again, this time with the addition of a group of 71 drivers from Grady Excavating who ratified their first contract with Teamsters Local 174 this weekend. Previously, some Grady drivers received the same Union-negotiated wages, hours, and working conditions as our regular Heavy Construction members only when they worked on a prevailed wage or community workforce job, while the rest of the drivers were nonunion. That complexity and confusion has finally been resolved as the group voted overwhelmingly to become full Teamsters Local 174 members when they ratified their first Teamster contract.

The group is now covered under the AGC (Associated General Contractors) Agreement, which is a contract covering construction Teamsters from multiple different Teamster Local Unions in Western Washington. The AGC Agreement spells out the work rules and economics for all construction Teamsters under the Agreement. In another victory, the group was also able to negotiate improved language regarding job bidding that respects workers’ Date of Hire and reduces the power management has when deciding where to dispatch drivers.

“This day has been a long time coming, and we are proud to officially welcome Grady Excavating drivers into the Teamsters Union,” said Teamsters Local 174 Secretary-Treasurer Rick Hicks. “These workers have had a front-row seat to the stark difference between Union and nonunion working conditions and pay, and they have now chosen to follow the Union path. We look forward to demonstrating the value of that decision from here on out.”

Founded in 1909, Teamsters Local 174 represents 8,300 working men and women in Seattle and the surrounding areas. “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TeamstersLocal174.