Group of 16 construction material drivers are certified as Teamsters

The Teamsters Local 174 family has grown again with the addition of 16 drivers working for Conco. The workers, who deliver rebar and form work to construction sites, voted unanimously to join Teamsters Local 174 after a successful organizing campaign led by Local 174 Organizing Director Meaza Ogbe and Conco driver Lee Sharp. The election results were just certified by the National Labor Relations Board, paving the way for the group to begin the process of negotiating their first-ever Teamster Union contract.

The group was excited to join the Teamsters after seeing some of the many successes our Union has been able to accomplish over the course of this never-ending COVID-19 pandemic. Teamsters Local 174 has been successful in protecting our members’ health and safety on the job while also negotiating record-setting pay and benefit packages for Teamsters across a wide variety of industries, and these victories made it an easy choice for these Conco workers to vote “yes” to join the Union.

“We were tired of worrying about our jobs and having everything taken from us,” said Conco worker Lee Sharp. “We give 110% but we just don’t get the same in return from our Employer. That’s all going to change now. We just want them to be as loyal to us as we are to them, so we can go home at the end of the day and smile.”

“We welcome these hardworking drivers into our Union with open arms,” said Teamsters Local 174 Secretary-Treasurer Rick Hicks. “Organizing in key Teamster industries like construction is crucial to our future, and seeing this group vote 100% in favor of becoming Teamsters demonstrates that working people in America are tired of being stepped on and are ready to have a voice at their workplace. We look forward to working with this group to get them a strong Teamster contract and a strong Teamster future.”

Founded in 1909, Teamsters Local 174 represents 8,600 working men and women in Seattle and the surrounding areas. “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TeamstersLocal174.