(The International Brotherhood of Teamsters issued the following press release on January 20.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) unanimously called for a strike-authorization vote after talks broke off early this morning.
Though negotiators had made significant progress on non-economic issues in the previous days, keeping negotiators working through the holiday weekend, talks broke down when the employers refused to take proposals for health-care co-payments and reductions in health care coverage off the table, at the same time as they proposed a wage package below what was negotiated in 1998.
“The companies proposal to require some members to make health-care co-pays is completely unacceptable, ” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President and Chairman of the TNFINC. “The Teamsters union will not entertain an agreement that cuts health benefits. ”
In addition, the employers wage proposal falls far short of those contained in the 1998 National Master Freight Agreement and fails to even keep up with inflation.
“Now is the time for our members to show the employers our unity,” said Phil Young, Co-Chairman of the TNFINC and National Freight Director. “The companies must recognize the contributions of our members to their success. ”
All local unions with freight members will hold a strike authorization vote over the next two weeks Young added. Freight locals will begin scheduling the votes on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 with results expected on Monday, February 3, 2003.
No further talks are currently scheduled.