(The following Associated Press article appeared on the New York Times’ website on June 1.)
WASHINGTON — The Teamsters Union has reached tentative five-year agreements with major carhaul carriers.
The new contract, which replaces one negotiated in 1999 that expired at midnight Saturday, features 13.4 percent wage and benefit increases over five years.
The agreements were reached Saturday with the National Automobile Transporters Labor Division — which represents most of the union carriers — and Allied Automotive Group — the Teamsters’ largest carhaul employer.
Jim Hoffa, Teamsters general president and chairman of the union’s national negotiating committee, said the new contract protects health care without worker copays, pension plans and job security.
“These contracts achieved those goals while also obtaining wage improvements and a strong cost-of-living agreement in a very difficult economic climate,” he said in a statement.
On May 21, 97 percent of union carhaul carriers voted to authorize a strike if an agreement had not been reached.