January 29, 2008

(Atlanta, GA) – An overwhelming majority of about 360 workers at the UPS Freight (formerly Overnite Transportation) terminals in Atlanta, Lawrenceville and Marietta, in Georgia, have signed authorization cards to become Teamsters, bringing the total number of drivers and dockworkers seeking to join the union to about 3,200 since January 16, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced.

The Georgia workers are seeking to join Local 728 in Atlanta.

“Soon we will have our rights and protections on the job guaranteed in writing through a Teamster contract,” said Payne Holsey, a city driver at the Lawrenceville terminal. “They say Super Tuesday is next week here in Georgia, but for me and my coworkers at UPS Freight, Super Tuesday is today.”

“I want to thank the Local 728 leadership and our Teamster UPS drivers and freight drivers who helped send a positive message about being Teamsters,” said Chuck Stiles, assistant director of the union’s Solid Waste Division who coordinated the efforts in Atlanta. “The UPS Freight workers here in Atlanta remained united and are committed to improving their lives.” 

“Chuck Stiles did a great job coordinating our campaign in the Atlanta area,” said Ken Hall, Director of the Teamsters Package Division. “With this latest victory, we have topped the 3,000-worker plateau in just two weeks and the campaign is gaining momentum.”

In addition to the Atlanta workers, a majority of UPS Freight workers in Newburgh, Farmingdale, Louisville, Lexington, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Southern California, Oakland, Seattle, New England, Memphis and Detroit have submitted cards to become Teamsters.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.