News

Media Report:
ITF calls on companies to exert pressure on US transport firm

Oct. 9, 2008
The ITF has called on clients of a US trucking firm to reconsider their business connections with the company until a dispute over labour violations has been resolved.

In a letter dated 10 October, ITF General Secretary David Cockroft urged representatives of K-Mart, JC Penny and Gap Inc to review their relations with West Coast carrier Oak Harbor Freight Lines. The companies all use the trucking firm in part of their supply chain. The move responds to reports from the ITF-affiliated Teamster union that members employed by the firm in Oregon, Washington and Idaho have been facing scare tactics, verbal abuse and assaults after they took strike action on 22 September in protest over union rights violations and intimidation.   >>Read More

 

Media Report:

Teamsters Campaign for Striking Oak Harbor Freight Lines Employees at National Retail Stores

Oct. 6, 2008
WASHINGTON, Oct 06, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Handbilling Done at Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic
Teamster members have begun a nationwide campaign to show support for striking Oak Harbor Freight Lines trucking employees by passing out handbills at Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic stores.

Oak Harbor Freight Lines transports merchandise on the West Coast to these stores. Oak Harbor elected to cut off health care coverage to retirees two weeks ago to punish workers who walked off the job in Washington, Oregon and Idaho Sept. 22 in protest of the company's violation of American labor laws.

"Several of Oak Harbor Freight Lines' largest customers have acted responsibly by shifting their shipments to other regional carriers," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. "But other companies continue to do business with a company that is needlessly hurting seniors and families in our community and violating America's labor laws."   >>Read More

 

Media Report:
Teamsters Intensify Oak Harbor Strike

Oct. 6, 2008
Not content with a strike against West Coast carrier Oak Harbor Freight Lines, the Teamsters began a nationwide campaign by passing out handbills at Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic stores.

Oak Harbor transports merchandise on the West Coast to the three retailers, all operated by Gap Inc. The union is encouraging the trucker's customers to shift their shipments to other regional carriers in response to Oak Harbor's decision two weeks ago to cut off health care coverage to retirees.

Other companies have already responded, said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. Teamsters in California and Nevada began picketing Oak Harbor Freight Lines' trucks last week to support striking employees.   >>Read More

 

Media Report:
Oak Harbor Freight Lines Misleads Customers

Oct. 1, 2008
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Statement from Al Hobart, Teamsters International Vice President and President of Joint Council 28:

"It has come to our attention that some Oak Harbor representatives are telling their customers the Freight Lines strike is over. It is not. The Teamsters continue picketing Oak Harbor Freight Lines' trucks in California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Oak Harbor employees in the Northwest walked off the job Sept. 22 in response to hostile efforts by company representatives to bully and intimidate workers, which are unfair labor practices in violation of federal law.   >>Read More

 

Media Report:
Trucking Company Continues to Refuse to Bargain in Good Faith

Sept. 30, 2008
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Teamsters will begin picketing Oak Harbor Freight Lines' trucks in California and Nevada this week to support striking employees in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Oak Harbor employees in the Northwest walked off the job Sept. 22 in response to hostile efforts by company representatives to bully and intimidate workers, which are unfair labor practices in violation of federal law.

'Oak Harbor's customers in California and Nevada will likely experience service disruptions as we begin following the company's trucks with ambulatory pickets,' said Al Hobart, International Vice President and President of Joint Council 28.

Oak Harbor Freight Lines, one of the largest trucking companies on the West Coast, provide time sensitive delivery services to some of the largest companies in the country including The Gap, Safeway, JC Penney, Sylvania, Graybar Electric, HD Waterworks, Honda, McKesson, Cardinal Health, Tec Equipment, Siemens, Georgia Pacific, Owens & Minor, GM & Chrysler Parts, Urban Outfitters and Maytag.   >>Read More

 

Media Report:

Oak Harbor Freight Lines truckers protest at Pasco terminal

Sept. 25, 2008
(Tri-City Herald (Kennewick, WA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Sep. 25--John Curtis drives trucks for Oak Harbor Freight Lines, but on Wednesday he wasn't behind the wheel.

The 16-year employee of the Auburn-based company was picketing with six other employees at the company's freight terminal in Pasco to protest what he called the anti-labor practices of Oak Harbor.

Pasco terminal workers, who are members of Teamsters Local 839, stopped work Monday night after the union and the company failed to reach agreement on medical benefits during contract negotiation talks. More than 500 union workers -- out of a companywide work force of 1,300 -- walked off the job in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.   >>Read More

 

Media Report:

Update: Teamsters picket Auburn-based Oak Harbor Freight Lines, including Portland operation

Sept. 23, 2008
Teamsters started picketing late Monday outside the Oak Harbor Freight Lines terminal in Auburn and other locations throughout the Northwest, including its Portland operation at 9016 N.E. 13th Ave.

The company's contract with Local #174 expired last October, said Oak Harbor spokesman Mike Hobby. A last, best offer was made to the union Monday. He declined to disclose any details for now.

Al Hobart, a western region vice-president for the Teamsters, said the strike is not about specific contract issues, it's about unfair labor practices by Oak Harbor.   >>Read More

 

Media Report:
Hundreds of truckers were off the road and on strike Monday Night, wanting better benefits

Sept. 23, 2008
Union workers at Oak Harbor Freight Lines walked off the job Monday night, citing a need for better health care plans.

Oak Harbor Freight Lines is based in Auburn, Wash., but has terminals in Salem Medford and Portland as well as across Washington state, California and Nevada. It is one of the largest trucking companies in Portland.

On Monday night, workers at all the terminals in Washington and Oregon went on strike.   >>Read More

Media Report:

Federal Labor Law Violations Provoke Teamster Strike at Oak Harbor

Sept. 23, 2008
SEATTLE, Sept 23, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Trucking Company Refuses to Bargain in Good Faith Teamsters at Oak Harbor Freight Lines in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho walked off the job last night in response to hostile efforts by company representatives to bully and intimidate workers. Oak Harbor Freight Lines, one of the largest trucking companies on the West Coast, provides time sensitive delivery services to some of the largest companies and government agencies in the country including the Gap, Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI), Safeway, Siemens, Georgia Pacific, McKesson, Owens & Minor, JC Penney, Honda, GM & Chrysler Parts, Urban Outfitters, Whirlpool, and the State of Washington. "The last thing we want is a strike," said Al Hobart, Teamsters Vice President and Teamster Joint Council 28 President. "We understand that service disruptions during the peak shipping season and the holiday rush hurt everyone. Oak Harbor's owners just have not left us with any alternative. The company seems to be more interested in violating the law than protecting the interests of its customers."   >>Read More