LOCAL
Aramark may force Teamsters to strike over commission equity
TUKWILA (June 23, 2021) — Route sales drivers in the laundry business earn their bread and butter through negotiated commission structures and on relationships they’ve cultivated and maintained, often over years, with their customers.
“It’s a question of respect,” said Jeff Young, a shop steward who has worked in the industry for seven years. “If you pick up my route and bring it down to Portland, the guy down there would make more money than I do. It doesn’t make any sense.”
This inequity, which the company has shrugged off in ongoing contract talks, has agitated these frontline workers and led Teamsters Local 117 members at Aramark facilities in Kent, Everett and Tacoma, and members of Teamsters Local 231 in Bellingham to vote unanimously to authorize a strike. Now they have requested and received strike sanction from Teamsters Joint Council 28 and their area central labor councils. Their next negotiations are scheduled for July 14-15.
Bargaining has been going on since November 2020, and the route sales drivers’ contract expired on Jan. 1. The unions’ legal team has had to file Unfair Labor Practice charges to curtail bad-faith tactics and intimidation by company managers. In one case, Aramark tried to prevent members from wearing Teamster face masks to protect themselves during the pandemic. Managers even tried to mete out discipline to some drivers who were wearing the masks.
“We’re unified across the board,” said Zach Stair, a shop steward with 10 years at the company. “This is Aramark Teamsters history. Never before have we had 100% unity. It’s amazing how every person is on the same page.”