The Teamsters Union has moved to unionize workers within the Canadian-based Challenger Group, which includes Challenger Motor Freight, Elgin Motor Freight and Lodwick Transport, after receiving numerous phone calls from Challenger employees
. The campaign affects nearly 1,500 workers in all areas of Canada.

"The truckers have had enough of their employer's arbitrary decisions and contacted us since we are the leading union in the road transport industry in Canada," said Robert Bouvier, president of Teamsters Canada. "Some of these individuals allegedly suffer undue pressure from their bosses; we consider this to be unacceptable behavior that will be corrected in the very near future."

According to the Teamsters, these workers have not had a pay increase since 2003 and do not have a retirement plan. The Challenger conflict involves several elements of the non-monetary and work organization clauses, including forced dispatch, seniority and switches.

"These workers are the basis for the success of these companies and they deserve respect," said Bouvier. "The success of a trucking company is not built in the offices of top management, but rather on board its trucks."

Teamsters Canada has created a bilingual informational web site for workers at Challenger, Elgin, and Lodwick. The site can be accessed at www.teamsters-challenger.ca.