The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) unanimously called for a strike-authorization vote after talks broke off early Monday.

Teamsters representatives said that although negotiators had made significant progress on non-economic issues in the previous days, talks broke down when the employers refused to take proposals for health-care co-payments and reductions in health care coverage off the table. The union also said companies proposed a wage package below what was negotiated in 1998.
"The companies proposal to require some members to make health-care co-pays is completely unacceptable," said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters general president and chairman of the TNFINC. "The Teamsters union will not entertain an agreement that cuts health benefits."
Agreeing that the wage and benefit package is an important component of the National Master Freight Agreement (NMFA), company negotiators said it is imperative that whatever economic package agreed to must not jeopardize the economic viability of the companies.
"Any labor agreement that puts these companies at risk in the highly competitive trucking marketplace also puts at risk the very job security and health care concerns identified by the Teamsters," said Tim Lynch, president and CEO of the Motor Freight Carriers Assn.
Commenting on the Teamsters' call for a strike authorization vote, Lynch said, "It is unfortunate that the union has elected to take this procedural step as we attempt to bring these negotiations to a conclusion. It needlessly injects a degree of uncertainty in the marketplace, potentially putting business and the jobs necessary to handle that business at risk."
Phil Young, co-chairman of the TNFINC and National Freight director, said, "The companies must recognize the contributions of our members to their success."
All local unions with freight members will hold a strike authorization vote over the next two weeks Young added. Freight locals will begin scheduling the votes today, with results expected on Monday, Feb. 3.
No further talks are currently scheduled.