A new five-year National Master Freight Agreement covering ABF Freight System, Roadway Express, USF Holland and Yellow Transportation has received an overwhelming ratification vote from the freight membership of the Teamsters.

"We obviously are very pleased that the freight membership of the Teamsters Union has given strong support to the new five-year agreement," said Timothy P. Lynch, president and CEO of the Motor Freight Carriers Assn. (MFCA). "More importantly, this new labor agreement sends a very strong message to the marketplace: These companies have the stability of a long-term labor agreement and all the tools necessary to position themselves as reliable, full service transportation providers today, tomorrow and well into the future."
"Going into these negotiations, both sides understood that maintaining customer confidence was vital to maintaining the economic vitality of the companies and job security for their employees," added Lynch. "We achieved that goal with an early settlement and now an overwhelming ratification vote."
International Brotherhood of Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said the agreement provides significant wage increases, maintains strong health care without premium co-pays, protects strong pensions and other improvements.
"This historic contract provides security for our freight members and their families," Hoffa said. "At a time when corporations are squeezing workers more and more, this agreement goes in the other direction and rewards our members for the wealth they create."
"We maintained strong health care benefits, protected our pensions and won the highest wage increases in more than a decade," added Hoffa, who chaired the Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC).