| For Immediate Release | Contact: Bethany Bannister |
| December 23, 2019 | bbannister@teamster988.org |
| 281-560-2044 |
(Houston, TX) – After 10 months of negotiations, Sysco drivers and warehouse workers voted to ratify a new 5-year contract by an over 4-1 margin on Thursday, December 19th. This ended a period of 6 months that they continued diligently working even after their previous contract expired in June.
The new contract contains many improvements, including a well-deserved pay increase in the first year for their hard work (nine percent for drivers and six percent for warehouse workers). The agreement also ensures that the workers would continue to receive their average pay should they choose to use their earned vacation-time.
Anthony Prejean, a Sysco warehouse worker said, “I’ve been with Sysco for 37 years and I’m glad that we finally got fairer vacation pay, which we’ve been fighting to get for years.”
Over the course of the prolonged negotiations, the Sysco workers and Local 988 Business Representatives had to engage in multiple actions to get management to resolve numerous safety issues.
Of the ratification, Robert Mele, President of Teamsters Local 988, said, “We’re proud of the Teamster members and leaders at Sysco who were able to earn respect on the job and obtain the best contract possible through organized actions. Since our Sysco Brothers and Sisters were merged from Local 968 into Local 988, we’ve worked hard to ensure they have strong representation and workplace protections through better contracts.”
Brian Ealy, a driver for Sysco said of the contract, “Local 988 represented us well. This was the first time they negotiated for us, and this is the best contract we’ve ever had.”
Chartered in 1967, the Teamsters Local 988 represents nearly 8,000 hardworking men and women around the Texas Gulf Coast region. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is the largest union in North America, representing over 1.4 million members. For more information, go to teamster988.org, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/IBTLocal988 or follow us on Twitter, @teamster988. ##
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