press releases
07/23/2023
Under pressure from Teamsters leadership, central government is expanding health benefits for Yellow workers
Press contact: Kara Deniz Email: [email protected]
(WASHINGTON) — The Central States Health and Welfare Fund, under intense pressure from Teamsters President Sean M. O’Brien and Secretary General and Treasury Secretary Fred Zuckerman, on Sunday agreed to expand health benefits for workers at Yellow Corp. operating companies YRC Freight and Holland.
The expansion of health insurance benefits for Teamsters and their families is preventing a freighter strike that could have started Monday after Yellow failed to make $50 million in contractually obligated benefit payments to the Central States on July 15. The Central States’ agreement, at the insistence of the Teamsters, gives Yellow 30 days to pay its bills, with the proviso that the company will do so within the next two weeks.
Intense discussions between Teamsters leadership and central governments successfully persuaded the fund’s trustees to reverse their earlier decision that health care benefits would end on July 23 if Yellow continued to default. O’Brien then ordered the Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee to meet in person with Yellow Party officials Sunday night. Meetings will be held in Washington, DC to review the company’s status and the current contract.
As the Teamsters and Yellows settle down, central government reversal will result in health insurance benefits being paid and the hard-working Teamsters staying in office for the time being.
“Our members at YRC Freight and Holland cannot work without health care and the Teamsters worked tirelessly to ensure an immediate strike at Yellow was averted,” O’Brien said. “These discussions have not been easy, but central governments have taken significant steps under pressure from the union. We are striving for a real solution, but this solution today is intended to serve as a deep reminder that our members have limited sacrifices they can take. The teamsters at Yellow just work too hard and have already given so much.”
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hard-working people across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.