Five-year agreement with YRC, Teamsters to take effect

A five-year labor agreement for employees of YRC Freight, Holland and New Penn has been ratified with the Teamsters.

“The ratification of the contract is good for our employees, our shareholders, and our customers,” Darren Hawkins, YRC Worldwide CEO, said in a news release. “Having a five-year agreement is a very positive event for YRC Worldwide, supporting a more market-competitive wage and benefit package for our employees while providing operational benefits that will allow us to provide reliable and efficient services to our customers.”

The Teamsters said its membership voted to ratify the National Master Freight Agreement on May 3, and the only outstanding supplement was approved earlier this week.

“The national contract will now take effect, and I want to thank all our members for their support during this long process,” Ernie Soehl, director of the Teamsters National Freight Division, said in a news release. “The wage increases are retroactive to April 1, and it is anticipated that any retro pay will be distributed within the next 30 days.”

Aspects of the contract include:

• Wage increases in each year of the contract, beginning April 1 and going through 2023.
• Continuation of existing health and welfare coverage, with predictable employer-contribution rates in each of the five years beginning Aug. 1.
• Restoration of an additional week of vacation for certain employees.
• Increased ability to use purchased transportation for YRC Freight and Holland.
• Increased use of lower wage, non-CDL and part-time positions to improve employee availability and permit CDL-qualified drivers additional opportunities to drive.
• Expanded use of smaller equipment, or box trucks, instead of costly third-party carriers to deliver freight.
• Increased ability to use available Department of Transportation hours of service.
• A newly structured profit sharing bonus program for employees.

YRC Worldwide is headquartered in Overland Park, Kan.