Yellow Corp. continues with consolidation, wants union vote

Yellow Corp. is continuing its terminal optimization plan with two closings in Ohio.

The publically traded LTL company said it filed Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification notices related to the closings though it may not be required. WARN Act notices are federally required when closing facilities, but Yellow says it expects to offer transfers to substantially all affected employees.

The closings are part of the company’s One Yellow transformation strategy launched in 2021. The company is working to consolidate its three legacy subsidiaries into one super-regional carrier.

One of the Ohio closings is in West Chester in the Cincinnati area, where Yellow is merging operations at two facilities, according to the Journal News, that were operated by run by YRC Freight and Holland America Line. It affects about 150 employees.

The Cincinnati-area facilities are on the same property, explains a company spokesperson. It is not a physical move but an administrative one, she said.

The other Ohio closing is in Green in the Akron area. About 90 union employees are affected there.

“The Holland facility in Akron is being combined with the company’s YRC Freight facility nearby. The vast majority of our employees will be offered positions there and in other Yellow facilities, based on seniority,” said a company spokesperson.

As further explanation, the Yellow spokesperson said in some cases Yellow operates multiple facilities within the same city.

“Some of these properties are smaller end-of-line terminals, which are being combined with larger and more modern regional terminals and distribution centers,” the spokesperson said. “Through our long-planned change of operations as part of our nationwide One Yellow enterprise transformation, we anticipate that our four facilities in Akron, Ohio, and West Chester, Ohio, will be consolidated into two (one will remain in each city.)”

Yellow also recently announced plans to close a Wisconsin terminal in Milwaukee, affecting some 189 employees. Those operations are expected to be consolidated with the Oak Creek terminal, which is about a mile from the one being closed.

The closings are expected to take place by May 28.

This is part of Phase Two of the company’s strategic overhaul. The carrier implemented the first phase of its network optimization plan in September.

The consolidation of three terminals in the Buffalo, N.Y., area was announced in early March. Those closings also were scheduled for May 28.

Union troubles

Yellow Corp. issued a statement last week complaining about the International Brotherhood of Teamsters canceling a “scheduled hearing that is vital to the future of our company and the jobs of Yellow Corporation’s more than 22,000 union employees.”

The company said the Teamsters had mischaracterized its statements. Yellow said it wants the union to vote on the proposed changes.

“Maintaining an open line of communication is essential. Today’s trucking industry is predominantly nonunion, yet Yellow has always been a proud (Teamsters) employer. Our One Yellow strategy will help preserve more than 22,000 well-paying union jobs,” Yellow said in its statement.

The Teamsters was pushing back on changes in February.

Founded in 1924, Yellow Corp. moved its headquarters in 2022 from Overland Park, Kan., to Nashville, Tenn. The company maintains offices in both locations. LL

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