Teamsters, LTL Truckers Reach Tentative Agreement

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters and Motor Freight Carriers Association have reached a tentative agreement on a new National Master Freight Agreement, the union said in a release early Wednesday morning.

The MFCA also released a statement on its Web site saying a new contract agreement had been reached.

The agreement negotiated by the MFCA covers major less-than-truckload carriers like ABF Freight System, Roadway Express, USF Holland and Yellow Transportation as well as several smaller LTL carriers. All told, the NMFA and its related contracts cover 85,000 workers at 65 companies.

The tentative agreement must be ratified by a mail-vote of the Teamsters membership affected by the contract, the union said.

The union said the contract included wage increases in each of the five years that the contract runs and increases in health and pension benefits, as well as other expanded benefits. The union also said that employers adhering to the contract would be "prohibited from subcontracting any work in the United States to a Mexican carrier."

Contract talks had just resumed on Wednesday after a strike-authorization vote was taken earlier in the week (Click here for related coverage.). Talks had broken off late in January, but resumed earlier than expected.

By Sean McNally

I>Staff Reporter

(Click here for the full press release from the Teamsters.)