Teamsters Say LTL Talks Have Broken Down

The Teamsters union said on its Web site Tuesday afternoon that its negotiations with Roadway Corp., Yellow Corp. and other leading less-than-truckload carriers had broken off, and that the union's negotiating committee had called for a strike-authorization vote by rank-and-file workers.

The union was in talks with LTL carriers that also include Arkansas Best Corp. and USF Holland, on terms for a new contract to replace the current National Master Freight Agreement that expires March 31.

The Motor Freight Carriers Association, which negotiates on behalf of the four main LTL carriers, did not issue a statement immediately, and Bloomberg News said the group did not return calls seeking comment.

Besides the companies covered directly by the talks, about 60 other LTL carries either sign the master accord or "me-too" contracts, or adhere to its provisions, affecting in all about 85,000 Teamsters.

The Teamsters' statement said the two sides had made "significant progress on non-economic issues" and negotiators had worked through the holiday weekend. But it said the talks broke down over employers' proposals for copayments for healthcare and cuts in health coverage, and a wage package offer that the union described as "below what was negotiated in 1998."

The union also said that all of its local chapters would hold strike authorization votes in the next two weeks, with freight locals scheduling those votes starting on Wednesday, Jan. 22 and results expected Feb. 3.