Teamsters Canada Rail Conference

Toronto, November 27, 2009 – Today, the Teamsters Union launches its campaign to organize Challenger group workers, which includes Challenger Motor Freight, Elgin Motor Freight, and Lodwick Transport.

After receiving numerous phone calls from Challenger workers, the Teamsters Union decided to set up a team that will enter into contact with them.

"The truckers have had enough of their employer's arbitrary decisions and contacted us since we are the leading union in the road transport industry in Canada," explained Robert Bouvier, president of Teamsters Canada. "Some of these individuals allegedly suffer undue pressure from their bosses; we consider this to be unacceptable behavior that will be corrected in the very near future."

It also seems that the workers of the three trucking companies have not received a pay increase since 2003 and also have no retirement plan.

"The strength of our union enables us to bargain working conditions that are the envy of workers in all industries," added the Teamsters Canada’s president. "More than 20,000 workers have understood this and have joined us over the past few years. There are surely reasons for this."

Several elements of the non-monetary and work organization clauses are said to be at the heart of the dispute between Challenger, Elgin, and Lodwick and their workers, in particular forced dispatch, seniority, and switches.

"These workers are the basis for the success of these companies and they deserve respect," advised Robert Bouvier. "The success of a trucking company is not built in the offices of top management, but rather on board its trucks."

The campaign, which begins this morning, affects nearly 1,500 workers in all areas of Canada.

The Teamsters union represents tens of thousands of truckers in North America and has hundreds of local unions in the United States and Canada.

Teamsters Canada has launched a bilingual informational website for workers at Challenger, Elgin, and Lodwick. The site can be accessed at Teamsters Challenger.

The Teamsters Union represents 125,000 members in Canada in all trades. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, with which Teamsters Canada is affiliated, has 1.4 million members in North America.