2019 Local 251 Election Results

Teamsters Local 251 completed our Local Election of Officers & Agents at the nomination meeting on September 14, 2019, overseen by an independent election service.

Congratulations to the officers and agents elected, and thanks to all the members who attended the nomination meeting.

The following candidates were elected for a term from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2022:

Secretary Treasurer: Matthew Taibi
President: Paul Santos
Vice President: Antonio Suazo
Recording Secretary: Brooke Reeves
Trustee: Michael Simone
Trustee: Carl Chicoine
Trustee: Decio Goulart
Business Agent: Paul Santos
Business Agent: Matthew Maini
Business Agent: Bob Sayer
Business Agent: Thomas Salvatore
Business Agent: David Robbins

Notice Of Nomination Meeting And Election Of Officers

A Special Membership Meeting of Local 251 will be held for the sole purpose of nominating candidates for the Offices of Secretary-Treasurer, President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, three (3) Trustees and five (5) Business Agents of Local 251, IBT.

The terms of office for these officers will begin on January 1, 2020 and end on December 31, 2022. Merriman River Group, an independent election management firm, will conduct the nomination meeting and subsequent election.

The nomination meeting will be held on:

Saturday, September 14, 2019 • 10:00 a.m.
Local 251 • 121 Brightridge Avenue • East Providence, RI 02914

Members in good standing are welcome to attend the meeting. Respectful and courteous behavior is asked of all participants. Disrespectful behavior towards a candidate or candidates will not be tolerated.

Teamsters Ratify New Contract at Rhode Island Hospital

Contract Provides Wage Increases, Quality Health Insurance and Retirement Options

The more than 2,500 Local 251 Teamsters who work at Rhode Island Hospital ratified a new five-year agreement yesterday by a 97.5 percent vote.

“The 2,500 members at Rhode Island Hospital should be proud. It was their solidarity that led to this agreement,” said Matt Taibi, Teamsters Local 251 Secretary-Treasurer. “This contract wasn’t won at the table; it was earned through months of organizing by our members. They stood strong in the face of the company and achieved a contract they deserve.”

The bargaining unit includes nonclinical and clinical support and skilled maintenance workers.

After months of member to member organizing and surveying the needs of the members, the union negotiating committee set out to satisfy key demands of the workers. This contract addresses the important issues of fair wage increases, a $15 minimum wage, Teamster health care benefits, retirement security, quality jobs that support families and job security. Highlights of the contract include:

• Three percent raises in each year of the contract;
• Retirement choice between the Lifespan Core plan or matching contributions to a 401(k) up to six percent;
• Strong improvements to pay differentials (on-call pay; weekend differential; evening differential; and night differential);
• Inclusion into the Teamsters 251 Health Services Plan;
• Extended “No Layoff” protections; and
• A mechanism for creation of more permanent positions.

Located just south of downtown Providence, Rhode Island Hospital’s main campus occupies more than five blocks. Additionally, the Teamsters represent workers at the hospital’s numerous satellite buildings throughout the state of Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.

Voting took place throughout the day at the local union’s hall.

“This is the best contract I’ve seen in my 25 years as a Rhode Island Hospital Teamster,” said Paul Santos, Local 251 President and an over 30-year veteran hospital employee. “We should be proud of the entire negotiating team. They stuck through months of hard bargaining, but ultimately it was the strength of the membership that made this victory possible.”

RIH Teamsters Say Yes to New Contract

Local 251 members voted to approve their new five-year Teamster contract at Rhode Island Hospital with an overwhelming Yes vote of 97.5%.

Congratulations to members for sticking together and winning three percent annual wage increases, a $15 minimum wage for every Teamster by the end of the contract, Teamster healthcare for every benefit-eligible employee, and other improvements.

Read Contract Highlights.

Read a Two-Page Summary of Key Contract Changes.

Read every change in the contract. (12 pages).

Rest In Peace – Dennis Lavallee

Dennis was a proud second generation member of Teamsters Local 251. For 25 years, he worked as a driver at McLaughlin & Moran where his peers elected him union steward.

In 2015, Local 251 hired Dennis to run its Driving School. As the lead instructor, Dennis trained dozens of truck drivers helping them expand their skills and career horizons. He was elected Local 251 Trustee in 2016. He passionately served the membership as Assistant Business Agent for the Local 251 for the last two years.

Although Dennis was wildly successful in all things he did, one thing he never won any awards for was his ability to get anyone he represented out of a jam. He was passionate, smart and fought until the end. He was always one step ahead of everyone else. Dennis had an innate ability to make people understand his point of view. If you were ever in a situation and needed help, there was no one better to represent you then Dennis Lavallee.

Dennis also worked diligently as a Local 251 Charity Fund Trustee, helping on events that benefited children of Teamsters and those in need in the community. In 2017 Dennis (along with two co-workers) volunteered five days of his personal time to drive a Teamster semi filled with donations to Houston’s victims of Hurricane Harvey. Dennis twice ran for Rhode Island State Senate falling less than 200 votes short in his second attempt. As evidence of his grit and determination, he was mulling a third run.

Throughout his career, Dennis fulfilled his dream of helping Teamsters, fellow workers and his community. Local 251 staff and members will miss his strong work ethic, vibrant personality and sharp wit.

View Obituary

First Student Members Approve New Contract, End 11-Day Strike

Teamsters Local 251 and First Student reached an agreement Friday, October 12 that provides the key driver demand of retirement security. After unanimously ratifiying the agreement Saturday night, the drivers returned to work to provide safe transportation of Providence school children and passenger transit needs.

“It is clear from the unanimous ratification vote and solidarity among the drivers through this difficult process, that collective action by workers is the single most effective method for improving living standards for working class families,” said Matthew Taibi, Local 251 Secretary-Treasurer. “I commend the team effort by the drivers on the negotiating committee, the dedicated staff of Local 251 and the leadership of New England Joint Council 10, led by Sean O’Brien.”

The agreement ends a difficult labor dispute that was felt by children, parents, striking drivers, First Student, the City of Providence and the State of Rhode Island. The drivers were forced on strike on September 27 following months of negotiations.

The new agreement provides fair wage increases that continue to set the standard for the region and allows Providence to attract and retain the most qualified bus drivers. Currently, Rhode Island is experiencing a statewide shortage of bus drivers. The job’s qualifications demand, part-time nature and the split shift are largely due for the shortage. The new contract addresses some of these issues by increasing morning and afternoon pay guarantees and improving driver healthcare benefits.

Providence drivers have long set the standards for dignity and respect on the job in the industry. A 24-day strike in 2000 secured healthcare benefits for the first time. Now Providence sets the standard in retirement security.

Driver retirement security was addressed in the contract by the establishment of a new pension for the drivers. The New England Teamsters established a new plan that addressed First Student’s concerns about unfunded liability. The constant issue of 401k funding and matching will be a thing of the past. And all drivers will benefit from this enhanced retirement benefit regardless if they make any contributions with their own hard earned money.

“The drivers were committed to securing a fair agreement that rewards them for safely transporting our most precious cargo, our children, to and from school every day,” said Nick Williams, Local 251 Business Agent. “A secure retirement and more guaranteed hours further encourages long term loyalty to the job and care for the children.”

DHLNH & DHL Express Workers Ratify First Contract

By standing together, Teamsters Local 251 members at DHLNH fought and won a first contract that demonstrates the power of a union.

“This is a strong first contract for workers willing to fight for one,” says Matt Maini, Teamsters Local 251 Business Agent. “These brave workers went on strike for nine weeks and demanded the respect that they deserve.”

“We faced poverty wages, unsafe working conditions and disrespect by the company,” said Sarong Rath, a Local 251 DHLNH steward. “The solidarity we built over the last 14 months delivered a strong future.”

DHL Express clerical workers voted to join Local 251 separately, and were negotiated into the national agreement between the Teamsters and DHL Express. Their local agreement calls for strong wage improvements and fully-paid Teamster-sponsored healthcare.

“Honoring the picket line of our brothers and sisters at DHLNH tested our commitment,” said Steward Bethany Stamp. “But the Teamsters national contract and Local 251 contract delivers big improvements in working conditions, wages and benefits.”

“Teamsters 251 welcomes these 30 new members who stuck together in their righteous fight for fairness and decency in the workplace,” says Matt Taibi, Local 251 Principal Officer. “DHLNH had a history of wage theft, state wage & hour law violations and labor law violations. Forming a union is the only real way for workers to fight against these abuses.”

Local 251 Leaders Speak Out on the Fight for a Fair Contract at UPS

Local 251’s Matt Taibi and Mike Simone speak out on the fight for a fair contract on Labor Vision TV. UPS and UPS Freight contract negotiations continue on March 19. Local 251 is fighting for a strong contract with no givebacks.

Roger Williams Medical Center Teamsters Unanimously Ratify First Contract

Skilled maintenance workers at Roger Williams Medical Center represented by Teamsters Local 251 in East Providence, R.I. unanimously ratified a first contract following more than a year of fighting for improvements on the job.

The workers joined Local 251 on January 6, 2017, but faced an uphill battle during negotiations that led to the union filing five unfair labor practice (ULPs) charges against the company. The ULP charges included failure to bargain in good faith, failure to provide a scheduled wage increase and unlawful surveillance. The workers stood together in solidarity throughout the fight, staging an informational picket in front of the medical center in September 2017 to raise awareness of the company’s behavior.

“There’s a myth in America that as workers we have to just be thankful for what employers give us. But it’s just a myth. With a union you can have a say in your wages and working conditions,” said Matt Taibi, Local 251 Secretary-Treasurer. “We’re proud of this group for standing together. Their solidarity shows what workers can achieve when they collectively bargain.”

The three-year contract, ratified on February 4, 2018, includes strong language regarding seniority, equipment and safety, job security and protections against the expansion of per diem employees. The contract also includes wage adjustments for shift differentials, on-call pay and wage increases of an additional 5 percent over the life of the agreement.

The members also received an immediate wage increase and bonus triggered by the contract ratification. The skilled maintenance unit at Roger Williams Medical Center includes the boiler operators, electricians, HVAC techs and mechanics, carpenters, plumbers and pipefitters, painters, mechanics and maintenance engineers.

Teamster Drivers Secure First Contract With Construct Oil

Six months after voting unanimously to join Teamsters Local 251, drivers at Construct Oil Company ratified their first agreement. The drivers work in East Providence, providing onsite diesel fueling for trucking companies.

The contract was ratified unanimously on January 21. The union had reached a tentative agreement on January 11. The negotiating team, which included drivers Mike Souza and John Perry, are proud of the new agreement, which includes:

– Seniority bidding for work opportunities, open routes and shifts;

– Overtime after eight hours per day;

– Double time on Sundays;

– Safety bonuses per quarter;

– Language allowing the union and company to negotiate changes to the health plan if costs increase substantially;

– An annual shoe allowance;

– Entrance into the New England Teamsters and Trucking Industry Pension Fund;

– Strong wage increases; and

– Great contract language regarding discipline, grievance and arbitration, equipment safety and job security.

The drivers at Construct Oil initially approached the union about organizing after having concerns about job security and obtaining a secure contract. Construct Oil is a division of Taylor Oil, where there are Teamster members represented by Local 25 and other locals in the Northeast.

“This is one of the strongest first contracts I’ve witnessed. We made quite a bit of progress right off the bat,” said Michael Simone, Local 251 Organizer and Trustee. “It’s a testament to the fact that when workers come together and demand fairness, they can get it.”

“Contracts are never easy, but if you don’t stand up you’ll continue just taking what the company gives,” said Matt Taibi, Local 251 Secretary-Treasurer. “Without a union, the drivers would never have made this possible.”

“Organizing and getting a superb first contract cannot go without recognizing the passion, support and dedication of Local 251,” said Mike Souza, committee member. “Thanks so much for changing people’s lives for the better! We are proud to be Teamsters!”