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Fall River DCM Contract Approved by Fall River City Council

Agreement Includes Job Protections, Additional Funding and Training

(FALL RIVER, Mass.) –– Teamsters Local 251 is pleased to announce that the Fall River City Council has approved, by an 8-1 vote, a collective bargaining agreement for the city’s Department of Community Maintenance (DCM) workers.

The agreement was approved after an outcry by Teamsters Local 251, workers and the public over a stalled process.

The collective bargaining agreement between the city’s Department of Community Maintenance (DCM) and Teamsters Local 251 includes a $245,000 settlement agreement for workers that had been reached between the city and Local 251, which effectively ends the high-profile lawsuit that was filed by the union following the privatization of the city’s trash pickup.

The contract also includes important job security protections for the workers, after 24 of their coworkers were laid off following the privatization of trash pickup last year.

Additional funding for training and license renewal was included, allowing for DCM workers to become more skilled.

“We worked really hard to get this agreement finished,” said Nick Williams, Teamsters Local 251 business agent and DCM representative. “With the previously scheduled special city council meeting cancelled without a quorum present, we questioned if this settlement and contract would be approved.”

After some debate by the finance committee last night, the matter was referred to the city council. Only one committee member, Council Vice President Linda Pereira, expressed disapproval for the settlement and contract. Council President Shawn Cadime harped on the city giving away ‘management rights,’ but did not disapprove of the agreement. Later in the evening, the city council quietly voted 8-1 in favor of the agreement, with Pereira being the lone dissenter.

“The city council ultimately did what is right for the hardworking DCM employees and for the laid off workers impacted by privatization,” said Local 251 Secretary-Treasurer Matthew Taibi, in response to the vote. “After an often-times bitter dispute between the union and the city, we are eager to get this behind us and move forward. I believe all elected officials need to be recognized for how they responded during this dispute, both positively and negatively, and Fall River citizens should take this into consideration during city elections.”

“The hard work and persistence of Local 251 on behalf of their members resulted in the approval of this agreement,” said Joint Council 10 Secretary-Treasurer Sean O’Brien. “Matthew Taibi and his team should be commended for a job well done.”

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Fall River City Council Plays Politics With DCM Workers’ Livelihoods

From Teamster.org

Teamsters Hold City Council Accountable to Community Maintenance Workers

(FALL RIVER, Mass.) – A majority of the Fall River City Council was noticeably absent Tuesday night at a special meeting called by Mayor Jasiel Correia II to address concerns of importance to the Teamsters.

The issue before the council was a discussion and vote on the collective bargaining agreement between the city’s Department of Community Maintenance (DCM) and Teamsters Local 251. Also on the agenda was a vote to approve a $245,000 settlement agreement that had been reached between the city and Local 251, which would have effectively ended the high-profile lawsuit that was filed by the union following the privatization of the city’s trash pickup.

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Teamsters 251 & UNAP 5098 March and Rally on Lifespan Corporate Offices on February 2nd

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Nurses, health technicians, skilled trades and other hospital staff protested with community leaders outside Rhode Island Hospital today. The crowd then marched to Lifespan’s corporate headquarters for a rally there. Speakers at the rally called on Rhode Island hospital and its owner, the Lifespan Corporation, to put an end to policies that punish workers for getting sick and that put patients’ health at risk.

Allied health, skilled trades and all non-nursing workers at Rhode Island Hospital are represented by Teamsters Local 251 in East Providence. All nurses at Rhode Island Hospital are represented by United Nurses & Allied Professionals (UNAP) Local 5098.

“We represent health technicians, dietary, skilled trade, maintenance and many other workers at Rhode Island Hospital,” said Matthew Taibi, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 251. “Instead of bargaining in good faith with its union employees, as it is required to do by law, the hospital unilaterally changed its policies so that workers are punished for being sick for consecutive days or on weekends. It also punishes part-time workers by disciplining them more readily than full-time workers. Even those who have to stay home with a sick child could be punished.”

“These punitive policies put pressure on workers to come to work while sick,” Taibi continued. “If it means you might lose your job, you’re not going to stay home. Why would a hospital – with a mission to protect patients’ health – enact policies that can lead to patients contracting illnesses in the hospital?”

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January Monthly Membership Meeting Notice

In accordance with Teamsters Local 251 Bylaws, Section 14 A(2), the Executive Board gives official notice for the Sunday January 29, 2017 regular membership meeting. An annual financial report will be given for 2016, and a motion will be entertained for salary increases for officers, agents representatives and organizers. Please get involved in your Local Union and try to attend this meeting.

This meeting is also the first in the new term of Elected Officers and Business Agents and the meeting will begin with a swearing-in ceremony.

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Teamsters 251 & UNAP Call Informational Picket of Rhode Island Hospital

 

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Teamsters Local 251 & UNAP are united against Rhode Island Hospital management for changing the sick leave & absenteeism policy.

The new policy is unfair. We are exposed to sick people every day at work! We’re human and we get sick!

Lifespan’s policy also pressures employees who are sick to come to work or risk discipline. Do patients and their families really want to be exposed to sick employees who are forced to come to work for fear of losing their job?

Teamsters Local 251 calls on RI Hospital management to show they value their workers and their patients by bargaining in good faith on such an important policy change.

Please join us for an informational picket in solidarity with workers at RI Hospital.

593 Eddy St, Providence, RI, Wednesday January 11, 2017 from 2 – 4:30 pm.

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Local 251 Election Results

Teamsters Local 251 completed our Local Election of Officers & Agents with the counting of the mail ballots on October 29, overseen by an independent election service.

Congratulations to the officers and agents elected, and thanks to all the members who participated by voting in the election.

The following candidates were elected for a term from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2019:

Secretary Treasurer: Matthew Taibi
President: Paul Santos
Vice President: Antonio Suazo
Recording Secretary: Brooke Reeves
Trustee: Dennis Lavallee
Trustee: Carl Chicoine
Trustee: Decio Goulart
Business Agent: Paul Santos
Business Agent: Matthew Maini
Business Agent: Alan Torigian
Business Agent: Bob Sayer
Business Agent: Nick Williams

Click here to view the full results from the Official Certification.