Teamsters Local 464 News

Almost five years ago, Alco Ventures Inc. boasted rapid growth, high sales, and an efficient workforce. But one key problem threatened to overshadow the company’s success. 

“We had to fix our safety issues, or it was going to stop us dead in our tracks,” says Alco Ventures owner and president Ben Hume.

That was in 2007, when the company experienced an all-time low in its safety record, with 22 lost-time accidents in one year. Since then, Hume says the company has worked hard to turn its health and safety performance around, this year reporting 1.5 incidents per 100,000 working hours. And while...

It’s late 1927 in Pittsburgh and 11 close friends have organized a social club where they could relax and unwind with good company after they’d finished their day’s work.  They decided their new Club’s main principle would simply be “friendship”.  Since the original group came from show business, they decided to call themselves “The Variety Club” and they rented a space in a local hotel for their use.

Just over one year later, on Christmas Eve, a baby was left abandoned in a nearby theatre, a theatre which happened to be owned by one of the members of the Variety Club, with a note pinned to her...

Teamsters Local Union No. 464 is proud to announce that one of the winners of the $10,000 scholarship for 2011/12 was the daughter of our Shop Steward Drew Speirs. Congratulations to Jamie Speirs!

Jamie maintained an A average throughout high school and was on the honour roll every semester.

To learn more about the scholarships Teamsters members are eligible for click here. 

No contest when it comes to pay

TORONTO - The highest paid 100 CEOs on Canada’s TSX Index had reason to cheer the New Year: By noon January 3, they had already pocketed $44,366 – what it takes the average wage earner an entire year to make.

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ (CCPA) annual look at CEO compensation reveals Canada’s Elite 100 CEOs pocketed an average $8.38 million in 2010 – a 27% increase over the average $6.6 million they took in 2009.

In contrast, after taking inflation into account, the average worker’s weekly earnings are lower now than they were during the worst of...

Once again, the middle class must pay!

The Teamsters Union is opposed to the federal government-imposed hike in EI contributions, which took effect on January 1 of this year – the second consecutive annual increase. As a result of this rate hike, the average worker will now pay almost $100 more in contributions over 2010.

“Once again, the middle class must bear the brunt of government decisions,” declared Teamsters Canada President Robert Bouvier. “Is this increase – which will only make workers more impoverished – reasonable?”

CEO salaries are subsidized

Canadians will now be caught between a...

General President Jim Hoffa, his running mate for General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall and their entire slate, were elected by a wide margin in the 2011 Election of International Union Officers. According to results provided by the Office of the Election Supervisor, the Hoffa-Hall Slate defeated their two challengers with 60 percent of the vote.

It is with great sadness and regret we announce the untimely passing of Local 464 Shop Steward and friend Scott Allen. Scott was a respected advocate for his fellow workers. He handled all Union business with compassion, fairness and kind humour. He will be missed by all. 

Rocky Mountaineer lockout a "nasty strike": union
By Tom Sandborn

"This employer is using scabs to put my members out of work," an angry Rod Blackburn, secretary-treasurer of Teamster Local 31 told the Tyee on July 7. "This is a nasty strike in which the employer is waging war on our members."

Blackburn's local represents over a hundred train attendants who work on the Mountaineer's luxury tourist trains. The Teamster members have been locked out by their employer since June 22.

Frustrated by negotiations in which their concerns about overtime pay and scheduling were not being addressed, the...

Teamsters 464 is proud of our members and would like to take this opportunity to honour the achievements of Dean Grant [Shop Steward, Agrifoods]. Dean has been BC and National Trucking Champion several times. In 2010 Dean was BC Truck driving Champion in the Tandem category and Canadian Grand Champion. Dean has won in four out of the five Truck Driving categories and plans to win his fifth and final category this upcoming year. Way to go Dean!