February 2022

Congratulations to all UE Local 1077 PTI drivers in California (CA) and Nevada (NV). January 15 through January 20, PTI drivers successfully ratified their first union contract with the Company. Drivers made history with the first Union contract with PTI in these states. During the contract ratification process, PTI drivers had Zoom meetings to review the tentative agreement. Drivers voted online with a majority vote to ratify the new three-year union contract with PTI.

The new 3-year union contract has improved benefits, wages and includes more job security protections. PTI already implemented the first round of wage increases guaranteed under the contract. Your Union Bargaining Committee composed of drivers Lela Jankowski (driver from Dunsmuir, CA) and Ed Stephenson (driver from Sparks, NV) did an amazing job, and along with dozens of drivers that were part of the Contract Support Committee, PTI drivers showed unity and strength during these very tough negotiations.

The Next Steps:
UE Union is a rank and file union which means the union members, the drivers, run the union. The drivers elect their leadership from their co-workers, decisions are made democratically by member voting. Under a rank and file union, the members manage and set their dues system. There are open nominations and elections for UE Local 1077 Union Executive Board (E-Board). Notices of nominations were mailed to all drivers. We encourage PTI drivers to nominate co-workers.

We also need to build and recruit co-workers to be Shop Stewards and build a Shop Steward council. Shop Stewards are the first line of defense of the contract Shop Stewards help enforce the contract, file grievances, and represent co-workers. Shop Stewards and E-Board members also help set Labor-Management meetings with PTI management to address issues further. To become a steward, a driver must have their co-workers fill out a petition for stewardship, the potential steward must sign the Pledge of 1077 and agree to participate in training.

In the next coming weeks, there will be a series of union yard meetings taking place in all PTI yards in CA and NV for drivers to start nominating Shop Stewards and go over any workplace issues that we can enforce the contract. Drivers are encouraged to sign the union membership card to be a member in good standing. Under the contract and CA Labor Law, PTI drivers will have the option of being members of the union in good standing, or if drivers don’t join the union, their other option would be to be an agency fee payer. The best choice is to join the union that your co-workers and drivers like you build and make your union of PTI drivers strong. The Union is as strong as its members are.

Please contact UE Field Organizer Fernando Ramirez @ 323-572-4668 or fernando.ramirez@ueunion.org if you wish to nominate a co-worker for any of the Union Executive Board open positions or want to become a Union Shop Steward or want to nominate a co-worker for Union Shop Steward.