We Know How to Make the Building Run

Henry Freeman - Local 455, Denver, CO, Joint Council 3

I have been at U.S. Foodservice since 2002—eight years. I work as a night warehouse selector in the cooler.

For me, being a Teamster means security, accountability, and brotherhood. 

Before I started at U.S. Foodservice, I worked at a non-union company called Fortunoff. There is a big difference between working union and non-union. At Fortunoff, there was favoritism and wages were never guaranteed.  Seniority didn’t matter. 

I actually have a voice working in a union job and that’s one of the biggest things for me, having a voice. We get wage increases and my medical is phenomenal. We have actual policies in black and white that are built into the contract and grievance procedures if the company doesn’t follow those policies. And we have seniority which means that for the years you put in, for the life that you give to this company, that you get respect for it.  

There were a few unfair terminations a few years back and after we took it to through the grievance and arbitration process, the guys were reinstated with full back pay and seniority. I believe that if it wasn’t for the union, we would not have even been able to get the company to the table to talk about reinstating these guys, much less back pay and seniority.

To non-union U.S. Foodservice workers, I say, start a campaign. Get a strong group. Go Teamsters - because at the end of the day that is the only way you are going to keep that job you have now. We’re not there as friends of the company, we’re there to make them money and we deserve fairness too.

The only way that US Foods is going to grow is to listen to guys who actually work in the building. Listen to the guys who are throwing the cases. If we don’t get the customers the right product, the whole thing falls apart.

In Denver, we have a committee and we bring issues to the table and the company really appreciates that. We have a manager who actually respects the union. He listens to us because we know what we are doing. And the whole operation benefits from that. 

We know what we can put out. We know how to make the building run.

Knowing What Tomorrow Brings

Bill Wedebrand - Local 120, Plymouth, MN

I worked for U.S. Foodservice for 20 years non-union and then we brought the Teamsters union in. I think that is why we really appreciate Teamsters Local 120 because we were non-union and now we see the benefits that we can achieve being a Teamster. Our job went from just a job to a career, and it is because of Teamsters Local 120. It’s phenomenal.

We now have a say in our working conditions. We now have a pension. We now pay nothing for our health insurance. We have gained so much. It’s incredible. We now know what tomorrow brings. Before, we never knew what tomorrow would bring - based on a supervisor’s mood or who knows what.

At U.S. Foodservice, it is like a revolving door of management. Every few years management changes, but our contract never changes. A new manager has to read our contract and find out that he can’t change our pay scale and he can’t change our working conditions. There is a reason for every page in that contract.

I have a family. I have a wife and a son. The union guarantees me a paycheck and now we can retire some day. We have great health insurance.  They can’t take my vacation or sick time away.

Before the union, people would leave. Now people don’t leave the job. Now they are Teamsters, and they have a future. We retire from this job. We don’t leave, we retire. We walk out with our head held high. Teamsters are proud. 

On Organizing a Union: 

People like the company. No one likes to hear you bash a company. I am not out to bash the company. People have to know that you work for a good place, but it could be better.  During the Union organizing, the company would say “You know Bill, if you vote the union in, I will lose my job.” They always had captive audience meetings; the president of the company who you had never seen would come down and read a scripted letter from the attorneys. Every time it was the same thing. They would bash the union, say that the union was thugs, but they couldn’t have been more wrong. It took about 5 attempts to finally get the vote. I’ve been through all the anti-union stuff - all of which is 100% false. The company always promised things, but never delivered, and the union never promised anything. We got our first contract about 2001. 

After we voted the union we had a proposal meeting. All employees propose something that means something to them. It could be about healthcare, sick time or what equipment they use. Every person has a say. Brad Slawson, Sr. is our Principal Officer and he has done wonders for us. During all of our campaigns, he said, some of those anti-union people will be some of the best Teamsters. He was exactly right. The anti-union employees are now great Teamsters. Once they seen what the Teamsters actually are, they jumped right on board. We had a guy who was anti-union who is now a steward. 

To Non-Union and Union co-workers at U.S. Foodservice:

For the most part, non-union workers pay for their health insurance and don’t have great pensions. I would say jump on board. In negotiations, our benefits are compared to the non-union locations and if we were all on the same page, it would be a lot better for all of us.  For instance, in northern Minnesota, it is cheaper to run a truck from Grand Forks because the labor is cheaper. If we were all in the same ballpark they would benefit from us and we would benefit from them. People don’t think they deserve what we have. In these anti-union campaigns that the company runs, people get misled. Don’t belittle yourself - that is part of the company’s strategy. You deserve it.

MORE WORKERS' STORIES:

We want to organize!
I have been a driver with U.S. Foodservice for over 14 years. During that time, I have witnessed the management degrade and take advantage of me and my co-workers for years; however it has recently escalated. I now feel it is time to have outside support, intervention, and representation. I would like to request someone from Teamsters contact me. I am one of those people who have to work for a living and I enjoy what I do, however the company's treatment toward drivers and other workers have made me question if I need to remain employed with U.S. Foodservice. I hope to be able to retain my job, but also do not think it is too much to ask to be treated with dignity and respect.

Driving Equipment Down
I'm concerned about the equipment that were driving, a lot of it is junk. I write up things to be fixed 3 or 4 times before there fixed. WHY is the budget so little that they can't afford to fix the items…or is it they don't care because there not in the truck all day like i am. Spend the money and keep me safe and happy…

Solidarity with San Diego
JUST WANTED TO LET US FOODSERVICE IN VISTA CALIF KNOW THAT WE AT US FOODS IN CORONA LOCAL 848 ARE READY TO SUPPORT THEM ANY WAY WE CAN.

15-year Veteran Fed Up with Mismanagement
I am a fifteen year veteran of U.S. Foodservice. I came on board just about the time that JP Foodservice merged with U.S. Foodservice. After the initial growing pains things actually were pretty good. Decent equipment, good routes and good income. You worked hard but were treated pretty well. Now we are owned by a group of investors who know nothing about foodservice and really don't care. The goal is to squeeze all the profit they can out of our company at the expense of people and equipment. Drivers are pushed to the 14 hour limit on a daily basis or they only get short routes with few hours. Remember one thing. This is a reality when companies merge and grow. Individuality goes out the door. Divisions close, get cut back and are still tasked with higher performance goals. So now we are unhappy and I think it mostly is because we don't feel we have any input in our jobs. Warehousemen are given picking quotas that defy belief because someone with a stopwatch from corporate decrees it is fair. Drivers have routes that change on a daily/weekly basis. No one calls and ask for our opinion but routing is done by computer and is based on the perfect scenario. There is no traffic, weather, or delays with multiple delivery vehicles built in. I wonder if things will continue until we are sold off for a profit. I have to say that I have been driving truck for 30 years and all in all this has been a good company to work for. But I feel the people on whose backs this company moves have been forgotten. So that’s my opinion. What say you?

Discrimination Against Women
I would really like to know more about the case in Florida where a Female V.P. was pushed to resign. During 2007, I was pushed to resign and I was the only female District Sales Manager. Since then, the V.P. of Sales and the President were both fired. I would like to know if I have a chance at a suit, but I do not know exactly what they were fired for.

Dead-End Highway
I work for a non-union U.S. Foodservice division in Flordia as a night-shift warehouse selector. I have worked there for several years, have an above-average attendance record, and no disciplinary actions. In an attempt to better myself, I have twice applied for positions which I am more than qualified for. In both instances I was passed over and the positions were given to less qualified individuals with poor attendance records and many "occurrences."  The reason for this is obvious: the aforementioned individuals belong to what many of us jokingly call "the inner circle" -- a select group of employees who are close to the manager. In addition to being preferred for job promotions, favorite employees are often issued easier work assignments and are given far more leeway in the event of a disciplinary action. For instance, one individual used up all of his sick days, personal days, and vacation days within the first quarter of the year. This did not stop him, however, from continuing to call-out as the year progressed. When you exceeded your permitted time-off, you are charged one occurrence, and four occurrences supposedly result in termination. This associate called out more than four times and was also late on several occasions. Clearly he should have been terminated, but the manager used his authority to waive the occurrences because the employee in question was a favorite. The problems at our division go deeper than favoritism; our manager is also fond of retaliating against people by making them work six days a week (contrary to their wishes). I have also been personally harassed on several occasions because I did not EXCEED production requirements. At my previous places of employment I have been considered a model employee, and despite my good standing at U.S. Foodservice, I feel like I am on a dead-end highway that could drop off a cliff at any moment.

Question
does anyone know if pfg and us foods is going to merge as one company?

Guys in Routing Pushing Our Buttons
The routing department always calls us drivers every evening to go our routes to make sure we get the all our stops in the right place, but recently the router told me what I had which was over 15 thousand pounds and I asked him are there any lighter routes he said yes the trailer coming up with yours only had 9 thousand and I asked him if he could unload at least one stop or so and he got a serious attitude. Only to find out later in the day there was another trailer with only 7 thousand pounds. These guys in routing think they’re god pushing buttons and making our job a living hell.

Organizing
We need to organize peabody,ma. The peabody workers would receive the union benefits they deserve it has been long enough.

Production Standards
I feel the picking standard is not fair, you don't have any leeway at all. You have to stay busy at all times, you can't stop to talk for a minute or you lose five percent at least. I pick produce all the time, but when I go to dry goods I see a real big drop in the standard. I think we need more time so we don't all have to kill ourselves, there should be more time, especially since we are all getting older in the warehouse. The average picking age in our warehouse is probably 48 years of age and this is not taken in to consideration.

Another Junket
With all the layoffs and cut backs USFOODSERVICE Bridgeport division is now preparing a 4 day get away in South Beach Miami Fl, in January 2010.

Heavy Burden for US Foods Workers
I think US Foods employee's should look around , and see, how many friends have left, been let go, laid-off, had their positions eliminated. Blame the economy, corporate greed, or plain old mismanagement. Aside from the economy someone is orchestrating what is happening and what is not happening. The real question should be when will it end ,so we can start to rebuild, and make this group, of middle class American workers, Start to care again about what they "DO" and who they "DO" it for. This "TEAM" of management has done nothing, to help our core group of employees do our job better, just tell us, we are inefficient and we make too much money, Yet look around how many men do you know ,who have worked hard for years for this company, and now they have knee issues, back issues, hernias and shoulder problems, Never mind broken families from not being home to help with dinner, kids games or homework. It may take a strong back to do this job, but I think it takes a stronger woman to be a wife to a US foods employee. Knowing her man is out there in the weather driving or at night humping cases@ a kazzilion an hour, to provide for his family. Knowing when he is done he can come home to a smile and a good meal, and not be told all you do is eat and sleep here, when is it time for your family? I sit here at my computer wondering what will 2010 bring, steady work or a padlock on the gate. I also sit here and thank the TEAMSTERS for getting me good contracts ,good health care and a good pension, with fingers crossed that it will still be there for me when it is my turn to walk away and say I have had enough. Well my glass is empty, so I guess I'm done. I'd like to wish all US Foods TEAMSTER employee's a Happy New Year!, And I hope you survive this crisis to our company, our Union ,and our Country. TEAMSTA4EVA

Mismanagement
I have watched our branch go from 50k cases per night to about half that and even less on some nights. Management is "cleaning house" - getting rid of salesmen they say have not been performing, and not replacing them. They have allowed several national accounts to leave our facility without replacing them or even trying to get new work. We as workers are held to certain standards that if not met, can result in write-ups or termination......what happens to management when they screw up? NOTHING. I wonder if KKR and CD&R even know what is going on at some of their facilities? – Boston, MA

Routing
ROUTING!!! This is a problem when the people, that are routing the trucks, are going by salesmen and management. They're not listening to the drivers who know the customers, the time windows, the lunch hours, the late openers, and the early closers. Today, for instance, two trucks have to park in the same spot to deliver to two different customers. However, the two drivers took it upon them selves to coordinate the deliveries. One driver helped the other driver to finish his rout early, save fuel, time, and energy.

Workplace Safety First?
This company preaches safety this...and safety that...but when you bring a safety issue up to them, they beat around the bush trying to figure out where the money will come from to fix the problem. Need that hallway painted...no problem. Need a new microwave in the cafeteria...DONE. But fix a rack....forget about it. This company needs to seriously get its priorities in order. – Boston, MA

Job Security
Without local 628 we at Swedesboro NJ would not have a job!!!. Thanks to all the teamsters standing tall. –Swedesboro, NJ

Driving Down Morale
Driver morale is increasingly low due to idle mandates, TOO LOW!! And trucks unable to do the posted speed limits on I95, I64, I295, I83, etc...We are impeding the flow of traffic. We bend over backwards to best serve our customers with no gratitude. But we are quick to be criticized. LORD I TRULY MISS THE LATE TOM DEVLIN !!!!!!!! Morale during his time was 100 times higher then it is now. I have been a driver at USF for 19yrs. I was once proud to represent USF. Now I am suspect of what I hear on the street of our reputation. Not Good. –Severn, MD

More Mismanagement
My supervisor has never asked me to do anything unreasonable. He seems to be a very fair person. His boss seems to be hell bent about idle time, cell phone use, check in time and so forth. At every drivers meeting there is a new "you can do better". I think the end result is their bonus but I don't know... Routing is adjusted by pressure from the head of sales. I have driven on other routes by customers 2 or 3 times before they were scheduled for delivery so much for saving fuel. I think with management it is a blame game. It starts at the top and goes down from there. [According to them] if the load is late it is because of the router screwed up, not that the sales head promised the sales person that the load would be routed for an earlier delivery. Always remember that management will blame downhill from the very top to the very bottom where we work. If they could see their mistakes and adjust I think the company would do great. –Reno, NV

Production Standards
Since standards have been implemented, I see less people standing around talking!

Still More Mismanagement
While on the voluntary component pay program, seniority is not honored for backhauls (money making opportunities) which is in the contract. Unfortunately our "voluntary pay plan" is not in our contract-per management. They do this so they can change the rules as the game is played, always in their favor of course!!

Driving
I work for US Foods Plymouth. I think that if we are taking our breaks we should be able to idle our trucks to stay warm in the winter or to stay cool in the summer. – Plymouth, MN

Other
I have been working at US Foodservice for eleven years. I have not yet and hope not to encounter any problems in my workplace or future. I’m completely happy with working for US Foodservice because there has always been work for me during the years I have been there, even though there have been hard times it is still well maintained.