JAMAX LOSES WRONGFUL DISCHARGE

By: Mike Henderson, Business Representative
Republic Industries doing business as Jamax in Terre Haute, Indiana failed in their attempts to discharge Terry Troxel, Sr. On October 15,2007, Terry was involved in an accident with his company trash removal truck and the Company discharged him immediately. After taking his grievance through the steps of the grievance procedure and being denied at each step, Local 135 had no choice but to take the grievance to arbitration. With the help of William Groth, Counsel for Local 135, the arbitration suit was won. Terry received full back pay for all time lost, all health and welfare and pension benefits lost due to the discharge case.

"I want to thank all of the people that work at Teamsters Local 135 for their help. If it weren't for people like Danny Barton, President of Local 135 and Mike Henderson, Business Representative, I wouldn't have gotten anything." Said Terry Troxel.

Congratulations

Your application was drawn from the Michael W. Carver, Sr. Scholarship, which you will receive $1000.00 for your son Jimmy's education.

Again, Congratulations and Local 135 is proud to offer this worthwhile program to our members and their families

Fraternally, Teamsters Local Union NO. 135
Danny L. Barton
President

Mike Gillespie Business Representative - Winner Paul H Strathmann

Teamsters 135 wins recognition of UPS Cartage Company March 2006

Thanks to the help of the International, Local 135 has organized 20 new members of UPS Cartage Company located in Indianapolis Indiana. The former Menlo Distribution was acquired by UPS, and the International worked an agreement out with UPS that if the Local Union signed up former Menlo employees within a year, UPS would agree to a card check and if the Union demonstrated majority status the company would recognize the Union as the exclusive bargaining representative. Local 135 acted quickly and became one of the first to organize the new workers. Organizer Jeff Combs and Vice President Ralph Brooks worked with the new members and the company, securing a contract that improved the employees' wages and benefits in all areas by wide margins, also negotiating the expiration to expire with the Masters UPS agreement. We welcome our new members into this great organization.

Local 135 avoids strike, wins new company James H. Drew Corporation April 2006

Tired of being taken for granted, being non union in a company that has many union members in other divisions, employees of James H. Drew Corporation won the right to Teamsters 135 representation one week after signing cards with 135 organizer Rudy Valadez. Workers at the fabrication plant supply the heavy highway companies doing work on construction projects. Drew refused to recognize 135 and requested that the union go to the NLRB to ask for a election. Secretary-Treasurer Brian R. Buhle advised the company that the union intended to strike for recognition as the employees were ready for a quick resolution.

Filing with the NLRB can take six to eight weeks or longer to get an election. The employer called over the weekend to avert a strike and the union and the company met Monday morning and reached an agreement with the company in which they agreed to card check recognition after the one week period. Teamsters won and the workers are now union members ready to sit down and bargain their first union contract. Thanks to the courage of the workers they reached their objectives in one week instead of eight. Welcome to Local 135.

Building Construction Ratifies Agreement

Provided by Business Agent Bill Turner

Larson Danielson, 302 Tyler Street, LaPorte, IN and Tonn & Blank, 1623 Greenwood Avenue, Michigan City, IN ratifies a new 1-year agreement. Members retained the same health & welfare coverage along with a pension and wage increase. Larson Danielson and Tonn & Blank are well known contractors throughout these areas. Larson Danielson has 3 Local 135 members and Tonn & Blank has 7 Local 135 members.