Plainfield Continental Cafe members just ratified a strong contract after 9 weeks on strike. 

Members maintained a 24-7 picket line at three locations plus ambulatory picketing to ensure the company couldn’t conduct business as usual.

Teamsters from across Local 135 served as strike captains at the picket lines to support their brothers and sisters at Continental Cafe. 

Local 364 members, who are in bargaining now, also honored our picket lines. Local 135 is ready to stand with them if needed.

Fighting to Protect Members

Continental Cafe proposed commission cuts to fund a “smart” pre-pick system.

“That would have meant a $300 or $400 reduction in some of our drivers’ paychecks,” says Rhonda Banks, the Chief Steward at Plainfield.

To make up for the lost income, the company would have added dozens of stops and longer hours to some drivers’ routes while dropping other routes altogether.  

Teamsters stood strong and protected union standards under the new system. “We needed job security and to protect drivers’ income, and that’s what we won, plus so much more.”

100% of members honored the picket line for the duration of the 9-week strike.

“The company sees us as expendable,” says Lafayette Chief Steward Steve Hudson. “That’s why I was ready to walk through fire for my fellow members and honor their picket line.”

“I have so much faith in this union, its members and its leadership, seeing them fight like this,” adds Hudson.

Victory Through Solidarity

The company folded in the face of unbreakable solidarity. “We needed job security and to protect drivers’ income, and that’s what we won, plus so much more,” says Banks. 

The new contract features significant increases to retirement benefits, an additional week of vacation, significant pay increases for hourly members, and a freeze on union health insurance premiums for the life of the contract–NO increases.

What’s Banks’ advice to other Teamsters fighting corporate greed? “Stay 100% solid. Do that and you’ll win.”