More than 1,100 DHL Express Teamsters at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) went on strike Thursday, protesting what they call "unfair labor practices" and demanding the company negotiate a new and fair contract.
"The company forced this work stoppage, but DHL has the opportunity to right this wrong by respecting our members and coming to terms on a strong contract," said Bill Davis, President of Local 100.
The Teamsters represent more than 6,000 members at DHL (CCJ Top 250, No. 35) in the U.S., and seeks to organize more of DHL's U.S. workforce. DHL CVG ramp and tug workers joined the Teamsters in April and the Teamsters Negotiating Committee has been bargaining with DHL since July. Local 100 has also filed unfair labor practice charges against DHL with the National Labor Relations Board.
In a statement provided to CCJ Thursday morning, DHL Express said it was continuing contract negotiations with Local 100.
"Unfortunately, the U.S. Teamsters have decided to try and influence these negotiations and pressure the company to agree to unreasonable contract terms by announcing a job action in CVG Thursday morning." the company said. "DHL Express was fully prepared for this anticipated tactic and has enacted contingency plans, which include replacement staff at CVG Hub and removing flights and volume away from CVG to other key strategic DHL locations throughout the Americas Region. This job action is also anticipated to receive sympathy support at various pickup and delivery locations across the U.S. We are prepared for these additional sympathy actions with replacement staff to ensure we maintain full-service capabilities for our customers."
Teamsters Local 100 loads and unloads airplanes at the company's largest and busiest logistics hub in North America.
While there is no agreed upon deadline for contract negotiations, DHL in its statement said it is "committed to working in good faith at the December negotiating sessions and have offered further negotiating dates in January to conclude this matter."
