YRCW Restructure

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Proposed Freight Agreement Has Concessions

As expected, the proposed National Master Freight Agreement secures the $1 an hour needed to protect our pensions and health benefits.

It also contains concessions that severely weaken our contract.

Freight Teamsters need to take a hard look and decide for themselves: Is the proposed deal the best contract we can win?

Concessions

The tentative deal weakens our contract in several key areas.

Utility Drivers. The tentative agreement would allow "utility drivers" who could do both road and city work. Utility drivers would receive a slight pay premium, reportedly $1 per hour (a 4% premium). This would be similar to extending the Premium Service language to the entire contract.

Low-Wage Casuals. The tentative agreement would allow $14 per hour part-time casuals.

Longer Progression. The tentative agreement would reportedly make the new-hire rate even longer, stretching it out to four years. It would provide that a CDL-qualified new-hire would start at 85% pay (instead of 75%), but with the longer period, that's no gain, just more pain.

Economics

Wages. Reports indicate wages of $2.20 over the five year contract, ending in 2013. That would be an average of 1.9% increase per year. Reportedly it would be 50¢-40¢-45¢-40¢-45¢. Road mileage increases would be 1.25¢-1¢-1.125¢-1¢-1.125¢.

Benefits. $1 per year into pension and health and welfare. In most areas, it will be 35¢ health and welfare, 65¢ pension per year. This is the pattern set in the UPS contract and necessary to protect benefits.

Overtime. Reportedly new language would limit overtime during layoffs through a formula that would require carriers to recall a laid-off Teamster if a certain number of excess OT hours are worked.

UPS Freight: Raise Their Standards or Slash Ours?

Some Freight Division officers say we need to make givebacks because UPS Freight poses a threat to Yellow, Roadway, ABF and other union carriers.

The contract signed at Indianapolis UPS Freight by Hoffa and Ken Hall is far below the NMFA. The contract there includes a frozen company pension, $150/month employee co-pays for healthcare, and low-paid part-timers.

No doubt the substandard UPS Freight contract in Indianapolis is a threat to the NMFA, especially because UPS Freight is now going to move into long-haul freight.
But the UPS Freight contract covers only one terminal. Instead of slashing our standards, local unions and the Freight Division should organize UPS Freight terminals, and bargain jointly with the company to win NMFA standards.

That's a union solution that freight Teamsters can get behind. Bring UPS Freight up, not the NMFA down.

The International Union is refusing to give out information or copies of the tentative deal. It is possible that a quickie vote may be held after they release the tentative agreement in early January.

Get the facts. Talk with other Teamsters. It's your contract, your union and your decision.

YRC Logistics Enters Definitive Agreement to Acquire Shanghai Jiayu Logistics Co., Ltd.

SHANGHAI, China and OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Dec. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- YRC Worldwide Inc. (Nasdaq:YRCW) announced that YRC Logistics has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Shanghai Jiayu Logistics Co., Ltd., one of the largest providers of less-than-truckload ground transportation services in China, with over 30,000 customers, 1,800 employees and a network of over 3,000 vehicles.

"China continues to be one of the fastest growing markets for our customers and an important part of YRC Worldwide's overall strategy," said Bill Zollars, Chairman, President and CEO of YRC Worldwide. "The acquisition of Jiayu allows us to provide reliable ground transportation and is the next step in building a comprehensive portfolio of logistics services for our customers in China."

"Jiayu has outstanding technology, comprehensive network coverage throughout China and a solid management team who will stay with the company," said Jim Ritchie, President of YRC Logistics.

YRC Logistics will acquire 65% of the stock of Jiayu for between US $29.5 million to US $43 million, based upon Jiayu's final 2007 financial performance. YRC Logistics expects to purchase the remaining 35% interest in 2010 for an amount not to exceed $32 million, as determined by the level of Jiayu's 2008-09 financial performance. All payments will be made in Chinese yuan, and their estimated dollar equivalents are provided in this release.

Completion of the acquisition is subject to Chinese regulatory approvals, restructuring of certain of Jiayu's operations and other ordinary conditions to closing. The parties have targeted closing of the transaction for the second quarter of 2008.

Forward Looking Statements:

This news release (and oral statements made regarding the subjects of this release) contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The words "will", "expects" and "targeted" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. YRC Worldwide's expectations regarding the completion (and timing of the completion) of the acquisition of Jiayu is only YRC Worldwide's expectation regarding the completion. Completion of the acquisition is subject to Chinese regulatory approvals, restructuring of certain of Jiayu's operations and the satisfaction or waiver of the other conditions to closing contained in the definitive agreement. YRC Logistic's expectations regarding the purchase of the additional 35% of Jiayu in 2010 is only its expectations regarding this matter. YRC Logistics is required to purchase this 35% if Jiayu meets certain financial targets. If Jiayu does not meet these targets, YRC Logistics has a call option that it may or may not exercise, to purchase the remaining 35% at a lesser price.

About YRC Logistics:

YRC Logistics, a wholly owned subsidiary of YRC Worldwide Inc., is a global logistics company. Based in Overland Park, Kansas, and with offices in North America, Asia, Europe and South America, YRC Logistics enables companies to improve their transportation network and overall supply chain efficiency by offering flexible logistics solutions supported by web-hosted technology and global logistics management capabilities.

About YRC Worldwide Inc.:

YRC Worldwide Inc., a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest transportation service providers in the world, is the holding company for a portfolio of successful brands including Yellow Transportation, Roadway, Reimer Express, YRC Logistics, New Penn, USF Holland, USF Reddaway, and USF Glen Moore. The enterprise provides global transportation services, transportation management solutions and logistics management. The portfolio of brands represents a comprehensive array of services for the shipment of industrial, commercial and retail goods domestically and internationally. Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, YRC Worldwide employs approximately 60,000 people.

SOURCE YRC Worldwide Inc.

Omnibus Spending Bill Has Language Denying Mexican Truck Program Funds

By Rossella Brevetti

The omnibus spending bill (H.R. 2764) passed by the House Dec. 17 contains language denying funds for the Transportation Department's pilot program under which 100 Mexican trucks would be able to travel freely within the United States to make cargo deliveries.
Mexico-domiciled trucks have been limited to the commercial zones along the borders of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. The pilot program was developed to comply with the North American Free Trade Agreement's trucking provisions that have been delayed.

President Bush has threatened to veto the spending measure if its passes in its present form.

The House approved the measure by a 253-154 vote. The Senate could vote on it as early as the evening of Dec. 18.

Under NAFTA, which entered into force on Jan. 1, 1994, Mexican trucks were to have been given complete access to four U.S. border states in 1995 and access throughout the United States in 2000. But the Clinton administration, citing safety concerns, failed to implement the trade agreement's trucking provisions.

In February 2007, the Department of Transportation announced a one-year pilot program that would allow a limited number of Mexican trucks to deliver goods within the continental United States (37 DLR A-8, 2/26/07 ).

DOT began operation of the cross-border trucking program Sept. 6 after a court challenge brought by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters was preliminarily denied (174 DLR A-11).

Road Drivers Hold Harmless Agreement

An Indemnity Agreement to Hold a Road Driver Harmless in the event of civil or criminal liabilities.

A Road Driver's Hold Harmless? A wonderful tool to have in your briefcase when a dispatcher directs you to run an illegal load.

Any Road Driver that has been on the job for a decent length of time has been dispatched an illegal load or two. Some Road Drivers do it on a weekly basis without concern of their own welfare. Some Driver's refuse to run an illegal load. If the worst scenario were to occur and the Road Driver were jailed for a criminal offense, it's the Driver that is prosecuted, not his employer. It's happened before and it will happen again.

Jim Larsen, a Yellow Transportation Safety Supervisor recently reported the "MCMIS Carrier Profile for YRCW Operating Companies" The purpose of the report was to list out by company under the YRCW umbrella the top five violations of each company. Yellow Transportations top violation was overweight loads. This accounted for 19.96% of Yellow's violations during the period of 11/21/2006 and 11/20/2007.

The 19.96% may be a drop in the bucket, however during the holiday travel and winter weather, more accidents occur. If an incident occurred while going down the road with an over weight load, resulting in harm to a family off to see Grandma, the Road Driver is subject to being jailed. One of the first things law enforcement will do when investigating a fatality is check for FMCSA violations.

So with that in mind, when confronted with a testy dispatcher that refuses to scale a load, have them sign this document. Here at Road Drivers Weekly News, we assure you management won't sign the document. Perhaps however, the dispatcher might think twice and have the load corrected of it's violation(s).

View the hold harmless HERE

RoadDrivers.Org
Post Office Box 891975
Oklahoma City, OK. 73189-1975

Tentative Agreement with YRC

The IBT Freight Division announced they reached a tentative agreement with Yellow Roadway, but no information about the deal has been released. The proposed tentative agreement will be five years, running until 2013. The IBT press release says the deal will "allow the unionized companies a chance to better compete against the nonunionized freight companies." Officials in the Freight Division say these concessions are aimed primarily at competing with UPS Freight, where Hoffa signed a contract in Indianapolis well below NMFA standards and costs.Reports indicate that the benefit contribution will be, as expected, $1 per hour each year, to maintain health and pension benefits. We will make information available to members as soon as possible.

Bargaining will now shift to ABF.We expect ABF will be held to the same contract.

The proposed contract will be presented to local officers on January 8 and members will vote on it following that.

Click here to sign up for updates at Freight2008.org.

YRC Worldwide and Teamsters Reach Tentative Agreement on New Five-Year Contract

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Dec. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- YRC Worldwide Inc. (Nasdaq:YRCW) announced today that its TMI member subsidiaries have reached a tentative agreement with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) on a new five-year labor contract covering most dockworkers, drivers and certain other union employees. The present National Master Freight Agreement (NMFA) expires March 31, 2008.

"The early outcome of these negotiations is positive for our employees and positive for our customers," said Mike Smid, President and CEO of YRC North American Transportation. "With the major hurdle of the NMFA behind us, we are now positioned to remain competitive in a very challenging industry environment."

Trucking Management Inc. (TMI) is the multi-employer bargaining representative for the following YRC Worldwide subsidiaries: Yellow Transportation, Roadway and USF Holland. The YRC Worldwide subsidiary New Penn has also agreed to accept the terms of the tentative agreement. The agreement does not become effective until ratification by the Teamster membership.

About YRC Worldwide Inc.

YRC Worldwide Inc., a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest transportation service providers in the world, is the holding company for a portfolio of successful brands including Yellow Transportation, Roadway, Reimer Express, YRC Logistics, New Penn, USF Holland, USF Reddaway, and USF Glen Moore. The enterprise provides global transportation services, transportation management solutions and logistics management. The portfolio of brands represents a comprehensive array of services for the shipment of industrial, commercial and retail goods domestically and internationally. Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, YRC Worldwide employs approximately 66,000 people.

SOURCE YRC Worldwide Inc.

Initial Freight Proposals

Teamsters for a Democratic Union
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