Vol. 72/No. 47      December 1, 2008

The union has filed unfair labor practices charges against the company, saying it used “intimidation” to influence workers to accept its contract terms. The union has been working under a pact that expired in September 2007.

Company spokesman Mike Hobby denied the unfair practices charges, saying Oak Harbor Trucking would use employees who choose to work and replacement employees where necessary, reported the Portland Business Journal.

According to the Seattle Post Intelligencer, Hobby said that 177 of the strikers had returned to work. Dan Jurpik, who has worked for 14-and-a-half years at Oak Harbor, said the union counts 70 workers or so at the 17 terminals who have crossed the picket line of the 578 on strike. According to the union, if the National Labor Relations Board rules in the union’s favor all the striking workers will have to be rehired.

Workers on the picket line at the company’s main terminal here said some of the issues to be resolved in a new contract include termination of retirees’ health benefits and whether the workers should remain in the Teamsters’ sponsored medical plan.

Workers have been following scabs to where they are making pickups or deliveries and picketing the Oak Harbor drivers. Replacement drivers are being supplied by Modern Staffing and Security.

On October 21, supporters of the strike unfurled a huge banner on the face of a building of the Gap headquarters in San Francisco. It said, “Don’t Harbor Oak Harbor’s Retiree’s Abuses.” The trucking company transports merchandise for the Gap on the West Coast.  
 
 
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