Sysco South Florida Workers Vote 'Teamsters Yes'

MIAMI, Aug. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sysco workers notched another union election victory today after 130 warehouse workers voted for Teamsters Local 769 representation. The workers join 132 drivers at Sysco South Florida who won their election to join the union in February.

Travis McCrea, 35, a forklift putaway worker, said increasing insurance costs and the company's two-year anti-union campaign in the warehouse drove him and his co-workers to victory. "Every year Sysco increase the insurance, but they don't increase the wages. I was tired of the promises to fix things. I wasn't turning around and wasn't letting anybody else turn around, either."

Today's victory is the fifth union election win at a Florida Sysco facility since 2016, with nearly 500 workers voting overwhelmingly for a voice in the workplace. "Florida workers are fed up with Sysco's abuse of the law, its bullying in the workplace," said Josh Zivalich, President of Teamsters Local 769. "They know a Teamster contract is their only protection and they're willing to stand together to fight for fairness and justice."

Sysco [NYSE: SYY] is North America's largest broadline foodservice company, providing food and supplies to restaurants, schools, hospitals and government accounts. The company is under federal investigation for violations of labor law in multiple states. Regions of the National Labor Relations Board have found merit to charges including unlawful termination, surveillance and intimidation during union organizing campaigns.

"Teamsters represent more than 10,000 workers at 50 of 84 Sysco and Sysco-Sygma distribution centers nationwide – and those ranks are growing steadily," said Steve Vairma, Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. "Sysco managers and executives seem to think being the biggest broadliner means it can get away with anything. But workers across the country are proving them wrong by winning elections, negotiating agreements and enforcing their contracts. These brave men and women won't stop until they find justice."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:
Ted Gotsch, (202) 624-6911
tgotsch@teamster.org

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SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters