Update 9//17/25

Today, Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien and Teamsters members from Corewell Health East and Breakthru Beverage joined Representatives Donald Norcross (D-NJ,1st District), Pete Stauber (R-MN, 8th District), and union allies for the introduction of the Faster Labor Contracts Act. 

This legislation would require employers to collectively bargain with newly organized workers within 10 days of voting to form their union. 

“When passed, the Faster Labor Contracts Act will put working families in this country back at the center of the American economy, and it has the potential to transform entire industries for the better,” O’Brien said. “This legislation is one of the most consequential bills for organized labor in generations. The Teamsters Union is calling on Congress to take this bipartisan bill seriously and pass it.” 

In the fall of 2024, 10,000 nurses at Corewell Health East in Michigan and 160 Breakthru Beverage drivers in Florida organized with the Teamsters Union and are currently working to secure their first collective bargaining agreements. Teamsters joined lawmakers to share their experience fighting for a first contract and made the case for passage of the bill. 

“The Faster Labor Contracts Act would make it so companies can’t drag their feet during contract negotiations, like Breakthru Beverage has been doing,” said Yuniel Sancillena, a member of Teamsters Local 79 and a 10-year driver at Breakthru Beverage. “This legislation would force management to come back to the table and hammer out a deal or face stiff penalties.” 

The bill was originally introduced in the Senate earlier this year by Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) and has continued to gain strong bipartisan, bicameral support. 

“The fact that the Faster Labor Contracts Act has bipartisan support is the icing on the cake, and it drives home the point that the future of the working class in this country should never be a partisan issue,” said Jason Fratangelo, a nurse at Corewell Health East and member of Teamsters Local 2024. “This legislation will discourage employers from dragging their feet at the negotiating table, which is exactly what Corewell Health East is trying to do right now with 10,000 Teamsters nurses.”

Today, nearly 200 Teamsters gathered in Washington, D.C. for the annual Political Coordinators Meeting. Teamsters Federal Legislative Director Sunshine McBride welcomed attendees and gave a recap of our recent legislative successes.

During the day-long session, Teamsters heard from Assistant Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division Gail Slater, American Compass Policy Advisor Daniel Kishi, and U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Adam Schiff (D-CA).

Throughout the day, Teamsters began to prepare to lobby on key legislative priorities later in the week. A new initiative, the Teamsters Candidate Recruitment Project, was also announced, which seeks to encourage Teamsters to run for political office and provides assistance for members interested in doing so.

Teamsters California and the Amazon Teamsters Division applaud the California Senate for passing Assembly Bill 288 (AB 288), which would enhance California's ability to protect workers' rights to organize in the face of increasing attempts by employers to rip away worker protections under the National Labor Relations Act.

The push for AB288 comes amid an attempt by billionaires like Jeff Bezos to undermine federal law by having the NLRB declared unconstitutional.

“Amazon respects neither its employees nor federal law and that’s all the proof we need that it’s more urgent than ever to pass AB 288,” said Vanessa Valdez, an Amazon Teamster at DAX5 in the City of Industry, Calif. “The only way this greedy company will negotiate a fair contract with workers like me is if it’s forced to.”

The Teamsters call on Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign this important legislation that protects workers and holds companies like Amazon accountable.

Hundreds of Teamsters joined General President Sean M. O’Brien, General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman, and Organizing Director Chris Rosell in marching to Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke’s office in Chicago to demand that she honor her promise to let staff organize with the Teamsters Union.

Then-candidate for Cook County State’s Attorney, Burke offered her support for more than 750 assistant state’s attorneys’ right to collectively bargain and form a union. Since becoming elected in 2024, Burke has changed her tune and is fighting back against her staff’s desire to organize.

After the rally concluded, attendees returned to the Teamsters Organizing Boot Camp Conference to participate in workshops on various tactics and tools for growing union density.