Teamsters Refuse to Allow Sysco Workers to Vote on Industry-Leading Contracts

HOUSTON, Oct. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY) announced it had reached an impasse with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 653 in Boston and Local 317 in Syracuse.

Despite best efforts to bring the current work stoppage to an end, including offering industry leading wages, the Teamsters’ leadership has effectively rejected the companies’ offers and denied their members the right to vote on the proposed offer.

The parties have not been able to reach an agreement because Local 653 demanded Sysco Boston associates participate in the critically underfunded union-sponsored pension plan, a move that Sysco Boston believes is not good for its associates.

Sysco Boston associates already participate in a strong company-sponsored 401(k) retirement plan that allows them to choose from many investment options and includes guaranteed annual contributions and a match.

In addition, the Teamsters’ leadership is now threatening to unlawfully extend picket lines to other Sysco companies, acting on a Teamsters-driven national agenda that demonstrates a complete lack of care or concern for the impact these actions will have on our associates, their families, our customers, and the communities that depend on our customers for food.

The Teamsters’ agenda is aimed at gaining attention and promoting the interests of the union leadership. It will disrupt thousands of small businesses, hospitals may struggle to get their orders, children who rely on schools for their meals may not get them and the nation's supply chain will be further stressed.

Each Sysco company is committed to serving as many customers as possible. We are proud of the men and women who share this commitment by crossing the Teamsters’ picket lines to keep our trucks rolling and our communities fed.

Our top priority remains getting back to the negotiating table and reaching an agreement so associates can get back to their jobs and our customers can return to normal operations.

Sysco Boston offered:

• Industry-leading pay, including substantial wage increases of 32% over the life of the contract and 11% in Year 1.
• Drivers continue in the union-sponsored healthcare plan; Sysco Boston offered to increase the contribution rate to 80% from 75%, increasing the company’s financial investment by 20%.
• Sysco Boston associates to remain in the strong company-sponsored 401(k) retirement plan which includes multiple investment options, automatic annual contributions and a match.
  
  

Sysco Syracuse offered:

• Industry leading wages
  • Driver wages increase 9% in year 1 and 24% over the life of the contract
  • Warehouse wages increase 8% in year 1 and 22% over the life of the contract 

About Sysco

Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. With more than 58,000 associates, the company operates 343 distribution facilities worldwide and serves more than 650,000 customer locations. For fiscal 2021 that ended July 3, 2021, the company generated sales of more than $51 billion. Information about our CSR program, including Sysco’s 2021 Corporate Social Responsibility Report, can be found at .

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