Information released by Teamster Local 734

Decision Finally Reached In Local 734's Bread & Cake Sales Drivers' Arbitration

As all of you know, we have been awaiting the arbitrator's decision. Instead of printing the entire decision, we will touch on the actual decisions of the arbitrator. Below are the issues raised by the Union.

Whether the Companies violated the Agreement by improperly paying commissions on promotional goods delivered to customers at the sale price in the course of a sales promotional goods delivered to customers at the sale price prior to the date of the special promotion?

"I find no merit to the Union's contention that it is a contract violation to require drivers under the special promotion exception, to be selling products to their customer at the discounted price before the product actually goes on sale. I find it to be a reasonable application of the special sale exception that the lower priced sale product be put into the store the day before the sale and, in the case of the Wednesday down day, that the product be delivered on a Tuesday and that the commission be paid on the sales price in these cases, In the circumstances of a special promotion, it is not unreasonable to pay commission on the lower sale price for product delivered a day or two before the sale starts, especially considering that the Employer's revenue is also being reduced as a result of the lower price."

THIS ASPECT OF THE GRIEVANCE IS DENIED

Whether the Companies violated the Agreement by improperly charging drivers for returned goods at the conclusion of the Promotion?

"It is clearly inconsistent to calculate a commission on the net at the point of delivery and then, with the return, abandon the new concept set forth In the Contract Language. The calculation of commission extends through the return for which the grievant receives credit. Under Article 2, Section 9, Drivers are to be paid a commission on promotional sales based on the "net" price of such item after a discount or allowance has been deducted." When the product for which they have received a commission on that net sales price is removed as returns, it is improper to modify that basis of payment by charging the driver for the return at full price. In whatever manner the customer may be credited by the Employer; the driver shall be credited for returns at the price upon which his commission had been figured when he brought the product to the customer. This part of the Grievance is granted. In view of the circumstances, however, this award will have prospective effect commencing July I, 2001."

This is the decision of arbitrator James R. Cox. As per our contract the decision is final and binding We were successful in getting Credit for returns, but as you have read, the Arbitrator ruled that the Companies, per the contract have been paying commissions properly for discounted products. We are halfway there.

The parts of the arbitration that we lost can only be resolved through contract negotiations when our current Agreement expires on November 9, 2002. we all wish we could have won all aspects of the arbitration. However, at least the favorable decision will put more money into our pockets.

LaSalle Moves

The installation of temporary quarters for LaSalle Bank’s Edison Park facility led to paving of a vacant site in the 6600 block of Northwest Highway northwest of Oxford Avenue. The site, cleared of two frame houses several years ago, is now owned by Martin McGuire and Jim Martin, who operate Emerald Isle, 6686 N. Northwest Highway. Emerald Isle, which has no valet parking service, has started using the lot for its customers after banking hours, freeing other street parking spaces.

LaSalle Bank, 6665 N. Northwest Highway, shut down its office in December to make way for a new building on the site. The temporary branch will operate for about a year, until the former LaSalle branch and the Preform Parking building behind it are demolished and construction is completed on the new bank building. The trailer will be removed and between 10 and 15 additional spaces will be added. At that time the lot will be exclusively used by Emerald Isle.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 734, is constructing an building, which will contain offices for the union’s welfare/pension fund, a meeting hall and underground parking.

The office building is being built at the corner of Northwest Highway and Olympia Avenue. The new bank building, also part of the project, will be constructed along the Oxford Avenue side of the site. A parking lot for about 35 vehicles will also be added to the site. There was early discussion about making the lot available to restaurant patrons after the banking hours, but it appears unlikely at this time.

New Hall News  (12/28/2000)

The streetscape of the Edison Park business strip on Northwest Highway is changing. Site preparation is underway at Olympia and Northwest Highway, replacing a former gas station with a union hall and administrative headquarters for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 734.

Thomas Boehm, fund administrator for the Bread Drivers Union, presented plans Oct. 4 to the 41st Ward Zoning Advisory Board. The Board approved two special use permits at its following meeting.

The union headquarters will occupy the east end of the 6600 block of North Northwest Highway, with offices at ground level and its union hall and some parking underground. The union will build LaSalle Bank a new, larger branch on the corner of Oxford and Northwest Highway with drive-through lanes and ground level parking.

One of the first challenges of the job is removing 2,200 tons of contaminated soil from the gas station site. The bank operations will be moved to a temporary branch while its new building is built.

Bakery drivers to build union hall in Edison

Pioneer Press

BY ALAN SCHMIDT
STAFF WRITER

By this time next year, the 6600 block of North Northwest Highway could look a lot different.

A proposal has been made by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 734 for a new, larger LaSalle Bank branch, 6665 N. Northwest Highway, and a new union headquarters at the east end of the block. Presentations were made to the 41st Ward Zoning Advisory Board Oct. 4 and to the Edison Park Community Council on Oct. 13.

The bank’s present building, which has about 1,900 square feet of space, will be torn down and replaced by a one-story, 3,200 square-foot branch with three drive-through lanes exiting onto Oxford Avenue. The union headquarters building will have about 9,000 square feet of space. The union headquarters building will have offices on the first floor and a union hall and 25 spaces of underground parking in its basement, accessed from Olympia Avenue.

Both buildings will be positioned along the sidewalk on Northwest Highway, as are other storefronts in the business district. There will be a 36-space parking lot north of the bank. The lot will be landscaped. Trees will be planted along Oxford, Olympia and Northwest Highway.

The preliminary plan calls for bank customers to enter from Northwest Highway. Vehicles leaving the drive-through lanes would be required to turn left onto Oxford to return to the highway.

Zoning Advisory Board member Dean Genzlinger said that may lead to traffic tie-ups on southeast bound Northwest Highway as vehicles wait to make a left turn. Carl Darr, of Gibson/Darr Architecture said traffic flow is something that is still being worked out.

The Bread Drivers Union purchased all of the property on the end of the block, north of the highway to the alley, and from Olympia to Oxford avenues. The union closed on the last of four parcels at the end of September, said Thomas Boehm, Local 734 fund administrator. Right now the union rents space at Teamsters City, 300 S. Ashland Ave.

Demolition of buildings on the site, except for the bank building, could begin in a couple of weeks. When it does come time to raze the bank building, a temporary facility will be provided on-site until the new branch is ready to open.

One obstacle in the way is about 2,200 tons of contaminated soil at 6643 N. Northwest Highway, which was operated as a gas station until the 1980s. Northwest Car Care was the last business to operate there.

Former Chicago Bear Emery Moorehead and his company, Moorehead Construction Services, will tackle the job of cleaning up the site.

Though the union and its team of architects and contractors have done a lot of work behind the scenes to make sure all of the different stages of construction begin on cue, they still must appear before the Zoning Advisory Board on Nov. 8.

The union will present proposals for special use permits for the planned drive-through and union meeting hall. The site plan also must be approved by the Department of Planning and Development, the Zoning Board of Appeals and City Council. Boehm said he hopes to begin work on the site before winter sets in. The union has a standing membership of about 2,000, but only about 50 members normally show up at the eight to nine general meetings. Meetings are held on the third Saturday of each month at 8 p.m. There are no general meetings during the summer months.

The Bread Drivers Union Local 734 was established in 1903. The late Mayor Richard J. Daley was a member early in his career.

“We plan on staying here for the next 100 years,” Boehm said. “This is something we are very excited about.”

Local 734 Continues Making Progress On New Union Hall

    The dream of a new union hall is nearly complete, as Local 734 has
already closed on three of the four parcels of land involved, and is preparing to close on the fourth very soon. When this project is complete, it will give the membership a brand new modern facility to call home.
    The Pension Board approved this plan back in February. To build its new union hall, Local 734 purchased an entire city block off Northwest Highway. Architectural drawings, prepared by Gibson/Darr Architects, have been approved, the site plan has been approved by the city's planning commission and City Council, and ground is expected to be broken in late October or early November of this year. If all goes as planned, the grand opening will take place in early spring 2002. Moorehead Construction, a minority project management firm, is supervising the project.

A New Place To Call "Home"

"We are all really excited about thisproject," said Local 734 President Brian Meidel. "It will not only give our union a new image, but will give us additional room for membership meetings and other union activities. This building will also benefit the members in that instead of sending our rental dollars to another local union, Local 734 will now invest our dollars into our own facility, saving members money in the long run."
    When complete, the total cost of this project will be in the $7 to $8 million range. This building will give Local 734 a meeting hall capable of holding 300 people. This hall can also be rented out for union meetings or activities as the union wishes.The union is taking additional steps now that will enable the union to add a second and third floor to this building in the future if the need arises. The building's architecture will conform to the rest of the neighborhood, and will conform with Mayor Daley's plan to "green up the city" with trees and additional landscaping. In addition to the principle union hall building, the site plan also encompasses an "outlet" which will be used for abank. Both buildings will be brick, and built with 100 percent union labor.
    "This building will be a first-class facility that all members can look to
with pride," President Meidel said. "This project shows that our union is
committed to doing what we can to modernize, update and improve service for the membeship as we move forward into the 21st century."

BAKERY DRIVERS DELIVER THREE NEW EQUITY ASSIGNMENTS

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Last modified: April 08, 2003