Drivers at XPO Logistics Inc.'s office in Cinnaminson, N.J., today voted to be represented by the Teamsters union, saying they seek retirement security and a halt to losing work to subcontractors, the Teamsters said.
Although it involved only two dozen employees, the drivers' 19-4 vote to become members of Teamsters Local 107 in Philadelphia was the latest chapter in a contentious fight between the two groups.
As a sprawling transportation and logistics concern, Greenwich, Conn.-based XPO has over 97,000 employees at 1,505 locations in 32 countries. Company Chairman and CEO Bradley Jacobs has often said he is opposed to union organization, and that the company itself is focused on creating the best possible workplace.
The Teamsters have been pushing to organize workers across XPO's range of port, freight, and warehouse facilities. In the most recent chapter of the saga, Teamsters representatives charged in a newspaper story on Sunday that XPO created unsafe working conditions for pregnant warehouse workers at a DC in Memphis, Tenn. XPO categorically denies the allegation, saying the allegations were fueled by Teamsters attempts to organize the facility.
In a statement about the vote, an XPO spokesperson said: "If the election stands, it will impact 24 drivers at our service center in Cinnaminson, New Jersey. It won't change the direct working relationship XPO enjoys with more than 45,000 employees across North America. The constructive relationship we have with our employees allows us to work directly together to serve our customers and make XPO an even better place to work."
Editor's note: This article was revised on Oct. 26 to include comment from XPO.
