Ron Long has been working at YRC Inc.’s less-than-truckload distribution center in Strafford since October 1987. Even with two decades of seniority, he’s expecting to be among the dozens of laid-off YRC workers by summer.
According to Long, a switcher at the center, YRC’s Strafford employees met on Feb. 22 to learn about the company’s plans for a change of operations, which includes closing the distribution center on State Highway OO and turning it into a significantly smaller, satellite terminal. The move means 49 positions would be eliminated in Strafford, he said.
“We knew there was a change of operations in the works. That’s nothing new in the trucking business,” Long said. “We thought they might move some of the smaller satellite terminals this way. That didn’t pan out.”
Overland Park, Kan.-based YRC employs 59,000 companywide, and operates 430 service centers, according to www.yrc.com. The company was formed by a 2008 merger between Yellow Transportation Inc. and Roadway Express Inc.
YRC’s Strafford center currently employs about 70, Long said. Another 70 dock workers lost their jobs in stages during the past year, he added.
Strafford center manager Jeff Stark declined to comment on the changes, referring calls to YRC’s corporate office. Tracy Memoli, vice president at YRC’s New York-based public relations firm Linden Alschuler & Kaplan Public Relations, said via e-mail that YRC declined to comment.
Springfield Business Journal obtained the change of operation details through the International Brotherhood of Teamsters’ message board at www.teamstersonline.com. Among the documents posted is correspondence from YRC’s Vice President of Labor Relations Lamar Beinhower to trucking union officials indicating that Strafford’s distribution center is the most severely affected of the 40 centers in the Central Region.
The documents, labeled Change of Operations (Article 8, Section 6) and addressed to International Brotherhood of Teamsters President James P. Hoffa and union bargaining arm Trucking Management Inc. President David Smith, said Strafford would lose 49 jobs, with a Chicago distribution center being the next hardest hit at 20 jobs. In all, 157 positions would be cut and 119 positions would be added.
“Out of all the losers on the list, we are by far going to be the biggest losers,” Long said. “I don’t think we’re going to get an award for being biggest losers, either.”
The YRC document notes that the Strafford center would eliminate 31 cartage positions – which Long describes as switcher, yard and pick up and delivery jobs – 11 road driver positions, five maintenance/janitor positions and two clerical positions. If plans for the change of operations go through, 16 dock workers and two supervisors would remain in Strafford, Long said YRC officials told the staff last week.
Teamsters Local 245 Business Agent Harvey Ritter said those changes aren’t set in stone yet. Ritter, who represents YRC employees at all classification levels, said the company has to answer the union’s questions about the proposed changes, and YRC is contractually obligated to hold a change of operations hearing. That hasn’t happened yet, he noted.
In his correspondence to national union leaders, YRC’s Beinhower requested a multiregion change of operations hearing as soon as possible. He also referred to discussions between the company and union representatives about the proposed changes.
Ritter said a timeline to set the hearing isn’t laid out contractually, but it would be beneficial to the company to act quickly.
“There are a lot of questions, and a lot of answers will bring more questions that they will then have to give satisfactory answers for. They’re aware of this,” Ritter said. “Changes of operations happen a lot in the trucking industry.”
The union has the right to approve or object to the proposal, Ritter said. If the proposal is approved, affected employees would have the opportunity to apply for positions at other YRC terminals, for which the company would provide moving and temporary lodging expenses, Ritter said.
But more positions will be lost than can be replaced at terminals within the state. Columbia’s terminal will lose two drivers, while eight positions will be added in Kansas City, according to YRC’s proposed changes, which also notes St. Louis will pick up seven cartage positions and one maintenance job but lose six road driver positions.
Long, even with 22 years of seniority, isn’t expecting to keep one of the 16 remaining Strafford positions. Conservatively, he said, he expects to be No. 20 on the list of workers vying for those spots. If even a couple of people retire, Long said he might inch up to No. 17 or 18.
This installment of Springfield Business Journal’s Architects & Engineers Project Report showcases 26 endeavors by area design and engineering professionals.
