TEAMSTERS LOCAL 533
NORTHERN NEVADA/NORTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA


BREAKING NEWS

Reno City Council rolls over for Waste Management—>again
Barbano: Workers, ratepayers, taxpayers & competitors all harmed, as usual

Two monopolies for the price of one
By Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review / 9-5-2013


FLOWER CHILDREN (8-22-2013) Left to right — Nicholas Koski (age 8), Jesse Brown (age 11), and Avery Koski (age 8), deliver 30 bouquets to the Hearthstone of Northern Nevada skilled medical and rehabilitation facility in Sparks. The floral flourishes were obtained by Teamsters Local 533 Office Administrator/Dispatcher Lynnelle Carter, mother of Avery and Nicholas.

Hoffa & other major union leaders blast Obamacare for hurting health plans
Labor starts to bail: Democratic health care plan support erodes
By Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review 8-1-2013

Former Local 533 Business Agent Al Tarson dies

Alfred David Tarson
June 1, 1930 — September 24, 2012

Alfred David Tarson, Born June 1, 1930 in Brooklyn, New York, passed away on September 24, 2012, at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas, NV. His wife, Arline Tarson, was at his side at the time of his passing.

His parents were David Tarson, born in Latvia, and Serafina Antkiewicz-Tarson, born in Poland. His sibling, Irene Leone, pre-deceased of Sacramento, California.

Alfred (Al) served 5 years in the US Navy during the Korean conflict.After his military career, he drove a bus for Trailways for 30 years, and he also worked as a conductor on the railroad for a short time.

In 1976 he moved to Reno, Nevada where he worked for Consolidated Freightways for several years. Later, he was hired as a business agent for the Teamsters Union representing the truckers in the Teamsters Union, until he retired in 1994.

In 2000, Al moved to The Villages Florida where he met his surviving wife, Arline (Tabler) Tarson, of 11 & 1/2 years. They made their home in Florida for nearly 10 years, and then moved to Arizona in 2011, after Arline retired from Florida Realtors Assoc. The couple made their home in Bullhead City, Arizona after living a short time in Kingman, Arizona.

Al was an avid golfer and loved to watch all kinds of sports on TV, especially football, and the PGA golf matches. He made many friends over the years in the different places where he lived, and always enjoyed entertaining his friends at his home. He was always for having a Christmas Open House, patio and pool parties, or just plain good fellowship. Al always did most all of the food preparation as well, for his guests. He liked to cook and his favorite dish to make was his very special spaghetti sauce. A good time was always had by all and no one ever went away hungry!

Al and Arline did a lot of traveling including many cruises, and visited a few other countries as well. Whether it was, cruising, flying, or motoring across country in the car, it was always a fun time.

Surviving him besides his wife, Arline, are five children who are, Sandra Thornton, David Tarson, Jeffrey Tarson, Todd Tarson and Teri Hernandez; three stepchildren, Steve Tabler, Christina Vanzandt and Janice Tabler; and several grandchildren.
He leaves also his very dear brotherly cousin, Len Burke and his wife Noreen.

Al will be sadly missed, but he goes leaving many beautiful memories with his family and friends.

No Memorial Services are scheduled at this time. Arrangements under the direction of Palm Boulder Highway Mortuary, Henderson, Nevada.



Please don't cook or eat the books

ITALIAN STEREOTYPE VALIDATED —>
Aiazzi and DiLoreto almost throw blows

RTC Director threatens to raid bus maintenance fund
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 9-27-2012 Daily Sparks Tribune

UPDATED FRIDAY, 29 JUNE 2012, 6:19 p.m. PDT, 01:19 ZULU/GMT/CUT/SUT June 30(U-News) —

Teamsters vote to ratify new contract with Reno-Sparks-Washoe bus system
Work rules reinstated from 2005-08 agreement

RENO, Nev., USA (Friday, 29 June 2012) – By a substantial margin, Teamsters Union members on Friday ratified a new contract with the contract operator of the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County's bus and senior/disabled transit system.

The new contract will run through June 30, 2014. The employees have been working on extensions of the previous three-year agreement which expired in June of last year.

The new deal reinstates work rules very similar to those which had been in effect under the 2005-2008 agreement. During extended contract talks in 2009, the work rules issue brought the system close to its second strike in seven years.

"This year, the contractors were once again trying to unilaterally take away employee benefits as well as rights which have been guaranteed under federal law since 1935," stated Local 533 Secretary-Treasurer Debbie Calkins.

In late 2010, Calkins was elected the first female chief executive of the union in its more than a century of operation.

"We resisted all company provocations to push us to strike," stated Local 533 President Gary Watson.

"A walkout was in no one's best interest. Management was trying to put us out on the street and permanently replace us with strikebreakers. We would not play that union-busting game," Watson said.

Last year, Texas-based MV Transportation took over operation of the publicly owned and taxpayer subsidized mass transit system from the previous contractor, a subsidiary of a foreign-owned conglomerate.

MV Transportation imported several dozen strikebreakers to ride Reno-Sparks-Washoe RTC buses as passengers to learn the routes and the town as best they could before the Friday, 22 June 2012 strike/lockout deadline. Late-night negotiations last Friday resulted in the tentative contract approved today.

Teamsters Local 533 represents about 2,200 workers in a variety of businesses and government agencies throughout northern Nevada and eastern California, including all (about 175) RTC/RIDE drivers, dispatchers, maintenance and customer service personnel who are part of the bargaining unit.

Last month, the workers voted almost unanimously to authorize a strike. The union struck the bus system for the first time ever in 2002.

The Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County is comprised of five elected officials: Sparks Councilmember Ron Smith (RTC Chair); Washoe County Commissioners Bob Larkin (RTC Vice-Chair) and Bonnie Weber; and Reno City Councilmembers David Aiazzi and Dan Gustin.

The history of RTC and Teamsters relations dating back more than a decade may be accessed at NevadaLabor.com.

UPDATED FRIDAY, 22 JUNE 2012, 10:59 p.m. PDT, 05:59 ZULU/GMT/CUT/SUT June 23 (U-News) —

Reno-Sparks transit strike possibly averted
Teamsters reach tentative agreement with bus system

Reno, Nev. (USA) – A late-night tentative agreement has been reached between Teamsters Local 533 and MV Transportation, contract operator of the Regional Transportation of the Reno-Sparks-Washoe County (RTC) bus and senior/disabled transit system.

A ratification vote will be held all day on Friday, June 29.

STANDING ROOM ONLY ABOUT STANDING TOGETHER — Teamsters Local 533 members get an update at the Union offices on Thursday, June 21. Attendance was so high that some had to listen from hallways or from outdoors.

Last Friday, June 15, Teamsters Local 533 sent a letter of termination to MV Transportation. The letter served notice that the union was terminating the interim collective bargaining agreement between the workers and company effective at 11:59 p.m. PDT on Friday, June 22, 2012.

Union drivers and support staff could strike anytime thereafter. A strike or company lockout of workers would be nothing new, having happened in 2002.

The workers have been laboring without a contract for the past year.

MV Transportation imported several dozen strikebreakers to ride Reno-Sparks-Washoe RTC buses as passengers to learn the routes and the town as best they could before the June 22 strike/lockout deadline. They could be identified by their white shirts and black pants.

Teamsters Local 533 represents over 2,000 workers in a variety of businesses and government agencies throughout the region, including all 183 RTC/RIDE drivers, dispatchers and customer service personnel, almost all of whom are union members.

For updates, watch NevadaLabor.com.

UPDATED THURSDAY, 21 JUNE 2012, 1:08 a.m. PDT, 08:08 ZULU/GMT/CUT/SUT (U-News) —
As Charlie Brown might say, rats!


   WHITE RATS — MV Transportation has imported strikebreakers to ride Reno-Sparks-Washoe RTC buses as passengers to learn the routes and the town as best they can before the June 22 strike/lockout deadline. They can be identified by their white shirts and black pants. From all of us who have been through this a few times before, welcome to déjà vu all over again. Stay tuned and keep NevadaLabor.com posted.


Updated: WEDNESDAY, 20 JUNE 2012, 12:49 a.m. PDT, 07:49 ZULU/GMT/CUT/SUT (U-News) — Last Friday, June 15, Teamsters Local 533 sent a letter of termination to MV Transportation, contract operators for the Regional Transportation System of Washoe County's Reno-Sparks-Washoe bus and senior/disabled transit system. The letter served notice that the union is terminating the interim collective bargaining agreement between the workers and company effective at 11:59 p.m. PDT on Friday, June 22, 2012. Union drivers and support staff can strike anytime thereafter. A strike or company lockout of workers would be nothing new in the contentious relationship between the workers and whichever hired gun that local elected officials have retained to ramrod the public transit system. Stay tuned.

2008-09 Teamsters RTC/Ride negotiations
Includes links to 16-year Teamsters 533 news-photo-strike archives starting with the 1997 UPS strike

Former Teamsters Local 533 business agent Don Bouma dies
Memorial service set for May 27, 2012, in Sacramento

Don Harold Bouma, 1945-2011

DAYTON, NEV. 12-21-2011 — Harold Don Bouma was born March 15, 1945, and passed on December 21, 2011, at his home in Dayton, Nevada. Don attended Ontario Christian High School, then married his high school sweetheart Dortha Swires in 1964. Don was soon shipped off to the army, served his term in Vietnam and then returned home to Chino to start a family. Don worked as a contractor and for General Telephone. They moved to Wadsworth, Nevada, in 1977. Don worked as a gravel truck driver and then later became a union business agent for Teamsters Local 533 until he retired. Don leaves behind his daughter, Dawn (Rick Eimer), son Daniel Bouma (Sandi); grandsons Daniel, Bryce and Seth; four sisters and one brother. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dottie, and parents Harold and Dena Bouma. Funeral arrangements are pending. (Condolences and testimonials may be sent to the editor of this website for permanent posting. Reno Gazette-Journal subcontractor Legacy.com will post remembrances only through Jan. 31, 2012.)

UPDATE (4-29-2012) — We will have a celebration for my dad's life on May 27 in Sacramento at his brother's house. If anyone is interested in attending they can email me at dawnnabelle@hotmail.com for more information.  Thank you for sharing this information. Thanks, Dawn Bouma Eimer

 


Teamsters blast Fallon layoffs targeting union workers

Michael Sealy, Sr.
IBT 533 Business Agent

Unions may grieve city layoffs
Posted May 12, 2011
By Maddie Reynolds, Staff Writer
Lahontan Valley News/Fallon Eagle-Standard 5-13-2011

A grievance against the city of Fallon could be filed for a violation of the collective bargaining agreement with Teamsters Union Local 533 and Operating Engineers Local 3/AFL-CIO...

"It's been an absolute nightmare," (Teamsters Business Agent Mike) Sealy added...

Joey Peterson, former electrical lineman...moved across the country for the job he said was promised to last him for 20 years, yet it only lasted three.

"This town offers me nothing now," Peterson said.

"I won't raise my children here."

Peterson said he has a hard time seeing the justification of all the layoffs when he said union members were willing to accept a salary decrease if a contract could be agreed upon.

"It's a sad thing the city decided to take this route. They could have saved a lot of jobs," an anonymous source said. The source, an employee and union member, said he feels his job is threatened...

Read the full Lahontan Valley News/Fallon Eagle-Standard story

In the News

Nevada unions show solidarity with those in Wisconsin
Reno Gazette-Journal 2-21-2011

Nevada union members rallied Monday in support of state workers staging protests in Wisconsin with a simple message: What is happening there could just as easily happen in Nevada.

Debbie Calkins
Secretary-Treasurer & Principal Officer
She is the first woman to head the union.

“We have some legislators who want to take away bargaining rights,” said Debbie Calkins of Teamsters Local 533 in Reno, one of an estimated 300 who rallied in front of the Nevada Legislature on Monday, with hundreds more participating at the Grant Sawyer State Office Building in Las Vegas.


BATTLE IN THE CAPITAL —
Teamsters Union Local 533 members in front of the Nevada State Legislature in Carson City at the President's Day Solidarity with Wisconsin Rally, Feb. 21, 2011.

Local 533 has more 2,300 members at a wide range of public and private sector organizations throughout northern Nevada and eastern California. The union's jurisdiction covers 180,000 square miles, from Bishop, Calif., to Tonopah and Ely, Nev., on the south, Cedarville, Calif., to the northwest and the Nevada/Idaho/Utah border to the east.

 

NevadaLabor.com photos


New Starting Lineup

INSTALLATION OF 2011-2013 OFFICERS (Jan. 20, 2011) — Teamsters Local 70 Secretary-Treasurer Marty Frates, standing at right, representing Teamsters Joint Council 7, swears in newly-elected Local 533 officers (standing, left to right) Mike Hall, Dana Elwell, Victor Flores, Robert Zamora, Gary Watson and Debbie Calkins.

"Everything they deal with is a negative trying to make a positive," Frates told the members in attendance.

"Have you considered that whenever they are called, it's because something is wrong?

"Work together to make things better for everybody. Just remember, it's a way of life, it's not a job."

Marty Frates

Elected Officers and Executive Board
Effective Jan. 1, 2011

Name / Position / Union Signatory Employer or Former Employer

Debbie Calkins, Secretary-Treasurer / Principal Officer / UPS
Gary Watson, President / UPS/Luce & Son
George Thrower, Vice-President / Regional Transportation Commission
Robert Zamora, Recording Secretary / UPS
Dana Elwell, Trustee / Model Dairy
Victor Flores, Trustee / Waste Management, Inc.
Mike Hall, Trustee / Chugach (support services) @ Naval Air Station-Fallon


 



NevadaLabor.com/TEAMSTERS LOCAL 533 ARCHIVES

NevadaLabor.com Teamsters 533 home page

Teamsters 2014-16 ARCHIVE

Teamsters 2010

Teamsters 2009

2008-09 Teamsters RTC/Ride negotiations
Links to 16-year Teamsters 533 news-photo-strike archives starting with the 1997 UPS strike

Teamsters 2008

Teamsters 2006

Teamsters 2005

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