Teamsters Picket Overnite Terminals

Overnite Transportation Co. said it will continue to operate normally despite the appearance of picket lines at a number of its terminals across the country in what Teamsters offiicials are calling an unfair labor practices strike.

"We will pick up and deliver as promised," Chairman Leo H. Suggs said in a statement. "We absolutely will not allow this action by the Teamsters to deter from our commitment to customers."

The walkout began at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday at Overnite's freight hub in Memphis, Tenn., and later spread to terminals in Chicago and Long Island, N.Y., plus LIttle Rock, Ark., North Atlanta and St. Louis.

Teamsters officials said Monday that the strike has been joined by employees at Overnite terminals in Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania, plus Miami; Sacramento, Calif.; Milwaukee; Lexington, Ky.; Omaha, Neb.; Portland, Ore.; Decatur, Ala., Nashville, Tenn.; New Orleans; Springfield., Mo.; and Indianapolis.

The Teamsters have been trying for four years to organize Overnite, the largest nonunion less-than-truckload freight carrier in the country. The union has won the right to represent employees at some Overnite terminals, but the two sides have been unable to agree on a contract. Overnite has 160 terminals nationwide, and the union says it represents workers at 37 of them while the company says the number is under 21.

To counter the strike, Overnite is using hundreds of drivers and dock workers from other terminals and temporary replacement workers from several third party providers.

"The Teamsters have threatened a nationwide strike five times in the last year and have failed to muster appreciable support from within the company," Suggs said. "Now they are using drivers from unionized competitors and unemployed union members from other carriers to create pickets at Overnite facilities."

The vast majority of Overnite employees are working, said Suggs, who noted that a similar strike attempt in July ended after five days with minimal disruption and no concessions from the company.