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Teamster Strike Vote At PTS .            PTS pulls out of contract talks, IBT taking strike vote this weekend. .

Performance Transportation Services (PTS) is the latest Teamster employer to ask a bankruptcy court to impose concessions on its workers - and 1,300 carhaulers are facing cuts.  The wage cut request will be at least 10 percent and could be as high as 17.5 percent, which would match the concession that the International gave to Allied Automotive Group a year ago.  The move comes at a terrible time, on the eve of the contract expiration on May 31.  Word has now come down that PTS has notified Teamster carhaul negotiators late on Thursday, May 29 that it has withdrawn from multiemployer contract talks. Union leaders quickly informed the company that it has no right to withdraw from the multiemployer bargaining negotiations, which have reached a critical stage after several months of intense bargaining.

"PTS' actions are disrupting the negotiations at the 11th hour," said Fred Zuckerman, Teamsters Carhaul Division Director and lead negotiator.  "Given the state of the auto industry, PTS' irresponsible actions could jeopardize an already weakened auto industry."  Zuckerman also said, "PTS has no right to withdraw from multiemployer negotiations and we call on PTS to return to the multiemployer talks immediately so that we can reach a tentative agreement by the Saturday, May 31 deadline.  PTS must return to the multiemployer talks immediately."

The International Union is conducting strike votes at PTS terminals this weekend.

A note for Local 580 members:
Locally, a strike vote will be held at Leaseway on Sunday, June 1, 2008.

PTS and its subsidiaries - E and L Transport, Hadley Auto Transport and Leaseway Motor Transport - employ about 1,200 Teamster members.  Combined, PTS' subsidiaries are the second largest Teamster carhaul employer behind Allied Holdings.

Carhaul contract updates are posted on the International Website, here.