YRC Freight Canada truck drivers told not to report to work

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Truck drivers represented by Unifor Local 4209 have been told not to report to work at YRC Freight Canada as the fleet’s U.S.-based parent, Yellow, files for bankruptcy.

While Yellow employs about 22,000 unionized workers overall, the Canadian union local represents 58 owner-operators and 70 company linehaul truck drivers.

“The bankruptcy process is an escape hatch for CEOs, but no such relief exists for workers who are cut loose with no notice and often zero support,” Unifor national president Lana Payne said in a press release. “We expect fair treatment and clear communication to the hard-working members of Local 4209 as the company winds down. My thoughts are with the workers and their families who carry the weight of the uncertainty during the bankruptcy process.”

Yellow
(Photo: Yellow Corp.)

Yellow reportedly carried about US$1.5 billion in outstanding debt, including about $730 million owed to the U.S. federal government because of a 2020 bailout.

Don Lajoie, the union local’s president, referred to news of the bankruptcy as “devastating”.

“While the bankruptcy process focuses on moving numbers around a page, we have to remember the human impact. There are hundreds of families who are left with very little information right now. The local and national union are working to keep them informed as the process continues,” he said.

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    • Yes but will the jobs pay the same amount of $. I know some the drivers were making over $30U S plus medical or $40 CD / hr

  • I spent 30 years with Yellow (Retired Sales). The slide from being the#1 LTL carrier in the US started when Yellow bought Roadway in 1997. Their high flying CEO at the time borrowed a Billion $$’s for the acquisition of their biggest competitor. When you make mayne 5 cents on every $ of gross ncome…how do you pay back a loan that size..??..In a short time this huge debt proved out to be disaterous ..!!

  • If you have products that shipped with YRC that are now trapped in a chained up depot in Burnaby, who do you contact to get your stuff back?

  • I read one of the comments and the person said it was brought down by the lazy union. I worked non union for over 36 years. Worked like a dog as a mechanic. Any time I asked for a raise, I always was told some Bull $#!t story why I could not get a raise. Now I’m m working a government job, I get raises without worrying if I will get fired for asking for a raise. One compay I aske a fellows employee if we ever get raises and he said if I ask i’ll provertly will get fired. The best part that owner came to me a week before Christmas and wanted to talk to me, I thought finally im getting a raise after worker fot 2 years. But he told me he had to lay me off for 3 months. Alot of union members work hard also. Its called greedy management and owners