TEAMSTERS AT ALBERTSONS VOTE OVERWHELMINGLY TO AUTHORIZE STRIKE

More Than 90 Drivers Demand Fair Pay, Strong Benefits, and Protections Against Autonomous Trucks

DALLAS, May 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Over 90 drivers at Albertsons, represented by Teamsters Local 745, have voted by a more than 97 percent margin to authorize a strike in response to the company's repeated refusal to offer a fair contract. Instead, Albertsons management is pushing to include contract language that would allow the use of unsafe, unregulated autonomous trucks — putting jobs, families, and public safety at risk.

In the face of Albertsons attempt to cut jobs, the workers are demanding the same fair wages, pension, and job protections that Teamsters at Albertsons locations across the country already receive.

"Our members have sent a loud and clear message to the greedy executives running this company that we will not accept a second-rate contract, and we will not allow Albertsons to threaten our jobs or our communities with dangerous driverless trucks," said Brent Taylor, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 745 and Teamsters Southern Region International Vice President.

Albertsons, a $13 billion grocery chain, has a long track record of prioritizing profits over people. Last year, the company attempted a failed merger with Kroger that would have crushed competition and harmed both workers and consumers. Now, it's demanding to replace human drivers with dangerous machines — despite polling that shows a majority of Americans oppose autonomous trucks on public roads.

"Striking is the last thing any of us want, but if the company won't offer us a fair deal, we're ready to do whatever it takes," said Kenneth Starnes, a driver at Albertsons and member of Local 745. "This is about our future, our families, and our safety. We won't back down."

The Teamsters represent hundreds of workers at Albertsons nationwide. Local 745's strike authorization allows the union to call a work stoppage at any time, and picket lines could be extended across the country.

"If Albertsons thinks it can threaten one group of Teamsters without a significant response, they're in for a rude awakening," said Tom Erickson, Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. "We're united, we're ready, and we're not going to let corporate greed take our jobs or endanger our communities."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on X @Teamsters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:
Daniel Moskowitz, (770) 262-4971
[email protected] 

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters