Oct.
20, 2010 Kokomo Perspective
Teamsters, the face of many companies
Teamsters Local 135 represents employees at Irving Materials,
Wonder Bread, E&B Paving, Highway Materials, Speedway
Concrete, Waste Management, Coca-Cola
by Peter Adelsen
staff writer
padelsen@kokomoperspective.com
A
lot of
what
hap-
pens
in our
lives
could-
n’t have been done with-
out those in the
International Brotherhood
of Teamsters.
Teamsters are the face
of many companies. These
faces may end up making
a person smile. If a person
is waiting for a delivery
from UPS, that delivery
man is a Teamster. If a per-
son is going to the grocery
store to pick up some soft
drinks, it was a Teamster
who delivered the bever-
age to the store and placed
it on the shelf.
“That guy who is out
making the delivery in
many cases that is the face
of Coca-Cola,” said Craig
Severns, general manager
at Coca-Cola Bottling of
Kokomo. “Most of the cit-
izens and the merchants
there don’t know who I
am. They don’t know me.
They know the guy that’s
delivering their product to
them. That’s Mr. Coca-
Cola to them.”
Severns continued say-
ing that the delivery man
even does more than his
title.
“That’s the guy they see
and takes care of whatever
their needs might be,” he
said. “That route man is
not only delivering the
product merchandise, if
they see a vending ma-
chine out there that is not
working properly, he will
get that word back to us,
so we can dispatch some-
body to get it fixed.”
At the Coke bottling
plant, Teamsters union
members work as ware-
house workers, drivers,
hourly delivery, cooler re-
pair and mechanics.
Between Coke and the
Teamsters union there has
been a partnership that has
lasted for a long time.
“Neither side is trying to
get one better than the
other,” said Tim Know-
land, Coca-Cola Bottling
of Kokomo sales manager.
“It’s both of us trying to
exist together and for the
betterment of the company
long term, which is pretty
good job security.”
kokomoperspective.com/Salute to Labor E5
the company. Recently,
“
things have been good, he
said.
Members of Local 135
are a part of one of the
That guy who largest Teamsters unions
is out making in the country and like
the delivery in Local 710, it covers multi-
ple states, he said.
many cases that “We are Local 135, we
is the face of are 15,000 to 16,000
Coca-Cola. strong and we’re in 57
Most of the counties in Indiana, seven
counties in Michigan and
citizens and the
three counties in Illinois,”
merchants there he said. “We are a big
MAKING DELIVERY — Coca-Cola’s Gary Trent unloads his truck to restock Kmart’s
shelves. He has worked with Coke for nearly 30 years.
don’t know who local. We are probably the Perspective photo / Peter Adelsen
I am. They don’t second of third largest
local in the country.”
know me. They
Being a larger union
know the guy does have its advantages,
that’s delivering he said.
their product to “The upper echelon of
them. That’s Mr. the Teamsters listens be-
cause we are a big local.”
Coca-Cola to Those in the Teamsters
them.
”
are out in the public every
day, unlike their white-
collar counterparts and
Craig those in many other
unions.
Severns “The Teamsters are out
general there doing it day in and
manager day out,” Adams said.
“The management people
Coca-Cola Bottling Co.
really don’t see the rank-
of Kokomo
in-file customer where the
Teamsters are. They see
Coca-Cola Bottling of
these people day in and
Kokomo serves about a
week out. The manage-
35-mile radius around
Kokomo and includes the ment doesn’t see this that
often. The Teamsters are
cities of Logansport, Peru,
Tipton, Elwood and Del- on a first-name basis with
the representative compa-
phi.
Throughout Kokomo, nies (like Kroger) and they
the Teamsters from Coke do a good job.”
may be the most likely to
be seen by the majority of
the public, but there is far
more this union represents.
Teamsters Local 135
represents employees at
IMI (Irving Materials,
Inc.), Wonder Bread, E&B
Paving, Highway Materi-
als Inc., Speedway Con-
crete and Waste
Management.
“I have a good relation-
ship with all of them,” said
Chico Adams, Teamsters
Local 135 business agent.
Another local company,
UPS, is also represented
by the Teamsters, but not
the Local 135. It is instead
represented by Teamsters
Local 710 out of Chicago.
However, UPS in Marion
and Anderson is repre-
sented by 135, he said.
Adams’ job as a busi-
ness agent is to come in
and settle all the disputes
between the members and
 Kokomo Perspective Oct. 20, 2010
E6 kokomoperspective.com/Salute to Labor

MOVING THE PRODUCT — Coca-Cola warehouse forklift-operator Leonard Harris moves Coca-Cola products so
they can be ready for delivery.
Perspective photo / Peter Adelsen

MAKING DELIVERY POSSIBLE — Mechanic Jeff

Vanover repairs a Coca-Cola semi.
Perspective photo / Peter Adelsen

MAKING DELIVERY — A Coca-Cola delivery truck sits

behind Kmart as driver Gary Trent makes a delivery.
Perspective photo / Peter Adelsen

REFRESHING PRODUCT — Tons of Coca-Cola’s bev-

erages await the time to be distributed for delivery.
VENDING — Larry Carden, a Coca-Cola cooler repair Perspective photo / Peter Adelsen
man, tweaks a vending machine.
Perspective photo / Peter Adelsen
 Oct. 20, 2010 Kokomo Perspective

kokomoperspective.com/Salute to Labor E7
Administration grateful to have
good working relationship
with city unions
Goodnight said the ex-

“
by Tim Turner
digital media manager The last couple years tension really helped the
tturner@kokomoperspective.com have been very city plan for its budget.
difficult, and I have seen “The FOP was not even

W
h e n
Kokomo a lot of leadership in our scheduled to go into nego-
bargaining units in our tiations until next April,”
mayor Greg said Goodnight. “They
Goodnight city unions who have have extended their con-
FILES — Kokomo police officers Jeff Catt and Don
had to make the difficult understood the times we tract with a voluntary pay
Whitehead go over files.
decision to layoff firefight- are in. Perspective photo / Tim Turner

”
Greg freeze from now until the
ers a little more than a year
ago, the former union Goodnight end of 2012. I hope they
get the proper recognition.
leader didn’t think he mayor Jason Burton, John Web-
would be in the position he

“
is in today.
Goodnight enjoys a very
comfortable relationship
with the local unions,
which have bought in to
his philosophy of finding
ways to keep costs down
and everyone employed.
“The last couple years
have been very difficult,
and I have seen a lot of
ster, the rest of the FOP
I think we speak for every one leadership, and the rank
of the taxpayers in the and file deserve thanks for
city of Kokomo when we recognizing and putting
the city’s interests ahead of
say thank you (to the their own personal interest.
FOP) so much for They deserve a lot of
agreeing to an extension. kudos for their leadership.”
Hopefully things will get Goodnight said the at-
better and some day we tention the national econ-
Jim will be voting on a pay omy has received is why
increase. he felt that the contract ne-

”
leadership in our bargain- Brannon gotiations went so
ing units in our city unions smoothly.
controller CRIME LAB — Kokomo Police Department detective
who have understood the “Their leadership, and Sean Kinney and crime lab assistant Alisha Casler
times we are in,” said maybe their rank and file, process a firearm for fingerprints.
Goodnight. They have is very aware of the state Perspective photo / Tim Turner
helped us work through economy and the national
some things such as the economy,” said Goodnight. “Keep in mind when we first
Novia clinic.” came in office we had to start negotiations my first four
On Aug. 4, Jason Burton presented a proposal to the months in office. There was maybe a little bit of uncer-
Board of Works which would extend the current Frater- tainty what the country’s financial situation was. There
nal Order of Police Lodge 78 contract through 2012. The may have been a little mistrust and apprehension on their
contract is the same as the current contract and no one part, a little bit of uncertainty.”
would receive raises, but the union got a guarantee that Goodnight said a positive reflection on how his ad-
there would be no involuntary layoffs. ministration has worked with the unions is the lack of
BOW president and city controller Jim Brannon was grievances filed.
very thankful for the FOP’s decision. “Obviously we have had some cutbacks, but the griev-
“We appreciate the efforts of the FOP,” said Brannon. ances we have received have been minimal,” said Good-
“It is a clear indication that the FOP understands the sit- night. “I don’t think we have had an FOP grievance in
uation the city is in. We applaud your efforts. I think we three years. The only IAF grievances I think we have had
speak for every one of the taxpayers in the city of involved layoffs back a couple years ago. I am really
Kokomo when we say thank you so much for agreeing to happy with that.”
an extension. Hopefully things will get better and some Goodnight said he is proud of the work that has been
day we will be voting on a pay increase; not sure when done by all the union leadership in the city, and he hopes
that will be and I am not making any promises.” that they can continue to have a positive working rela- ON DUTY — Officers respond to a call of “shots fired.”
Earlier this year the Kokomo Professional Firefighters tionship. Perspective photo / Tim Turner
Local 396 also agreed to extend its contract.
Page E8 Kokomo Perspective Oct. 20, 2010

Building & Construction Trades Council

SUPPORTING ALL HARDWORKING MEN &
WOMEN OF HOWARD COUNTY!

Boilermakers International Union United Brotherhood International International

Local No. 374 of Bricklayers and of Carpenters And Brotherhood of Association of
Allied Craftworkers Joiners Electrical Workers Heat/Frost
Local Union No. 4 Local No. 615 Local 873 Insulators and
Asbestos Workers
Local 18

International Ironworkers Laborers’ United Brotherhood International

Association of Local 22 International of Carpenters & Union of Operating
Bridge, Structural Union Millwrights Engineers
and Ornamental Local 274 Union 1029 Local 103
Iron Workers
Local 147

International Plumbers & Plumbers & Operative Road Sprinkler

Union Of Painters Steamfitters Steamfitters Plasterers and Fitters
and Allied Trades, Local Union 166 Local Union 440 Cement Masons’ Local 669
AFL-CIO, CLC International
District Council 91 Association
Local 469 - Local 669 Local No. 692
Local 1165

United Union of Sheet Metal International

Roofers, Workers’ Brotherhood of
Waterproofers, and International Teamsters
Allied Workers Association Local No. 135
Local No. 205 Local No. 20

PRESIDENT . . . . . . . .CHICO ADAMS TRUSTEE . . . . . . . . . .SHANE HARRIS

VICE PRESIDENT . . .DON KEITH TRUSTEE . . . . . . . . . .DON BOUGH
SECRETARY . . . . . . .BRUCE JANSSEN TRUSTEE . . . . . . . . . .RICKY WILLIAMS