Teamsters, International Union Come Together to Help
R.R. Donnelley Workers

Worldwide Effort to Unionize Workers Coordinated in Chicago

Teamsters Joint Council 25 hosted a global working group meeting concerning R.R. Donnelley on May 14. 

Labor unions from 12 countries gathered in Chicago to discuss a global plan to help workers at R.R. Donnelley.

The group included leaders from the Graphic Communications Conference of the Teamsters Union and United Network International, an international union with 15 million members worldwide. 

“The Teamsters are just one of many unions around the world fighting hard to bring fair working conditions to R.R. Donnelley,” said Frank Golden, District Council 4 Business Agent and Organizer.  “By working together with UNI, we are increasing our strength around the world.”

The group included leaders from Canada, England, Poland, Belgium, France, India, Venezuela, Chile, Brazil, Nyon, and Panama.

“UNI understands the power the Teamsters have — especially in Chicago,” Golden said.  “The best way to get Donnelley to listen and treat their workers better is to coordinate a worldwide effort.”

Workers from the R.R. Donnelley facility in Pontiac, Illinois spoke to UNI leaders during their visit to the United States.

The group also delivered a letter Donnelley’s CEO at the Chicago headquarters on May 15. 

“We came to meet with Thomas Quinlan, the CEO of R.R. Donnelly because there are workers at this company trying to become labor union members who are being discriminated against,” said Joe O’Connor, Vice President of the Graphic Communications Conference of the Teamsters Union.  “Building a dialogue about responsible corporate practices and improving employee relations is our goal.”

R.R. Donnelly is a printing giant with affiliated facilities throughout the world. 

UNI is an organization that brings together 1,000 unions to create a truly global union that can tackle multinationals and promote the interests of workers to governments, regional institutions and global agencies. 

Graphics Communications Union District Council 4 represents the printing industry workers of Local 458M, Local 32M and Local 568M in the state of Illinois. 

Download PDF

MORE NEWS »