Teamsters Local 104

Teamsters Local 104 is proud to announce our State of Arizona endorsements for the 2026 election.

🚨RETIREMENT ALERT🚨
After an incredible 39 years at Transdev, Carol Van Houten is officially beginning a well-deserved retirement!
Carol wasn’t just a Service Island worker—she was a fighter, a leader, and a dedicated union steward for more than 30 years. Throughout those decades, Carol stood up for her coworkers, fought for fairness, and made sure the voices of the membership were heard.

She played an instrumental role in union negotiations and was a huge part of building and strengthening the union at Transdev. Her dedication, knowledge, commitment, and willingness to stand up for what was right made a lasting impact on countless employees.

For more than three decades, Carol represented what it means to be a true union steward: standing together, fighting together, and never forgetting who you represent.

Carol, your fingerprints are all over the history of this union. The contracts negotiated, the battles fought, and the improvements made for the membership are part of the legacy you leave behind.

Thank you, Carol, for everything you have done for Transdev, your coworkers, and the union. Your dedication will not be forgotten.

Ryan Proctor
Director of Representation
Teamsters Local Union No. 104

More opposition to the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger emerged recently, with additional rail unions joining the Stop the Rail Merger Coalition.

The Transportation Communications Union (TCU/IAM) and IAM District 19, both part of the IAM Rail Division, announced their opposition to the merger on September 2, and said that they would begin working with the Stop the Rail Merger Coalition.

The IAM Rail Division raised the same concerns brought forth by others in rail labor, including the Teamsters Rail Conference and the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen: that the unenforceable worker protections offered in connection with the proposed merger do not go far enough to protect against furloughs, abolished positions, relocation of work, facility closures, contracting out, or the gradual elimination of jobs through attrition and consolidation.

“When workers and affected stakeholders stand together, we are better positioned to demand real accountability and enforceable protections,” said TCU/IAM National President Matt Hollis.

The Teamsters Rail Conference, comprised of BLET and BMWED, sits on the Executive Board of the Stop the Rail Merger Coalition and was the first labor organization to join the coalition. The Stop the Rail Merger Coalition represents a broad cross-section of the U.S. economy. It is united against a merger that would reduce competition, increase costs, and weaken America’s supply chain.

Read the TCU/IAM and IAM District 19 joint press release: blet.link/4yp0ljp

Representatives of BMWED and BLET attended this week’s Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas as part of the Stop the Rail Merger Coalition to educate GOP leaders about the Coalition’s opposition to the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger.

Joining with Coalition partners in agriculture, energy, manufacturing, and transportation, BMWED and BLET brought the voice of railroaders to the convention to explain why the merger must be rejected.

The BMWED and BLET are working with Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to oppose the UP-NS merger, which would drive up rates for consumers, weaken the workforce on the railroad, and hurt the nation’s supply chain.

See the Stop the Rail Merger Coalition website for more information: stoptherailmerger.com

On September 3, a letter signed by over 100 members of the U.S. House of Representatives was circulated urging the federal Surface Transportation Board (STB) to consider the consequences of the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern Rail merger for workers. Representative Val Hoyle (D-OR) led the effort, and with assistance from the Teamsters Rail Conference. The full text of the letter can be found here: blet.link/4xcFijd.

Mark Wallace, National President of the BLET and President of the Teamsters Rail Conference, said:

“We have seen what railroad mergers and consolidation have done to workers, customers, and communities. The proposed Union Pacific acquisition of Norfolk Southern would create the largest railroad in the country, but bigger does not mean better. These two railroads do not need to merge, and Union Pacific has not shown that this deal is in the public interest.

“BLET and BMWED did not rush to judgment. We were the first two rail unions to meet with UP CEO Jim Vena after the announcement, and we listened with an open mind. What we heard did not answer our concerns about jobs, service, safety, or the communities that depend on these railroads.

“UP calls its offer ‘Jobs for Life,’ but a slogan is not job protection. Their promise does not protect the jobs that exist today. It allows jobs to disappear through attrition, and it can force workers to move hundreds of miles or accept whatever work the company makes available. That may protect a person from the word ‘furlough,’ but it does not protect that worker’s job, home, or family.

“We have already seen the results of doing more with fewer people: limited personal leave, tighter attendance policies, fewer vacation opportunities, and increased discipline aimed at removing employees. If this merger is paid for by eliminating jobs and placing even more work on those who remain, the jobs left will not be the kind of jobs anyone would embrace for a lifetime.”

Today, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters recognizes World Su***de Prevention Day and September as National Su***de Prevention Month.

Through the work of the Teamsters Human Rights and Diversity Commission and the Teamsters Education Department, our union is dedicated to ensuring that our members and their families have the tools and support needed to treat mental health conditions and prevent su***de.

The Teamsters are committed to ending the stigma surrounding mental health awareness and su***de prevention. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis, dial 988 to immediately connect with a professional at the National Su***de and Crisis Hotline.

📣Teamsters Local 104 is proud to shine our Steward spotlight on Brother Austin Dyer!

You don’t earn the respect of your coworkers by wearing a title. You earn it by showing up, knowing the contract, and standing up when your members need you. Austin Dyer does exactly that.
Brother Dyer has been with CEMEX for 11 years and has served as a Teamster steward for the past four. He’s been on the negotiating committee, fighting for a strong contract, and he’s consistent in communicating with the members to make sure the CBA is being followed.
A second-generation Teamster, Austin understands that being a union member means more than just paying dues. It means standing together and looking out for one another. His commitment to the movement goes beyond his workplace, including serving as a Sergeant-at-Arms at the IBT Convention.
Beyond serving as a steward, he puts in the work behind the wheel. Austin was a **Regional NRMCA Champion in 2022 and 2026** and is headed to the upcoming NRMCA Nationals to compete against the best in the country.

Thank you Brother Austin Dyer, for your dedication and commitment to the Teamster movement.

Jason Kimley
Business Agent
Teamsters Local 104

This Labor Day, Teamsters Local 104 celebrates the working men and women who built this country and continue to keep our communities moving.

Labor Day is a time to recognize the value of hard work, but it is also a reminder that workers have never been handed fairness. The wages, benefits, safety standards, and rights we have today were won because working people stood together, organized, and refused to back down.

That fight is not over. Across our communities and workplaces, working people are still being asked to do more for less, while those who profit from our labor tell us to be grateful for whatever we are given. We know better. Our strength has always come from solidarity. When we stand together, we have the power to demand better. Not just for ourselves, but for every working family.

So today, we celebrate the people who show up, do the work, look out for one another, and continue the fight for a better future.✊🏻💪🏽🔥

Happy Labor Day from Teamsters Local 104. Stay united, stay strong, and never be afraid to stand up for what working people deserve.